CompassDocs vs KnowledgeOwl
CompassDocs
compassdocs.io
KnowledgeOwl
knowledgeowl.comSide by side
| Figure | CompassDocs | KnowledgeOwl |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $8/mo | $100/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 4 | 4 |
| Spec score · IT Knowledge Base Software | 9.5 (#1) | 8.5 (#23) |
| Spec score · HR Knowledge Base Software | 9.3 (#1) | 8.5 (#8) |
| Analytics | Knowledge-base analytics cover views, unique readers, reading time, trending documents, unanswered searches, engagement, author reach and downloads. | Owl Analytics tracks searches, article performance, reader behavior and content gaps, with retention varying by plan. |
| Integrations | The product lists a Claude connector, Microsoft 365 and Entra sync, Google Workspace directory sync, and notifications through Webex, Teams, Slack, email, or webhooks. | Listed integrations include Slack, Zapier, Zendesk, Userlane, Ottokit, Salesforce, Microsoft Copilot and contextual widgets. |
| Licence | The Community software is open source under the GNU Affero General Public License version 3.0. | The product is proprietary software operated by Silly Moose LLC; the terms prohibit copying, resale and unauthorized access. |
| Security | The feature page states that credentials and backups are encrypted at rest with AES-256-GCM, session tokens are hashed, and login throttling and security headers are included. | The service encrypts data in transit and at rest, supports TLS and SSO, hashes passwords and requires VPN plus MFA for customer-data access. |
| Self-hosting | A shell installer starts CompassDocs and PostgreSQL with Docker, while Docker Compose, manual Node/PostgreSQL and Azure deployment options are documented. | The terms describe KnowledgeOwl as an online hosted platform and provide no self-hosted deployment option. |
| What it does | CompassDocs is a self-hosted team knowledge base for writing, organizing and searching SOPs, technical documentation, policies and internal knowledge. | KnowledgeOwl is a hosted platform for creating internal and external knowledge bases and documentation. |
Plans
CompassDocs
- CommunityFree
- Cloud$8 a month
- Enterprise$599 a year
- Enterprise dedicated support add-on$3,000 a year
KnowledgeOwl
- Basic$100 a month
- Pro$250 a month
- Business$500 a month
- Enterprise$1,250 a month
In their own words
CompassDocs
CompassDocs is a self-hosted team knowledge base for writing, organizing, and searching SOPs, technical documentation, policies, and internal reference material. Staff can ask plain-English questions about documents and receive answers with inline citations; without an AI key, the product instead uses keyword search. Documents can be edited in rich text or Markdown, with AI proofreading and support for diagrams, tables, checklists, and embeds. Viewer, Editor, Approver, and Admin roles, custom roles, private spaces, and an optional review queue govern access and publishing. Integrations include a Claude connector, Microsoft 365 and Entra sync, Google Workspace directory sync, and notifications through Webex, Teams, Slack, email, or webhooks. Teams can run it with Docker or install Node.js and PostgreSQL manually. Self-hosted backups can be scheduled, restored, and mirrored to off-site storage. Community is free and self-hosted; Enterprise is $599 a year. A Cloud plan at $8 a month per user is listed as coming soon, not yet launched.
KnowledgeOwl
KnowledgeOwl has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.