Best Guru Alternatives for 2026: Top Knowledge Management Tools

Guru has earned a solid reputation as a knowledge management platform, thanks to its AI-powered search and broad integration support. But here's the thing: no single tool works perfectly for every team. Maybe the pricing feels steep for what you're getting, or you need stronger visual documentation options, or the customization just doesn't bend the way you need it to. Whatever the reason you're here, there are several Guru alternatives worth a closer look.

This guide walks through the best Guru alternatives heading into 2026, breaking down what each brings to the table so you can find the right fit.

Top Guru Alternatives at a Glance

Tool	Best For	Starting Price	Key Strength
Glitter AI	Visual documentation & SOPs	Free (10 guides)	AI-powered video-to-guide conversion
Notion	Flexible knowledge hub	$10/user/month	All-in-one workspace versatility
Confluence	Large organizations	$5.67/user/month	Robust Atlassian integration
Slite	Growing teams	$8/user/month	AI-powered search & verification
Tettra	Slack-first teams	$8/user/month (10 user min)	Seamless Slack integration
Bloomfire	Enterprise knowledge bases	Custom pricing	Advanced AI search capabilities

Why Look for Guru Alternatives?

Guru does plenty of things well, but teams tend to start exploring alternatives when they bump into these common frustrations:

Pricing Concerns

Per-user pricing adds up fast, especially for larger teams or organizations watching their budgets. The free plan maxes out at 25 users and skips a lot of the advanced features, which leaves growing teams in a tough spot.

Search Limitations

Guru's search works reasonably well, but users often mention it returns too many similar results. Without careful tagging on your cards, finding what you actually need can take longer than you'd expect. Larger knowledge bases tend to make this problem worse, and the search sometimes misses content that hasn't been accessed recently.

Customization Restrictions

Guru can feel a bit rigid when you try adjusting content layouts or workflows. Teams with specific documentation needs often hit walls trying to tailor things to how they actually work.

Technical Issues

Some teams, particularly Mac-heavy ones, have struggled with limited Safari browser extension support. Reports of occasional downtime and other technical hiccups that interrupt workflows pop up as well.

Content Management Challenges

Guru handles explicit, written knowledge well enough. But if your team wants to capture tacit knowledge or enable collaboration beyond basic information sharing, you might find yourself needing additional tools. The reporting and analytics also lean fairly basic, with limited visibility into how content actually gets used.

1. Glitter AI - Best for Visual Documentation & SOPs

Best for: Teams creating visual step-by-step guides, SOPs, and training documentation

Glitter AI takes a fundamentally different approach to knowledge management. Instead of asking you to write documentation from scratch, it captures your work while you do it. Record your screen, walk through a process, and Glitter generates guides complete with screenshots, video clips, and clear step-by-step instructions automatically.

Key Features

• AI-Powered Video-to-Guide Conversion: Record your screen and voice, and Glitter transcribes your speech, identifies key moments, and produces a polished step-by-step guide with text, screenshots, and playable clips
• Desktop App Recording: The free plan includes full desktop app support, letting you document processes in Excel, Photoshop, SAP, and other applications that web-only tools simply can't capture
• Voice-to-Text in 99 Languages: Speak your instructions and Glitter converts them to written guides automatically
• Sensitive Data Redaction: Automatically blur sensitive information like passwords, emails, or personal data for privacy and compliance (available on paid plans)
• Automatic Screenshot Capture: Captures relevant screenshots as you work through each step

Pricing

• Free Plan: 10 guides total with automatic capture, desktop and web support
• Pro Plan: $16-20/user/month for unlimited guides and advanced features
• Enterprise Plan: Starting at $8,000/year for larger teams with custom requirements

Pros

• Creates documentation in minutes while you work, versus hours of dedicated writing time
• Desktop app captures processes in any application, not just web browsers
• Visual guides are genuinely easier to follow than walls of text
• Virtually no learning curve: just work normally and Glitter captures everything
• Generous free tier for smaller teams

Cons

• Takes a different approach than traditional knowledge bases (visual guides vs. wiki pages)
• Best suited for process documentation rather than general knowledge articles
• Newer platform with fewer third-party integrations than more established tools

When to Choose Glitter AI

Pick Glitter AI if your team needs visual step-by-step guides for employee onboarding, training documentation, standard operating procedures, or customer support resources. It works especially well for teams who find traditional documentation painfully time-consuming and want to capture institutional knowledge before it walks out the door.

