Softwr

Content Creation · head to head

Confluence vs Drupal

Confluence logo

Confluence

Content Creation

Your remote-friendly team workspace

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Drupal logo

Drupal

Web Development

Open-source CMS for complex, structured content sites

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Confluence specific pricing tiers and costs not published on main product page; requires visiting dedicated pricing page; Drupal steep learning curve: concepts that are implicit in WordPress are explicit and must be configured
  • They diverge on capability: Confluence covers Page creation, Drupal covers Structured content modelling.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Confluence and Drupal actually diverge.

Attributes where Confluence and Drupal differ
AttributeConfluenceDrupal
Pricing modelsubscriptionOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Macos, Ios, AndroidWeb, Linux, Self-hosted
CategoryContent CreationWeb Development
Founded2002Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Confluence

  • Page creation
  • Rich text editing
  • Macros
  • Templates
  • Comments
  • Version history
  • Content organization
  • Jira

Only in Drupal

  • Structured content modelling
  • Granular permissions
  • Multilingual
  • Views

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Confluence

  • Team documentation and knowledge managementnot Drupal
  • Project collaboration and planning documentationnot Drupal
  • Technical specification writingnot Drupal
  • Agile team documentationnot Drupal

Drupal

  • Government and university sites with complex content models and strict permissionsnot Confluence
  • Multilingual sites where translation is structural rather than a pluginnot Confluence
  • Publishers needing custom content types and editorial workflownot Confluence

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Confluence

  • Specific pricing tiers and costs not published on main product page; requires visiting dedicated pricing page
  • Free tier availability confirmed but feature limits not detailed on landing page

Drupal

  • Steep learning curve: concepts that are implicit in WordPress are explicit and must be configured
  • Smaller developer pool than WordPress, and correspondingly higher build costs
  • Major version upgrades have historically been substantial projects, not routine updates
  • Considerably more machinery than a straightforward marketing site needs

Pricing, plan by plan

Confluence

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited pages
    • Basic sharing
    • Search
  • Standard$5.5/month
    • Everything in Free
    • Advanced permissions
    • Macros

Drupal

Free
  • DrupalFree
    • Full functionality
    • Commercial use permitted
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Confluence if

  • You need page creation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android.
  • You also want rich text editing.
Confluence review

Choose Drupal if

  • You need structured content modelling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Self-hosted.
  • You also want granular permissions.
Drupal review

Questions people ask

Is Confluence or Drupal better?
Neither clearly leads. Confluence starts at Free and Drupal at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Confluence or Drupal?
Confluence starts at Free and Drupal at Free.
Does Confluence or Drupal run on more platforms?
Confluence runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android. Drupal runs on Web, Linux, Self-hosted.
Can I use Confluence for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Confluence best used for?
Confluence is most often used for team documentation and knowledge management, project collaboration and planning documentation, technical specification writing, agile team documentation. Of those, team documentation and knowledge management and project collaboration and planning documentation are not what Drupal is typically brought in for.
What can Confluence do that Drupal cannot?
Confluence covers Page creation, Rich text editing, Macros, Templates. Drupal covers Structured content modelling, Granular permissions, Multilingual, Views.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Confluence: Does Confluence offer a free version?

Yes, Confluence offers a free tier. Detailed plan features and pricing are available at https://www.atlassian.com/software/confluence/pricing.

Source
Drupal: Is Drupal free?

Yes, open source under the GPL. Costs are hosting, development and any commercial modules.

Confluence: Can I try Confluence for free before purchasing?

Yes, Confluence can be tried free. Full pricing details for standard plans and the Teamwork Collection bundle are available on the dedicated pricing page.

Source
Drupal: Drupal or WordPress?

WordPress is faster to launch, cheaper to staff and has a much larger plugin ecosystem. Drupal is stronger when the content model is genuinely complex and permissions are strict, which is why institutions favour it.

Confluence: Is Confluence available as part of a bundle?

Yes, Confluence is available as part of the Teamwork Collection which includes Rovo, Jira, Confluence, and Loom, with bundled pricing available.

Source
Drupal: Why is Drupal common in government and universities?

Structured content modelling, granular access control and multilingual support are core rather than bolted on, and those are exactly the requirements those sectors have.

Share

Related pages

More on Confluence

More on Drupal

Keep looking

Other head to heads