Confluence and SharePoint are two of the most used platforms for collaboration and knowledge management in the business environment. Both offer a wide range of tools for creating, managing and sharing content and have conquered the top of the internal collaboration market, but they differ in several ways, including structure, functionality and integration with other software. It is therefore up to companies to choose which of the two is the most suitable tool for their needs. In this article, we'll review the main features of Confluence and SharePoint, comparing their abilities to support teamwork, document management, and communication.
An organization encompasses a wide range of processes, business operations, employees, shared roles and responsibilities, as well as a large amount of data from various sources. In the era of digitalization, an organization receives an enormous amount of data from sources of all kinds that must be properly and intelligently managed to make decisions based on data and develop future strategies.
Another important aspect is smooth collaboration between teams. No organization can survive without perfect communication and collaboration between its different departments and team members.
For this reason, it is necessary to have the right document management and collaboration tool within the organization to ensure that you are not left behind. Having the right tool that facilitates collaboration between teams, even if they work in different locations, is very essential nowadays.
When looking for document archiving, data management and collaboration tools on the Internet, you can find different solutions dedicated to these areas. However, the two main competitors that are currently dividing the market are Microsoft SharePoint and Confluence.
Both platforms are designed to help companies collaborate productively and effectively, and their importance has become even more evident due to the increase in remote work in recent years.
Of course, both options also have limitations. And what works perfectly for one company isn't necessarily right for another. So, let's go into detail with a side-by-side comparison between Confluence and SharePoint.
We can help your company adopt Microsoft SharePoint. More details in our project ”From Confluence to SharePoint Online: Story of a Migration”.
Managing communication and collaboration between teams can sometimes feel like juggling, and those moments when messages get lost in chaos or team objectives seem to be moving targets can be especially frustrating.
That's where online collaboration tools come in, designed to simplify your team's workflow and keep everyone on the same page, sometimes even literally!
Both Microsoft SharePoint and Atlassian Confluence have been on the market for several years now (with SharePoint now traveling over twenty years of honorable service) and enjoy a considerable market share.
Microsoft has dominated the world of workplace software for decades with its suites dedicated to business productivity such as Microsoft 365 (once known and still referred to by veterans under the old name of Office). However, Atlassian, founded in Australia in 2002, is certainly not the latest addition to the sector and Confluence has succeeded in carving out a small portion of the market.
So, before moving on to a direct comparison between the two and understanding which is the best solution to improve productivity and collaboration within your business, let's look at them individually and try to understand what their offer is.
Developed way back in 2001, Microsoft SharePoint It is one of the oldest and most reliable tools for archiving, managing and collaborating on documents globally and has more than 200 million active users worldwide.
SharePoint offers a wide range of features for businesses and businesses. In addition to advanced document versioning and visual customization capabilities, SharePoint also allows users to create intranet sites within the organization, to make processes and operations more efficient and productive.
In addition, SharePoint can be seamlessly integrated with third-party tools and solutions. If you have an internal CRM or other tools like Office 365 and OneDrive, you can integrate them with SharePoint. You will have access to a centralized knowledge management system with the right access controls and permissions. In addition, SharePoint is the most secure tool for protecting your data thanks to Microsoft's robust security infrastructure.
Among the essential features of SharePoint we can mention:
We created intranet.ai, which now has over 200 installations worldwide. It is the ready-to-use and customizable solution for digitizing the processes and communication of any company. We'll help you:
Contact us if you have a SharePoint Online project in mind.
Confluence has been on the market since 2004 and is a great document management and collaboration tool. It has more than 60,000 customers worldwide. Confluence's functionality is often limited compared to SharePoint, but the platform has compensated for its shortcomings by focusing more on its ease of use.
An important aspect to keep in mind is the learning curve. SharePoint has a very steep learning curve, and it takes a long time for beginners to learn and understand SharePoint and all its features. This is not the case of Confluence, which has stood out on the market in particular for its ease of use.
Among the main features and functionality of Confluence we can mention:
At first glance, the confrontation between Confluence and SharePoint shows that both platforms offer apparently similar ways to manage documents and tasks through wikis or intranet sites.
