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Head-to-head · Content Collaboration Software

Confluence vs Etherpad

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 2 checks side by side
Higher score Confluence #2 in Content Collaboration Software 9.3/10 Free plan · 7-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 1 of 5 features Visit Confluence
Etherpad #6 in Content Collaboration Software 8.7/10 Open source ✓ 0 of 5 features Visit Etherpad

Confluence leads on 0 checks, Etherpad on 0, and 2 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 2 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreConfluence · 9.3/10
  • Free planonly Confluence
  • Free trialonly Confluence
  • Most featuresConfluence · 1 of 5

Confluence scores higher on our rubric for content collaboration software: 9.3 against 8.7 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #6.

Confluence is the better fit for teams organizing collaborative knowledge and projects. Etherpad is the better fit for teams wanting free, self-hosted live editing.

  • Confluence fits best

    Teams organizing collaborative knowledge and projects

  • Etherpad fits best

    Teams wanting free, self-hosted live editing

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Confluence 9.3/10 Visit ↗ Etherpad 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.3 8.7
Ranking #2 in Content Collaboration Software #6 in Content Collaboration Software
Best for Teams organizing collaborative knowledge and projects Teams wanting free, self-hosted live editing
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free
Starting price $5.42/user/mo Open source
Free plan ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Free trial 7 days —
Deployment Cloud, Self-hosted, Mobile Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile
Platforms Web, iOS, Android Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Support Community, Docs, Phone · 24/7 Community, Docs
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Confluence 1/5 · Etherpad 0/5
Real-time editing Not checked yet Not checked yet
Approval workflows Not checked yet Not checked yet
Role permissions Not checked yet Not checked yet
Version history ✓ (best) Not checked yet
External guest access Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Storage limit Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Structured pages, spaces, templates, and version history support shared documentation.
  • Integrates with Jira, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, and other tools.
  • Free and paid plans span small teams through enterprise deployments.
  • Edits sync in real time, with authorship attributed per keystroke.
  • Full revision history and a timeslider help teams review changes.
  • Exports to TXT, HTML, Etherpad, DOCX, and PDF.
Cons
  • Free includes 2 GB of file storage; expanded storage starts with Standard.
  • Cloud SSO requires Atlassian Guard Standard unless included with Enterprise.
  • Enterprise pricing is contact-sales and annual-only.
  • Operators are responsible for deployment and ongoing upkeep.
  • Support channels are community and documentation.
  • Plugin-based extensions may require operator effort to manage.
Our verdict

Confluence gives teams a shared workspace for creating, organizing, finding, and sharing knowledge. It suits groups that need documentation, knowledge bases, and project information in collaborative pages and structured spaces, rather than…

Read the review →

Etherpad is an open-source collaborative document editor for teams, institutions, schools, public-sector organizations, and self-hosters. It synchronizes edits in real time and attributes changes to individual authors, making it suited to…

Read the review →
  1. ConfluenceContent Collaboration Software 9.3Free plan · 7-day trial
  2. EtherpadContent Collaboration Software 8.7Open source

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Confluence — where it wins

    • Structured pages, spaces, templates, and version history support shared documentation.
    • Integrates with Jira, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, and other tools.
    • Free and paid plans span small teams through enterprise deployments.

    Where it doesn't

    • Free includes 2 GB of file storage; expanded storage starts with Standard.
    • Cloud SSO requires Atlassian Guard Standard unless included with Enterprise.
    • Enterprise pricing is contact-sales and annual-only.

  • Etherpad — where it wins

    • Edits sync in real time, with authorship attributed per keystroke.
    • Full revision history and a timeslider help teams review changes.
    • Exports to TXT, HTML, Etherpad, DOCX, and PDF.

    Where it doesn't

    • Operators are responsible for deployment and ongoing upkeep.
    • Support channels are community and documentation.
    • Plugin-based extensions may require operator effort to manage.
  • Confluence9.3/10 · Free plan · 7-day trial

    A flexible knowledge workspace with a free tier and paid controls for growing teams.

    Visit ConfluenceFull verdict →
  • Etherpad8.7/10 · Open source

    A self-hosted editor for teams that want live collaboration and control of their infrastructure.

    Visit EtherpadFull verdict →

More comparisons

All content collaboration software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update