Traditional knowledge base software is failing B2B teams. With customer expectations at an all-time high and 94% of B2B decision-makers reporting that omnichannel strategies are more effective than traditional approaches, static help centers can't compete with collaborative, AI-powered support platforms.

To help you build a shortlist of serious contenders, we've evaluated dozens of knowledge management and support platforms, analyzing their B2B capabilities, modern communication channel support, and real-world performance with collaborative customer relationships.

The result: We found 12 platforms that excel at serving modern B2B companies, but only a few truly understand that knowledge management and customer support have converged into something entirely new—collaborative customer experience platforms.

TL;DR of the best knowledge base software

Get a quick summary of our picks for the best knowledge base and customer support platforms below. For detailed analysis of each platform, scroll down to our comprehensive reviews.

Plain is the best overall knowledge base and customer support platform because of its AI-powered collaborative approach, lightning-fast performance, and native support for modern B2B communication. Transform static documentation into dynamic, conversational customer experiences across Slack, Teams, email, and your product.

Document360 remains the top choice for traditional technical documentation with AI-enhanced search, suitable for companies prioritizing static knowledge repositories over collaborative support.

Zendesk serves large enterprises with complex knowledge base needs and established ticketing workflows, though its approach separates knowledge from conversation management.

Notion excels for internal knowledge management and team wikis, perfect for smaller teams that need flexible documentation within their workspace.

Confluence dominates enterprise documentation with deep Atlassian integrations, ideal for development teams using Jira and other Atlassian tools.

Guru leads the knowledge cards approach with real-time information delivery through browser extensions and Slack integrations.

Help Scout offers excellent value for smaller teams with integrated knowledge base and email support capabilities.

Zendesk Guide provides traditional knowledge base functionality within the Zendesk ecosystem for existing customers.

Freshdesk delivers solid knowledge base features with multi-language support at competitive pricing.

Nuclino works well for visual knowledge organization with mind map-style connections between documents.

Zoho Desk serves small businesses with basic knowledge base needs integrated into broader support operations.

Intercom (Articles) supports product-led growth companies with in-app knowledge delivery and conversational support.

What is knowledge base software in 2025?

Knowledge base software in 2025 has evolved far beyond static documentation repositories. Modern platforms integrate knowledge directly into customer conversations, use AI to surface relevant information contextually, and enable collaborative support across multiple channels.

The fundamental shift reflects changing B2B buyer behavior: 80% of B2B business purchases are impacted by customer experience rather than price, and 70% of customers expect anyone they interact with to have full context of their situation.

Traditional knowledge bases forced customers to context-switch away from their workflows to search for answers. Modern collaborative platforms bring knowledge directly into active conversations, transforming support from transactional ticket resolution into ongoing customer partnership.

The evolution: Why traditional knowledge bases are failing

Research reveals why traditional knowledge base approaches can't meet modern B2B expectations:

Context switching kills productivity. B2B customers work in Slack, Teams, and Discord. Directing them to separate help centers interrupts their workflows and reduces satisfaction.

Static content can't match conversational expectations. 62% of customers expect experiences to flow naturally between digital and physical spaces, but traditional knowledge bases create artificial barriers between self-service and human support.

Lack of real-time updates creates outdated experiences. Fast-moving B2B products change rapidly, but traditional knowledge bases struggle to keep pace, leading to customer frustration with outdated information.

Siloed knowledge hurts team collaboration. 72% of leaders believe merging teams around customer experience increases operational efficiency, but traditional knowledge bases separate documentation from active customer communication.

No customer context leads to generic responses. Modern B2B support requires integration with customer data, usage patterns, and account history—capabilities that static knowledge bases simply cannot provide.

The benefits of modern collaborative knowledge platforms

Purpose-built collaborative platforms deliver measurable business impact that traditional knowledge bases cannot match:

Deliver measurable ROI. According to Bain & Company research, increasing customer retention rates by just 5% boosts profits by 25-95%. McKinsey shows experience-led growth companies achieve 5-10% revenue gains within two years.

Meet customers where they work. McKinsey's 2024 B2B research shows customers now use 10+ touchpoints across their journey, with collaborative platforms reducing friction across all channels.

Enable proactive support. AI-powered platforms can predict customer needs and surface relevant information before issues arise, rather than waiting for customers to search through documentation.

