9 Best Knowledge Base Software in 2023

The oldest known Ancient Egyptian manuscript is 4,000 years old. It contains religious spells for priests and an illustrated composition of temple rituals. So, can it be… one of the first self-help knowledge bases or what?

Since the invention of writing, people have felt the importance of collecting and storing valuable information so that other people can utilize it over and over again. The only thing that changed over time is the tools.

Ancient Chinese loved bamboo, Egyptians preferred papyrus, and paper had been especially popular since its invention until the internet revolutionized things. These days, people use designated knowledge base software to keep their valuable information in one place and present it to people in need. Let’s strike into the subject. 

What is knowledge base software?

Knowledge base software is a set of tools that allow businesses to collect, store, and share company-specific information under the same roof. All in all, its primary goal is to answer all common questions about your business. That’s why they’re also called self-service portals.

Here we come to what a knowledge base is. This is a database used for knowledge sharing and management. If I were to ask, I would say this is like an online storehouse that’s always available on demand. The main point of having knowledge base software is to provide both your customers and team with the most detailed information about your product/services.

9 best knowledge base software 

When choosing the best knowledge management software for your business, there are several things you should consider first. 

Number one is that these tools come in two variations — external and internal (stay tuned: there is more to it down the road!).

Number two is that if you decide to sign up for an all-in-one customer service solution, make sure your knowledge management system is well integrated into other communication channels. However, if you don’t ever plan on having any live chat or email support, it’s better to go with a monosolution and don’t overwhelm yourself with redundant features.

Times change and so does software. Some become less popular, some come here to stay, and some get a second wind. With that in mind, we mounted a challenge to ourselves and rethought the whole approach this year. 

Make yourself comfortable as we’re delving right into the best knowledge base software on the market. No matter if it’s a solution for external or internal use – everyone will hit the jackpot. At the end of the day, it’s 2022! 

1. HelpCrunch Knowledge Base 

📌A no-nonsense solution for organizing content that won’t cost you an arm and a leg 

When I say all-embracing, I mean it! HelpCrunch provides you with anything a business needs for support, marketing, and sales. But let’s stick to its knowledge base functionality for today as it’s worth attention. I am not going to spill the beans right now, so keep on reading 🤓

One home to all the tools you wish for

As I already mentioned, HelpCrunch has an ace up its sleeve in addition to being a knowledge management tool. It also offers a sleek live chat, a chatbot, a shared help desk, an intuitive popup builder, and email marketing opportunities. With such an array of tools, your support, marketing, and sales crews will provide A+ service and win the target audience’s hearts.

Setup & use without stress snapping at your heels

The HelpCrunch knowledge base tool for customer support (and not just that!) is all about intuitive installation and ease of use. Just press the button to create an article/category/subcategory. No coding is needed. Besides, there’s an access control feature that helps you set restrictions on some of your articles by a password or trusted IPs. 

Ranking high online has never been that easy

In terms of knowledge base functionality, HelpCrunch offers a simple and modern tool designed to be as convenient as possible. Its WYSIWYG text editor allows support reps to manually change SEO details for every article, including a title tag, meta description, and a target keyword. This instantly improves their visibility and indexation by search engines.   

Chat widget integration for better self-service

HelpCrunch has taken a step toward customer self-service. Thanks to the fully integrated knowledge base software into the chat widget, website visitors and existing clients can scour for the articles on their own without having to wait for a support rep to answer. Plus, such a feature does the trick when the team isn’t online (holidays, off-hours). 

What users say about HelpCrunch

At this point and further, we explain the thoughts users usually share about knowledge base tools. Think of this paragraph as Pros and Cons but in an offbeat way. Trust me, there is much to eavesdrop on review platforms. Truth be told, I enjoyed analyzing G2 accounts – much love and appreciation which is flattering, sure thing.  

Most loved for:

• Most affordable pricing on the market
• All-in-one-place solution
• Swift knowledge base installation and ease of use  
• Helpful and quick customer support team 

Most hated for:

• No multilingual knowledge base version (coming soon!)
• Doesn’t let you create multiple knowledge bases 

Pricing

Basic – $15/month (if billed monthly)

Pro – $25/month (if billed monthly)

Enterprise – individual pricing 

Believing me on the say-so would be a little too easy! To fully unlock HelpCrunch’s knowledge base potential, sign up for a free 14-day trial. Who knows, maybe the rest of the toolset will strike a chord with you. Go ahead! 🚀  

2. Document360

📌Just the thing for huge teams looking for holistic knowledge base software   

Document360 is a powerful knowledge management platform that offers subscription plans for any business. Big teams and enterprises, however, might find a better match here. Besides, those who crave the widest choice of collaboration features will be surprised, too.   

