Confluence vs GitLab

Google Drive

Google Workspace

OneDrive

Google Drive is a cloud storage and backup platform to access files, docs, photos & more, store them in a safe place, and collaborate with other people

Google Workspace is a suite of applications from Google which offers a number of tools to communicate and collaborate with colleagues, store files, and manage data from all devices.

OneDrive is a secure access, sharing, and file storage solution which enables users to store and share photos, videos, documents, and more at anytime, via any device.

Full stack Java developer

The massive amount of features, the constant support for the product, the constant rollout of new additions (features), the large and big community behind it.

Technical Support Engineer III

We handle a team of Tier 3 Tech Support Engineers in charge of multiple larger teams across the globe, Confluence makes it so easy for us to update our expectations on ticket handling and cascading knowledge to our entire agents base.

Confluence is knowledge management software with flexible customization, organization, and a powerful search engine, empowering collaboration and innovation.

Access Controls/Permissions

Activity Dashboard

Activity Tracking

Alerts/Notifications

Archiving & Retention

Assignment Management

Audio File Management

Audit Trail

Blogs

Brainstorming

Brand Guidelines

Calendar Management

Catalog Management

Change Management

Checklists

Collaboration Tools

Commenting/Notes

Communication Management

Content Creation

Content Management

Content Publishing Options

Customizable Branding

Customizable Templates

Dashboard

Data Security

Diagramming

Digital Asset Management

Discussions/Forums

Documentation Management

Document Capture

Document Classification

Document Generation

Document Management

Document Review

Document Storage

Drag & Drop

Due Date Tracking

Email Management

Feedback Management

File Conversion

File Management

File Sharing

Filtering

For the IT sector

Full Text Search

Gamification

Gantt/Timeline View

Goal Management

Goal Setting/Tracking

Idea Management

Idea Ranking

Ideation

Indexing

Information Governance

Innovation Management

Knowledge Base Management

Knowledge Management

Marketing Calendar

Meeting Management

@mentions

Milestone Tracking

Mind Maps

Mobile Access

Mobile App

Monitoring

Multiple Projects

Planning Tools

Portfolio Management

Pre-built Templates

Prioritization

Process Management

Process/Workflow Automation

Productivity Tools

Product Lifecycle Management

Product Roadmapping

Progress Tracking

Projections

Project Management

Project Planning

Project Planning/Scheduling

Project Tracking

Real-Time Chat

Real-Time Data

Real Time Editing

Real-Time Notifications

Real-Time Updates

Release Planning

Reporting/Analytics

Reporting/Project Tracking

Reporting & Statistics

Requirements Management

Resource Management

Rich Text Editor

Risk Management

Role-Based Permissions

Search/Filter

Self Service Portal

Single Sign On

Stakeholder Defined Attributes

By industry, Confluence reviewers are most commonly professionals in computer software (22%). The most frequent use case for Confluence cited by reviewers is document management (55% of reviewers).

Users and use cases

Some reviewers find Confluence affordable for small teams and appreciate the free plan for initial adoption. However, users report that costs rise quickly with team size, and reviewers feel add-ons and advanced features can significantly increase expenses.

Value for money

The Confluence integrations most frequently cited by reviewers are: Jira (an IT project management product rated 4.7 out of 5 for its integration with Confluence), Slack (a team communication product, 4.8), and JIRA Service Management (a help desk product, 4.5).

Integrations

Confluence is a knowledge management tool with key features that include knowledge base management, content management, collaboration tools, access controls and permissions, document storage, file sharing, and more.

Confluence

Web-based

Windows

Android

iPad

iPhone

Linux

Google Docs

Microsoft SharePoint

monday.com

Basecamp

Asana

Trello

Microsoft OneNote

ClickUp

GitBook

Miro

Microsoft Teams

Drupal

Jira

Nuclino

Free

Standard

Premium

Enterprise

Data Center

Persistent bugs and reliability issues

Software Architect

We have tickets open with the vendor that took a long time to be acknowledged as bugs and after months, they are still not fixed.

The software is VERY buggy, tends to crash unexpectedly (we tested it on strong machines, across users and browsers).

57% of reviewers feel negative about Confluence’s bugs and technical issues. Users report frequent crashes, unexpected errors, and browser compatibility problems that disrupt their workflow. Reviewers mention difficulties with updates, unresolved bug reports, and slow response from support. Some users experience login issues, problems with collaborative editing, and system outages that can lead to lost work or downtime. They find these reliability concerns frustrating, especially when the platform is critical for documentation and team collaboration.

High cost for teams

Director

Expensive: Confluence can be expensive, especially for small businesses and startups, and may not be worth the cost for smaller teams or projects.

62% of reviewers feel negative about Confluence’s pricing. Users say the cost per user can escalate quickly as teams grow, making it expensive for small businesses or startups. Reviewers highlight that additional features, plug-ins, and storage often require extra fees, and licensing for add-ons can be cost-prohibitive. Some users mention the need to limit access or forego certain functionalities due to budget constraints. They find the pricing structure less favorable compared to alternatives, especially when scaling beyond the free tier or integrating with other tools.

Limited and frustrating formatting

Application Developer

The biggest issues we see now are just around formatting of individual pages- Confluence is not as powerful as MS Word when it comes to complicated formats, and it's not as intuitive, at least for some features, as a product like MediaWiki.

62% of reviewers feel negative about Confluence’s formatting options. Users report that the editor lacks advanced formatting capabilities found in other document tools, making it difficult to create complex layouts or customize styles. Reviewers find issues with inconsistent behavior when copying and pasting content, problematic PDF exports, and challenges arranging images or tables. Many mention that formatting quirks can be time-consuming to resolve, especially for new users or when transferring documents from other platforms. They feel these limitations hinder document presentation and usability.