Scale efficiently while reducing costs. Forrester research demonstrates that modern platforms deliver 315% ROI over three years with less than 6-month payback periods.

Drive revenue through support. Salesforce's 2024 research reveals 91% of organizations now track service-driven revenue, up from 51% in 2018.

The 12 best knowledge base platforms for 2025

Based on our evaluation of modern B2B requirements, AI capabilities, collaborative features, and real-world performance, here are the top knowledge management platforms for 2025.

1. Plain – Best overall collaborative knowledge and support platform

Plain stands out as the best overall knowledge and support platform because it fundamentally reimagines how B2B companies share knowledge and support customers through collaborative, AI-powered experiences.

Collaborative knowledge management Plain's core innovation is transforming static documentation into dynamic, conversational experiences. Instead of directing customers to search through help centers, Plain's AI-powered knowledge base surfaces relevant information directly within Slack, Teams, email, and in-product conversations.

The platform's Ask AI feature lets customers chat with your knowledge base and get contextual answers in seconds, while seamlessly transitioning to human support when needed. This approach eliminates the artificial barrier between self-service and collaborative support that frustrates B2B customers.

Lightning-fast, AI-powered workflows Plain's 100ms interface means teams can respond to customers instantly, while AI automatically triages requests, drafts responses based on your documentation, and summarizes conversations in real-time.

According to Plain's published metrics, customers report 30-50% faster response times and up to 42% reduction in first response times compared to traditional platforms.

Developer-centric approach What sets Plain apart for B2B companies is its API-first architecture and deep integrations with engineering tools like Linear, GitHub, and Jira. This makes it seamless to escalate technical issues while keeping customers informed about resolution progress through the same collaborative channels.

Enterprise-ready security Plain meets the security standards B2B customers expect, with SOC2 Type II compliance, GDPR compliance, and enterprise-grade data protection built into the platform's architecture.

Customer success stories Companies like Sanity, Laravel, Stytch, and Raycast have migrated to Plain, with one customer noting: "Plain let us go from having to be everywhere all at once, to everything all in one place."

Pricing Plain offers transparent, team-based pricing that scales with your organization. View Plain's current pricing and start with a free 14-day trial.

2. Document360 – Best for traditional technical documentation

Document360 focuses on comprehensive technical documentation with AI-enhanced search capabilities, making it ideal for companies that need robust static knowledge repositories.

AI-powered search and content generation Document360's Eddy AI provides intelligent search that delivers answers 5X faster than traditional search, plus automated content generation for glossaries, summaries, and FAQs.

Comprehensive analytics The platform provides detailed insights into content performance, user behavior, and search patterns to help optimize your knowledge base.

Key strengths:

• Advanced technical writing features with Markdown support

• Comprehensive analytics and reporting

• Multi-language support and localization

• Custom branding and domain options

Considerations:

• Traditional approach separates knowledge from conversation

• Limited collaborative features compared to modern platforms

• Requires customers to context-switch away from their workflows

Pricing Starting at $149/project/month. View Document360's current pricing.

3. Zendesk – Best for large enterprise knowledge operations

Zendesk remains a solid choice for large enterprises with existing Zendesk implementations that need extensive knowledge base customization within their established ticketing workflows.

Mature knowledge base platform Zendesk Guide offers comprehensive article management, community forums, and integration with Zendesk's broader customer service ecosystem.

Advanced customization With Zendesk's platform capabilities, technical teams can create highly customized knowledge base experiences integrated directly into products.

Key strengths:

• Extensive customization capabilities

• Mature integration ecosystem

• Robust reporting and analytics

• Handles high-volume operations effectively

Considerations:

• Complex implementation and maintenance

• Separates knowledge base from modern communication channels

• Can be overwhelming for smaller teams

• Higher total cost of ownership

Pricing Multiple pricing tiers available. View Zendesk's current pricing.

4. Notion – Best for internal team knowledge management

Notion excels as an all-in-one workspace that includes flexible knowledge base capabilities, perfect for internal documentation and team wikis.

Flexible workspace integration Notion's strength lies in combining knowledge management with project management, notes, and team collaboration in one platform.

Collaborative editing Real-time collaborative editing makes it easy for teams to maintain and update internal documentation together.