Atlassian Confluence focuses on creating, organizing, and sharing content with teams within an entire organization. Microsoft's SharePoint is a larger platform that includes document management, intranet/extranet portals, content management, and enterprise search. It is a central hub for communication, collaboration, and information sharing within an organization.
Both software platforms are now cloud-based, accessible wherever there is a digital connection. Cloud connectivity means that the ability to edit documents in real time is a standard feature. Continuous security and functionality updates are a typical feature of cloud software. SharePoint and Confluence also offer good customer service and free product trials, along with community discussion forums to share information among end users.
A deeper look at the features of SharePoint vs. Confluence shows that both platforms integrate well with emails and calendars, and these features are a big advantage from a project management perspective.
Other features of both products include:
But when you compare Confluence and SharePoint, there are more differences in functionality and each user interface that make these products distinctly different.
Now the most important part begins: that of the actual fight. If you are essentially wondering what the main difference between Confluence and SharePoint is, it is probably that SharePoint has more functionality and greater long-term advantages than the excellent Confluence, which has a few tricks up its sleeve in its favor.
Among the main categories in which the two find themselves clashing, we can mention:
When choosing between SharePoint and Confluence, you need to consider many factors, and it's best to compare tools only after you understand your business needs, what problems you're trying to solve, and what budget (including time) you're willing to spend to meet that need.
Before making a decision, it is therefore important to ask yourself these questions:
For example, if you have a small team and needs limited to the basics, a collaboration platform only for your employees, Confluence may be a better choice, albeit limited, and would have the advantage of being immediately usable without the need for training.
On the other hand, if ours is a small company with a team of 25+ people, with growth prospects and the need to involve its partners and customers then we should opt for SharePoint.
But as the size scales, SharePoint wins in almost every industry when compared to Confluence. The Microsoft collaboration platform is simply a more advanced, robust, and secure document collaboration tool, with robust and varied customization options to be used specifically for special business needs.
This is why even small and medium-sized businesses choose SharePoint over Confluence.
Choosing a document management and collaboration platform is not to be taken lightly and can have a very serious impact within your organization. Implementing the right solution is therefore something that must be evaluated not only based on the present conditions but also on the future forecasts for the growth of your organization.
It is therefore important to ask yourself the right questions, evaluate your strategies and decide what is the best investment to make, always keeping in mind that it is not only convenience that is the only factor to consider when deciding to invest in your digital infrastructures.
If your choice were to go in favor of SharePoint, Dev4Side's experts, who have been professionals operating within Microsoft ecosystems for more than 15 years, can help your organization implement customized solutions based on SharePoint and collaborate with your organization's employees to give them all the tools necessary to understand and make the most of the Redmond collaboration platform, making its adoption easier and faster than ever.
Microsoft SharePoint is a platform developed by Microsoft in 2001 for archiving, managing and collaborating on documents. It offers features such as the creation of intranet sites, advanced document management and integration with other Microsoft 365 applications.
Atlassian Confluence, launched in 2004, is a collaboration and knowledge management tool that allows teams to create, share and collaborate on content in a centralized environment. It is especially popular for creating corporate documentation and wikis.
SharePoint offers a wider range of functionality, including advanced document management, intranet site creation, and deep integration with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Confluence focuses more on content collaboration and knowledge management, with a user-friendly interface for creating documentation and wikis.
Both platforms facilitate collaboration between teams, allowing the creation, sharing and management of content. They offer functionality for managing permissions, document versioning, and integration with other business tools.
The choice depends on the organization's specific needs. If you are looking for a complete solution with integration into the Microsoft ecosystem and advanced document management capabilities, SharePoint may be the ideal choice. If the main goal is creating collaborative documentation and wikis with a simple interface, Confluence may be a better fit.
Yes, it is possible to migrate from Confluence to SharePoint. The Dev4Side team can support companies in properly managing the migration, ensuring an efficient process without data loss. In addition, Dev4Side offers a ready-to-use solution for creating the corporate digital workplace based on Microsoft 365 and the SharePoint Online intranet, allowing for a quick and personalized implementation of the required functionality.
Both platforms offer different pricing plans based on functionality and number of users. It is recommended that you consult the official Microsoft and Atlassian websites for up-to-date pricing information and to compare available options.
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