SharePoint vs Confluence
Enterprise knowledge management, team collaboration, and content platform comparison for 2026.
SharePoint (Microsoft) and Confluence (Atlassian) are both enterprise collaboration and knowledge management platforms. SharePoint is the stronger choice for Microsoft 365 organizations needing document management, compliance, and intranet. Confluence is stronger for development teams built on Jira and Bitbucket. This guide covers head-to-head features, security, compliance, pricing, and migration.
Key Facts
- SharePoint is included in Microsoft 365 — no additional cost for E3 or E5 subscribers.
- Confluence Standard costs $5.75/user/month; Premium costs $11.55/user/month. Other Atlassian tools cost extra.
- SharePoint supports HIPAA, SOC 2, FedRAMP, GDPR natively. Confluence has no FedRAMP offering.
- For Microsoft 365 organizations, SharePoint is typically the stronger choice for governance and compliance.
- For Jira/Bitbucket-heavy engineering teams, Confluence is typically the stronger choice for technical wikis.
Last updated by Errin O'Connor, Founder & Chief AI Architect, EPC Group
The definitive enterprise comparison for knowledge management, collaboration, and content platforms in 2026.
SharePoint vs Confluence: The Complete Enterprise Comparison
SharePoint and Confluence are top platforms for managing enterprise content and knowledge. SharePoint has over 200 million monthly active users in Microsoft 365. It serves as the main system for enterprise content management.
Confluence, on the other hand, has around 75,000 customer organizations. It leads in the developer wiki and Atlassian ecosystem.
EPC Group has experience in enterprise SharePoint consulting since 1997. We have completed hundreds of SharePoint deployments, migrations, and governance projects. Our assessments focus on key criteria that enterprise decision-makers value:
- Performance
- Scalability
- Security
- Content management
- Collaboration
- Security
- Compliance
- Extensibility
- Total cost of ownership
Are you selecting a platform for a new deployment? Are you considering a migration from Confluence to SharePoint? Or perhaps you are consolidating your content management tools? This guide provides the objective comparison you need.
Head-to-Head Feature Comparison
A detailed breakdown of core capabilities across both platforms as of 2026.
| Feature | SharePoint | Confluence |
|---|---|---|
| Content Management | Full enterprise CMS: document libraries, lists, pages, news, metadata | Wiki-style pages, blogs, spaces, labels |
| Document Management | Version control, check-in/out, metadata columns, content types, records management | Page versioning, attachments, no native document management |
| Real-time Co-authoring | Native with Word, Excel, PowerPoint via Office Online | Real-time page editing with multiple users |
| Search | Microsoft Search across entire M365 ecosystem, AI-powered ranking, custom verticals | Confluence search + Atlassian product search, CQL queries |
| Page Templates | Modern page templates, site templates, custom content types | Space templates, page templates, global templates, blueprints |
| Permissions & Access | Granular permissions: site, library, folder, item level; Azure AD groups | Space, page, and restriction-based permissions; Atlassian Access |
| Workflow Automation | Power Automate (hundreds of connectors), SharePoint Designer (legacy) | Automation rules (basic), Jira automation, third-party apps |
| Custom Development | SharePoint Framework (SPFx), Power Apps, Power Automate, Microsoft Graph | Atlassian Forge, Connect framework, REST API |
| App Marketplace | Microsoft 365 App Store + Power Platform solutions | Atlassian Marketplace: 3,000+ apps |
| Intranet Capabilities | Full intranet platform: hub sites, communication sites, Viva Connections | Basic intranet via spaces (limited design control) |
| Mobile Experience | SharePoint mobile app + Teams mobile + OneDrive mobile | Confluence mobile app |
| Integration Depth | Native with Teams, Outlook, OneDrive, Power BI, Dynamics 365, Viva | Native with Jira, Trello, Bitbucket, Opsgenie, Statuspage |
| AI Features | Copilot for SharePoint, AI-powered search, content suggestions | Atlassian Intelligence for summaries and writing assistance |
| Storage per User | 1 TB per user + 10 GB per license pool (M365 plans) | Varies: 250 GB (Standard), unlimited (Premium) |
Security & Compliance Comparison
For organizations in regulated industries, compliance and data governance capabilities are decisive factors.
