Confluence is a dedicated content collaboration platform optimized for team documentation and knowledge management, while SharePoint is Microsoft's enterprise document management system integrated with Microsoft 365. Confluence excels at real-time editing and intuitive wikis, whereas SharePoint offers deeper Microsoft ecosystem integration and superior governance controls.
Confluence vs SharePoint — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Enterprise wiki and team documentation platform by Atlassian for structured knowledge management.
Microsoft's enterprise content management and intranet platform integrated with Microsoft 365.
Primary Use Case. Microsoft 365 Integration. Real-Time Collaborative Editing. Learning Curve. Enterprise Governance & Compliance. Pricing Model (Per User/Month). Offline Access
Choose Confluence if your team prioritizes intuitive knowledge management, fast onboarding, and real-time collaborative editing without heavy IT overhead. Choose SharePoint if you need enterprise-grade compliance, deep Microsoft 365 integration, advanced permission controls, and intranet capabilities for large organizations.
Confluence: Yes, limited free plan | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: $10.44 (Standard tier) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: $22.50+ (Premium tier) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: $54,000+ (Data Center, 1,000 users) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: 5/10 (structured) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: 9/10 (advanced) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: 10/10 (native) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: Limited (no native support) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: 150+ native integrations | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: Limited (outdated free tier) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: No (requires Jira) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: 3 levels (space, page, content) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: 10+ (Standard plan 2026) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: Plugin-based (limited) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: Standard inline preview | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: Basic content suggestions | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: 20+ (Jira, Bitbucket, Confluence Cloud) | SharePoint: N/A
Learning Curve (1-5 scale, lower is better)
Confluence: 4 (steep, complex UI) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: Documentation & Knowledge Management | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: Not native (requires Jira integration) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: Comprehensive with flexible page layouts and macros | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: Advanced full-text search across all documentation | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: Improved inline macro rendering in 2026 update | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: Any size (1+) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: Seamless bidirectional linking with Jira and Atlassian tools | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: $5 | SharePoint: Included in M365
Confluence: Unlimited | SharePoint: Unlimited
Confluence: 250GB base | SharePoint: 1000GB per org
Confluence: Limited (via plugins) | SharePoint: Native and deep
Confluence: Standard (SOC2, GDPR) | SharePoint: Advanced (HIPAA, FINRA, etc.)
Confluence: $5.75/user/month | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: $17,250 (at $5.75/user) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: 1,000+ (Atlassian Marketplace) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: Add-on (paid extra) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: 4-8 weeks for enterprise | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: 250 MB per file (Cloud) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: 4 levels (page, space, column, project) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: 30 days cloud (unlimited self-hosted) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: 14-21 days | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: Bidirectional with app | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: 150+ REST endpoints | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: iOS and Android native | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: No, requires integrations | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: 1000+ add-ons | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: Cloud, Server, and Data Center | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: Up to 10 users | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: Limited automation rules | SharePoint: N/A
Starting Price per User/Month (Annual Billing)
Confluence: $5.75/user | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: 10 users for 1 space | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: Yes (Data Center, Server) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: Native, two-way sync | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: Basic (limited relations, no rollups) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: Unlimited for Cloud, varies for Server | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: 2.1s (typical page with macros) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: 1000+ apps (Atlassian Marketplace) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: $5.75 (Standard tier) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: Macro-based (added 2023) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: Deep bi-directional sync | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: 600+ via Marketplace + native | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: Unlimited (tree structure) | SharePoint: N/A
Confluence: $5.50 (Standard plan, annual billing) | SharePoint: N/A
Total Cost of Ownership (50 Users, Annual)
Confluence: 5 levels (Space, Page, Block-level controls) | SharePoint: N/A
How to choose between Confluence and SharePoint
Confluence vs SharePoint — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Confluence vs SharePoint. Contains 79 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Confluence vs SharePoint — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Confluence vs SharePoint.
Can Confluence integrate with Microsoft Teams?
Confluence offers limited native Teams integration. You can use Atlassian Cloud's Confluence for Microsoft Teams app or third-party connectors like Power Automate, but it's not as seamless as SharePoint's native integration. Real-time notifications require additional configuration.
Which platform is better for large enterprise compliance requirements?
SharePoint is significantly better for compliance-heavy organizations. It includes Data Loss Prevention (DLP), advanced retention policies, eDiscovery, detailed audit logs, and Records Management capabilities built-in. Confluence offers basic audit trails but lacks enterprise compliance features needed for regulated industries (healthcare, finance, legal).
Can I use SharePoint without Microsoft 365?
Yes, but with limitations. SharePoint Server (on-premises) requires significant upfront investment ($135,000+) and ongoing IT maintenance. SharePoint Online is the modern option and requires a Microsoft 365 subscription. Most organizations now choose SharePoint Online for lower total cost of ownership.
Which has better real-time document collaboration?
Confluence excels at real-time collaboration, supporting 50+ simultaneous editors with live cursor tracking and instant updates. SharePoint's Office Online co-authoring supports up to 10 simultaneous users and has slight latency. For document-heavy collaboration, Confluence is faster; for Office file collaboration, SharePoint with Office Online is better.
What are the total cost differences for a 500-person organization?
Confluence Cloud: $10/user × 500 = $5,000/month ($60,000/year). SharePoint Online: included in Microsoft 365 Enterprise at $6/user × 500 = $3,000/month ($36,000/year). SharePoint Server (on-premises) has $135,000+ licensing plus $20,000-30,000 annual maintenance, making it more expensive for smaller enterprises. Cloud Confluence is typically 67% more costly than SharePoint Online.
How to Choose Between Confluence and SharePoint
Primary Use Case: Confluence has Team documentation, wikis, knowledge bases, while SharePoint has Enterprise document management, intranet portals.
Microsoft 365 Integration: Confluence has Limited (requires plugins/third-party apps), while SharePoint has Native (Teams, Outlook, OneDrive, Office 365).
Consider: Real-Time Collaborative Editing
Real-Time Collaborative Editing: Confluence has Excellent (simultaneous multi-user editing), while SharePoint has Good (co-authoring available in Office Online).
Learning Curve: Confluence has Shallow (intuitive interface for non-technical users), while SharePoint has Moderate (configuration and permission complexity).
Consider: Enterprise Governance & Compliance
Enterprise Governance & Compliance: Confluence has Basic (limited permission granularity), while SharePoint has Advanced (DLP, retention policies, eDiscovery, audit logs).
Consider: Pricing Model (Per User/Month)
Pricing Model (Per User/Month): Confluence has $8-10 USD (Cloud), while SharePoint has $6 USD (SharePoint Online with Microsoft 365) or $135,000+ (Server on-premises).
Offline Access: Confluence has Limited (web-based primarily), while SharePoint has Strong (full offline sync with OneDrive/Office).