Side by side
BookStack vs Confluence
Both stand on knowledge management software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+1
BookStack is a no-cost, self-hosted option with structured content, search, authentication, and several export formats. Plan for the required server stack and hosting arrangement before choosing it.
Visit BookStack
Free plan AndroidiPhoneSelf-hosted+1
Confluence combines collaborative documents and project knowledge with Jira connections and multiple deployment options. The Free plan has clear user and storage limits; paid plans start at $5.42 per user per month.
Visit ConfluenceThe facts
| BookStack | Confluence | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Self-hosted, Web | Android, iPhone, Self-hosted, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Professional Support Plan: £450 a year | Standard: $5.42 per user a month |
| Plans published | 4 | 4 |
| Maker | BookStack | Confluence |
| Website | bookstackapp.com | atlassian.com |
| On knowledge management software | #1 of 37 | #2 of 37 |
BookStack: what it does well
- Free to download and install under the MIT license.
- Includes WYSIWYG and optional Markdown editing.
- Search spans books, chapters, and pages.
- Built-in MFA can be enforced by role.
- Exports to HTML, PDF, text, Markdown, or ZIP.
What to know first
- Requires PHP 8.2 or newer.
- Requires MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.6 or newer.
- Does not support shared PHP hosting.
- Professional support starts at £450 a year.
Confluence: what it does well
- Real-time editing with comments and task notifications
- Links Jira tracking with documentation planning
- Free plan includes 2 GB file storage
- Public links allow view-only page sharing
What to know first
- Free plan is limited to 10 users
- Free plan includes 2 GB of storage
- Enterprise plan price is not listed
Alternatives to BookStack Alternatives to Confluence The whole list