Top 8 Internal Wiki Alternatives to Confluence and Notion

TL;DR

• If you're leaving Confluence, start with Docmost, BookStack, Wiki.js, or Slab.
• If you're leaving Notion because your wiki needs a clearer structure, look at Docmost, Outline, Slite, or Nuclino.
• If your team wants quick answers inside Slack and the browser instead of a wiki to look after, check out Guru.
• The table below compares all eight tools on hosting, open source, real-time editing, and AI features.

Atlassian has announced that Confluence Data Center, its self-hosted edition, reaches end of life on March 28, 2029, when it becomes read-only. Notion is available only in Notion's cloud, and its full AI features are on the Business and Enterprise plans. Several tools in this list can be hosted on your own servers, and some are free to start.

This post compares eight internal wiki tools: Docmost, Outline, BookStack, Wiki.js, Slite, Slab, Nuclino, and Guru. Each one is compared on hosting, open source status, real-time editing, AI features, and the kind of team it suits.

Quick Comparison: Internal Wiki Alternatives

Note: MCP is a way for AI assistants, such as Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor, to connect to your wiki and search or read its pages.

Why Teams Look for Internal Wiki Alternatives

The reasons depend on which tool you're leaving. The first reason in each list below is about where your wiki is hosted.

Why Teams Leave Confluence

• Self-hosted Confluence is going away: Atlassian has announced that its Data Center products, including Confluence Data Center, reach end of life on March 28, 2029. On that date, they become read-only. See what the Confluence Data Center end of life means for your team.
• Atlassian is going all in on the cloud: Atlassian says it's shifting its full focus to the cloud, which is why Data Center is being retired.

If you're weighing a move, see how Docmost compares to Confluence.

Why Teams Leave Notion

• Notion is available only in Notion's cloud: There's no version you can host yourself, which matters if your team needs its docs on its own servers.
• Full AI needs a higher plan: On Notion's Free and Plus plans, AI comes as a limited trial. The full AI features are on the Business and Enterprise plans.

For a side-by-side, see how Docmost compares to Notion.

What to Look for in a Good Internal Wiki

• Structure: Spaces, nested pages, or shelves that match how your team already thinks about its work.
• Editing: Real-time editing, so several people can work on the same page at the same time, and an editor with the formatting your docs need.
• Permissions: Control over who can see and edit each space, and ideally each page.
• Search: Fast keyword search, plus AI answers if your team wants to ask questions in your own words.
• Hosting: Cloud or self-hosted. With self-hosting, your data never leaves infrastructure you control, and you define your own compliance posture (access controls, encryption, retention) instead of inheriting a vendor's. Hosting, backups, upgrades, and security patching become your IT team's responsibility.
• Keeping pages accurate: Clear page owners and review dates help keep pages correct. Learn how to assign page owners and review dates in a wiki. Some tools, including Docmost's Enterprise edition, Slab, Slite, and Guru, also have a verification step where someone confirms a page is still right.
• Import/Export: Import tools for Confluence and Notion, so you aren't copying pages over by hand, and export options so you can take your pages with you.

If you need something broader than a wiki, compare 12 internal knowledge base tools for teams.

The 8 Tools Compared

1. Docmost: Best for Teams Leaving Either Tool

Docmost is an open source wiki built as an alternative to Confluence and Notion. You get spaces that each have their own permissions, an editor where your team can work on the same page at the same time, and the choice to host it on your own servers or use Docmost Cloud.

• Best for: Teams that want a structured wiki they can host themselves or use in the cloud
• Replaces: Confluence and Notion
• Structure: Spaces for teams, projects, or departments, with nested pages you can reorder by drag and drop in the sidebar.
• Editing: Real-time editing, comments, Markdown shortcuts, and built-in Draw.io, Excalidraw, and Mermaid diagrams.
• Permissions: Access is set for the workspace and for each space, and groups let you give the same access to several people. Page-level permissions are part of the paid editions.
• Search: Full-text search across pages, with space and type filters. The paid editions add search inside PDF and DOCX attachments, plus AI Answers.
• Hosting: Self-hosted or Docmost Cloud. If you host it yourself, hosting, backups, upgrades, and security patching become your IT team's responsibility.
• Keeping pages accurate: Page history lets you see changes and restore an earlier version. A page verification and review workflow is part of the Enterprise edition.
• Import/Export: Imports Markdown, HTML, ZIP archives, and Notion exports. The Confluence, DOCX, and PDF importers are paid features. Docmost exports Markdown or HTML, and your browser can save a page as PDF. See the Docmost import and export guide.
• Pricing: The open source edition is free. Contact sales for the paid editions.

With the paid editions, your team can ask questions the way you'd ask a coworker and get answers from your own pages. AI can also help write and edit. An admin connects the AI provider, which can be a cloud model or one you host yourself. If AI matters to your decision, compare Notion AI alternatives for team wikis or see how Atlassian Rovo alternatives handle AI.

2. Outline: Best for a Notion-Style Team Wiki

Outline is a team knowledge base with a Markdown editor and slash commands. You can use Outline's cloud version or host it on your own server.

