Confluence vs SharePoint: 2025 Comparison Guide & Key Differences

Introduction to the Platforms

What is SharePoint?

SharePoint is a platform developed by Microsoft, focused on document management, collaboration, and building custom corporate intranets. Designed to integrate seamlessly with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, SharePoint enables companies to centralize information, automate workflows, and structure tailored digital workspaces. Its modular approach and scalability make it an ideal solution for organizations that require high control over their collaborative environments.

What is Confluence?

Confluence, developed by Atlassian, is a collaboration tool centered on shared content creation and documentation. Its structure, based on spaces, pages, and predefined templates, facilitates the organization of internal knowledge—from manuals to strategic projects. It is especially popular among agile teams, startups, and tech-driven companies that value speed and ease when it comes to documenting and maintaining up-to-date information.

Ease of Use and Learning Curve

SharePoint Usability

SharePoint’s interface has significantly improved in its modern versions, offering a cleaner, user-centered design. Still, its broad range of features can be overwhelming at first, particularly for users unfamiliar with Microsoft environments. Navigating libraries, sites, and settings requires a moderate learning curve, although the native integration with Microsoft Teams and OneDrive helps lower the entry barrier.

Confluence Usability

Confluence is known for its simplicity and intuitive page editor. Its layout is clear, with user-friendly menus and editing tools that resemble a modern word processor. This makes it easy for new users to adopt. However, to fully harness its advanced features—like macros or dynamic templates—some practice and familiarity are required.

Integrations and Compatibility

Integrations of SharePoint

SharePoint integrates natively with all Microsoft 365 applications, such as Teams, Outlook, Word, and Power Automate. This ensures a unified experience for managing documents, tasks, and workflows. Additionally, it offers connectors for external platforms like Salesforce, SAP, and Dropbox, although setting these up may require specific technical knowledge.

Integrations of Confluence

Confluence provides a wide range of integrations through the Atlassian Marketplace, with seamless connections to Jira, Trello, and other Atlassian tools. It also supports third-party apps like Google Drive, Slack, and GitHub, fostering collaboration in cross-functional teams. However, many of these integrations rely on paid plugins, which may increase the overall cost.

Customization and Flexibility

Customization of SharePoint

SharePoint is highly customizable. Organizations can build tailored sites, define granular permissions, and design complex hierarchical structures. Developers can also extend functionality through SPFx, Power Apps, or Power Automate flows, making SharePoint ideal for businesses with specific, custom needs.

Customization of Confluence

Confluence offers limited but effective customization options. Users can structure content through spaces and pages, apply ready-made or custom templates, and manage basic user permissions. It’s best suited for environments that prioritize agility and simplicity over structural complexity.

Document Management and Version Control

Document Management in SharePoint

SharePoint excels in document management. It features advanced version control, metadata tagging, approval workflows, and retention policies. Each file logs who edited it, when, and what changes were made—supporting compliance and traceability in highly regulated industries.

Document Management in Confluence

Confluence also offers version history but mainly for its native pages rather than file attachments. Every page edit is recorded and can be reverted if needed. However, its capacity to manage large document libraries or complex approval flows is more limited than SharePoint.

Collaboration and Teamwork

Collaboration in SharePoint

SharePoint promotes collaboration through shared workspaces, integrated calendars, task lists, and document libraries—especially when used alongside Teams. It is ideal for corporate environments where departments need centralized access to shared documents and structured workflows. Real-time editing is usually handled through Microsoft’s Office Online apps.

Collaboration in Confluence

Collaboration is at the heart of Confluence. It allows for real-time page editing, inline comments, and user mentions, facilitating fast, transparent interaction. This makes it an excellent tool for brainstorming sessions, process documentation, and agile project tracking.

Security and Access Control

SharePoint Security

SharePoint offers granular access control, allowing permissions to be set at the site, library, folder, or individual file level. It also benefits from Microsoft 365’s enterprise-grade security features, including multi-factor authentication, encryption, and compliance with standards like GDPR and ISO 27001.

Confluence Security

Confluence provides solid security for space and page-level access. With Atlassian Access, organizations can enforce SSO and user provisioning. However, more advanced compliance features may require additional enterprise subscriptions or third-party solutions.

Pricing and Scalability

SharePoint Pricing

SharePoint is included in several Microsoft 365 plans, making it cost-effective for companies already in the Microsoft ecosystem. It scales from small businesses to global enterprises. That said, extensive customization and development may incur additional costs in terms of consulting or technical support.

Confluence Pricing

Confluence uses a user-based pricing model, competitive for small to medium-sized teams. However, the cost can increase with the need for premium features or marketplace add-ons. Its cloud-based model ensures easy scalability without infrastructure overhead, which appeals to growing businesses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Confluence easier to use than SharePoint?

Yes, Confluence has a more intuitive UI and is simpler for new users compared to SharePoint’s complex architecture.

Can Confluence replace SharePoint?

Not entirely. While Confluence handles collaboration well, it lacks advanced workflow and compliance features found in SharePoint.

Do Confluence and SharePoint integrate with other tools?

Yes. Confluence integrates with Atlassian tools; SharePoint connects with the Microsoft ecosystem and supports third-party tools.

Which is better for document management?

SharePoint offers superior document management with check-in/check-out, versioning, and workflows.

Is SharePoint more secure than Confluence?

Both are secure, but SharePoint offers deeper enterprise-grade compliance and granular controls.

What’s the cost difference between the two?

Confluence and SharePoint offer competitive pricing, but SharePoint often comes bundled with Microsoft 365 subscriptions.

Conclusion and Recommendation

Both SharePoint and Confluence are powerful platforms, yet they serve different organizational needs. SharePoint is the better fit for companies seeking an end-to-end solution for document management, custom intranet portals, and complex business processes—particularly within the Microsoft ecosystem. Confluence, on the other hand, shines in agile documentation and team collaboration, offering speed and simplicity with minimal setup.

Choosing between them depends largely on your company’s operational model and collaboration style. For corporate environments requiring control, automation, and structure, SharePoint offers clear advantages. For fast-moving teams focused on active documentation and cross-functional work, Confluence is an effective and flexible choice.

For more information about how to use SharePoint in your company, contact.