Smartsheet vs Confluence
A head-to-head comparison to help you pick the right tool
Last updated: April 30, 2026
Smartsheet
Smartsheet is a work management platform that combines the familiarity of spreadsheets with powerful project management and collaboration features. It is widely used by enterprise teams for project tracking, resource management, and automated workflows. Smartsheet is particularly popular with teams comfortable with Excel who need more collaboration and automation capabilities.
Confluence
Confluence is Atlassian's team wiki and knowledge management tool, widely used alongside Jira for documentation, project planning, and team collaboration. It is the standard for engineering and product teams.
Pros
- ✓Familiar spreadsheet interface reduces learning curve for Excel users
- ✓Powerful automation and workflow capabilities
- ✓Strong enterprise security and compliance features
- ✓Excellent for managing large portfolios of projects
Cons
- ✗Pricing is higher than many competitors
- ✗Interface feels dated compared to modern tools
- ✗No free plan — 30-day trial only
- ✗Less intuitive for teams unfamiliar with spreadsheet-style tools
Pros
- ✓Excellent documentation and wiki features
- ✓Deep Jira integration
- ✓Strong template library
- ✓Good for async collaboration
- ✓Widely adopted in tech teams
Cons
- ✗Not a true project management tool
- ✗Can become disorganized without governance
- ✗Interface feels dated
- ✗Search can be unreliable
Smartsheet vs Confluence: Side by Side
| Factor | Smartsheet | Confluence |
|---|---|---|
| User Rating | N/A | N/A |
| Category | Project Management | Project Management |
| Pricing Model | Paid | Freemium |
| Starting Price | $9/user/mo | Contact for pricing |
| Best For | Enterprise teams wanting spreadsheet-familiar project management with powerful automation | Engineering and product teams using Jira who need a powerful wiki and documentation tool alongside their projects |
| Our Pick | — | — |
Smartsheet Features
- ✓Spreadsheet-style project management
- ✓Gantt charts
- ✓automation
- ✓dashboards
- ✓resource management
- ✓forms
- ✓integrations
- ✓reporting
- ✓enterprise security
Confluence Features
- ✓Team wikis
- ✓project pages
- ✓knowledge base
- ✓real-time collaboration
- ✓Jira integration
- ✓templates
Pricing Comparison
Our Take
Choose Smartsheet if enterprise teams wanting spreadsheet-familiar project management with powerful automation. Choose Confluence if engineering and product teams using jira who need a powerful wiki and documentation tool alongside their projects.
Best For
Enterprise teams wanting spreadsheet-familiar project management with powerful automation
Best For
Engineering and product teams using Jira who need a powerful wiki and documentation tool alongside their projects
How Smartsheet and Confluence Are Similar
- •Both are Project Management platforms designed for business teams
- •Both offer web-based access with no software installation required
- •Both provide customer support and onboarding resources
- •Both integrate with popular third-party business tools
- •Both offer a trial or demo to evaluate before purchasing
Also Consider
If neither Smartsheet nor Confluence is the right fit, Wrike is worth evaluating.
Wrike
Marketing and creative teams needing enterprise project management with approvals and proofing
From Free
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Smartsheet and Confluence?
Smartsheet is best for enterprise teams wanting spreadsheet-familiar project management with powerful automation. Confluence is best for engineering and product teams using jira who need a powerful wiki and documentation tool alongside their projects.
Which is better, Smartsheet or Confluence?
Choose Smartsheet if enterprise teams wanting spreadsheet-familiar project management with powerful automation. Choose Confluence if engineering and product teams using jira who need a powerful wiki and documentation tool alongside their projects.
How much does Smartsheet cost?
Smartsheet starts at $9/user/mo. Pricing model: Paid.
How much does Confluence cost?
Visit Confluence website for current pricing.
Who should use Smartsheet?
Enterprise teams wanting spreadsheet-familiar project management with powerful automation
Who should use Confluence?
Engineering and product teams using Jira who need a powerful wiki and documentation tool alongside their projects