Sluggish performance at scale

UX Designer

We can see a noticeable performance drop when we pile up content like image GIFs in the page and then keeps on lagging when we try to edit it next time. When we lost the internet connect in between ending, it recoomnded to refresh the page and if we do that,  it does not save recent changes and wipes out recently added data

81% of reviewers feel negative about Confluence’s performance and speed. Users report frequent slowdowns, long page load times, and lag—especially when handling large documents, images, or complex page structures. Reviewers indicate that these issues are more pronounced on cloud installations and with slower internet connections. Some users mention crashes, timeouts, and unresponsiveness during collaborative editing or when managing extensive content. They find these delays disruptive to productivity, particularly for teams working under tight deadlines or needing to access information quickly.

Ineffective search experience

Software developer

It is just not good based on my experience. If I do not know the internal codename for a feature/service just vaguely what it does then I simply cannot find it. If I search for the keywords it brings up a lot of results and almost all of them is not relevant.

IT Manager and Client Success Partner

Too many unrelated search results are displayed, causing me to carefully filter through them one by one to find the information I require, which takes time and slows me down.

51% of reviewers feel negative about Confluence’s search functionality. Users indicate that the search tool often returns irrelevant or excessive results, making it hard to locate specific documents—especially in large or cluttered workspaces. Reviewers mention the need for exact keywords, lack of advanced filters, and difficulties finding content across multiple spaces. Some say the search index can lag or miss recently added pages, and the interface does not always prioritize relevant information. They find these limitations slow down their workflow and hinder knowledge retrieval.

Collaborative meeting documentation

Software Quality Assurance

It has embedded meeting notes templates making it easy for user to take notes, participates and capture to do items at the bottom.

99% of reviewers feel positive about Confluence’s meeting notes capabilities. Reviewers appreciate the built-in templates and collaborative editing, which help teams document meetings efficiently and maintain consistency. They find the ability to tag action items, link notes to Jira tickets, and share updates in real time especially useful for project management. Users indicate that meeting notes are easily accessible and searchable, supporting transparency and keeping everyone aligned. Some reviewers find the integration with other Atlassian tools valuable for streamlining workflows and ensuring all relevant information is centralized and up to date.

Integrated tracking and ticketing

Programmer Analyst 3

Confluence has a perfect integration to Jira, allowing to create spaces to track changes and document your project, linking all with the Jira stories that you previously created.

95% of reviewers feel positive about Confluence’s tracking and ticketing integration. Users appreciate the seamless connection with Jira, which allows them to link tickets, track project progress, and manage tasks directly within documentation pages. Reviewers indicate that features like revision history, dashboards, and customizable templates help teams monitor activities, assign responsibilities, and maintain clear records. They find this integration especially beneficial for agile workflows, as it supports transparency, real-time updates, and efficient collaboration across departments.

Centralized knowledge sharing

Support

Used as a knowledgebase as well as a ticketing tool (integrated with JIRA), this tool has made our daily lives much easier as we were able to combine all our different "islands" of knowledge into one easily searchable database

Data Scientist

This is used as the main collaborative platform in our company, I am excited how it helps to have the best knowledge base and intranet. When I started working at my company this platform files helped me a lot to find my way around in both project related and HR related questions.

98% of reviewers feel positive about Confluence’s knowledge base features. Users indicate that the platform allows teams to store, organize, and update critical information in one easily accessible location. They appreciate the structured content development, customizable templates, and seamless integration with Jira for managing knowledge and processes. Reviewers say this centralization improves onboarding, reduces redundant training, and fosters a culture of knowledge sharing. Many users highlight the ease of access, collaborative editing, and ability to maintain up-to-date resources as major benefits for both technical and non-technical teams.

Solution Architect

The integration with Jira and other Atlassian products streamlines workflows, and its rich formatting and templates support clear, structured information sharing across teams.

Agile Team Lead

I like that it integrates seamlessly with JIRA and can be used as the document repository for Agile work, such as bug and issue tracking and release notes.

Frontend Developer

Confluence has real-time editing feature is very helpful for team collaboration, and the integration with tools like Jira improves workflow efficiency.

App Developer

I liked how Confluence keeps team knowledge organized, searchable, and collaborative, with easy documentation, templates, and strong Jira integration for a single source of truth.

Technical Specialist

It helps centralize information and improves transparency across projects. While it requires some effort to maintain structure, its integration with other Atlassian tools makes it a strong choice for agile teams.

Quality Assurance Engineer

Every QA or Software testing professional must need to adopt this powerful tool for your efforts management and time and task management to Reporting of the documents

Deployment Strategist

It makes it easy for teams to create, organize, and share information such as project plans, meeting notes, and technical documentation.

Formatting options are limited compared to traditional word processors, and large spaces with many pages can become hard to navigate without strong organization practices.

product designer

I also appreciate how it integrates smoothly with tools like Jira, which makes it easier to connect documentation with actual tasks and workflows.

Senior Software Tester

The platform is user-friendly and well-suited for organising technical specs, meeting notes, and internal knowledge. While it could improve in areas such as real-time editing, file handling, and search functionality, it still delivers strong value for the features it offers.

IT Manager

Confluence allows me to make nested spaces and connect Jira issues directly this keeps the project in context and decision making visible in a single location.

Confluence vs GitLab Comparison (2026)

Confluence vs GitLab Comparison (2026)

Confluence

GitLab

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives