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Content Creation · head to head

Confluence vs GitHub

Confluence logo

Confluence

Content Creation

Your remote-friendly team workspace

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GitHub logo

GitHub

Technology

Where the world builds software

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; GitHub acquired by Microsoft in 2018, reducing pure independence despite operational autonomy
  • They diverge on capability: Confluence covers Page creation, GitHub covers Git repositories.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Confluence and GitHub actually diverge.

Attributes where Confluence and GitHub differ
AttributeConfluenceGitHub
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Macos, Ios, AndroidWeb, Desktop, Mobile
CategoryContent CreationTechnology
Founded20022008

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), 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
  • GitHub

Only in GitHub

  • Git repositories
  • Pull requests
  • Code review
  • Issues & projects
  • GitHub Actions CI/CD
  • GitHub Pages
  • Security scanning
  • Dependency management

Both cover

  • Jira
  • Slack
  • SOC2
  • ISO27001

What people use each for

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

Confluence

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

GitHub

  • Version controlnot Confluence
  • Code collaborationnot Confluence
  • CI/CD pipelinesnot Confluence
  • Project managementnot Confluence
  • Documentation hostingnot 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

GitHub

  • Acquired by Microsoft in 2018, reducing pure independence despite operational autonomy
  • Primary focus on source control differs from purpose-built project management tools like Jira
  • Pricing for enterprise features and private repositories adds up compared to some self-hosted alternatives

Pricing, plan by plan

Confluence

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

GitHub

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited public/private repos
    • 2,000 CI/CD minutes/month
    • 500MB package storage
  • Team$4/month
    • Everything in Free
    • 3,000 CI/CD minutes/month
    • 2GB package storage
  • Enterprise$21/month
    • Everything in Team
    • 50,000 CI/CD minutes/month
    • 50GB package storage

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 GitHub if

  • You need git repositories.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want pull requests.
GitHub review

Questions people ask

Is Confluence or GitHub better?
Neither clearly leads. Confluence starts at Free and GitHub at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Confluence or GitHub?
Confluence starts at Free and GitHub at Free.
Does Confluence or GitHub run on more platforms?
Confluence runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android. GitHub runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
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 GitHub is typically brought in for.
What can Confluence do that GitHub cannot?
Confluence covers Page creation, Rich text editing, Macros, Templates. GitHub covers Git repositories, Pull requests, Code review, Issues & projects. Both handle Jira, Slack, SOC2, ISO27001.

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
GitHub: What is a Git repository and how does GitHub use it?

A repository is the centralized database that stores the complete collection of files and folders for a codebase, along with the revision history. GitHub uses Git to provide distributed version control access to repositories with version tracking, branching, and collaboration features.

Source
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
GitHub: How does GitHub authentication work?

When you connect to a GitHub repository from Git, you need to authenticate with GitHub using either HTTPS or SSH. GitHub supports multiple authentication methods including passwords, personal access tokens, SSH keys, and GitHub Apps.

Source
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
GitHub: How long has GitHub been operating?

GitHub was founded in 2008 and launched publicly on April 10, 2008, making it the dominant git hosting platform for nearly two decades.

Source
GitHub: Who owns GitHub and when did the acquisition occur?

Microsoft acquired GitHub for $7.5 billion USD, with the deal announced June 4, 2018 and completed October 26, 2018. GitHub operates as an independent subsidiary within Microsoft.

Source
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