2. Notion - Best for Flexible Knowledge Hub

Best for: Small to mid-sized teams seeking an all-in-one workspace that combines knowledge management with project management

Notion has become a go-to choice for teams moving away from traditional knowledge management tools. Its flexibility lets you shape the workspace around how your team actually works, rather than forcing you into some predetermined structure.

Key Features

• Flexible Database System: Create hierarchical databases with multimedia support for comprehensive documentation
• All-in-One Workspace: Combines wikis, project management (Kanban boards, calendars), and note-taking in a single platform
• Advanced Search: Search across all content with powerful filters and integrations with tools like Slack and GitHub
• Collaborative Editing: Real-time collaboration with comments and mentions
• AI Capabilities: Business plan includes full AI access with GPT-4.1 and Claude 3.7 Sonnet for AI-powered content generation

Pricing

• Free Plan: Limited AI trial (20 AI responses per workspace)
• Plus Plan: $10/user/month (annual) or $12/user/month (monthly)
• Business Plan: $20/user/month (annual) with full AI access
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Note: Notion raised its pricing significantly in 2024-2025, with AI now bundled into Business and Enterprise plans rather than sold separately.

Pros

• Extremely flexible and customizable for almost any use case
• Clean, intuitive interface that most people pick up quickly
• Solid collaborative features for real-time teamwork
• Strong search capabilities across all content
• Annual billing saves 20% (roughly 2.4 months free)

Cons

• Per-user pricing doubles from Plus to Business ($10 to $20), which can sting. As of 2025, AI only comes with the Business tier, forcing upgrades for AI access
• All that customization can become overwhelming
• Performance may lag with very large databases. Users report slowness when workspaces grow large
• Support quality concerns: "I reported multiple bugs in the last few weeks and each time it's a very long back and forth... Is this me or Notion is becoming truly littered with bugs?" (Reddit)
• Mobile app experience is described as significantly inferior to desktop

When to Choose Notion

Pick Notion if you want a flexible all-in-one workspace handling knowledge management alongside project tracking, note-taking, and team collaboration. It suits teams who value customization and want to consolidate multiple tools into one platform.

3. Confluence - Best for Large Organizations

Best for: Medium to large enterprises, especially those already using Atlassian products like Jira

Confluence remains one of the most widely used enterprise knowledge management platforms out there. If you're already working within the Atlassian ecosystem, the integration is tough to beat.

Key Features

• Unlimited Pages and Spaces: Even the free tier supports unlimited content organization
• Advanced Permissions: Granular access controls at page and space levels (Premium+)
• Whiteboard Collaboration: Premium plan includes unlimited whiteboards with Jira integrations
• Enterprise-Grade Security: SOC 2 compliance, SSO, and advanced admin controls
• Template Library: Pre-built templates for Marketing, Product, and Program Management
• Automation: 10-100+ automation rule runs per month depending on plan

Pricing

• Free Plan: $0 for up to 10 users with 2 GB storage
• Standard Plan: $5.67/user/month (annual) or $6.70/user/month (monthly), decreases with scale
• Premium Plan: $10.83/user/month (annual) or $13.20/user/month (monthly) with 24/7 support and unlimited whiteboards
• Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing for 801+ users
• Data Center (Self-Managed): Starting at $28,000/year for 500 users

Pros

• Tight integration with Jira, Trello, and other Atlassian products
• Scales efficiently from small teams to 150,000+ users on a single site
• Volume-based discounts make it cost-effective for larger organizations
• Generous discounts for nonprofits, academic institutions, and open-source projects
• Solid permissions and security for enterprise compliance needs

Cons

• Can feel like overkill for smaller teams who don't need enterprise features
• Interface feels less modern compared to newer tools like Notion
• Premium features come with a noticeable price jump
• Search functionality is widely criticized: "The search function on confluence is absolute shit" (Reddit user)
• Recent price increases (October 2025) have frustrated long-term customers. One user reported costs jumping from "$150k to $500k per year in 3 years"
• SSO requires purchasing "Atlassian Guard" separately on Standard/Premium plans

When to Choose Confluence

Pick Confluence if you're a medium to large organization needing enterprise-grade knowledge management software, especially if Atlassian products are already part of your stack. It makes sense for teams requiring advanced permissions, compliance features, and the ability to scale to thousands of users.

4. Slite - Best for AI-Powered Knowledge

Best for: Growing teams that want AI-powered search and knowledge verification

Slite positions itself as a modern, AI-first knowledge base. The core idea is straightforward: get instant answers without digging through endless documents.

