Softwr

Content Creation · head to head

Confluence vs Read the Docs

Confluence logo

Confluence

Content Creation

Your remote-friendly team workspace

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Read the Docs logo

Read the Docs

Documentation

Documentation hosting with versioning built for open source

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; Read the Docs build configuration is finicky, and build failures on dependency changes are a common frustration
  • They diverge on capability: Confluence covers Page creation, Read the Docs covers Build on commit.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Confluence and Read the Docs actually diverge.

Attributes where Confluence and Read the Docs differ
AttributeConfluenceRead the Docs
Pricing modelsubscriptionFree for open source; paid business plans for private documentation
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Macos, Ios, AndroidWeb, Cloud
CategoryContent CreationDocumentation
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 Read the Docs

  • Build on commit
  • Version by branch and tag
  • Pull request previews
  • Free for open source

What people use each for

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

Confluence

  • Team documentation and knowledge managementnot Read the Docs
  • Project collaboration and planning documentationnot Read the Docs
  • Technical specification writingnot Read the Docs
  • Agile team documentationnot Read the Docs

Read the Docs

  • Open-source projects needing free hosted versioned documentationnot Confluence
  • Teams wanting docs rebuilt automatically on every commitnot Confluence
  • Reviewing documentation changes in a pull request before mergenot 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

Read the Docs

  • Build configuration is finicky, and build failures on dependency changes are a common frustration
  • Default themes are recognisable and dated, so sites look alike unless customised
  • Private documentation requires a paid business plan
  • Build times on large projects are slow enough to interrupt a review cycle

Pricing, plan by plan

Confluence

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

Read the Docs

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Core functionality
    • Public projects

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 Read the Docs if

  • You need build on commit.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want version by branch and tag.
Read the Docs review

Questions people ask

Is Confluence or Read the Docs better?
Neither clearly leads. Confluence starts at Free and Read the Docs at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Confluence or Read the Docs?
Confluence starts at Free and Read the Docs at Free.
Does Confluence or Read the Docs run on more platforms?
Confluence runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android. Read the Docs runs on Web, Cloud.
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 Read the Docs is typically brought in for.
What can Confluence do that Read the Docs cannot?
Confluence covers Page creation, Rich text editing, Macros, Templates. Read the Docs covers Build on commit, Version by branch and tag, Pull request previews, Free for open source.

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
Read the Docs: Is Read the Docs free?

Free for open-source public projects. Private documentation requires a paid business plan.

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
Read the Docs: What does it build from?

Most commonly Sphinx or MkDocs sources kept in your repository.

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
Read the Docs: How does versioning work?

It maps branches and tags to documentation versions, so several releases are served side by side without manual work.

Share

Related pages

More on Confluence

More on Read the Docs

Keep looking

Other head to heads