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Atlassian Confluence vs HCL Connections comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 23, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
6.1
Atlassian Confluence is a cost-effective tool improving time efficiency, knowledge sharing, and quality of life for users.
Sentiment score
7.2
Users achieved ROI from HCL Connections in nine months by encouraging daily use and eliminating redundant features like chat.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.4
Atlassian Confluence support is responsive but limited, with users often seeking help elsewhere due to cost and complexity issues.
Sentiment score
6.5
HCL Connections' customer service varies, with mixed reviews on support responsiveness and challenges in reaching knowledgeable staff.
This team manages all queries and uses various plugins, such as Tempo for time tracking.
Manager QA at [x]cube LABS
The Atlassian technical support team is reachable through different platforms.
Project Manager at a transportation company with 10,001+ employees
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.1
Atlassian Confluence scales efficiently for diverse organizations, though cloud performance and cost concerns exist; integration boosts flexibility.
Sentiment score
7.6
HCL Connections offers high scalability with effective IBM WebSphere support, despite Solr search limitations and manageable storage challenges.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.9
Atlassian Confluence is reliable and stable, despite occasional server-related disruptions, with performance improving consistently over time.
Sentiment score
7.3
HCL Connections is stable on WebSphere but needs tuning for performance; IBM support addresses occasional instability effectively.
 

Room For Improvement

Atlassian Confluence faces criticism for poor search, inadequate editing features, inflexible pricing, and scalability issues for large enterprises.
HCL Connections needs better document management, interface customization, third-party integration, collaboration, and cloud stability for improved usability.
More options similar to those available in Word or Google Docs in terms of formatting and other features could enhance its functionality.
Manager QA at [x]cube LABS
The Atlassian approach of keeping the base product really stable, simple, and easy to use is beneficial.
CEO at byte
This chart used AI to offer users the option to create it based on the data.
Sr Consultant at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
 

Setup Cost

Atlassian Confluence costs vary by users and add-ons, potentially increasing annually, with complex licensing affecting price perception.
HCL Connections pricing varies widely, offers discounts, flexible licensing, and competitive pricing compared to Jive or SharePoint.
It streamlines license management and renewal processes, which can otherwise lead to complications or lapses in access.
Manager QA at [x]cube LABS
Money is a factor because Atlassian Confluence is not free.
Project Manager at a transportation company with 10,001+ employees
 

Valuable Features

Atlassian Confluence enhances collaboration with customizable templates, content sharing, and secure integration with Jira and external tools.
HCL Connections enhances collaboration with file sharing, tool integration, expert profiles, mobile access, and efficient content management.
I use Atlassian Confluence for task management and other project management tasks, such as reporting, visualization of tasks, tracking the progress of tickets, and understanding how work is progressing.
Project Manager at a transportation company with 10,001+ employees
It's accessible from anywhere, and people from different regions, like India or Germany, can use it in their own time zones.
Sr Consultant at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
The most valuable features of Atlassian Confluence are its overall document editing and ease of use.
CEO at byte
 

Categories and Ranking

Atlassian Confluence
Ranking in Corporate Portals (Enterprise Information Portals)
2nd
Ranking in Enterprise Social Software
3rd
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
108
Ranking in other categories
Knowledge Management Software (1st)
HCL Connections
Ranking in Corporate Portals (Enterprise Information Portals)
6th
Ranking in Enterprise Social Software
16th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
55
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Corporate Portals (Enterprise Information Portals) category, the mindshare of Atlassian Confluence is 13.0%, down from 16.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of HCL Connections is 5.0%, up from 2.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Corporate Portals (Enterprise Information Portals) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Atlassian Confluence13.0%
HCL Connections5.0%
Other82.0%
Corporate Portals (Enterprise Information Portals)
 

Featured Reviews

Talha Hussain. - PeerSpot reviewer
Project Manager at a transportation company with 10,001+ employees
Manage projects effectively with seamless task tracking and integration, but deployment requires familiarity
We are conducting all our project management using Atlassian tools. We use Atlassian Confluence for task management, reporting, visualization of tasks, and reviewing the progress of tickets and work I use Atlassian Confluence for task management and other project management tasks, such as…
Hasnain Zahid - PeerSpot reviewer
Talent acquisition & development specialist at Software Productivity Strategists, Inc. (SPS)
A stable tool useful to manage marketing-related activities
Stability-wise, I rate the solution a nine out of ten. Sometimes, the portal hangs because I find that if I am on a web page, I have to log out, and then I have to log in to the portal again. Since I see that the portal hangs at times, I have to move from one side of the portal to the next, making me feel that some things are scattered in the product. I attended a meeting with IBM recently, and they are improving a few of the things, in my opinion. The concerns that I have related to the product are being improved since I think many other users have reported issues similar to the ones I faced.
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Corporate Portals (Enterprise Information Portals) solutions are best for your needs.
881,665 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
15%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Computer Software Company
7%
Government
6%
Performing Arts
14%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Marketing Services Firm
11%
Wholesaler/Distributor
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business39
Midsize Enterprise26
Large Enterprise52
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business22
Midsize Enterprise11
Large Enterprise26
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Atlassian Confluence?
The most valuable feature of the solution stems from its document-controlling feature. In Atlassian Confluence, controlled documents cannot be edited by anyone else.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Atlassian Confluence?
Money is a factor because Atlassian Confluence is not free. I need to purchase extra components when adding new projects or employees.
What needs improvement with Atlassian Confluence?
Currently, I have no suggestions for improvements. There are no issues with stability or downtime with Atlassian Confluence.
What needs improvement with HCL Connections?
The support is an area where the product can improve. My company faces some support-related issues because whenever we create or generate a ticket, it takes two days for the product's support team ...
What is your primary use case for HCL Connections?
I use HCL Connections for marketing purposes. The IBM product in our company already provides us with direct links to the marketing and HR sides.
 

Also Known As

Confluence
IBM Connections, Lotus Connections
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Facebook, Skype, Microsoft, NASA, Netflix, Adobe, Bonobos, LinkedIn, Pfizer, Citi.
Yamato Financial Co. Ltd., University of Zurich, Gwinnett County Public Schools, Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V., Telus, Rabobank, Christian Brothers Services, Grupo Financiero Banorte, The Loft Group, Dow Water & Process Solutions, JGC Corporation, College of Medicine, Swansea University, solvito GmbH, Loft Group, Hamm-Reno Group GmbH, Geno SA
Find out what your peers are saying about Atlassian Confluence vs. HCL Connections and other solutions. Updated: January 2026.
881,665 professionals have used our research since 2012.