Notion is a flexible, all-in-one workspace with customizable building blocks ideal for small to mid-sized teams, while Confluence is a structured collaboration platform optimized for enterprise teams already using Jira. Confluence excels in organized documentation workflows, whereas Notion offers superior customization and lower costs for smaller teams.
Notion vs Confluence — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Versatile all-in-one workspace combining documents, databases, wikis, and task management
Enterprise team collaboration and documentation platform by Atlassian.
Primary Use Case. Pricing Model. Customization & Flexibility. Jira Integration. Learning Curve. Best Team Size. Governance & Approval Workflows
Choose Notion if you're a small team seeking flexibility, customization, and affordable all-in-one workspace capabilities. Choose Confluence if your organization uses Jira, requires enterprise-grade governance, needs structured documentation workflows, or has 50+ team members. Both are excellent platforms; the choice depends on team size, existing tooling, and organizational complexity.
Notion: Notion's cloud servers | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Free / $8-15 per user | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Customizable approach | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Moderate support | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Real-time co-editing, permissions, comments, activity tracking | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Limited (~30%) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Full (relational databases, rollups, formulas) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Cloud-hosted (Notion controls servers) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Yes (built-in AI assistant) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: High availability (no published SLA) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 9/10 (blocks, databases, relations) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 5/10 (basic automations only) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 2-50 users (flexible scale) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 7-14 days (custom setup required) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $10 (Plus tier) | Confluence: $10.44 (Standard tier)
Notion: $20 (Business tier) | Confluence: $22.50+ (Premium tier)
Notion: $24+ (Enterprise, custom) | Confluence: $54,000+ (Data Center, 1,000 users)
Notion: 5/10 (limited) | Confluence: 9/10 (advanced)
Notion: 6/10 (basic) | Confluence: 10/10 (native)
Notion: 4/10 (minimal) | Confluence: 9/10 (advanced)
Notion: Limited task/project features | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 9/10 - Highly customizable | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 8/10 - Steep learning curve | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 9/10 - Native docs & databases | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Basic (manual linking only) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Comprehensive (wiki, docs, databases, linked records) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: No (requires manual setup with databases) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Very High (fully customizable databases and properties) | Confluence: 5/10 (structured)
Notion: 10 (free plan with guests) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Not available (must track manually) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $8/month (Team tier) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Excellent for non-technical users - intuitive linked properties | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Limited native two-way sync capability | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Built-in AI assistant with limited agent connections | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Steep learning curve with flexible drag-and-drop | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Exceptional - optimized for feature roadmaps and linked data | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Basic (via integrations only) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Limited tier system | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Full editor (formatting, blocks, collaboration) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 100+ templates and integrations | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Unlimited with role-based permissions | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Flexible block-based editor with databases | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Teams, project managers, content creators | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Views API, Markdown support, automatic retries (2026) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 600+ via Zapier | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Unlimited blocks and pages | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Full relational database support | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Limited offline capabilities | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Table, Board, Timeline, Calendar, Gallery, List | Confluence: N/A
Notion: REST API and official SDK | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Comments, mentions, real-time editing, threads | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Free (or $10/month for AI) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 5 basic options | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Limited offline; web-first platform | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $0 (free tier exists) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $100-160/month | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Basic linked mentions; manual linking required | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 400+ (official integrations) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 100+ million across all sectors | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Free (Plus $10/user) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Moderate (2-3 seconds with complex databases) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 1000+ through Zapier and native | Confluence: N/A
Notion: All-in-one workspace & documentation | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 3-7 days depending on customization | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Native iOS/Android, good but slower | Confluence: N/A
Notion: SSO, AI features, advanced permissions, audit logs | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 30-60 (database learning curve) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 8 (iOS/Android, full sync) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: PDF/CSV (some lock-in) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 10+ million active users | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $10/user | Confluence: $5.75/user/month