Key Features

• AI Assistant (Ask): Generative AI-powered queries that deliver instant answers without manual searching
• Doc Verification: Mark documents as validated sources of truth with different validity periods
• Analytics Dashboard: Track what your team reads, searches for, and whether content reaches everyone
• Intuitive Editor: Fast, clean editor that stays out of your way
• Real-Time Collaboration: Collaborate on docs with instant updates
• Super (AI Search): AI search that finds answers across your entire tech stack, not just Slite

Pricing

• Free Tier: Limited to 50 documents total
• Standard Plan: $8/user/month (billed annually)
• Knowledge Suite: $20/user/month (billed annually), includes enterprise search across connected apps
• Enterprise: Contact sales for SSO, SCIM, and audit logs
• Available discounts for eligible non-profit and academic organizations

Pros

• AI-first approach cuts down time spent hunting for information
• Doc verification helps ensure information stays current and accurate
• Clean, modern interface with minimal learning curve
• Generous discounts for nonprofits and academic organizations
• Good integrations with GitHub, Google Workspace, Slack, and Asana

Cons

• Mobile app performance is frequently criticized: "Can be painfully slow... notes open so slow that it's quite annoying" (Google Play Review)
• Free tier's 50-document limit is restrictive for most teams
• Lacks database and project management features found in Notion
• No offline editing capabilities
• SSO requires the $20/month Knowledge Suite tier

When to Choose Slite

Pick Slite if you want a modern, AI-first knowledge base that prioritizes quick access to verified information. It works well for growing teams who want to spend less time searching and more time doing actual work.

5. Tettra - Best for Slack-First Teams

Best for: Teams that live in Slack and want knowledge management directly in their workflow

Tettra focuses on organizing company knowledge and surfacing it right where teams already work, which for many means Slack.

Key Features

• Seamless Slack Integration: AI answers in DMs and channels, thread summarization, and the ability to mine answers from existing Slack conversations
• AI-Powered Features: AI answers, AI page tagging, AI FAQ generation, and training with Google Docs
• Questions and Answers: Built-in Q&A functionality to cut down on repetitive questions
• Web Publishing: Share knowledge externally when needed
• Unlimited Version History: Track all changes to documentation over time
• Document Ownership: Assign owners, set permissions, and request updates or reviews

Pricing

• Scaling Plan: $8/user/month (annual) or ~$10/month (monthly), minimum 10 users required, so the real starting price is $80/month
• Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing, includes SSO, SCIM, and dedicated support
• Free Trial: 30 days available
• Note: No free plan available, and the 10-user minimum means small teams pay for seats they don't use

Pros

• Deep Slack integration brings knowledge directly into your workflow
• AI can mine existing Slack conversations for answers
• Simple, focused feature set without overwhelming options
• Unlimited version history on paid plans
• 20% savings when paying annually

Cons

• Limited integrations beyond Slack, Zapier, Google Workspace, and GitHub
• 10-user minimum requirement means you pay for empty seats. A team of 4 pays $80/month, effectively $20/user instead of the advertised $8
• No free plan (only trial)
• Less suitable for teams not heavily using Slack
• Editor is described as "too simple" by power users: "Tettra champions a clean, streamlined approach... it's not quite as customizable to the needs of individual teams" (G2 Review)

When to Choose Tettra

Pick Tettra if your team lives in Slack and wants knowledge management that fits naturally into your communication workflow. It works particularly well for teams looking to reduce repetitive questions and capture institutional knowledge from Slack conversations.

6. Bloomfire - Best for Enterprise AI Search

Best for: Enterprise organizations needing advanced AI-powered search across large knowledge bases

Bloomfire is an enterprise-grade knowledge management platform built around powerful AI search and discovery for massive content libraries.

Key Features

• Advanced AI-Powered Search: Industry-leading AI search that quickly surfaces the most relevant information
• Generative AI Content Tools: AI-powered tools that simplify content creation and organization
• Enterprise Search Integrations: Connect with SharePoint, Google Drive, and other platforms for unified search
• Video Transcription and Indexing: Automatically transcribes and indexes videos so you can search within video content
• Q&A Functionality: Built-in Q&A that stores responses for future reference
• Unlimited Data Storage: No limits on content as your knowledge base grows
• Advanced Security: SOC 2 Type II compliance, end-to-end encryption, SSO, and SCIM
• Robust Analytics: Detailed insights into usage, engagement, and knowledge-sharing trends

Pricing

• No public pricing available, requires demo and consultation
• Three tiers: Team, Department, and Enterprise
• All plans billed on multi-year basis (no monthly option)
• No free plan or trial
• Pricing includes annual fixed cost plus fees for data migration and implementation services