• Best for: Teams moving from Notion to a dedicated team wiki
• Replaces: Mostly Notion
• Structure: Documents are grouped into collections, and documents can have nested child documents.
• Editing: Markdown support, slash commands, and real-time editing with comments and threads.
• Permissions: Access is set on collections, and you can also share a single document with specific people or groups for view or edit access. Guest users and public sharing are available.
• Search: Search across the workspace, AI answers to questions about your documents, and search from Slack.
• Hosting: Cloud or self-hosted. To self-host, you need a sign-in provider such as Google, Slack, Microsoft, or OIDC, and Outline's own hosting guide says it takes DevOps experience. The code uses a source-available license (BSL 1.1) that doesn't let you sell Outline as a hosted service.
• Keeping pages accurate: Outline keeps a history of changes to each document.
• Import/Export: Imports from Notion, Confluence, and Slab. It also takes Word (.docx), Markdown, and HTML files, plus JSON files from another Outline workspace. Exports collections as Markdown, JSON, or HTML.
• Pricing: Paid cloud plans with a 30-day free trial. You can also host it yourself.

For the differences in detail, see how Docmost compares to Outline.

3. BookStack: Best for Structured Books and Shelves

BookStack organizes everything like a library. Shelves hold books, books hold chapters, and chapters hold pages, so it's easy to guess where something belongs.

• Best for: Teams that want a simple, predictable structure
• Replaces: Mostly Confluence
• Structure: Books, chapters, and pages, with shelves to group books.
• Editing: A WYSIWYG editor, an optional Markdown editor with a preview as you write, and built-in diagrams.net drawings. There's no simultaneous co-editing, though BookStack warns you when someone else is editing the same page.
• Permissions: A role and permission system controls who can see and do what. Login supports email and password, OIDC, SAML2, and LDAP, and multi-factor authentication can be enforced per role.
• Search: Full-text search at the book level or across all books, chapters, and pages.
• Hosting: Self-hosted. It's free and MIT licensed, and there's no official cloud plan.
• Keeping pages accurate: Page revisions keep earlier versions of a page.
• Import/Export: Exports as HTML, PDF, plain text, Markdown, or a Portable ZIP. Imports Portable ZIP files.
• Pricing: Free.

For a closer look, see how Docmost compares to BookStack.

4. Wiki.js: Best for Technical Documentation

Wiki.js is an open source wiki that can keep your pages in sync with a Git repository.

• Best for: Engineering and IT teams that already work with Git
• Replaces: Mostly Confluence
• Structure: Pages are organized by path, with nested navigation menus.
• Editing: Markdown, AsciiDoc, or a visual editor. There's no real-time editing.
• Permissions: Users belong to groups, and each group has permissions plus page rules that decide where those permissions apply, based on the page path.
• Search: A built-in search engine.
• Hosting: Self-hosted. You install it on your own server, and it's free under the AGPL license.
• Keeping pages accurate: Page history lets you compare versions and go back to an earlier one. You can also ask editors to give a reason for each change.
• Import/Export: Two-way sync with GitHub or any other Git service, plus backups to blob storage such as AWS S3 or to local disk.
• Pricing: Free.

For more, see how Wiki.js compares to Confluence, how Docmost compares to Wiki.js, or the best open source wiki software for teams.

5. Slite: Best for AI Answers From Your Docs

Slite is a cloud knowledge base with AI built in. Its Ask feature answers questions using what's already in your docs.

• Best for: Teams that want quick answers from their docs
• Replaces: Notion
• Structure: Docs are grouped into channels, and docs can have subdocs.
• Editing: A collaborative editor with an AI writing assistant.
• Permissions: Channels are open to everyone or private to the people you choose, and individual docs have their own permissions.
• Search: Ask, Slite's AI search and answers, which also works in Slack.
• Hosting: Cloud only.
• Keeping pages accurate: Doc verification, doc ownership, and a knowledge management panel.
• Import/Export: Imports from Notion, Confluence, and Google Drive. Exports a doc as PDF, Markdown, or HTML, and you can back up your whole workspace as a ZIP of Markdown files.
• Pricing: Paid plans with a 14-day free trial.

For a plan-by-plan look, compare Slite and Slab pricing or see how Docmost compares to Slite.

6. Slab: Best for Small Teams Starting Free

Slab is a cloud wiki, and its search can reach into other tools your team uses.

• Best for: Small teams that want a simple wiki with a free starting point
• Replaces: Confluence
• Structure: Posts are grouped into topics, topics can have subtopics, and a post can belong to more than one topic.
• Editing: A collaborative editor where several people can edit the same post at once.
• Permissions: Topics can be open, private, or secret, and you choose whether members can edit topics and posts, only posts, or nothing. You can also share a post with someone as an editor or a viewer. Private topics need a paid plan.
• Search: Unified search across Slab and connected apps such as Slack, GitHub, and Google Drive.
• Hosting: Cloud only.
• Keeping pages accurate: Post verification shows who checked a post and when the check expires, and verifiers get reminders. Version history covers 90 days on the free plan.
• Import/Export: Imports Markdown, HTML, and DOCX files, plus content from Confluence, Notion, Google Drive, Dropbox Paper, GitBook, Guru, and Slite. You can export your content, including a post as a PDF.
• Pricing: Free for up to 10 users, plus paid plans.

