Outline once held the top spot as my go-to knowledge base software. It offered me a simple way to make web pages more readable and accessible by effortlessly bypassing paywalls. However, everything changed in March 2022 when Outline.com went offline, only to return with a brand-new format!
The new version of Outline is known for its simplicity and user-friendly interface, making it a favored choice for teams and organizations seeking straightforward wiki software.
But it has some limitations, prompting many, including myself, to seek an alternative. One reason is that Outline is less mature than other wiki solutions, which can impact the overall user experience. Outline also has fewer integrations with third-party tools and services and needs a dedicated mobile application, making it less convenient for users on the go.
Based on these experiences and the research and testing done by my team at ClickUp, I’ve compiled a list of the 10 best knowledge-base software tools in 2024 that can act as an alternative to Outline. These tools allow you to break down paywalls and access content without hassle while enjoying note-taking features, creating a wiki, and building a knowledge base.
But first, let us tell you about the aspects you should look for in an Outline alternative.
10 Best Outline Alternatives in 2024
- What Should You Look for in Outline Alternatives?
- The 10 Best Outline Alternatives to Use in 2024
- 1. ClickUp: Best for collaborative docs
- 2. Notion: Best for customization
- 3. Confluence: Best integration ecosystem
- 4. Zoho Learn: Best for onboarding and training employees
- 5. Nuclino: Best for project management
- 6. SharePoint: Best for collaboration
- 7. Papyrs: Best for intranet building
- 8. Microsoft OneNote: Best for capturing different media formats
- 9. Evernote: Best for organizing ideas, notes, and inspiration
- 10. Slite: Best for keeping documents updated
- Find the Best Outline Alternative for Your Knowledge Management Needs
Summarize this article for me pleaseWhat Should You Look for in Outline Alternatives?
When searching for alternatives to Outline, you must consider several key aspects to ensure the chosen platform meets your needs.
Here are some of the aspects I’ve listed for you:
- Cloud-based knowledge management: Go for an alternative that offers cloud-based knowledge management, which allows you to store, organize, and access information securely from anywhere at any time
- Workflow automation: Look for alternatives that offer workflow automation features, such as task assignments, notifications, and approval processes, to simplify work processes and improve efficiency
- Collaboration features: Consider alternatives that offer robust collaboration tools, such as real-time editing, commenting, and version history, to facilitate teamwork and enhance productivity
- Customization options: Look for tools that allow you to customize the layout, design, and features to suit your specific requirements and preferences
- Integration capabilities: Look for alternatives that integrate seamlessly with other tools and services you use, such as cloud storage, project management software, and communication tools, to simplify workflows and improve efficiency
- Security and privacy: Ensuring the alternative prioritizes security and privacy is essential. I look for features such as encryption, access controls, and data protection measures to keep my information safe and secure
- Mobile accessibility: Go for alternatives that offer a mobile-responsive design or a dedicated mobile app so you can access and manage content on the go from any device
- User-friendly interface: Look for a platform with a clean and intuitive user interface that makes it easy to navigate and use it efficiently
- Pricing and scalability: Consider the pricing plans and scalability options offered by alternatives, ensuring that they align with your budget and growth plans
Summarize this article for me pleaseThe 10 Best Outline Alternatives to Use in 2024
You can find the right AI knowledge management tool for yourself from our carefully curated list of the 10 best Outline alternatives:
1. ClickUp: Best for collaborative docs
ClickUp is a versatile project management and document workflow software tool that lets me collaborate seamlessly with my team. Its AI capabilities enhance productivity by suggesting edits and automating tasks.
The platform offers customizable wiki templates and templates for knowledge bases, simplifying information organization and sharing. It allows me to easily edit content, comment on documents, and manage access permissions, ensuring efficient teamwork and knowledge sharing.
If you want to build internal knowledge bases and wikis, ClickUp Docs is the ideal content management tool. I use it to create, collaborate on, and share documents to establish a central repository of information.
ClickUp Docs offers strong collaboration features, such as real-time editing, comments, and converting text snippets into actionable tasks. These features promote teamwork and ensure everyone on the team is on the same page.
Its version history system lets you see edits made over time, revert to previous versions if needed, and ensures no edits are accidentally overwritten.
ClickUp Docs allows me to share documents with granular control. I can share documents publicly with specific team members or even create guest access with limited permissions. This ensures my knowledge base stays secure while allowing access to the right people.
I leverage ClickUp Brain in my ClickUp Docs to enhance the knowledge management process. You can also use ClickUp Brain to write and summarize content for the company wiki, convert notes into actionable to-do lists, and generate ideas for internal documents.
Plus, the AI Writer for Work by ClickUp Brain lets me enter custom prompts to create content in various formats. After generating the content, I can edit the input or re-prompt AI for improved results.
ClickUp offers two key templates that cater to internal knowledge base needs:
ClickUp Knowledge Base Template
The ClickUp Knowledge Base Template is perfect for helping my team create and maintain a comprehensive knowledge base. It gives us a structured framework for organizing information, making creating, editing, and sharing articles simple.
With features like customizable categories and tags, my team and I can tailor our knowledge base to fit our specific needs. The template also includes collaboration tools, such as commenting and version history, ensuring our information stays accurate and up-to-date.
ClickUp Wiki Template
The ClickUp Wiki Template is ideal for creating a collaborative wiki. It offers a platform where all team members can contribute and edit content, turning it into a living document that evolves.
With features like page linking and search functionality, I can easily navigate the wiki and find the necessary information. The template also includes customization options, allowing us to tailor the wiki to our unique requirements.
Both templates are integrated into the ClickUp platform, giving me a seamless experience. With these templates, my team can effectively manage our knowledge base and create a valuable resource for our organization.
Beyond knowledge management, ClickUp is also well-suited for project management. Its robust project and task management features enable teams to plan projects, track changes, and maintain organization from beginning to end.
ClickUp also offers various integration options, connecting with 1,000+ tools through ClickUp Integrations. They sync seamlessly with the current workflow, offering a unified platform for all the tasks and projects.
With a focus on productivity and collaboration, ClickUp is a comprehensive solution for companies looking to get organized and stay that way.
ClickUp best features
- Use AI knowledge and machine learning tools in ClickUp Brain to streamline processes and enhance writing
- Benefit from built-in collaboration tools for real-time editing and messaging
- Convert notes into action items for easier project and task management
- Enhance productivity and time management with the knowledge base feature
- Organize documents effortlessly with categories and tags
- Personalize your experience with rich customization options, including colors and categories
- Protect private documents and easily share them with others using built-in privacy features
- Quickly start your projects with free knowledge base templates
ClickUp limitations
- New users may find ClickUp’s wide array of features overwhelming, requiring a learning curve
ClickUp pricing
- Free Forever
- Unlimited: $7/user per month
- Business: $12/user per month
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
- ClickUp Brain is available on all paid plans for $7 per member per Workspace per month
ClickUp ratings & reviews
- G2: 4.7/5 (9,000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (4,000+ reviews)
2. Notion: Best for customization
Notion stands out for its comprehensive features for managing documents, databases, and knowledge bases.
One of the best features I found is its ability to combine notes, tasks, databases, and knowledge bases in one platform, simplifying workflows significantly. Its knowledge base features made it easy for my team to create, organize, and share information.
For instance, its AI writing tool can help you build databases, internal wikis, and knowledge bases, making processes smoother. Similarly, its extensive template library simplifies starting new outlines, while its powerful search and filtering functions ensure quick access to any information.
Another notable feature is the ease of linking and connecting different databases, which allows you to pull relevant information across knowledge bases. This integration makes Notion a versatile and powerful tool for enhancing productivity and collaboration within the team.
Notion best features
- Transform raw data into a presentable format by automatically populating tables
- Use the built-in AI to ask questions, retrieve relevant content, and share knowledge directly from your workspace
- Get access to various customizable templates for creating different types of documents and databases
Notion limitations
- Some users note that workflow automation triggers in Notion are somewhat limited compared to other AI knowledge management tools
- Users cannot configure user permissions to data subsets, which might affect how they organize their data within a company wiki
Notion pricing
- Free
- Plus: $10/user per month
- Business: $18/user per month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
- Notion AI can be added to any paid plan for $8/month per user
Notion ratings & reviews
- G2: 4.7/5 (5,400+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (2,100+ reviews)
3. Confluence: Best integration ecosystem
Confluence helps you create, organize, and share knowledge within the organization.
Some key features that make Confluence stand out include its extensive integration capabilities, especially with other Atlassian products like Jira, which enables real-time updates and seamless task management.
Confluence’s Page and Space Permissions allow you to control who can view or edit specific content, enhancing security and information management.
The Collaborative Editing feature enables multiple team members to work on the same document simultaneously, ensuring everyone is on the same page.
Whenever I need my documents to be interactive and informative, Macros in Confluence help me embed dynamic content such as charts, task lists, and calendars directly into my pages.
What makes Confluence a better alternative to Outline is its integration ecosystem and advanced collaborative features. While Outline provides basic documentation capabilities, Confluence’s ability to integrate with a wide range of tools and its comprehensive feature set for team collaboration and project management make it a more powerful and flexible solution.
Confluence best features
- Facilitate collaborative project planning and brainstorming, complemented by AI-powered note-writing capabilities
- Enable seamless teamwork through inline comments and real-time editing
- Enhance content organization within dedicated workspaces with the added benefit of AI-driven search functionality
Confluence limitations
- Challenges in adjusting permission levels for different pages
Confluence pricing
- Free
- Standard: $4.89 per user/month
- Premium: $8.97 per user/month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Confluence ratings & reviews
- G2: 4.1/5 (3,700+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (3,300+ reviews)
4. Zoho Learn: Best for onboarding and training employees
Zoho Learn is a user-friendly knowledge management tool for managing training.Â
While testing Zoho Learn, I noticed that its intuitive interface, customizable templates, and seamless integration with other Zoho products stood out. For example, Zoho Learn’s customizable templates allowed me to tailor documentation to my team’s needs. At the same time, its integration with Zoho Projects and Zoho Desk ensured smooth workflows and enhanced project management.
The search functionality makes it easy to find relevant information quickly. And Zoho Learn’s Permission Settings help control access to sensitive information, enhancing security.
Gamification, assessments, and certifications for learners make Zoho Learn stand out in onboarding and training features. It also comes with a manual to help you understand the functionalities of each module.
Zoho Learn best features
- Tailor training and development to learners through customizable learning paths
- Get insights into learner progress through the analytics dashboard
- Upgrade components monthly based on the number of users to control costs
Zoho Learn limitations
- Zoho Wiki’s integration with third-party apps is limited compared to other tools
Zoho Learn pricing
- Free (for 5 users)
- Express: $10 per user/month (starts from 5 users)
- Professional: $20 per user/month (starts from 5 users)
*Pricing taken from an external source
Zoho Learn ratings & reviews
- G2: Not enough ratings
- Capterra: Not enough ratings
5. Nuclino: Best for project management
Nuclino is a simple and lightweight tool with a clean and intuitive interface. As a knowledge management tool, it’s perfect for organizing, sharing, and collaborating on information with your team.
Known for its real-time collaborative editing, Nuclino allows teams to work together effortlessly, updating outlines instantaneously. Its intuitive interface supports various content types, from text and images to embedded videos and links, providing flexibility in presenting information.
One of Nuclino’s standout features is its visual graph view, which can help you understand the relationships between different pieces of content, perfect for mind mapping and project planning. Additionally, Nuclino integrates smoothly with popular tools like Google Drive, Slack, and Asana, enhancing its utility in diverse workflows.
With robust version history and permissions management, it ensures that all changes are tracked and controlled, maintaining the integrity of your outlines. Nuclino’s focus on simplicity and functionality makes it an excellent tool for organizing information.
Nuclino best features
- Create custom notebooks with specific structures and templates to organize their notes and content
- Retrieve information with Nuclino’s powerful search functionality
- Monitor changes and revert to previous versions if necessary
Nuclino limitations
- Users have experienced issues with uploading large files, which can be a limitation for teams with large file requirements
Nuclino pricing
- Free
- Standard: $6/user per month
- Premium: $12/user per month
Nuclino ratings & reviews
- G2: (Not enough reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (80+ reviews)
6. SharePoint: Best for collaboration
SharePoint’s integration with Microsoft 365 allows me to seamlessly access and edit documents using familiar tools like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. As one of the top Confluence alternatives, SharePoint’s collaboration tools, including wikis, blogs, and discussion boards, help us work together more effectively.
I particularly appreciate its ability to create intranet sites for my team. This makes it easy to share information and collaborate on projects. The site design feature allows me to customize the look and feel of my intranet, ensuring it aligns with my team’s branding and style.
The platform’s document management capabilities let me create, store, and share documents with my team. The version history feature allows me to track changes and revert to previous versions if needed.
From a technical standpoint, SharePoint supports metadata tagging, which allows me to categorize and organize my documents effectively. It also lets me automate workflows, simplify business processes, and boost efficiency.
I can also create customizable dashboards to track key performance indicators and monitor project progress, keeping everything on track.
SharePoint best features
- Integrate with Microsoft Office applications, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
- Control access to documents and resources based on user roles
- Enable real-time co-authoring on both web and desktop versions of other Microsoft tools
SharePoint limitations
- In large-scale deployments, SharePoint may experience performance issues, especially if not properly optimized
- SharePoint’s interface and features may require training for users to fully adopt and utilize its capabilities
SharePoint pricing
- SharePoint (Plan 1): $5/user, per month (Billed annually)
- Office 365 Business Standard: $12.5/user per month (Billed annually)
SharePoint ratings & reviews
- G2: 4/5 (8,400+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.3/5 (5,100+ reviews)
7. Papyrs: Best for intranet building
Papyrs helps build intranets without technical expertise and provides a centralized location for storing and organizing information. It also streamlines the creation process by helping me create custom templates for different types of content, such as FAQs, manuals, and project documentation.
One standout feature is that I can create forms in Papyrs with its custom fields, such as text inputs, checkboxes, and dropdown menus. This feature enables my team to gather structured data efficiently and tailor forms to specific needs.
The tool also offers widgets and plugins to enhance functionality, including interactive calendars, task lists, and file uploads. These features help teams organize information and collaborate more effectively.
It also integrates with external tools like Google Drive, Dropbox, Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Zapier, enabling users to access and share content from other platforms.
Papyrs best features
- Automate workflows for tasks like approval processes and content publishing using Papyrs’ workflow automation tools
- Set granular permissions for different user roles to ensure only authorized users access sensitive information
- Access and collaborate on documents from mobile devices with Papyrs, enabling work on the go
Papyrs limitations
- Users have reported glitches in the single sign-on feature for the remote staff
Papyrs pricing
- Team Wiki: $99/month
- Company Wiki: $386/month
- Company Intranet: $999/month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Papyrs ratings & reviews
- G2: (Not enough reviews)
- Capterra: (Not enough reviews)
8. Microsoft OneNote: Best for capturing different media formats
Microsoft OneNote is a digital note-taking application that allows you to capture, organize, and share information across devices.
OneNote’s organizational structure is fantastic. I can create notebooks for different projects or purposes and then divide them into sections and pages as needed. This hierarchical approach keeps everything neat and easily accessible, even as my notes grow.
The application supports various content types, including text, images, audio, video, and even hand-drawn sketches. This flexibility means I can capture ideas in any form without switching between different apps.
The best part about the platform is that it lets you translate text directly within the application. There’s also a Mini Translator, which provides a pop-up translation window for quick translations. And it doesn’t end here.
OneNote also has a dictation feature, which supports more than 40 languages, including Arabic, Irish, Turkish, Russian, Hebrew, Hindi, and Greek. I can dictate content, and the application will transcribe it into text.
OneNote seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft Office applications, such as Word, Excel, and Outlook, allowing users to easily share content between apps.
Microsoft OneNote’s best features
- Access notes from anywhere with the sync feature, ensuring information is available across devices
- Categorize and search notes easily by tagging them
- Save web content directly to notebooks with the Clipper tool, simplifying information captured from the web
- Manage team accounts, users, and content from a single console, providing better control and security
- Access your notes across various devices with availability on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS
Microsoft OneNote limitations
- Not ideal as a standalone app, as it targets users already in the Office 365 ecosystem
- Offers basic collaboration features but may not be as robust as Outline competitors for complex teamwork projects
Microsoft OneNote pricing
- Available free with a Microsoft 365 subscription
- Without Microsoft 365, $6.99/month or $69.99/year for 1 TB
Microsoft OneNote ratings & reviews
- G2: 4.5/5 (1800+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6/5 (1500+ reviews)
9. Evernote: Best for organizing ideas, notes, and inspiration
I love how Evernote helps me keep everything in one place by organizing notes into notebooks, tags, and stacks. This makes it super easy to find what I need, whether it’s a meeting agenda, a brainstorming session, or a collection of research materials.
The app supports various content types, such as text, images, audio, and files, which are perfect for capturing all kinds of information. I can jot down ideas, snap photos of whiteboard sessions, or even record voice memos, all in one place.
What sets Evernote apart is the Web Clipper tool, which saves online content directly to my notebooks so I can easily reference articles, web pages, and images later on.
Its Geographic Search feature will be helpful if you record your travels. Tracking notes made during specific trips or events becomes easy, as you can find notes based on the location where they were created.
Evernote best features
- Use features such as web clipping, handwriting recognition, robust search, and integrations with productivity tools to write notes effectively
- Take and access notes offline, syncing them later for convenient on-the-go use
- Access notes on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices, ensuring cross-device availability
Evernote limitations
- Restricts storage space and certain features in the free plan, limiting users to one notebook and up to 50 notes, which may hinder power users
- Offers an abundance of features that can be overwhelming for new users, who may require some time to adjust
Evernote pricing
- Free
- Personal: $14.99/user per month
- Professional: $17.99/user per month
- Teams: $24.99/use per month
Evernote ratings & reviews
- G2: 4.4/5 (2,000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.4/5 (8,200+ reviews)
10. Slite: Best for keeping documents updated
Slite is an exceptional collaborative documentation tool that simplifies how I organize information, update it, and retrieve information from it.
I can add comments to any document section and tag team members using the ‘Mentions’ feature to notify them of important updates. This creates a designated space for sharing ideas and information, enhancing collaboration. It’s like having a virtual brainstorming session right in the document.
However, the feature that most impresses me is the document verification and expiry system. You can set an expiry date for a doc, which gets marked as ‘expired’ after the date. This helps you review and update your knowledge base regularly.
It also has an Ask feature, through which you can prompt the system with written questions. Language processing summarizes the content you requested, along with the source links. It saves me a great deal of time!
The platform also integrates with my favorite external tools, such as Slack and Google Drive, enabling me to access and share all my content quickly.
Slite best features
- Craft structured documents through a straightforward and intuitive editor
- Get answers quickly, cross-check sources, and surface information from the knowledge base
- Share documents publicly via a secret link for editing
- Automatically format text and content in Slite for professional-looking documents without manual effort
Slite limitations
- Slite can be demanding on computer resources, leading to performance issues
- Users have reported that Slite sometimes loses formatting when copying and pasting content into other applications
Slite pricing
- Standard: $10/month per user
- Premium: $15/month per user
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Slite ratings & reviews
- G2: 4.6/5 (200+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (40+ reviews)
Summarize this article for me pleaseFind the Best Outline Alternative for Your Knowledge Management Needs
For any team, finding the perfect tool to set up a company wiki or internal knowledge base can be a bit overwhelming.
If you’re like me and need a platform that extends beyond mere document management, ClickUp is the solution. Our all-in-one platform offers project management, task assignment, CRM maintenance, and knowledge base creation—all enhanced with the capabilities of artificial intelligence.
If you want to experience the simplicity of consolidating all your knowledge in one place, I highly recommend trying ClickUp for free today and seeing the difference for yourself!
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