Stunning editorial functionalities 

The markdown and WYSIWYG text editor offers all the necessary editing and styling features, where you can also add links, images, videos, code samples, tables, and call-outs. On top of it, you can organize content seamlessly and create an impeccable information hierarchy with this knowledge management software. 

Cover the bases with this knowledge base software 

Rare for other candidates we discuss here, Versioning & Rollback by Document360 helps you view article versions and go back to a previous state. Plus, you can set up review reminders to avoid content stagnation and keep it fresh.

What users say about Document360

When exploring what users love and hate about this knowledge base platform, I noticed they gave high points to its feature arsenal (duh!). However, there is always a fly in the ointment.    

Most loved for:

• Clear interface 
• Robust set of tools
• Comprehensive analytics dashboard 

Most hated for:

• Difficult-to-use editor 
• Heavy price tag
• Impossible to delete branding
• Files storage limit
• Messy image uploading

Pricing

Startup – $119/month (if billed monthly)

Business – $299/month (if billed monthly)

Enterprise – $599/month (if billed monthly)

* A 14-day trial is available

3. Infinity

📌 Clutter-free knowledge management with multiple customization options

Infinity represents a knowledge management tool that helps you structure every bit of info your brand wants to keep and share. Tables, Gantt charts, lists, calendars – everything for leading a project successfully. By the way, the team behind Infinity chose the naming for a reason: there are infinite use cases for leveraging their features.   

Extensive template gallery for tidying up your workflow

Infinity’s portfolio comprises customizable templates for project management, HR, client management, product development, and marketing, to name a few. Use pre-made samples or create one from scratch – stuff like folders, Trello-like task boards, team collaboration features, or deadline calendars will be available in either case.

Top-notch organizational abilities 

Infinity lets prioritize your work by using different workspaces, boards, tabs, and folders. Plus, you can sort, group, and filter content according to your rules. It’s even possible to create custom attributes or build a Gantt table. Do you need to build a sprint? Leverage a Kanban board. 

What users say about Infinity 

Even though there isn’t much told about Infinity, I managed to track the tendency in the users’ reviews. A fair share of them claims they like flexibility in Infinity the most, as well as other small goodies. 

Most loved for:

• One hub for all the data (images, tables, graphs, lists, etc.)
• Flexibility for small businesses
• Good and friendly support

Most hated for:

• Still needs additional features on the roadmap
• Not really nice platform UI/UX

Pricing

Duo – from $99/lifetime

Team – from $199/lifetime

Startup – from $299/lifetime

Business – from $499/lifetime

Company – from $999/lifetime

Enterprise – the pricing is set individually 

*30-day trial at your fingertips

4. Notion

📌 An advanced hub for storing and managing company knowledge 

If you want to sort knowledge within your organization and get a bird-eye-view of your teams’ projects, Notion will help you do that without a hitch. It represents an all-in-one workspace that combines notes, wikis, and docs – in other quarters, the platform lets teams collaborate and encourage knowledge sharing.

Intelligent file cabinets aka databases 

The best knowledge base software lets you build extensive databases. At Notion, these are a collection of pages. Choose the layout of your database – table, board, or list, to name a few. Add properties (text, dates, media files, etc.), deadlines, team members, and statuses so that the storage looks information-bearing. 

Mediocre templates? Not at Notion!

Notion does its homework when it comes to tweaking the product. This knowledge base software allows you to opt for a pre-made template from the gallery or create one on your own. Company wiki, roadmap, content calendar, meeting notes, spaceship launching plan – it all depends on the mood, you know.  

What users say about Notion 

What CAN they say? It’s cool, it’s up-to-date, and it’s feature-packed. I had no doubt about that when looking for the crowd’s opinions on Notion.  

