Jira vs. Confluence: Comparison & Expert Reviews For 2025
Jira offers a complete solution for managing complex projects and workflows, making it a go-to choice for teams seeking efficiency. Confluence excels in knowledge sharing and collaboration, providing a centralized space for documentation and team communication. While both tools support product management, Jira focuses on task tracking, whereas Confluence emphasizes content collaboration.
In this article, you'll discover a detailed comparison of these tools, exploring their features, pros and cons, pricing, and more, helping you choose the right product management tool for your team's needs.
Jira vs. Confluence: An Overview
Jira
Confluence
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Jira vs. Confluence Pricing Comparison
| Jira | Confluence | |
|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | 7-day free trial + free plan available | Free trial + free plan available |
| Pricing | From $7.16/user/month (billed annually, min 5 seats) | From $5/user/month (billed annually) |
Get free help from our project management software advisors to find your match.
Get Expert AdviceOpens new windowJira vs. Confluence Pricing & Hidden Costs
Jira pricing follows a tiered structure based on the number of users and offers additional costs for premium features like advanced security and support. Confluence pricing is also tiered, with potential extra charges for increased storage and additional integrations. To select the tool with the right pricing, assess your team's size, anticipated growth, and the specific features you'll need, comparing these against each vendor's pricing tiers and potential hidden costs. This approach ensures you pick a tool that not only fits your current budget but also scales with your team's future needs.
Jira vs. Confluence Feature Comparison
Jira’s drag-and-drop roadmaps enable you to visualize project timelines, which is great for planning product launches and aligning cross-functional teams. Confluence’s collaborative pages make it ideal for creating a shared knowledge base, helping teams document processes and streamline communication. While Jira excels in task tracking, Confluence shines in fostering team collaboration and knowledge sharing.
| Jira | Confluence | |
|---|---|---|
| 2-Factor Authentication | ||
| API | ||
| Batch Permissions & Access | ||
| Budgeting | ||
| Calendar Management | ||
| Collaboration Support | ||
| Contact Management | ||
| Contact Sharing | ||
| Customer Management | ||
| Dashboard | ||
| Dashboards | ||
| Data Export | ||
| Data Import | ||
| Data Visualization | ||
| Email Integration | ||
| Expense Tracking | ||
| External Integrations | ||
| File Sharing | ||
| Gantt Charts | ||
| Google Apps Integration | ||
| Kanban Boards | ||
| Mobile App | ||
| Multi-User | ||
| Notifications | ||
| Prioritization | ||
| Project Management | ||
| Resource Management | ||
| Scheduling | ||
| Status Notifications | ||
| Task Scheduling/Tracking | ||
| Third-Party Plugins/Add-Ons | ||
| Time Management | ||
| Travel Management |
Get free help from our project management software advisors to find your match.
Get Expert AdviceOpens new windowJira vs. Confluence Integrations
| Integration | Jira | Confluence |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub | ✅ | ✅ |
| Slack | ✅ | ✅ |
| Microsoft Teams | ✅ | ✅ |
| Salesforce | ✅ | ✅ |
| Trello | ✅ | ✅ |
| Google Workspace | ✅ | ✅ |
| Figma | ✅ | ❌ |
| Asana | ✅ | ❌ |
| API | ✅ | ✅ |
| Zapier | ✅ | ✅ |
Jira software integrates directly with GitHub, letting you track code changes directly from your project board, making it invaluable for managing development tasks and ensuring smooth handoffs between team members, such as coding and project management.
Confluence's integration with Slack is great for keeping your team updated with instant notifications, ensuring everyone stays on the same page with project documentation and updates. While Jira enhances development workflows, Confluence boosts team communication and collaboration.
Jira vs. Confluence Security, Compliance & Reliability
| Factor | Jira | Confluence |
|---|---|---|
| Data Encryption | Jira encrypts data both in transit and at rest using AES-256 standards, ensuring sensitive information remains protected. | Confluence also uses AES-256 encryption for data at rest and TLS for data in transit. |
| Access Control | Jira offers customizable user permissions and roles, allowing you to control who accesses specific projects and data. | Confluence provides granular permissions, letting you manage access to spaces, pages, and content. |
| Regulatory Compliance | Jira supports compliance with standards like GDPR and SOC 2, providing documentation and tools to assist in audits. | Confluence aligns with GDPR and SOC 2 requirements, offering compliance certifications and audit support. |
| Reliability | Jira maintains a 99.9% uptime SLA with Premium plans, backed by heavy-duty infrastructure and monitoring. | Confluence guarantees 99.9% uptime with continuous monitoring and redundancy measures on the Enterprise plan. |
Jira and Confluence both offer strong security and compliance features, but Jira provides more extensive customization in access control. To evaluate these tools, prioritize your team's specific compliance needs, such as GDPR or SOC 2, and review each tool's documentation and support offerings to ensure they meet your security standards.