SharePoint
- 400+ compliance certifications (HIPAA, FedRAMP, SOC 1/2/3, ISO 27001, GDPR)
- Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies across sites and libraries
- Microsoft Purview for information governance and records management
- eDiscovery and legal hold for documents and pages
- Sensitivity labels and Azure Information Protection (AIP)
- Conditional Access via Azure Active Directory
- Customer Lockbox for controlled data access
- Retention policies and disposition reviews
- Audit logging with Microsoft 365 unified audit log
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA) enforced via Azure AD
- Information Barriers for regulatory separation
- Advanced Threat Protection for malicious files
Confluence
- SOC 2/3, ISO 27001, ISO 27018, GDPR compliance
- Atlassian Access for SSO and user provisioning (SCIM)
- Data Residency for selected regions
- Audit logs via Atlassian Guard (Premium)
- IP allowlisting (Premium)
- Organization-level security policies
- Two-factor authentication (2FA)
- API token management
- No native HIPAA compliance without Atlassian Guard Premium
- No FedRAMP-aligned consulting expertise work
- No built-in DLP or information protection
- No native eDiscovery or legal hold
- No records management or disposition workflow
- Limited retention policy controls
Pricing Comparison
Total cost of ownership includes licensing, storage, integrations, and administrative overhead.
SharePoint Online
Included with Microsoft 365 plans
1 TB storage per org + 10 GB/user, SharePoint sites and pages
SharePoint + Teams + OneDrive + Exchange + web Office apps
Everything above + desktop Office apps, webinar hosting
Full compliance suite: DLP, eDiscovery, retention, Information Barriers
Advanced compliance, analytics, Copilot add-on eligible, Teams Phone
Key advantage: SharePoint is bundled with Microsoft 365. Organizations already using Microsoft 365 get SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, and Office apps in a single license.
Confluence Cloud
Standalone wiki & collaboration platform
Up to 10 users, 2 GB storage, community support
250 GB storage, user permissions, audit logs (90 days)
Unlimited storage, analytics, IP allowlisting, sandbox, 24/7 support
Unlimited sites, Atlassian Guard Premium, data residency, 99.95% SLA
Note: Confluence is a standalone product. Organizations must have separate subscriptions for the following services:
- Email: Exchange or Gmail
- Document editing: Office or Google Docs
- File storage: OneDrive or Google Drive
- Real-time communication: Teams or Slack
SharePoint Advantages
Where SharePoint provides clear enterprise value over Confluence.
Microsoft 365 Integration
Native integration with Teams, Outlook, OneDrive, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Power BI. Every SharePoint document library is automatically accessible in Teams. Co-author documents in real time without leaving the platform.
Power Platform
Build custom business apps with Power Apps, automate document workflows with Power Automate, and embed Power BI dashboards in SharePoint pages. No-code/low-code development that Confluence cannot match.
Enterprise Security & Compliance
400+ compliance certifications including HIPAA, FedRAMP, SOC 2, and GDPR. Built-in DLP, eDiscovery, records management, retention policies, and sensitivity labels through Microsoft Purview.
Intranet & Communication Sites
Full enterprise intranet capabilities with hub sites, communication sites, news digests, Viva Connections, and organizational-level broadcasting. Confluence offers basic spaces but no comparable intranet framework.
Microsoft Search
Unified search across SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, Outlook, and the entire Microsoft 365 ecosystem. AI-powered relevance, custom verticals, bookmarks, and Q&A. Confluence search is limited to Atlassian products.
Enterprise Content Management
Full document management with version history, check-in/out, content types, metadata columns, records management, and disposition workflows. Confluence is a wiki, not a document management system.
Confluence Advantages
Where Confluence provides differentiated value.
Atlassian Ecosystem
Deep native integration with Jira (issue tracking), Bitbucket (code repos), Trello (project boards), Opsgenie (incident management), and Statuspage. If your engineering team lives in Atlassian, Confluence is a natural fit.
Developer Wiki Experience
Purpose-built for technical documentation with code blocks, macros, page trees, and space hierarchies. Confluence has been the de facto developer wiki for 20+ years, and the editing experience reflects that heritage.
