Confluence suits teams that write and share knowledge as pages, such as how-tos, project docs and wikis, especially if they already use Jira. SharePoint suits organisations on Microsoft 365 that need intranet sites, document libraries and file storage tied to Teams and Copilot. If your knowledge lives in pages people write, you'll get more from Confluence; if it lives in files and you're on Microsoft 365, you'll get more from SharePoint.
Both store company knowledge, and both now lead with AI: Rovo in Confluence and Copilot and agents in SharePoint. The difference is the unit of work. I read Atlassian's Confluence home and plans pages and Microsoft's SharePoint page and its SharePoint limits documentation.
Confluence and SharePoint side by side
| Confluence | SharePoint | |
|---|---|---|
| Built around | Pages, live docs, whiteboards, databases | Sites, document libraries and intranets |
| AI | Rovo search, chat and agents | Copilot in SharePoint, custom agents |
| Free option | Free for up to 10 users, 2 GB storage | Part of Microsoft 365 business plans |
| Storage | 250 GB on Standard; unlimited on Premium | 1 TB plus about 10 GB per licence |
| Works best with | Jira and Atlassian tools | Teams, OneDrive and Microsoft 365 |
| Guests | Up to 5 free guests per paid user on Standard | Not covered on the pages I read |
Know the limits before you move everything
Microsoft's SharePoint limits page sets out how storage works: an organisation gets 1 TB plus about 10 GB for each licence, a single file upload can be up to 250 GB, and Microsoft recommends syncing no more than 300,000 files in one library for good performance. If you're planning to sync big shared folders to laptops, design your libraries around that guidance from the start, because it's much harder to split a library later.
Confluence's free plan is generous for a small team, but it's got firm edges: up to 10 users, 2 GB of storage, community support and up to three active whiteboards per user. Standard adds Rovo AI, 250 GB of storage and free guest access for up to five guests per paid user.
Where each one stands out
Confluence is built for writing together. Pages, live docs, whiteboards and databases sit in team spaces, templates help you start, and Rovo finds answers across your Atlassian work. If your team already tracks work in Jira, you'll find the two link naturally.
SharePoint is built for Microsoft 365 organisations. Microsoft calls it the knowledge platform for Copilot and agents: it powers intranet sites and document libraries, and you can build custom agents and AI workflows that run across SharePoint and Teams.
A quick way to decide
- List where your team's knowledge lives today: documents, chat or wiki pages.
- Check which suite you already run: Microsoft 365 or Atlassian.
- Count who needs access, including outside partners.
- Pilot one team's handbook in each before moving everything.
For other options, see my roundup of knowledge base software and this guide to document management software.
Sharing with people outside your company
If you work with freelancers, agencies or clients, check how each handles guests. Confluence Standard includes free guest access for up to five guests per paid user. SharePoint Advanced Management focuses on control, with restricted access and conditional access policies to decide who can see what.
Keeping knowledge fresh
Old pages are the quiet problem in every knowledge base. Microsoft says SharePoint can use AI to spot outdated pages, broken links and content gaps. Confluence offers AI page and comment summaries and audio briefings, so people catch up without reading every update. Whichever you choose, give every important page an owner, or it'll go stale.
My advice on Confluence or SharePoint
If you already run on Microsoft 365 and most knowledge sits in files, use SharePoint and plan your libraries around Microsoft's sync guidance. If your team writes docs and plans work in Jira, start Confluence on its free plan and upgrade when you pass 10 users or need Rovo. There's no rule against running both, and many larger companies do: SharePoint for files, Confluence for team knowledge.
Do you make knowledge base, wiki or collaboration software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place in comparisons like this one.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Confluence free?
Confluence has a Free plan for up to 10 users with 2 GB of storage and community support.
How much storage does SharePoint include?
Microsoft says an organisation gets 1 TB plus about 10 GB per licence.
What's the SharePoint file size limit?
Microsoft lists a 250 GB file upload limit.
How many files can I sync from SharePoint?
Microsoft recommends syncing no more than 300,000 files in a single library for good performance.
Does Confluence work with Jira?
Yes. Confluence integrates with Jira, and Premium adds advanced Jira integrations.
Which has AI built in?
Both. Confluence includes Rovo search, chat and agents on paid plans, and SharePoint includes Copilot and custom agents.
How many users can a Confluence site have?
Atlassian lists 10 users on Free and up to 250,000 users per site on Standard and above.
Can I add guests to Confluence?
Yes. Confluence Standard includes free guest access for up to five guests per paid user.
