Believe me, these days, even lovers of organizing work across a million post-it notes get sucked into the ease and comfort of digital workplaces. Now, you can manage your work, keep tabs on all your projects, and collaborate in-real time within sleek systems that are built and constantly optimized to serve diverse teams.
The market of collaborative workspaces is pretty dense, though. There are just so many to choose from! That’s why I’ve decided to create a write-up about two really popular platforms: Confluence and Notion.
In this article, I’ll give a short overview both Confluence and Notion. As I dive deeper into the platforms, you’ll be able to understand the differences when it comes to features, target audiences, and pricing points. I’ll also give the lowdown on pros and cons when it comes to both systems. And maybe, by choosing the right platform, you’ll finally be able to forget about the days where a project goes haywire when you realize you lost a piece of paper with critical information from a meeting that was a few months ago.
Key Insights on Comparing Notion vs. Confluence
- Notion shines for individuals, startups, and small creative teams, while Confluence is purpose-built for larger organizations and regulated industries that require governance, security, and scalability.
- Notion offers sleek customization and lightweight AI features for content creation, while Confluence delivers enterprise-grade collaboration, Jira integration, and a robust Atlassian Marketplace with specialized apps.
- Confluence provides advanced compliance (HIPAA, FedRAMP, Atlassian Guard) and granular access controls, making it the safer option for regulated industries, whereas Notion covers core protections (SOC 2, encryption, SSO) but lacks deeper governance.
- Notion’s team plans start at $12–$24 per user/month. Confluence, by contrast, is free for up to 10 users, with paid tiers starting at $5.16 per user/month, making it more cost-effective for teams and organizations already invested in Atlassian tools.
Brief Introduction of Confluence and Notion
Confluence
Confluence is a powerful collaboration platform developed by Atlassian that helps teams bring all their knowledge, projects, and documentation into one central hub. Instead of juggling scattered files and endless email threads, teams can co-create pages, share ideas, and keep everyone aligned in real time. With seamless integration to Jira and other Atlassian tools, Confluence makes it easy to connect strategy with execution – securely. The result? A smarter, more transparent way to work that keeps your whole organization moving in the same direction.
Did you know that Seibert can help you tailor your Atlassian experience for your business’s needs? Book a personal demo with our experts to find out more.
Why would you like Confluence over Notion?
Confluence and Notion have a lot in common, and, really, both platforms can answer similar needs. Confluence was released two decades ago, catering towards agile teams, meaning those that work in iterative process.
So why choose Confluence over Notion? If you’re working in a larger enterprise or government body that requires greater security measures, Confluence is the way to go. Confluence stands out for its deep ecosystem of integrations that are vetted and downloaded via the Atlassian Marketplace.
Seibert specialises in creating such apps like Templating.app, Navigation Menus, Aura, and more. Even more so, Confluence now has Rovo agents for AI-powered knowledge discovery. These add-ons transform Confluence from a static knowledge base into a dynamic digital workplace where employees can collaborate, visualize, and act on information in smarter ways. It’s especially smart to choose Confluence if you already use Jira, and then you can continue to unlock the full potential of Atlassian platforms.
Notion
If you can believe that 2016 was almost a decade ago, then you can also believe that Notion is a fairly new knowledge and project management system.
It was built to be an all-in-one workspace for diverse users – from students to start up founders to small creative teams. In Notion, can write, organize, and manage projects by combining notes, documents, databases, and tasks in a flexible, customizable way. It works like digital building blocks, letting teams and individuals create pages that can be structured to fit workflows, knowledge bases, or collaboration needs.
Why would you like Notion over Confluence?
A team could choose Notion over Confluence because it offers a sleek, modern design that often feels more intuitive and enjoyable to use. Its extreme flexibility makes it simple to customize workflows, which is especially valuable if you’re part of a smaller or creative team that needs to adapt quickly. Plus, for those who love a DIY approach, Notion provides the freedom to build exactly the kind of workspace that fits your style and processes.
What’s the difference in pricing of Notion vs. Confluence?
Notion begins with a free plan designed for individuals and light personal use, though it has limits on guest access. For teams, pricing scales per user: the Plus plan is $8 per user/month (billed annually) or $10 (billed monthly), while the Business plan is $15 per user/month annually or $18 monthly. Larger organizations can opt for a customizable Enterprise plan. While these options provide strong flexibility and advanced features, small teams may find Notion relatively more expensive compared to alternatives.