Intuitive Page Editor
Confluence page editor is widely praised for its simplicity. Drag-and-drop macros, inline comments, status labels, and decision logs make it easy for non-technical users to create structured documentation.
Marketplace Apps
3,000+ apps in the Atlassian Marketplace including draw.io, Gliffy, Scroll Versions, and ScriptRunner. Many apps are purpose-built for engineering documentation workflows.
Vendor-Agnostic Flexibility
Works equally well with AWS, Google Cloud, and non-Microsoft toolchains. Organizations running on Google Workspace or Linux-based environments find Confluence integrates more naturally.
Automation Rules
Built-in automation rules for page publishing workflows, notifications, and Jira-Confluence sync. Lightweight automation without requiring a separate platform like Power Automate.
When to Choose Each Platform
Choose SharePoint When:
- Your organization uses Microsoft 365 (Teams, Outlook, Office apps)
- You need enterprise compliance (HIPAA, FedRAMP, SOC 2, GDPR)
- Document management with version control, check-in/out, and records management is required
- You want a full intranet platform (communication sites, news, Viva Connections)
- Unified search across email, chat, files, and content is important
- You need Power Platform integration (Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI)
- Cost optimization matters (SharePoint included with Microsoft 365)
- You operate in healthcare, government, financial services, or education
Choose Confluence When:
- Your engineering team is built on Atlassian (Jira, Bitbucket, Trello)
- Technical documentation and developer wikis are the primary use case
- You need 3,000+ Atlassian Marketplace integrations
- Your organization is not invested in the Microsoft ecosystem
- You prefer a lightweight, wiki-focused tool over an enterprise CMS
- Small teams (under 10 users) that qualify for the free tier
- You do not need enterprise records management or compliance
- Your infrastructure runs primarily on AWS, GCP, or Google Workspace
Migrating from Confluence to SharePoint
EPC Group has successfully migrated organizations with thousands to hundreds of thousands of Confluence pages to SharePoint Online. Our approach ensures:
- Content fidelity is maintained
- Metadata is preserved
- User permissions are kept intact
- Disruption to daily workflows is minimized
Content Audit & Planning
Inventory all Confluence spaces, pages, macros, and attachments. Identify stale content, active pages, and critical documentation.
Structure Mapping & Design
Design the SharePoint information architecture: sites, document libraries, page layouts, navigation, and metadata schema. Map Confluence labels to SharePoint managed metadata and content types.
Content Migration & Validation
Migrate pages, attachments, and embedded content using proven migration tools. Convert Confluence macros to SharePoint web parts.
Training, Adoption & Support
Role-based training for content editors, readers, and administrators. Quick-start guides for SharePoint modern pages.
Why Organizations Choose EPC Group for Confluence-to-SharePoint Migration
The Verdict: Which Platform Wins?
For enterprise organizations, SharePoint is a comprehensive platform. It includes:
- Content management
- Document management
- Intranet capabilities
- Power Platform integration
- Enterprise compliance
This all comes in one package with Microsoft 365. Organizations already using Microsoft 365 do not need extra licensing.
Confluence is the better choice for engineering-focused organizations using the Atlassian stack. This includes tools like Jira, Bitbucket, and Trello. It is also perfect for small development teams needing a dedicated wiki. Furthermore, it works well for companies that mainly use Google Workspace or AWS.
The bottom line: If your organization uses Microsoft 365, SharePoint offers significantly more value than Confluence at no extra cost.
When choosing between the two in a non-Microsoft setting, think about your main needs:
- For enterprise content management and intranet, SharePoint is the better choice.
- For developer documentation and Jira integration, Confluence is more suitable.
SharePoint vs Confluence: Frequently Asked Questions
Expert answers to common enterprise questions about SharePoint and Confluence.
Is SharePoint better than Confluence for enterprise organizations?
For enterprises using Microsoft 365, SharePoint is typically the stronger choice because it provides unified identity management via Azure AD, native integration with Teams, Outlook, and Office apps, plus enterprise-grade compliance features (HIPAA, FedRAMP, SOC 2). Confluence excels for Atlassian-centric organizations that need deep Jira integration and a purpose-built developer wiki experience.
How much does SharePoint cost compared to Confluence?
