BookStack vs. Confluence - An Open Source Alternative for Companies

1. Introduction: Why Knowledge Management Needs to be Rethought

Knowledge management is a key success factor in modern companies. From internal IT runbooks to project knowledge and process manuals - everything needs a central, secure and easily accessible platform.

Many companies rely on Atlassian Confluence, which has established itself through its integration with Jira and its large app ecosystem. However, with Atlassian's cloud-forcing strategy, rising licensing costs and data protection concerns (e.g. data transfer to non-EU regions), more and more organizations are looking for open, data protection-compliant alternatives.

The open source platform BookStack is an interesting option here: A lean, modern wiki solution that can be operated entirely in-house or used as a managed service from WZ-IT - secure, GDPR-compliant and optimally adaptable to company processes.

For insights into practical use, see also: 👉 BookStack in Knowledge Management for Healthcare

Table of Contents

• 1. Introduction: Why Knowledge Management Needs to be Rethought
• 2. Brief Introduction: Confluence and BookStack at a Glance
  • Confluence - The Enterprise Standard from Atlassian
  • BookStack - Open Source Wiki for Modern Companies
• 3. Comparison of Functions
• 4. Data Protection and Data Sovereignty
  • Confluence
  • BookStack
• 5. Integration and Expandability
  • Confluence
  • BookStack
• 6. Operation and Costs
  • Confluence
  • BookStack
• 7. Which Solution is Suitable for Which Companies?
  • Confluence is a good fit for:
  • BookStack is interesting for:
• 8. Conclusion: Two Different Approaches to Knowledge Management
• Sources and Further Links

2. Brief Introduction: Confluence and BookStack at a Glance

Confluence - The Enterprise Standard from Atlassian

Confluence is a proprietary wiki and collaboration platform from Atlassian that is used by companies worldwide. The software originally also existed as a server version, but has only been offered as a cloud or data center edition since February 2024 (Atlassian Server End-of-Support).

• License model: Proprietary (cloud subscription or data center license)
• Focus: Company documentation, team collaboration, Jira integration
• Hosting: Atlassian Cloud (USA / Ireland) or self-managed (Data Center)
• Authentication: SAML SSO via Atlassian Access or integrated SSO app
• Extensions: Over 3,000 apps in the Atlassian Marketplace
• Data control: Limited - data is mostly stored in the Atlassian cloud

Information on authentication and data protection:

• Atlassian Docs – Configure SAML SSO
• Wikipedia – Confluence (Software)

BookStack - Open Source Wiki for Modern Companies

BookStack is a completely open source wiki under the MIT license, developed by Dan Brown. The software organizes knowledge in an intuitive hierarchical structure: Books → Chapters → Pages, ideal for processes, IT documentation and knowledge bases.

• Official website: https://www.bookstackapp.com/

• GitHub Repository: https://github.com/BookStackApp/BookStack

• License: Open Source (MIT)

• Hosting: Self-hosted or managed with WZ-IT

• Technology: PHP (Laravel) + MySQL / MariaDB

• Authentication: LDAP, SAML SSO, OIDC, API Token

• Interfaces: REST API, webhooks, JSON export

• Extensibility: Themes, custom CSS / JS, API-based integration

• Data protection: Fully controllable - operation in German infrastructure

BookStack describes itself as an "open-source alternative to Confluence" with a focus on ease of use, data protection and control (BookStack – Confluence Alternative). Further information: Wikipedia – BookStack

3. Comparison of Functions

4. Data Protection and Data Sovereignty

Confluence

Confluence Cloud is operated by Atlassian Ltd, a US company. According to the provider, data is primarily located in the EU, but can be transferred to third countries by subsidiaries. As a result, regulations such as the US CLOUD Act may apply, which poses a risk for GDPR-sensitive industries.

In addition, use usually requires the conclusion of a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) with Atlassian. Info: Atlassian Trust Center

BookStack

With BookStack, the company itself determines where and how data is stored:

• Self-hosting in own infrastructure or as a managed service at WZ-IT (Germany)
• No third country transfer, full control over backups and access rights
• Code auditable, as open source
• Encryption and SSO possible via standard protocols (SAML, OIDC, LDAP)

BookStack thus meets the requirements for digital sovereignty and GDPR compliance for companies that need full control over their data.

5. Integration and Expandability

Confluence

• Strong integration with Jira, Trello and other Atlassian tools
• SAML-SSO via Atlassian Access (Atlassian Docs)
• API-based, but limited for self-hosted data centers
• Plugin-based expandability, partly subject to license

BookStack

• SSO integration: BookStack SAML Docs, BookStack OIDC Docs, native LDAP
• REST API: BookStack API Reference
• Extensibility: Custom themes and scripts via admin panel
• Automations: Webhook support & integration in n8n / Mattermost / Nextcloud

This means that BookStack can be easily integrated into existing IT infrastructures, identity providers and documentation workflows - without vendor lock-in.

6. Operation and Costs

Confluence

• Subscription-based: monthly / yearly, subject to license per user
• Cloud obligation for new customers - self-hosting only with Data Center license
• Extensions and marketplace apps often subject to a charge
• Vendor lock-in through Atlassian ecosystem

BookStack

• License-free, open source
• Predictable costs through self-hosting or managed service with WZ-IT
• Full control over servers, updates and backups
• Scalable according to resources and team size
• Operation possible on own hardware or cloud infrastructure in Germany

👉 More information: WZ-IT Expertise BookStack

7. Which Solution is Suitable for Which Companies?

Confluence is a good fit for:

• Companies that are already deeply integrated into the Atlassian ecosystem
• Teams that require extensive Marketplace apps
• Organizations with less stringent data protection requirements
• Large corporations with data center licenses

BookStack is interesting for:

• Companies with high data protection requirements (GDPR, KRITIS)
• Organizations that want to avoid vendor lock-in
• Medium-sized companies with IT expertise or managed service partners
• Teams looking for a lean, intuitive documentation platform
• Public institutions with open source requirements

8. Conclusion: Two Different Approaches to Knowledge Management

Confluence and BookStack pursue different philosophies:

• Confluence offers a comprehensive enterprise ecosystem with many features and integrations, but requires compromises in terms of costs and data control.
• BookStack focuses on simplicity, open source and complete data control - ideal for companies that value data protection and independence.

The choice depends on the individual requirements: If you need maximum functionality and Atlassian integration, Confluence is a proven solution. Companies that prioritize GDPR compliance, cost efficiency and data sovereignty should evaluate BookStack as an alternative.

WZ-IT offers BookStack as a managed service including installation, monitoring, backups and support - reliably in German data centers.

👉 Find out more now: https://wz-it.com/en/expertises/bookstack/

Sources and Further Links

• BookStack – Confluence Alternative (Official Site)
• BookStack Documentation – SAML SSO
• BookStack Documentation – OpenID Connect
• BookStack API Documentation
• Wikipedia – BookStack
• Wikipedia – Confluence
• Atlassian Docs – SAML SSO for Cloud
• Atlassian Server End of Support
• Atlassian Trust Center – GDPR
• BookStack Open Source Project Page
• WZ-IT Blog – BookStack in Knowledge Management for Healthcare