Confluence, on the other hand, starts with a generous free plan for up to 10 users, which includes basic storage and page history. Paid plans are structured differently, with the Standard plan starting at $10 per month for 10 users (annual billing) and the Premium plan at $30 per month for 10 users. Enterprise pricing is also available on request. This makes Confluence particularly cost-effective for small teams and organizations already invested in Atlassian’s ecosystem, though its pricing tiers can feel less adaptable for groups that fall between small and large team sizes. If you’re already using Jira, it could be more cost-effective to consider the Teamwork Collection as then you can get access to the major Atlassian apps at a lower cost than buying each one separately.
AI capabilities
While Notion AI excels in note-taking, content generation, and personal productivity, Confluence’s AI tools focus on teamwide collaboration and process automation, making it the more reliable option for Jira-centric teams.
Notion’s AI Capabilities
-
Integrates AI directly into its workspace to streamline writing and knowledge management.
-
With Notion AI, users can generate and summarize content, draft ideas, create structured databases
-
AI Meeting Notes (currently in beta, desktop app only) help teams capture discussions efficiently.
-
Notion AI Connectors unify information across platforms, including a Jira AI Connector (beta).
-
Limitation: The Jira connector does not yet support Jira Boards and won’t cite them in results — a drawback for teams relying on agile board views.
-
Confluence’s AI capabilities
-
Emphasizes deeper integrations across Atlassian products with AI-driven systems like Rovo agents and Teamwork Graph
-
Designed to automate workflows and connect knowledge seamlessly between Confluence and Jira.
-
Helps surface relevant project information and accelerate collaboration.
-
Since these capabilities are more mature, Confluence is often the stronger choice for organizations that rely heavily on Jira and need robust automation between platforms.
Read more about how Seibert develops Rovo agents here, and learn more about the possibilities of using AI for managing workflows.
Content management
Notion offers a flexible content management experience with templates, customizable pages, and sleek database-driven structures—often more versatile than Confluence’s more rigid setup. It also supports version control and integrates with tools like Feather for publishing, though external use has limits: no custom domains, minimal SEO, restricted design options, and basic analytics. This makes Notion best for small teams, quick setup, and internal communication.
Confluence, by contrast, is built for enterprise needs. It integrates tightly with Atlassian tools, provides strong permission controls, and supports an ecosystem of marketplace apps. While less polished in design, it delivers scalable, secure, and customizable documentation for large or regulated organizations.
Notion excels in ease of use and simplicity, while Confluence is stronger for enterprise-level documentation and governance.
App integration
Notion stands out for its flexibility, offering official integrations with popular tools like Jira, Google Drive, Slack, and Trello, as well as thousands more through Zapier, Make, or custom API builds. This makes it easy for smaller or creative teams to centralize workflows, automate tasks, and adapt the platform to their needs with minimal setup. However, its reliance on third-party automation services can introduce extra compliance concerns, and while powerful for customization, it may not provide the same level of governance or enterprise-grade reliability larger organizations require.
Confluence, on the other hand, shines in enterprise contexts with its vast Atlassian Marketplace and strong native integration with Jira. The platform benefits from Atlassian’s Forge development framework and rigorous security standards, making it more reliable and compliant for large-scale operations. Its strength lies in governance and scalability, though it can feel less flexible and user-friendly compared to Notion’s sleek, lightweight approach.
Check out this quick list of Seibert apps, and see which ones can boost your Confluence experience:
Want to try one of our Confluence apps out? Head over to Seibert’s Atlassian Marketplace page to start your journey.
Confluence vs. Notion: Security
Managing knowledge and projects comes with a critical responsibility: keeping company data secure. While both Notion and Confluence provide strong protections, they differ significantly in their depth and focus.
Confluence is generally the stronger choice for enterprises and regulated industries, thanks to Atlassian Cloud’s advanced compliance, enterprise-grade controls, and vetted Marketplace ecosystem. Notion, meanwhile, offers a solid foundation for smaller teams but lacks the compliance breadth required by heavily regulated sectors.