Most loved for:

• Flexible databases
• Super customization abilities 
• Awesome real-time collaboration
• Great for internal documentation 

Most hated for:

• A bit tricky learning curve
• Internal analytics dashboard is missing
• Limited Google Calendar integration

Pricing

Personal – free

Personal Pro – $5/month (if billed monthly)

Team – $10/month (if billed monthly)

Enterprise – contact the sales team to discuss the individual pricing  

*Free Team plan trial until you reach a 1,000-block storage limit

5. ProProfs

📌 A knowledge management option that will wow you with its template collection

ProProfs offers an abundance of tools for all kinds of purposes — public or private. So if your question is “What is live chat? “, these guys will answer it thoroughly (you’ll find it in their package!). The team even provides a training maker and brain games. Yes, this list also comprises a knowledge management solution. What’s so special about it? Let’s find out!

Multitudinous settings & integrations 

This knowledge base software might come in top place in the integrations & setup race. It offers 100+ options that help you design a knowledge base using branding features, CSS/HTML, configure such tasks as single sign-on, in-depth security, and so on. Plus, there’s chat, CSM, help desk, and survey maker integration. 

Proper text editor (but not everything’s cut-and-dried) 

The text editor looks like conventional Microsoft Word. However, ProProfs has numerous editing tools for styling and formatting. Though, it can still feel a little outdated compared to its modern competitors. Besides, your ProProfs knowledge base can be crawlable and available for search engines with meta descriptions for each page.

Massive template bundle

In terms of appearance customization, choose any of the default knowledge base themes and align them with your brand logo and color scheme. There are templates for user manuals, wikis, technical documentation, or private knowledge bases. 

What users say about ProProfs 

On the face of it, this knowledge management tool looks watertight. However, there is always room for improvement (especially for knowledge base systems). In fact, when researching the solution on G2, this phrase caught my eye almost in every user’s review.   

Most loved for:

• No coding knowledge required 
• Easy configuration
• Wide-ranging templates
• Instant team collaboration functionalities  

Most hated for:

• Integrations could be more powerful
• The templates could be more comprehensive 

Pricing

Public Help Center (if billed monthly) – Essentials for $40/author/month and Premium for $50/author/month 

Private Knowledge Base (if billed monthly) – Essentials for $3.5/user/month and Premium for $4.5/user/month

*A 15-day trial is available

6. Slite

📌 Collaborating on internal projects is no pain in the neck anymore for remote teams  

Slite is a knowledge management solution that makes remote teams’ lives much easier thanks to its collaboration specs. By the way, I might be wrong but look at the whole design! Does it ring any bells with you? (Hint: Notion-like colors and the overall styling). Anyway, let’s dissect what Slite has to offer.

No trivial approach to formatting

When you want to edit the text, there is a myriad of options: from quotes to lists and mentions to in-built sketches to Figma presentations. To get an overview, you can even try formatting a text live on Slite’s website. How convenient is that?

All the work is better together  

Slite’s hallmark feature is collaboration every step of the way. Live editing (you can actually see your coworker’s mouse hovering in the doc), discussion panel without jumping between the tabs, sharing content on the fly, – that’s what makes Slite so popular among remote teams. 

Say ‘Hello’ to organized content

Slite takes all the clutter away and lets you structure documents in Collections. Filter them by channel (e.g. General, Marketing, Sales), play with column types, pick how you want to view the doc, or even find a piece of content in Slack (or do just that via an intuitive navigation bar).   

What users say about Slite 

For what it’s worth, Slite’s users are mainly grateful. The users are unanimous (in a good way) in their reviews about the interface, collaboration specs, and editing features.    

Most loved for:

• UI simplicity and highly intuitive design
• Automatic document creation
• Discussion feature 

Most hated for:

• No images in tables
• No Zapier integration
• Not made for public files or knowledge bases

Pricing

Free – $0/member/month

Standard – $8/member/month (if billed monthly)

Premium – $15/member/month (if billed monthly)

*Upgrade needed after 50-doc limit on Free plan

7. HelpSite

📌 A run-of-the-mill knowledge base software covering all the basic business needs

HelpSite is simple knowledge base software in terms of both functionality and price. You can feel it once you land on their website. A basic text editor, which is somewhat similar to the WordPress interface and all the standard editing features. Nothing extra. 

An unpretentious yet hackneyed set of tools 

Just like most guys on our list, HelpSite offers both FAQs and knowledge base for managing company’s content. As for the customization options, you can specify your custom domain, customize the layout with custom HTML/CSS, or upload your logo. 

A smart contact form to take the guesswork out

It’s possible to add a basic contact form to your knowledge base, which can automatically suggest relevant knowledge base articles to those who are trying to contact you. On top of their native contact form, HelpSite offers integrations with other support tools like Desk.com, Zendesk, Groove, etc.

What users say about HelpSite

I thought people love simplicity in everything. However, this is a two-edged sword. On the one hand, the more simple the software is, the faster you’ll get the ball running. On the other hand, mid-sized and big companies might want something more sophisticated when it comes to knowledge base systems. 

Most loved for:

• Pretty easy kick-off
• All-embracing free plan (covering most of what a new user needs and more)

Most hated for:

• No knowledge base reports
• Lack of customization options

Pricing

Free – $0/month

Standard – $14.99/month (if billed monthly)

Gold – $49.99/month (if billed monthly)

Plus – $99.99/month (if billed monthly)

*A 30-day trial is available 

8. Guru 

📌 Do you want to be progressive? Try to manage your knowledge with this solution   

Guru is modern (I would even say hipster-y judging by their cool website design) and feature-rich knowledge sharing software for internal usage. Managers and employees can save and organize any important information about their company. It’s a great choice for onboarding, collaboration, and communications inside the team at all times.

Store info in bite-sized pieces 

The information hierarchy in this knowledge management software is plain. Collections make up Boards that consist of Cards. The latter is where all the editorial magic unfolds. Create, store helpful content, and leave comments inside while managers verify articles in bulk. Do I have to mention you get to decide who sees what?

Slack integration to capture and categorize knowledge 

We’ve all been there. Info gets lost within a team. With Guru’s Slack integration, it becomes impossible. Once you receive a bit of info in the messenger, you can process and assign it to a certain expert for further activities. Plus, finding the content will be easier. No leaving the app.  

Google Chrome extension as the cherry on top

One of the most convenient features of Guru is its Chrome extension. It provides all the capabilities of a full-scale knowledge management tool in one window. Employees can view articles, create new knowledge cards, and copy any information in a few clicks, without interrupting their workflow.

What users say about Guru 

Off the top of my head, Guru has the largest amount of customer reviews compared to other software for knowledge management – over 1,350. All of them revolve around several things: clutter-free UI and great organization capabilities. 

Most loved for:

• Super user-friendly interface
• Google Chrome and Slack extension 
• Real-time editing and collaboration

Most hated for:

• The tagging and search system seems to have gaps
• A bit steep learning curve

Pricing

Starter – free (up to 3 users), $6/user/month (if billed monthly)
Builder – $12/user/month (if billed monthly)

Expert – $24/user/month (if billed monthly)

* Free for 30 days 

9. KnowledgeOwl 

📌 Designed for both customers and employees with a structure in mind

Among all the knowledge management tools we discussed today, KnowledgeOwl is good for both internal and external usage. The tool’s standard features encompass everything from a robust WYSIWYG editor to themes and layouts to access control. 

Take the reins of your content

Who can access your resource hub? How do they do that? All that you can set up with knowledge base software – in our case, this is KnowledgeOwl. Tweak general security options, grant or restrict access to your articles based on their specific needs, and enable single sign-on. 

“Reading users’ minds” is now possible 

It’s not like you become a psychic out of the blue. KnowledgeOwl lets you understand what the audience thinks of your content thanks to multiple feedback options. You can set up ratings, comments, or contact forms to collect their thoughts and react respectively. 

Populate an “information tree” within your company   

This is a rather unconventional feature – Glossary. There’s a dedicated library for all your files (kind of like WordPress) which you can utilize and manage across your entire knowledge base. The Glossary option allows operators to create a hub of all company-specific terms and insert on-hover definitions.

What users say about KnowledgeOwl

“Nothing to dislike” – the phrase I saw several times when snooping around the KnowledgeOwl account on a review platform. Nonetheless, there are some points to think through before searching for the best knowledge base software.   

Most loved for:

• Flexible features 
• Super easy to use the tool
• Helpful customer and quick service team 

Most hated for:

• The design themes and interface is outdated
• File management could be better 

Pricing

Flex – from $79/month (if billed monthly)

Business – from $299/month (if billed monthly)

Enterprise – from $999/month (if billed monthly)

*A free 30-day trial is available

What is internal knowledge base software: breaking down the nuances  

What a lovely knowledge management software digest we delivered! In fact, this group of 9 options can be both an external and internal docs hub. Well, you probably get the gist on the former – catering to the needs of customers. What about the latter? Who are we to not clue you in on it…

Internal knowledge base software is a centralized hub for all documentation and data meant for the company’s employees. Simply put, it can answer their inquiries and wants across an organization. With its help, you can boost business communication and promote knowledge sharing within your company.  

Generally, such software can house:

• Employee onboarding handbook
• HR regulations  
• Company-specific wikis 
• Customer communication guides
• How-to/learning guides
• Audio/video tutorials
• IT Policies
• Customer contact lists

I’ve already anticipated your next questions. So let me answer them!👇🏻

What software for knowledge sharing across a company is there?

There are a dozen knowledge bases for internal usage. The first possible options that come to my mind are Atlassian (Confluence), Klutch, Docuspace, Tixio, and Tettra. They’re all different yet alike. So to choose the best one for your business, you have to closely inspect their functionalities and decide which could meet your team’s requirements ideally.   

How can an internal knowledge base supercharge my team?

In different ways! Try investing in knowledge base software for your employees and let them:

• Onboard for a new role smoothly and get all the assistance/materials needed; 
• Save precious time and nerve cells on searching for the information when a client is welling up;
• Collaborate with each other on customer cases, discussing their pain points and making mutual decisions.

How to choose knowledge management software to nail it?

One might think that going for knowledge base systems is as easy as a pie. However, you should think ahead: 

What’s your business specific? Who is your target audience? Do you want to design a place with helpful materials for your crew or clients only (maybe both)? These are the questions to answer first.

Before you run wild with an option, look at several specific properties all knowledge base solutions should have. They will make your work faster and more effective right there. If some points missing, don’t even bother proceeding with it.

SEO settings to chine through the search engines – knowledge management solutions should offer SEO settings to help people get the exact info they look for. Specifying such criteria as meta description, meta title, meta keywords, and social image will help your articles rank higher in search engines or find the gaps in already existing coverage.

Google-like search feature – not being able to find a piece of content might drive on one’s nerves. To prevent your users from it, make sure your search function is actually functional (sorry for the wordiness). For instance, once a user types install cha… on your knowledge base, give them what they want (an article on how to install a chatbot). That’s how the best knowledge base software should operate.

Ultimate user-friendliness – if a help center is a hell to pay, the odds are it will be soon forgotten by the users. Knowledge base tools should serve people and solve their problems (preferably, over a short period of time). Make your virtual library scannable, add some alternative ways to contact you (live chat or chatbot), and you’ll see how customer engagement and things in general change. 

Convenient text editor where you can format the content the way you want to. Start with a draft and then go back to it if need be, insert images, videos, or code samples as well as mark important parts with special notes, warnings, and tips.

Strict structure – who wants information chaos in a knowledge base? Categories, sections, and folders are indispensable for that matter. A user should have a feeling your digital library is completely brushed-up. So to rock it, your software should let you organize articles in a convenient and digestible way for both your customers and team.

All-encompassing reports & analytics – in our context, you should realize how your articles perform in terms of views and helpfulness. Make sure your knowledge management software provides you with report functionalities. It only gives you insights on the content usability, most preferred items, and pieces to reconsider.

Wide range of customization options – once the software comes into your hands, check if it allows you to tailor it to your needs. Go for full customization and make your knowledge base look like an integral part of your website, use (e.g. change brand colors, include logo, change header images, add links, use CSS, or create a custom domain).

Knowledge base software comparison to see the big picture 

When all’s said and done, time to recap. Names, prices, and the key features (in case you missed some parts of the story) – it’s in our chart! 💁‍♀️ 

Have you already picked your knowledge base software?

Even if it seems like you only need a knowledge base site at the moment, always keep in mind that you might want to scale it in the future. Maybe you’ll need a live chat tool sometime in the future. Or a dedicated customer service team.

But if those are not core knowledge base features, pay attention to other features and integrations of your software. Choose top knowledge base software based on its ability to scale as time goes on.