Side by side
Confluence vs Fern
Both stand on knowledge base software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
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 Confluence Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+3
Fern combines API documentation publishing with client library generation and offers a defined Free plan. Teams considering it should check the free-tier limits and note that self-hosting is reserved for Enterprise.
Visit FernThe facts
| Confluence | Fern | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Yes |
| Runs on | Android, iPhone, Self-hosted, Web | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Standard: $5.42 per user a month | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 4 | 2 |
| Maker | Confluence | Not published |
| Website | atlassian.com | buildwithfern.com |
| On knowledge base software | #5 of 138 | #1 of 138 |
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
Fern: what it does well
- Generates API references from several specification formats.
- Includes interactive API Explorer.
- Free plan includes one site.
- Supports SSO, JWT, and OAuth access controls.
- Supports custom domains and version history.
What to know first
- Free plan is limited to one site.
- Free plan has 10 team members.
- Free plan includes 250 AI credits monthly.
- Self-hosting is an Enterprise capability.
Alternatives to Confluence Alternatives to Fern The whole list