SharePoint Online is included in all Microsoft 365 business and enterprise plans, starting at $6/user/month (Business Basic) up to $60.00/user/month (E5, Microsoft list, annual commitment, with Teams; read 2026-10-21). Confluence Cloud pricing is Free for up to 10 users, Standard at $6.05/user/month, and Premium at $11.55/user/month. For organizations already paying for Microsoft 365, SharePoint is included at zero additional cost. Confluence requires a separate subscription on top of any existing Microsoft licensing.
Can SharePoint replace Confluence entirely?
Yes. SharePoint can replace Confluence for wikis, knowledge bases, documentation, team collaboration, and content management. SharePoint also adds capabilities Confluence does not offer natively, including enterprise content management, records management, Power Platform integration for workflow automation, and deep integration with Microsoft Teams for real-time collaboration on documents.
How do I migrate from Confluence to SharePoint?
Migration from Confluence to SharePoint involves exporting Confluence spaces and pages, mapping space structures to SharePoint sites and document libraries, migrating page content and attachments, preserving metadata and permissions, and redirecting URLs. EPC Group provides end-to-end Confluence-to-SharePoint migration services including content restructuring, metadata mapping, and user training for organizations of all sizes.
Which platform has better search capabilities?
SharePoint offers Microsoft Search, which provides a unified search experience across SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, Outlook, and the entire Microsoft 365 ecosystem. It includes AI-powered relevance ranking, custom verticals, result types, and Microsoft Graph-powered recommendations. Confluence search is limited to Confluence content and Atlassian products. For organizations using Microsoft 365, SharePoint search is significantly more powerful and far-reaching.
Is Confluence better for developer documentation?
Confluence has traditionally been favored for developer documentation due to its native Jira integration, code block formatting, and wiki-style page hierarchy. However, SharePoint has closed this gap significantly with modern pages, code web parts, integration with Azure DevOps, and the ability to embed GitHub repositories. For teams heavily using Jira, Confluence offers tighter developer workflow integration. For all other scenarios, SharePoint provides more enterprise value.
Which platform offers better customization and extensibility?
SharePoint offers deeper enterprise customization through the SharePoint Framework (SPFx) for custom web parts, Power Apps for no-code/low-code applications, Power Automate for workflow automation, and Microsoft Graph API for programmatic access. Confluence offers Atlassian Forge and Connect frameworks for app development, plus 3,000+ marketplace apps. SharePoint customization tends to be more enterprise-oriented; Confluence customization is more developer-wiki focused.
How long does a Confluence to SharePoint migration take?
Migration timelines vary by content volume and complexity. A mid-size migration (500-5,000 pages) typically takes 4-8 weeks including planning, content mapping, migration execution, testing, and user training. Large enterprise migrations (10,000-100,000+ pages) may take 3-6 months. EPC Group has migrated Confluence environments with over 50,000 pages to SharePoint, maintaining full content fidelity and metadata preservation.
Need Help Choosing or Migrating?
Schedule a free consultation with EPC Group's SharePoint and content management experts. We help enterprises evaluate, deploy, and migrate SharePoint and Confluence environments.
Related Resources
SharePoint Consulting Services
Enterprise SharePoint implementations, migrations, governance, and intranet design from certified Microsoft consultants.
SharePoint Document Management Best Practices
Optimize your SharePoint document libraries with metadata, content types, version control, and records management strategies.
SharePoint Permissions Best Practices
Design secure, manageable SharePoint permission structures with Azure AD groups, inheritance, and least-privilege access.
SharePoint vs Confluence
SharePoint (Microsoft) and Confluence (Atlassian) are both tools for enterprise collaboration and knowledge management.
SharePoint is ideal for Microsoft 365 organizations that need:
- Document management
- Compliance
- Intranet solutions
On the other hand, Confluence is better for development teams that use Jira and Bitbucket.
- This guide compares features, security, compliance, pricing, and migration.