Notion: Yes, basic timeline view only | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 3 requests per second (~180/min) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Limited (manual + integrations) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 50,000+ community templates | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Cloud-based SaaS | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Proprietary blocks | Confluence: N/A
Notion: CSV / Markdown export | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Yes — real-time | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Cloud (built-in) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Yes — powerful | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Limited (limited API) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Notion AI (bundled in Business/Enterprise; trial on Free/Plus) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Free (10 guests) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Plus $10/user/mo | Confluence: N/A
Free Tier Monthly Recording/Creation Limit
Notion: Unlimited pages | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 30-120 minutes | Confluence: N/A
Notion: AI-powered search, Q&A, writing assistance (add-on) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Centralized knowledge/PM workspace | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $100 (10 users @ $10) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $10 (Unlimited plan) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Read-only offline (web); requires app for editing | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Full relational databases with 10+ view types | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 5-10 hours for proficiency | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Public API with Zapier/webhook support | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $10/month (Plus plan) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 3 (full page, bookmark, simple) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Basic (AI blocks limited to Pro/Team plans) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 0 (no native integration) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 500+ via Zapier, native integrations, and API | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 1000+ community and official templates | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Limited (requires sync after reconnect) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 30 minutes (learning curve for full features) | Confluence: N/A
Monthly Subscription Cost (Personal Plan)
Notion: Unlimited workspace content; 5GB file attachments | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Yes - relations, filters, sorts, multiple views | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Full offline mode (desktop app) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 60+ (steep learning curve) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Basic (simple triggers and actions) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Yes - unlimited pages and sharing | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Yes (native relations, rollups, and rollup filters) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 6 (Table, Calendar, Timeline, Gallery, Board, List) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 10,000 (performance degrades noticeably after 5,000) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 1,500+ (Zapier, Slack, webhooks, and native integrations) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Comments, mentions, reminders only | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $120/year (Plus plan) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 6 platforms (Web, Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Advanced relational databases with filtering and sorting | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Full real-time collaboration with comments and permissions | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Partial offline (web requires internet, mobile has limited offline mode) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Proprietary Notion format (limited standard export) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 30-60 minutes to understand core features | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Robust public API with extensive integration ecosystem | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Unlimited (Plus plan) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Yes, certified | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Not FedRAMP authorized | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $0 (limited to 1M blocks/month) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Unlimited (team plan dependent) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 1-to-1, Many-to-1, Many-to-Many | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 12+ (Table, Board, Calendar, Timeline, Gallery, etc.) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 6+ (complex feature set requires training) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 8+ (PDF, HTML, Markdown, CSV, etc.) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $10 (Plus plan) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Yes - unlimited blocks and databases | Confluence: Yes, limited free plan
Notion: 75+ million registered users (as of 2024) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $120 per year (Plus plan, no AI) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Unlimited in Team plan | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Unlimited (per subscription) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: No (third-party integrations only) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: No (web-based only) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Notion AI included in Pro/Team plans | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Linear page-based structure | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Unlimited (paid plans) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Full relational databases with filters, sorts, relations | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 10000+ community templates | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Full offline capability with sync | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Unlimited blocks + 10 GB files | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $10 (unlimited access) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 50+ integrated features | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Limited (requires extension) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $10/user/month | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $0 (Pro: $120/year) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 20+ workspace templates | Confluence: 200+
Notion: Timeline view available; no dependency or critical path analysis | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Manual tracking only; no native capacity features | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 10,000 rows (performance degrades) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Limited cross-database visibility | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 5-10 MB per block | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 5+ (Table, Gallery, Kanban, Calendar, Timeline) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 1000+ templates | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $12 (Notion Team plan) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 100+ | Confluence: 1,000+ (Atlassian Marketplace)
Notion: $0 (personal), $120/year (Pro single-user) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 5 GB (Notion personal, expandable) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 50+ (SUM, IF, COUNT, ROLLUP, etc.) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 8-15 hours for competent database design | Confluence: N/A
Maximum Database Rows (optimal performance)
Notion: 10,000 rows before noticeable slowdown | Confluence: N/A
Real-time Simultaneous Collaborators (unlimited tier)
Notion: Limited by workspace plan (typically 10-50 concurrent editors) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Excellent; optimized for mobile-first reading and editing | Confluence: N/A
Native Data Visualization (charts, pivots)
Notion: No; requires third-party tools or manual workarounds | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Full relational with rollups, formulas, aggregations | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Limited (formula-based) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Full offline mode | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Yes, real-time collaboration | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $10 (Pro plan) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Up to 10 databases/pages | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 6 views (table, kanban, calendar, timeline, gallery, list) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Unlimited relations, rollups, formulas, and filters | Confluence: N/A
Notion: View-only for complex databases; limited editing | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 120-240 minutes (requires template setup) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Yes - rich-text with synced blocks and templates | Confluence: N/A
Max Database Items Before Performance Degradation
Notion: No (Zapier workaround only) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 1-2 seconds (1000-2000ms) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 10+ (stable with minor lag) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: No native email; third-party only | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 100+ REST API endpoints | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Read-only mode offline | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 1000+ community templates + Zapier/Make | Confluence: N/A
Notion: iOS + Android official apps | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 800+ official templates | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Notion API + CSV/Markdown exports | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $14 (Pro plan, annual) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $32 (Team plan, annual) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 12 basic automation triggers | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 30 hours for proficiency | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Basic calendar view (limited critical path analysis) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Unlimited custom fields, relations, formulas, rollups, and linked databases | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 500+ via Zapier, 50+ native | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $10 (billed annually) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: ~10,000+ templates | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Unlimited with cursor presence | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Optimized up to 10,000 items per view | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Database automations, API integrations, Zapier/Make support | Confluence: Limited automation rules
Notion: $10.00 (or free) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 15+ (Table, Kanban, Calendar, Gallery, Timeline, etc.) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $120/month (Pro plan, capped usage) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $120/month (unlimited members, Pro) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 0 native (requires third-party integration) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Full rich-text editor with embeds | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Advanced, with rollups and filters | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Limited offline; requires internet for most features | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 10-14 days for average user | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Sync requires active internet connection | Confluence: N/A
Starting Price per User/Month (Annual Billing)
Notion: $10/user (free tier available) | Confluence: $5.75/user
Notion: Unlimited users, unlimited workspaces | Confluence: 10 users for 1 space
Notion: No (Cloud-only) | Confluence: Yes (Data Center, Server)
Notion: Third-party only (Zapier) | Confluence: Native, two-way sync
Notion: Advanced (rollups, lookups, formulas) | Confluence: Basic (limited relations, no rollups)
Notion: 3 requests/second (180/min) | Confluence: Unlimited for Cloud, varies for Server
Notion: 1.4s (typical page/database view) | Confluence: 2.1s (typical page with macros)
Notion: 300+ integrations via Zapier/native | Confluence: 1000+ apps (Atlassian Marketplace)
Notion: $0 (Unlimited free tier) | Confluence: $5.50
Notion: No (requires integration) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 5 views (Table, Board, Calendar, Timeline, Gallery) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 30+ automation options | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 10+ types (includes relations, rollups, formulas, templates) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 2-4 hours to start productive work | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Limited (basic role options, no granular permissions) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $150/month (15 members × $10) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $500/month (50 members × $10) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 1 (comments only) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 8 (relational, formulas, rollups, filters, sorts, synced blocks, templates) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Unlimited free tier available | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 40% of desktop features | Confluence: N/A
Base Monthly Cost Per User (Annual Billing)
Notion: $10.00 (Team plan) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Unlimited users | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Not native - timeline view available via database relations | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Manual tracking via database properties | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Full support with many-to-many relations and rollups | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Basic - templates and button automations, limited conditional logic | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 150+ integrations via Zapier, Make, and native connectors | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Unlimited pages (feature-limited) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 8 (basic actions only) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Full rich-text editor with synced blocks | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Linked databases with basic relations | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 3 (Table, Board, Gallery) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 50+ simultaneous | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $10 (Personal Pro with AI) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 20 MB per file | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 30-60 minutes to configure workspace | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Advanced with filtering, sorting, and relations | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Unlimited simultaneous editors | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $10 (Plus plan, free tier available with limits) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: $120/year ($600 over 5 years) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 2000-4000ms (dependent on internet) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Full (one-to-many, many-to-many, rollups, formulas) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 200+ (primarily cosmetic and integration) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: Manual creation (no AI) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 20+ interface languages | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 0 without AI add-on | Confluence: N/A
Notion: 0% (no AI acceleration) | Confluence: N/A
Notion: N/A | Confluence: Limited (no native support)
Notion: N/A | Confluence: 150+ native integrations
Notion: N/A | Confluence: Limited (outdated free tier)
Notion: N/A | Confluence: No (requires Jira)
Notion: N/A | Confluence: SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR
Notion: N/A | Confluence: 3 levels (space, page, content)
Notion: N/A | Confluence: 10+ (Standard plan 2026)
Notion: N/A | Confluence: Plugin-based (limited)
Notion: N/A | Confluence: Standard inline preview
Notion: N/A | Confluence: Basic content suggestions
Notion: N/A | Confluence: 20+ (Jira, Bitbucket, Confluence Cloud)
Learning Curve (1-5 scale, lower is better)
Notion: N/A | Confluence: 4 (steep, complex UI)
Notion: N/A | Confluence: Documentation & Knowledge Management
Notion: N/A | Confluence: Not native (requires Jira integration)
Notion: N/A | Confluence: Comprehensive with flexible page layouts and macros
Notion: N/A | Confluence: Advanced full-text search across all documentation
Notion: N/A | Confluence: Improved inline macro rendering in 2026 update
Notion: N/A | Confluence: Seamless bidirectional linking with Jira and Atlassian tools
Notion: N/A | Confluence: Limited (via plugins)
Notion: N/A | Confluence: Standard (SOC2, GDPR)
Notion: N/A | Confluence: $17,250 (at $5.75/user)
Notion: N/A | Confluence: Add-on (paid extra)
Notion: N/A | Confluence: 4-8 weeks for enterprise
Notion: N/A | Confluence: 250 MB per file (Cloud)
Notion: N/A | Confluence: 4 levels (page, space, column, project)
Notion: N/A | Confluence: 30 days cloud (unlimited self-hosted)
Notion: N/A | Confluence: Bidirectional with app
Notion: N/A | Confluence: 150+ REST endpoints
Notion: N/A | Confluence: iOS and Android native
Notion: N/A | Confluence: No, requires integrations
Notion: N/A | Confluence: Native bi-directional sync
Notion: N/A | Confluence: Cloud, Server, and Data Center
Notion: N/A | Confluence: Up to 10 users
How to choose between Notion and Confluence
Notion vs Confluence — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Notion vs Confluence. Contains 412 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Notion vs Confluence — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Notion vs Confluence.
Should we choose Notion or Confluence if we use Jira?
Confluence is the obvious choice if your team uses Jira. It has seamless native integration, making it easy to link documentation with your Jira issues and projects. Notion's Jira integration is basic and requires more manual setup. If you don't use Jira, Notion may be more cost-effective.
Which platform is better for small teams under 50 people?
Notion is generally better for small teams due to lower pricing (starting at $10/user/month vs Confluence's $10.44+), more customization options, and an excellent free tier. Notion's flexibility makes it ideal for teams still defining their workflows. Confluence's higher costs and enterprise focus make it less suitable for small teams.
Does Notion have a free plan that's actually usable?
Yes, Notion's free plan is fully functional and genuinely useful for individual users and small teams. It includes all core features like databases, pages, blocks, and team collaboration. The paid tiers add advanced features like unlimited file uploads and team analytics, but the free tier is legitimate for small team use.
What's the total cost of ownership for each platform at enterprise scale?
At enterprise scale (1,000+ users), Confluence's Data Center plan costs approximately $54,000/year, while Notion's enterprise pricing is custom but typically $24+/user/month. For 1,000 users, Notion would be roughly $288,000-360,000/year depending on discounts, making Confluence potentially cheaper at massive scales with specific licensing models.
Which platform is easier to learn and implement?
Confluence has a clearer, more structured approach with defined page hierarchies, making it faster to understand for teams accustomed to traditional documentation. Notion's customization flexibility gives it a steeper learning curve but provides more long-term power. Choose Confluence for faster adoption, Notion for more long-term customization potential.
How to Choose Between Notion and Confluence
Primary Use Case: Notion has All-in-one workspace (docs, databases, wikis, projects), while Confluence has Enterprise documentation and team collaboration.
Pricing Model: Notion has Seat-based, $0-24/user/month, more affordable for small teams, while Confluence has Seat-based, $10.44+/user/month, scales for enterprise.
Customization & Flexibility: Notion has Highly flexible with building blocks and templates, while Confluence has Structured with defined page hierarchies and workflows.
Jira Integration: Notion has Basic integration available, while Confluence has Native, seamless integration (obvious choice if using Jira).
Learning Curve: Notion has Steeper due to flexibility and customization options, while Confluence has Moderate with clearer structure and governance.
Best Team Size: Notion has Under 50 people, SMBs, startups, while Confluence has 50+ people, enterprises, large organizations.
Consider: Governance & Approval Workflows
Governance & Approval Workflows: Notion has Limited built-in approval processes, while Confluence has Advanced review steps, permissions, and compliance features.