Jira vs. Confluence Ease of Use
| Factor | Jira | Confluence |
|---|---|---|
| User Interface | Jira’s interface is feature-rich but can be overwhelming, especially for new users navigating complex workflows. | Confluence offers a clean and intuitive interface, making it easy to create and organize content quickly. |
| Onboarding Experience | Jira provides detailed tutorials and guides, but the learning curve can be steep due to its complexity. | Confluence offers a straightforward onboarding process with interactive tutorials that simplify getting started. |
| Setup | Jira’s setup is customizable, allowing for tailored workflows but requiring more time to configure initially. | Confluence is quick to set up with default configurations that suit most teams right out of the box. |
| Support | Jira offers extensive support resources, including a community forum and detailed documentation. | Confluence provides robust support with a dedicated help center and active community engagement. |
Jira is powerful but can be challenging to master due to its complexity and steep learning curve, making it less intuitive for beginners. Confluence, on the other hand, is more user-friendly with a simpler setup and interface, which makes it easier to start using effectively right away.
Jira vs Confluence: Pros & Cons
Jira
- It enhances collaboration with real-time updates and tracking.
- You can customize workflows to match your project's unique needs.
- It offers powerful Agile project management features for your team.
- You may experience a steep learning curve during onboarding.
- It can be too complex for smaller teams or simpler projects.
- You might find the interface overwhelming if you're new to it.
Confluence
- Customization: Confluence allows users to tailor spaces and pages to fit their specific needs, enhancing usability.
- Documentation: The software centralizes all project documentation in one main hub, making it easily accessible and organized.
- Collaboration: Confluence enables teams to work together in real-time, improving communication and productivity.
- Learning Curve: Confluence requires time and training for users to fully leverage its capabilities.
- Performance: Some users may experience slowdowns with large amounts of data or users.
- Complexity: Confluence can be overwhelming for new users due to its extensive features and options.
Best Use Cases for Jira and Confluence
Jira
- Software Development Teams Jira excels in Agile project management, making it perfect for tracking bugs and managing sprints.
- IT Departments You can manage incident tickets and service requests efficiently with Jira's customizable workflows.
- Tech Startups Jira supports rapid iteration and collaboration, essential for fast-paced startup environments.
- Project Managers You can oversee complex projects with Jira's detailed reporting and task management features.
- Agile Coaches Jira provides tools for sprint planning and tracking, crucial for guiding Agile teams.
- Cross-functional Teams Jira's integrations and real-time updates enhance collaboration across different departments.
Confluence
- Large Enterprises Supports complex documentation and collaboration needs across departments.
- Tech Companies Ideal for Agile development teams needing real-time updates and version control.
- Remote Teams Facilitates seamless communication and project management for distributed teams.
- Marketing Departments Centralizes campaign plans, content calendars, and collaborative projects.
- Project Managers Helps users organize tasks, timelines, and log documentation in one accessible location.
- Knowledge Management Excellent for creating and maintaining a company-wide knowledge base through content management and roadmaps.
Get free help from our project management software advisors to find your match.
Get Expert AdviceOpens new windowWho Should Use Jira, and Who Should Use Confluence?
In my opinion, Jira is most suitable for development teams and project managers who need detailed task tracking and workflow customization, especially in tech-heavy industries. Confluence, on the other hand, is ideal for teams focused on documentation and collaboration, like HR or marketing, where sharing knowledge and content is key.
From my perspective, if your team thrives on structured project management, go with Jira. If collaboration and easy access to information are your priorities, Confluence is the better choice.
Differences Between Jira and Confluence
| Jira | Confluence | |
|---|---|---|
| Automation | Workflow automation for user stories, epics, and DevOps tasks. | Basic automation for page updates, team calendars, and notifications. |
| Core Functionality | Issue tracking and Agile project management for software development teams. | Wiki and collaboration tool for docs, meeting notes, and knowledge sharing. |
| Integrations | Connects with GitHub, CI/CD, and Jira Service Management. | Works with Slack, content management tools, and marketing team workflows. |
| Pricing Model | Tiered pricing based on users and premium features like automation. | Confluence also follows a tiered model but focuses on storage and integration options. |
| User Interface | Feature-rich interface for dashboards, scrum, kanban boards, and Jira issues. | Simple layout for project planning, Confluence pages, and content management. |
| Read Jira ReviewOpens new window | Read Confluence ReviewOpens new window |
Similarities Between Jira and Confluence
| App Ecosystem | Both Jira and Confluence are part of Atlassian products, supporting unified work management. |
|---|---|
| Collaboration | Both platforms support team collaboration, with Jira focusing on project tasks and Confluence on document sharing. |
| Customization | Both allow plugins, macros, and integrations for project management software and docs.. |
| Security | They both offer strong security measures to protect your team's data. AES-256 encryption, access control, and compliance certifications. |
| Support | Jira and Confluence provide extensive support resources, including docs, forums, and community support for stakeholders and teams. |
| Read Jira ReviewOpens new window Read Confluence ReviewOpens new window | |