Confluence
Confluence is Atlassian's team wiki: documentation, meeting notes, and project knowledge in one place, tightly integrated with Jira.
Confluence is Atlassian's wiki and documentation tool, from the makers of Jira. It replaces scattered Word files and legacy intranet systems, and for years it has been the standard location for internal knowledge in many software companies, from specifications to meeting minutes.
Teams use it to document technical architecture, record meeting decisions, or build onboarding manuals from templates. Its key strength is its Jira integration: requirements, tickets, and documentation link to each other without links becoming outdated. More modern components like whiteboards and databases are slowly being added. The cloud version is free for up to 10 users.
Notion is more flexible, visually appealing, and quicker to set up for small teams; however, Confluence offers stricter structures, permissions, and versioning for large organizations. It also has its weaknesses: the editor feels dated, and the search doesn't always find what's there.
Ideal for companies already operating within the Atlassian ecosystem or those wanting hundreds of users to document information in a structured way. Small teams without Jira usually fare better with Notion.
Functions
- Jira Integration: Tickets, Roadmaps, and Documentation link to each other
- Whiteboards and Databases as newer building blocks in the Wiki
- Atlassian Intelligence for Summaries and Search
- Free Plan for up to 10 users in the Cloud version
- Marketplace with thousands of apps and macros
Core Functions
- Pages and spaces with templates for docs, specs, and meeting notes
- Collaborative editing with comments and mentions
- Space-level and page-level permissions
- Versioning with page history and restoration
- Deep integration with Jira and the rest of the Atlassian suite
Alternatives to
Confluence
Smartsheet
Smartsheet is a work management platform with a spreadsheet-style interface that combines familiar tables with powerful automation.
Wrike
Wrike is a work management platform designed for mid-sized and large teams, with a focus on marketing and professional services.
Trello
Trello is a simple Kanban board from Atlassian: just drag and drop cards across lists, get up and running in minutes, and use it for free.
monday.com
monday.com is a colorful Work OS toolkit that lets teams manage projects, processes, and tasks on vibrant boards.