Confluence vs Alfresco

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Our analysts compared Confluence vs Alfresco based on data from our 400+ point analysis of CMS Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

Confluence is a shared workspace that helps businesses prepare, organize, collaborate and review project documents. Organizations can access information, resources and collaborate on marketing campaigns and product launches through its open modules. It can be deployed on-premise and hosted on the cloud.

It offers a centralized repository to access content according to project requirements. Employees can publish and access company data in a central location. Administrators can restrict access to confidential information and allow collaboration within closed groups. It lets employees prepare research reports, meeting notes and product requirements and managers edit and share feedback in documents. Businesses can delegate tasks to every employee and monitor changes.
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Alfresco is an open-source solution that helps enterprises manage and publish content on websites. It provides a central content and metadata repository with streamlined end-to-end review and approval workflows. It offers collaboration through shared access, comments and annotations, and the option to start a meeting from within the document for instant discussion. Deployable on-premise, in the cloud or as a hybrid, it can be accessed from any device.

Extensible due to its open architecture, it enables federated access to content across technologies without the need to migrate data in bulk, eliminating data security concerns. Powered by Amazon Web Services, it provides data insights through natural language generation, automated text extraction and deep learning technology. In addition to its integration with Microsoft 365 and Google Docs, it provides full-text indexing via Apache Solr.
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$4.89/User, Monthly
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$2,000 Monthly
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Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
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Mac
Linux
Android
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On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Intuitive Structure: Organize everything in pages and spaces. Edit, create and discuss work in pages. Store team, individual employee and project pages in different spaces. 
  • Knowledge Base: Find and organize pages according to labels, advanced search and intuitive page hierarchy. Choose from over 75 customizable templates for different teams, including strategy, reports and planning. Integrate with Jira for development work or plans to update project roadmaps dynamically. 
  • Edit and Review Documents: Edit documents with the team in real time while publishing updates that highlight modifications. Add likes, comments and visual elements like GIFs, emojis and images. Take control of work progress by alerting team members when they are tagged or assigned tasks. 
  • Information Sharing: Provide staff open access to information while protecting sensitive content with permission restrictions. Stay updated with work in progress, recently accessed spaces and popular feeds and activity on personal homepages. Include everyone by sharing the latest news and announcements to ensure transparency.  
  • Integrations: Seamlessly integrate across the Atlassian suite to complete workflows and work from anywhere. Deliver projects faster by connecting project documentation with Jira. Use the Jira service desk to provide smart recommendations and resources. Organize and segment project tasks and subtasks by integrating with Trello. 
  • Quicker Work Completion: Prepare file lists, meeting notes, product requirements, project requirements and more faster with a rich content editor. Co-edit documents, research reports and other content with a track changes option for reviews. 
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  • Enhanced Collaboration: Alfresco fosters seamless teamwork by providing a centralized platform for document sharing, real-time editing, and threaded discussions, enabling efficient knowledge sharing and project coordination.
  • Streamlined Content Management: Its intuitive interface and robust search capabilities empower users to effortlessly organize, retrieve, and manage vast amounts of content, ensuring easy access to critical information.
  • Improved Productivity: Alfresco automates repetitive tasks, such as document approval workflows and content versioning, freeing up valuable time for employees to focus on strategic initiatives.
  • Enhanced Security: Alfresco's robust security measures, including role-based access controls, encryption, and audit trails, safeguard sensitive data, ensuring compliance with industry regulations and protecting against unauthorized access.
  • Scalability and Flexibility: Alfresco's modular architecture and cloud-based deployment options allow organizations to tailor the solution to their specific needs, accommodating growth and adapting to changing business requirements.
  • Reduced Costs: By eliminating the need for multiple disparate systems and streamlining content management processes, Alfresco helps organizations save on IT infrastructure and maintenance costs.
  • Improved Customer Experience: Alfresco's integration with CRM systems enables personalized content delivery, enhancing customer interactions and fostering stronger relationships.
  • Increased Innovation: Alfresco's open API and developer tools empower organizations to extend the platform's functionality, fostering innovation and creating tailored solutions that meet unique business challenges.
  • Enhanced Compliance: Alfresco's compliance with industry standards, such as ISO 27001 and HIPAA, ensures adherence to regulatory requirements and mitigates legal risks.
  • Improved Decision-Making: Alfresco's advanced analytics capabilities provide insights into content usage and user behavior, enabling data-driven decision-making and optimizing content strategies.
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  • Mobile Apps: Stay connected with teams and get updates on ongoing projects on-the-go using native mobile apps. Use any internet-connected device to keep in touch with important updates and work progress. 
  • Collaboration: Manage information access using permission settings at a granular level and let staff contribute to the knowledge base. Use version tracking to track individual contributions and get notified when updates are made. Keep an accurate and comprehensive knowledge base by maintaining an efficient feedback loop for collaborators. Use employee feedback, threads and comments into collective knowledge for better decision-making. 
  • Project Management: Store all tasks in a centralized space that is accessible to everyone. Organize all information scattered across emails, messages and apps in one single place that provides crucial project information like meeting notes, files, policies, people and more. Users can discuss, create and organize tasks with coworkers and teammates. Create product requirements and knowledge base and let every team member contribute through feedback or inline comments. 
  • Business Analytics: Track the most liked, viewed or accessed online pages via plugins or APIs to understand how an organization consumes knowledge. Get analytics-driven insights for smart decision making and transform business practices. 
  • Scalability: Access enterprise-grade solutions to scale across the entire organization and grow with business needs. Get enhanced security and administration with automated user provisioning and two-step verification enforced by SAML SSO. Protect data using Privacy Shield and GDPR compliant encryption in transit. Get unlimited storage, advanced admin controls, premium support and 99% uptime. 
  • Customizations: Use hundreds of applications in the Atlassian Marketplace to customize as per organization’s requirements. Access apps to personalize themes, diagrams, organization charts and workflows. 
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  • Document Management: Search, access, store and organize content on any device with search suggestions and smart folders. Use built-in workflows and rich metadata models to improve the review and approval processes, move documents and automate repetitive tasks. Keep content secure by creating access permissions, maintaining document versioning and keeping a single database of all records in compliance with information governance policies.
  • Document Capture and Scanning: Scan and process documents and data of any kind utilizing optical character recognition (OCR) technology. Store and classify scanned documents in a centralized location to keep files organized and easily accessible. Allow customers to capture, share and edit content on the go with the Mobile Content and Process Services.
  • Collaboration: Store, edit, co-author and share documents in one location by integrating popular applications such as Microsoft 365 and Google Docs. Invite external members to work on content via public links. Allow viewer collaboration to produce real-time annotations, replies to changes made and chat capabilities within documents.
  • Artificial Intelligence: Implement Amazon Web Services to analyze and extract essential data from documents with Amazon Comprehend, Amazon Rekognition and Amazon Textract. Find specific keywords within bodies of text, retrieve textual context from images and videos to store as document metadata and more.
  • Analytics: Customize reports and dashboards, generate real-time reports on content and metadata and easily search for data with the platform’s internal data warehouse and open source search platform Solr 6. Optimize search indexing with multi-instance clustering and Solr sharding. Prevent data leaks with permissions, ACLs and SSL encryption protection.
  • Process Management: Build process models utilizing graphical tools such as the step editor guide and share with point-and-click forms. Manage internal processes by creating, assigning and dividing tasks amongst individuals and team members. Integrate tools using the platform’s Java-based process engine, API support and rest-based architecture, accessible on any iOS and Android device.
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Product Ranking