Pros

• Industry-leading AI search capabilities for large knowledge bases
• Unlimited storage that scales with your organization
• Video transcription makes multimedia content searchable
• Enterprise-grade security and compliance
• Dedicated implementation support

Cons

• Expensive, especially for large teams (described by users as "higher side" and "quite expensive")
• Multi-year commitment required (no monthly billing)
• No free trial or free plan
• Must contact sales for pricing (no transparency)
• Likely overkill for small teams

When to Choose Bloomfire

Pick Bloomfire if you're a large enterprise with extensive knowledge bases that need advanced AI search, video transcription, and unlimited storage. It fits organizations where knowledge discovery is mission-critical and budget constraints are less of a concern.

Feature Comparison Table

Feature	Glitter AI	Notion	Confluence	Slite	Tettra	Bloomfire
Visual Documentation	✓✓✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
AI-Powered Search	✓	✓✓	✓	✓✓✓	✓✓	✓✓✓
Desktop App Recording	✓✓✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗
Real-Time Collaboration	✓	✓✓✓	✓✓✓	✓✓	✓✓	✓✓
Video Transcription	✓✓✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓✓✓
Free Plan	✓✓✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗
Slack Integration	✓	✓✓	✓✓	✓✓	✓✓✓	✓
Enterprise Security	✓✓	✓✓✓	✓✓✓	✓✓	✓✓	✓✓✓
Custom Workflows	✓	✓✓✓	✓✓	✓	✓	✓✓
Analytics & Reporting	✓	✓✓	✓✓✓	✓✓	✓	✓✓✓
Mobile Apps	✓	✓✓	✓✓	✓✓	✓	✓✓
API Access	✓	✓✓	✓✓✓	✓	✓	✓✓

Legend: ✓✓✓ = Excellent, ✓✓ = Good, ✓ = Basic, ✗ = Not Available

Pricing Comparison

Tool	Free Plan	Entry Pricing	Mid-Tier	Enterprise
Glitter AI	10 guides	$16-20/user/mo	$60-75/mo (Team, 5 users)	$8,000/yr+
Notion	Limited features	$10/user/mo	$20/user/mo (includes AI)	Custom
Confluence	Up to 10 users	$5.67/user/mo	$10.83/user/mo	Custom
Slite	50 docs limit	$8/user/mo	$20/user/mo	Custom
Tettra	No (30-day trial)	$8/user/mo (10 user min = $80/mo)	Enterprise	Custom
Bloomfire	No	Custom	Custom	Custom

Pricing as of December 2025. Annual billing typically offers 20% discount.

How to Choose the Right Guru Alternative

Picking the right knowledge management tool really comes down to your team's specific needs, budget, and how you actually work. Here's a quick framework to help you decide:

Choose Glitter AI if you need:

• Visual, step-by-step documentation for processes and SOPs
• Desktop app recording (Excel, Photoshop, SAP, etc.)
• Quick documentation creation without dedicated writing time
• Automatic screenshot and video capture
• A generous free tier for small teams

Choose Notion if you need:

• An all-in-one workspace combining knowledge, projects, and notes
• Maximum flexibility and customization
• A beautiful, modern interface
• Strong collaborative features
• A smaller team (pricing increases significantly at scale)

Choose Confluence if you need:

• Enterprise-grade knowledge management
• Deep Atlassian product integration
• Advanced permissions and security
• Ability to scale to thousands of users
• Compliance requirements

Choose Slite if you need:

• A modern, AI-first knowledge base
• Doc verification to ensure accuracy
• Quick answers without endless searching
• A clean, simple interface
• Reasonable pricing for small to medium teams

Choose Tettra if you need:

• Deep Slack integration
• Knowledge management directly in your communication workflow
• AI to mine existing Slack conversations
• A simple, focused feature set
• Your team already lives in Slack

Choose Bloomfire if you need:

• Advanced AI search across massive knowledge bases
• Video transcription and searchability
• Unlimited storage
• Enterprise security and compliance
• Multi-department or organization-wide deployment

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best free alternative to Guru?

Glitter AI offers the most generous free plan with 10 full guides including desktop and web recording. Confluence also provides a solid free tier for up to 10 users with unlimited pages. Notion has a free plan but AI capabilities are quite limited. For teams just starting with knowledge management, Glitter AI's free plan is tough to beat.

Which Guru alternative is best for visual documentation?