For a closer look, see how Docmost compares to Slab.

7. Nuclino: Best for Small, Fast-Moving Teams

Nuclino is a lightweight cloud wiki, and its graph view shows how your pages link together.

• Best for: Small teams that want a fast, simple workspace
• Replaces: Notion
• Structure: Workspaces hold items and collections, and collections can be nested. You can view them as a list, board, table, or graph.
• Editing: Real-time editing, with comments and @mentions.
• Permissions: Access is managed per workspace, with full access, comment-only, and read-only roles. Workspaces can be private and invitation-only.
• Search: Pages are fully searchable.
• Hosting: Cloud only.
• Keeping pages accurate: Version history lets you restore earlier versions on the paid plans.
• Import/Export: Imports Markdown, Word, TXT, and HTML files, plus Google Docs as .docx files. Exports a workspace as a ZIP of Markdown files, and PDF export is available.
• Pricing: Free plan for up to 50 items, plus paid plans. Sidekick, its AI helper, is a paid add-on.

For a closer look, see how Docmost compares to Nuclino.

8. Guru: Best for Answers Inside Slack and the Browser

Guru isn't a traditional wiki. Knowledge is stored on cards, and Guru brings answers to people inside Slack, Microsoft Teams, and their browser, so they don't have to open a separate wiki.

• Best for: Support and sales teams that need quick answers while they work
• Replaces: Confluence or Notion pages used mostly for quick reference
• Structure: Cards are kept in folders inside collections.
• Editing: A collaborative editor where several authors edit a card at the same time, with inline comments and shared drafts.
• Permissions: Admins, collection owners, authors, and viewers have different access, and people only see content they have permission to view.
• Search: Search from the web app, browser extension, Slack, or Teams. Ask a question and Guru gives an AI answer based on the content you can view. Your plan decides whether the AI features are included.
• Hosting: Cloud only.
• Keeping pages accurate: An expert reviews a card and adds a green check mark. Unverified cards show a gray badge, and anyone can request verification.
• Import/Export: Imports from Notion, Confluence, Slab, Word, PDF, and HTML or Markdown files in a ZIP. Exports a collection for backup, cards or folders as PDF, and cards as CSV.
• Pricing: Paid plans, with a free trial.

For a closer look, see how Docmost compares to Guru.

What Is the Best Internal Wiki Tool?

There isn't one best internal wiki tool for every team. The right pick depends on where you're coming from and whether you need to host your data yourself.

How to Move From Confluence or Notion to a New Wiki

Moving From Confluence

In Confluence, open the space settings and export the space as HTML. You'll get a ZIP file you can bring into your new wiki. Docmost's Confluence importer, part of the paid editions, keeps your formatting, page tree, internal links, images, attachments, and Draw.io diagrams. The Docmost import and export guide walks through each step.

Moving From Notion

Notion can export your whole workspace as HTML or as Markdown and CSV. Regular pages become Markdown files, and databases become CSV files, so you'll need to decide where that table data should go in your new wiki. Docmost can import the Notion ZIP file directly and keeps your page structure.

"Before You Move" Checklist

• Go through your pages and decide which ones still matter
• Give every space and key page an owner
• Check permissions before you invite the whole team
• Test the move with one space before you bring everything over

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What Is the Best Alternative to Confluence for an Internal Wiki?

It depends on why you're leaving. Docmost fits teams that want Confluence-style spaces and permissions, on their own servers or in the cloud. BookStack and Wiki.js suit teams that want a free wiki they host themselves. Slab is a cloud option.

2. Is There a Free Alternative to Notion for an Internal Wiki?

Yes. Docmost's open source edition, BookStack, and Wiki.js are all free to download and install on your own servers, and your team handles hosting and maintenance. On the cloud side, Slab is free for up to 10 users, and Nuclino has a free plan for up to 50 items.

3. What Is the Difference Between an Internal Wiki and a Knowledge Base?

An internal wiki is a shared space where your team writes and edits docs together, like processes, project notes, and onboarding pages. A knowledge base is usually built around finding answers quickly, and it can be internal or customer-facing. Many tools now do both.

4. Can I Import Confluence Pages Into a New Wiki?

In most cases, yes. You export your Confluence space as HTML, then use the new wiki's import tool. Once it's in, check a few pages to make sure everything came across the way you expect.

5. Can I Import Notion Content Into a New Wiki?

Yes. Notion exports to Markdown or HTML, and Docmost, Outline, Slite, Slab, and Guru each have a Notion import. Databases arrive as CSV files and need a little extra work.

6. What Should an Internal Wiki Include?

Start with the pages people ask about most, like onboarding steps, team processes, project docs, and contact lists. Give each page an owner so someone keeps it current, and add more as new questions come up.

Find the Right Internal Wiki for Your Team

A move is a good time to fix whatever made the old wiki hard to trust. If you want an open source alternative to both Confluence and Notion that you can host on your own infrastructure, Docmost is built for that. Contact sales to talk through your setup.