Head-to-Head Feature Comparison
| Feature | SharePoint Online | Confluence Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Document management | Advanced — content types, metadata, retention | Basic — wiki pages with attachments |
| Microsoft 365 integration | Native | Requires marketplace connectors |
| Jira / Bitbucket integration | Requires connectors | Native |
| Compliance (HIPAA, FedRAMP) | Native via Purview | Requires add-ons; no FedRAMP |
| AI search | Microsoft Copilot across all M365 | Atlassian Intelligence (basic) |
| Records management | Full Purview retention labels | None |
| Pricing (per user/month) | Included in M365 E3 ($39.00, Microsoft list, read 2026-10-21) | Standard: $5.75, Premium: $11.55 |
Security and Compliance Comparison
SharePoint
- Unified identity management via Azure AD — single sign-on across all Microsoft 365 apps.
- Native HIPAA, SOC 2, FedRAMP, and GDPR compliance via Microsoft Purview.
- Sensitivity labels automatically enforce external sharing restrictions.
- DLP policies block sharing of PHI, PII, and financial data.
- Retention labels manage document lifecycle — retain, delete, or lock content per regulation.
Confluence
- SOC 2 Type II and GDPR compliance (Atlassian infrastructure).
- HIPAA support via Atlassian Access add-on (additional cost).
- No FedRAMP certification — not suitable for US federal agencies or CMMC-regulated contractors.
- No native retention labels or records management.
SharePoint Capabilities Beyond Confluence
SharePoint adds several enterprise capabilities that Confluence does not offer natively.
- Enterprise content management — document libraries with content types, metadata, and version control.
- Records management — Purview retention labels, disposition reviews, and regulatory record mode.
- Power Platform integration — Power Automate approval workflows and Power Apps forms built on SharePoint lists.
- Microsoft Teams integration — Teams channel files stored in SharePoint automatically.
- Microsoft Copilot — AI assistant grounded in SharePoint documents across the entire M365 tenant.
When Confluence Is the Better Fit
- Engineering-heavy organizations built on Jira, Bitbucket, and Trello — Confluence integrates natively.
- Small development teams (under 50 users) needing a fast, lightweight technical wiki.
- Google Workspace or AWS primary ecosystem — not Microsoft 365.
- Organizations that need Confluence's structured macro system for technical documentation.
Migrating from Confluence to SharePoint
EPC Group runs Confluence-to-SharePoint migrations. The process involves five steps.
- Export Confluence spaces — use the Confluence Export API or third-party tools to extract page content and attachments.
- Map spaces to SharePoint sites — each Confluence space maps to a SharePoint communication site or team site.
- Migrate page content — convert Confluence wiki markup to SharePoint modern page content.
- Migrate attachments — move file attachments to SharePoint document libraries with metadata applied.
- Redirect URLs — configure old Confluence space URLs to redirect to the new SharePoint site URLs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I choose SharePoint or Confluence?
If your organization uses Microsoft 365, choose SharePoint — it is included in E3/E5 and provides deeper compliance, document management, and Copilot AI integration.
Choose Confluence if your team relies on Jira and Bitbucket and needs a wiki designed for developers. Many enterprises use both tools:
- Confluence for engineering wikis
- SharePoint for document management
- SharePoint for intranet
Is SharePoint cheaper than Confluence?
If you are a Microsoft 365 subscriber, SharePoint is included at no extra cost.
In contrast, Confluence has two pricing tiers:
- Standard: $5.75/user/month
- Premium: $11.55/user/month
Additionally, there are separate costs for Jira, Jira Service Management, and other Atlassian tools.
Total Atlassian stack cost often exceeds the marginal cost of adding SharePoint to an existing M365 subscription.
Can you migrate content from Confluence to SharePoint?
Yes, EPC Group migrates Confluence spaces to SharePoint sites. We handle the entire process, which includes:
- Exporting Confluence content
- Converting wiki markup to SharePoint modern pages
- Migrating attachments to document libraries
- Redirecting old URLs
The main challenge in migration is Confluence's macro-heavy page content. Complex macros need manual conversion to SharePoint web parts.
Does SharePoint have a wiki like Confluence?
Yes, SharePoint modern pages function like wiki-style pages. They support rich text content, embedded images, linked files, and web parts for dynamic content.
SharePoint also offers a built-in Wiki page template. This template is ideal for creating knowledge base-style content.
The page editing experience differs from Confluence, but both tools serve similar functional purposes.
Schedule a Comparison Consultation
Talk to a SharePoint architect about your platform decision or Confluence migration project. Call (888) 381-9725 or request a 30-minute discovery call.