Encryption & Data Protection
| Feature | Confluence (Atlassian) | Notion |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption | AES-256 at rest, TLS in transit | AES-256 at rest, TLS 1.2+ in transit |
| Advanced Controls | IP whitelisting, custom authentication policies | No end-to-end encryption (data accessible by Notion servers if needed) |
| Security Testing | Continuous bug bounty program | Not specified |
| Infrastructure | Atlassian Cloud with data residency (US, EU, AU, DE), disaster recovery, business continuity | Standard cloud infrastructure |
Compliance & Certifications
| Feature | Confluence (Atlassian) | Notion |
|---|---|---|
| Core Certifications | SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, PCI DSS | SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR |
| Industry-Specific | HIPAA compliance available | No HIPAA compliance |
| Government Compliance | FedRAMP Moderate (US Gov) | Not available |
| Oversight | Atlassian Trust Center with real-time compliance updates | Limited compliance reporting |
Access Controls
| Feature | Confluence (Atlassian) | Notion |
|---|---|---|
| Permission Levels | Global, space, and page-level | Workspace-, teamspace-, and page-level |
| Enterprise Controls | Atlassian Guard integration (audit logs, SCIM provisioning, SAML SSO, enforced 2FA) | SAML SSO (Business/Enterprise), 2FA for all plans |
| Threat Detection | CASB integrations, granular admin controls (e.g., restrict anonymous access) | Basic role-based permissions |
| Audit Logs | Organization-wide | Limited |
Integrations & Ecosystem Security
| Feature | Confluence (Atlassian) | Notion |
|---|---|---|
| App Ecosystem | Atlassian Marketplace apps undergo security/privacy review | API with OAuth 2.0 |
| Vulnerability Testing | Marketplace Bug Bounty program | Admins can monitor, audit, and revoke tokens |
| Monitoring | CASB & SIEM integrations, transparent audit logs | SIEM/DLP integration support |
| Permissions | Fine-grained app security with Atlassian Guard | Granular permissions limited to shared pages/databases |
Confluence vs Notion: So which is better?
Confluence is generally the stronger choice for larger organizations and regulated industries, thanks to its enterprise-grade security (HIPAA, FedRAMP, Atlassian Guard), granular access controls, and deep integrations with Jira and the Atlassian Marketplace. It’s built for scalability, governance, and compliance-heavy environments. Notion, meanwhile, shines for smaller teams and creative groups with its sleek design, flexibility, and ease of use, offering solid baseline security (encryption, 2FA, SOC 2) but lacking the advanced compliance and governance features enterprises often require. In short, Notion is ideal for lightweight, intuitive collaboration, while Confluence is better for secure, enterprise-scale documentation and workflows.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main differences between Confluence and Notion?
The main differences between Confluence and Notion rest in security, scalability, and structure. Confluence, as part of the Atlassian ecosystem, offers enterprise-grade compliance, granular permissions, and deep Jira integration, while Notion focuses on offering extreme flexibility, sleek design, and customizable workflows better suited for smaller teams or creative use cases.
Is Confluence better than Notion for teams?
Confluence is better than Notion for larger teams that are required to follow specific governance and regulations. Notion, on the other hand, is great for small-to-medium sized teams that are looking for DIY knowledge management.
Which is easier to use: Confluence or Notion?
Notion is often easier to use than Confluence, as it was developed to be an all-in-one platform. While Confluence and Notion share many features and capabilities, Confluence belongs within a larger Atlassian ecosystem that does require some adjustment to in order to fully maximize on the experience. But, with automations and Rovo agents, processes in Confluence can be streamlined.
How do Confluence and Notion handle collaboration?
Confluence is built for structured, enterprise-grade collaboration with features like page versioning, inline comments, permissions, and Jira integration. Notion, on the other hand, emphasizes flexible, lightweight collaboration through real-time editing and shared workspaces, but offers less control for large-scale teams.
Which is more cost-effective: Confluence or Notion?
Notion is often more cost-effective for small to medium-sized teams thanks to its flexible pricing and feature-rich free plan, while Confluence becomes increasingly economical for larger organizations, particularly those already using Atlassian products. Notion’s Plus plan costs $12/user/month and the Business plan $24/user/month, with Enterprise available on request, whereas Confluence is free for up to 10 users, with the Standard plan at $5.16/user/month, the Premium plan at $9.73/user/month, and Enterprise also requiring a custom quote. Ultimately, Notion offers better value for smaller groups, but Confluence provides more affordable scalability for growing teams.
Is there a free version of Confluence like Notion?
Yes, Confluence has a free version like Notion. Unlike Confluence, Notion’s free plan is available only for individuals. It’s especially helpful for entrepreneurs growing their startups or using Notion to experiment with knowledge management capabilities. Confluence’s free version is available for up to ten users to use, but is pretty limited in available features compared to other, paid Confluence plans.