#6

among all
CMS Software

#26

among all
CMS Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

72
89
17
50
90
70
50
83
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Collaboration
Integrations and Extensibility
Document Protection
Platform Capabilities
Document Management
Integrations and Extensibility
Content Capture

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Confluence
Alfresco
+ Add Product + Add Product
AI-Based Capabilities Collaboration Compliances Content Capture Document Management Document Protection Mobile Capabilities Platform Capabilities Reports And Analytics 17 90 50 59 84 58 79 76 62 50 70 83 89 95 100 78 100 80 0 25 50 75 100
17%
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83%
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100%
80%
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60%
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50%
83%
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17%
33%
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67%
78%
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22%
71%
7%
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93%
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7%
17%
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83%
100%
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71%
14%
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71%
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29%
40%
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100%
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80%
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Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

75%
0%
25%
88%
0%
12%

User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 4871 reviews
Good User Sentiment 94 reviews
83%
of users recommend this product

Confluence has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 83% when considering 4871 user reviews from 2 recognized software review sites.

78%
of users recommend this product

Alfresco has a 'good' User Satisfaction Rating of 78% when considering 94 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

n/a
3.9 (5)
n/a
3.4 (32)
4.1 (3769)
4.0 (15)
4.4 (1102)
4.2 (13)
n/a
4.3 (29)

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Confluence and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Collaboration.

Collaboration Award

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Alfresco and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Document Protection and Platform Capabilities.

