No. 4 of 32 ·File Comparison Software

Meld

Windows · Linux

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Freedom report

Two barsScore 6.5

Free tierA free tier is on its own pricing page
Open codeNo open-source code on record
Runs widely2 of 6 device platforms
DocumentedPlans, terms and facts published

Meld is ranked #4 of 32 in file comparison software on Freedom251. It runs on Linux, Windows. There is a free plan.

Meld plans and pricing

All plans

Meld Free GPLv2 or later gnome.pages.gitlab.gnome.org · 30 Sept 2026

Compared on file comparison software

Free plan: Yes
Three-way merge: Yes
Folder comparison: Yes

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The record

Purpose: Meld is a visual diff and merge tool for comparing files, directories, and version-controlled projects.
File comparison: It compares, edits, and merges files with live updates, change navigation, text filters, and three-way merge assistance.
Version control: It supports Git, Mercurial, Bazaar, and Subversion, including integration with tools such as git mergetool.
Text filters: Users can define regular-expression filters to ignore matching text when comparing files; the documentation says filtering support is incomplete and filters cannot change the number of lines.
Linux availability: Meld is packaged for most Linux and Unix distributions and is available on Flathub.
Windows availability: Windows users can download an installer; Meld does not support automatic updates or portable installs.
macOS status: Meld is not yet supported on macOS, though semi-official builds and installation options through Homebrew, MacPorts, or Fink are listed.
License: The project lists its license as GPLv2 or later, except as noted.
Support: The project asks users to open an issue for problems and offers a discussion board for questions.
Latest stable release: The page lists Meld 3.24.0 as stable, dated 20 June 2026.
Intended users: The project describes Meld as useful for reviewing code changes and understanding patches.
Merge assistance: Three way merge assistance includes conflict handling and display of the base version.
Distribution: Meld is packaged for most Linux and Unix distributions and is available on Flathub.
Windows: Windows users can download an installer, but automatic updates and portable installs are not supported.
Price from: Free

Where it ranks on Freedom251

Best File Comparison Software in 2026#4 of 32
Best Diff and Merge Tools in 2026#5 of 27

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Sources

gnome.pages.gitlab.gnome.org/meld/· checked 30 Sept 2026
gnome.pages.gitlab.gnome.org/meld/help/text-filters.html· checked 30 Sept 2026