Glitter AI is purpose-built for visual documentation, automatically capturing screenshots and video as you work. It's the only tool in this comparison that records desktop applications and converts videos to step-by-step guides with AI. For teams creating training materials, SOPs, or onboarding guides, Glitter AI's visual approach is considerably faster than traditional text-based tools.

What's the most affordable Guru alternative?

Confluence's Standard plan at $5.67/user/month (annual) is competitive, especially for larger teams with volume discounts. Slite at $8/user/month is also reasonably priced. Be cautious with Tettra's advertised $8/user/month rate. It requires a 10-user minimum, so small teams end up paying $80/month regardless of size. That said, consider total cost of ownership: tools with generous free tiers like Glitter AI (10 guides free, no seat minimums) may prove more cost-effective for smaller teams who want to avoid paying for unused seats.

Which tool is best for enterprise organizations?

Confluence and Bloomfire both target enterprise deployments. Confluence shines with Atlassian product integration and impressive scalability (up to 150,000 users). Bloomfire brings superior AI search capabilities and video transcription for large knowledge bases. The choice often comes down to whether you prioritize integration (Confluence) or search capabilities (Bloomfire).

Can I migrate my data from Guru to these alternatives?

Most alternatives offer some form of migration support, though the ease varies. Confluence, Bloomfire, and Notion all provide migration services or tools. Glitter AI takes a different approach: rather than migrating old content, you create new visual documentation by simply recording your screen. Tettra integrates with Google Workspace to import existing docs. Reach out to each vendor's support team for specific migration assistance.

Which alternative has the best search functionality?

Bloomfire and Slite both position AI-powered search as core differentiators. Bloomfire's search can index video content and search across multiple connected platforms (SharePoint, Google Drive). Slite's AI Assistant provides instant answers without manual searching. For visual content search, Glitter AI's AI can process video and automatically identify key moments.

Do these tools integrate with Slack like Guru does?

Yes, most alternatives integrate with Slack, though the depth varies. Tettra offers the deepest Slack integration, with AI answers directly in channels and DMs. Confluence, Notion, and Slite all have solid Slack integrations for notifications and search. Glitter AI integrates with Slack for sharing guides. If Slack integration is critical, Tettra probably comes closest to matching Guru's Slack capabilities.

What's the difference between Guru and Glitter AI?

Guru focuses on organizing existing knowledge into searchable cards that integrate with your workflow. Glitter AI focuses on creating new visual documentation by recording your processes. Guru is text-based; Glitter AI is visual (screenshots, video clips). Guru works best for aggregating scattered information; Glitter AI works best for documenting processes before that knowledge walks out the door. They solve related but distinct problems.

Our Top Pick: Glitter AI for Visual Documentation

After comparing features, pricing, and use cases, Glitter AI stands out as the best Guru alternative for teams prioritizing visual documentation and process capture.

Here's the thinking:

Speed: Glitter creates documentation in minutes while you work, compared to hours of dedicated writing time with traditional tools.

Visual Clarity: Step-by-step guides with screenshots and video clips are simply easier to follow than text-only documentation, especially for complex processes.

Desktop Coverage: Unlike web-only tools, Glitter captures processes in any application, whether that's Excel, Photoshop, SAP, or custom enterprise software, through its desktop app.

Generous Free Tier: 10 full guides in the free plan (including desktop recording) makes it accessible to small teams. Unlike Tettra's 10-user minimum or Slite's 50-document cap, Glitter has no artificial restrictions that force premature upgrades.

Different Approach: While Guru helps you organize existing knowledge, Glitter helps you create knowledge by capturing institutional processes before employees leave.

Simple, Transparent Pricing: At $16-20/user/month with no seat minimums or hidden fees, Glitter avoids the pricing complexity that frustrates users of enterprise tools. No forced upgrades, no "SSO tax," no paying for seats you don't use.

That said, the "best" tool really depends on your specific needs:

• For all-in-one workspace flexibility, choose Notion
• For enterprise scale and Atlassian integration, choose Confluence
• For Slack-first teams, choose Tettra
• For AI-powered knowledge verification, choose Slite
• For enterprise AI search, choose Bloomfire

The knowledge management landscape has plenty of solid options beyond Guru. Whether you prioritize visual documentation, AI search, Slack integration, or enterprise features, there's a Guru alternative that fits your team's workflow and budget.

Ready to transform how your team captures and shares knowledge? Start with Glitter AI's free plan and experience the difference visual documentation makes.

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Related Resources:

• Knowledge Management Guide
• Process Documentation Guide
• Best Scribe Alternatives 2026
• Best Loom Alternatives 2026
• Best Notion Alternatives for Documentation 2026