Document Protection Award
Platform Capabilities Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Centralized Knowledge Base: Information is easily searchable and accessible in one location, reducing time spent looking for project details and documents.
Collaboration Features: Real-time editing and commenting on project plans and documents promotes teamwork and keeps everyone on the same page.
Customization: The platform can be tailored to specific project needs and workflows, ensuring it's a good fit for various teams and projects.
Integrations: Confluence integrates with other popular project management tools, creating a seamless workflow and reducing the need to switch between multiple applications.
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Intuitive User Interface: Alfresco's user-friendly interface simplifies content management, making it easy for users to navigate and find what they need quickly.
Robust Document Management: Alfresco excels in managing large volumes of documents, providing efficient storage, retrieval, and collaboration features.
Seamless Collaboration: Alfresco fosters collaboration by allowing multiple users to work on documents simultaneously, track changes, and share feedback.
Advanced Security: Alfresco prioritizes data security with robust encryption, access controls, and audit trails to protect sensitive information.
Scalability and Flexibility: Alfresco adapts to growing business needs, supporting large-scale deployments and integrations with other systems.
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Clunky Interface: The user interface can feel outdated and cumbersome, making navigation and content creation less intuitive than in other platforms with more modern designs.
Limited Project Management: Confluence lacks native features for robust project management, such as Gantt charts or Kanban boards, often requiring integrations or workarounds to achieve essential project tracking functionalities.
Search Challenges: Finding specific content within Confluence can be difficult due to limitations in the search functionality, especially in instances with a large volume of documents or an inconsistent organizational structure.
Formatting Complexities: Achieving desired formatting can be a frustrating experience, often involving trial and error or the need to delve into wiki markup language, which presents a steeper learning curve for users accustomed to more user-friendly editors.
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Steep Learning Curve: Alfresco's complex interface and extensive feature set can be overwhelming for new users, requiring significant training and support.
Limited Customization Options: While Alfresco offers some customization capabilities, they are often limited compared to other CMS platforms, restricting the ability to tailor the system to specific business needs.
Performance Issues: Alfresco can experience performance bottlenecks, especially when handling large volumes of content or complex workflows, leading to slow loading times and user frustration.
Costly Licensing: Alfresco's licensing fees can be substantial, particularly for enterprise-level deployments, making it a less cost-effective option for budget-conscious organizations.
Lack of Mobile Optimization: Alfresco's mobile capabilities are limited, making it challenging to access and manage content effectively on smartphones and tablets.
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Confluence, a collaboration and knowledge base software by Atlassian, has garnered a mixed bag of user reviews over the past year. While many appreciate its user-friendly interface and robust features for document creation, version control, and task management, others point out its limitations. Some users find the pricing structure to be a bit steep, especially for smaller teams or organizations. Additionally, while Confluence integrates well with other Atlassian products like Jira, it may lack seamless integration with certain third-party systems, which can be a dealbreaker for some. Performance issues, particularly with larger instances or complex workflows, have also been reported. Despite these drawbacks, Confluence shines in its ability to centralize information and foster collaboration. Its wiki-style platform allows teams to easily create, share, and organize documents, meeting notes, and project plans, making it a valuable tool for knowledge management and project transparency. The ability to track changes, comment on pages, and mention teammates ensures everyone stays on the same page, literally and figuratively. Confluence is best suited for teams and organizations that prioritize collaboration and knowledge sharing. Its flexibility and scalability make it a good fit for a wide range of industries and team sizes, from software development to marketing to HR. However, teams with tight budgets or those heavily reliant on integrations with non-Atlassian tools may want to explore alternative solutions. Ultimately, the decision of whether or not Confluence is the right fit depends on the specific needs and priorities of each team.

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Alfresco is a popular CMS software that has received mixed reviews from users in the past year. Some users praise its strengths, such as its robust security features, user-friendly interface, and extensive customization options. These strengths are important because they allow users to create and manage content securely, easily, and in a way that meets their specific needs. For example, Alfresco's granular permissions system allows administrators to control who has access to what content, while its drag-and-drop interface makes it easy for users to create and edit content. However, other users have criticized Alfresco for its weaknesses, such as its high cost, limited scalability, and lack of certain features that are found in competing products. These weaknesses are important because they can make Alfresco a less attractive option for some users. For example, Alfresco's high cost may be prohibitive for some organizations, while its limited scalability may not be suitable for organizations that need to manage large amounts of content. Additionally, Alfresco lacks certain features that are found in competing products, such as e-commerce functionality and social media integration. Overall, Alfresco is a solid CMS software with a number of strengths and weaknesses. It is best suited for organizations that need a secure, user-friendly, and customizable CMS. However, organizations that need a low-cost, highly scalable, or feature-rich CMS may want to consider other options.

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