Key strengths:

• Highly flexible and customizable

• Excellent for internal knowledge management

• Strong collaboration features

• Affordable pricing for small teams

Considerations:

• Limited customer-facing support features

• No AI-powered customer assistance

• Not designed for external customer support

• Performance can slow with large knowledge bases

Pricing Starting at $8/user/month. View Notion's current pricing.

5. Confluence – Best for enterprise development teams

Confluence dominates enterprise documentation with deep Atlassian integrations, making it ideal for development teams already using Jira and other Atlassian tools.

Deep Atlassian integration Confluence connects seamlessly with Jira, Bitbucket, and other Atlassian tools, enabling documentation that stays synchronized with development workflows.

Enterprise-grade permissions Sophisticated permission systems allow complex organizational structures to control access to different types of documentation.

Key strengths:

• Deep integration with development tools

• Enterprise security and compliance features

• Hierarchical content organization

• Strong template system

Considerations:

• Complex navigation can confuse external customers

• Limited modern communication channel integration

• Requires technical expertise to optimize

• Can become unwieldy for non-technical users

Pricing Starting at $5.75/user/month. View Confluence's current pricing.

6. Guru – Best for real-time knowledge delivery

Guru specializes in delivering bite-sized knowledge through browser extensions and integrations, making information accessible within existing workflows.

Context-aware knowledge delivery Guru's browser extension and Slack integration surface relevant knowledge based on the current context, reducing the need to search through documentation.

Knowledge verification system The platform includes workflows to keep information up-to-date through team verification and content ownership.

Key strengths:

• Context-aware information delivery

• Strong browser and communication integrations

• Knowledge verification workflows

• Good for sales and support teams

Considerations:

• Limited comprehensive documentation features

• Card-based approach may not suit all content types

• Less suitable for complex technical documentation

Pricing Starting at $10/user/month. View Guru's current pricing.

7. Help Scout – Best value for growing teams

Help Scout offers excellent value for smaller teams with integrated knowledge base and email support capabilities at accessible pricing.

Integrated support experience Help Scout combines knowledge base management with email-based customer support, creating a unified experience for both teams and customers.

Easy implementation The platform is designed for quick setup and adoption, making it accessible for teams without dedicated IT resources.

Key strengths:

• Intuitive interface and easy setup

• Good value for comprehensive features

• Strong knowledge base and email integration

• Excellent customer support

Considerations:

• Limited modern communication channel support

• Basic AI capabilities compared to newer platforms

• Email-centric approach may not suit all B2B customers

Pricing Starting at $20/user/month. View Help Scout's current pricing.

8-12. Additional platforms for specific use cases

Freshdesk provides solid multi-channel support with knowledge base features at competitive pricing, suitable for growing companies that need comprehensive capabilities without complexity.

Nuclino works well for visual knowledge organization with mind map-style connections, ideal for smaller teams that prefer visual content relationships.

Zoho Desk serves small businesses with integrated knowledge base features within broader support operations, good for companies already using Zoho's ecosystem.

Intercom Articles supports product-led growth companies with in-app knowledge delivery, though it lacks the collaborative features modern B2B customers expect.

GitBook caters to technical teams with Git-based documentation workflows, suitable for developer-focused companies that want documentation integrated with code repositories.

Industry research: The state of knowledge management

Understanding current market trends helps contextualize your platform choice. Here are key findings from recent research:

Customer expectation evolution

• 70% of customers expect full context in their support interactions (Zendesk)

• 62% expect seamless flow between digital and physical touchpoints (Zendesk)

• 58% say expectations are higher than a year ago (industry research)

AI adoption and impact

• AI triage reduces manual work by 80% while improving accuracy (industry research)

• 67% of consumers eager to use AI assistants for customer service tasks (Zendesk)

• 90% of CX leaders believe AI will resolve most issues without human intervention within years (Zendesk)

Business communication trends

• 94% of B2B decision-makers report omnichannel strategies are more effective (McKinsey)

• B2B customers use 10+ touchpoints across their journey (McKinsey)

• 47% of decision-makers consider omnichannel strategies very important for business success

ROI and cost effectiveness

• 315% ROI over three years for modern customer service platforms (Forrester)

• 5-10% revenue gains within two years for experience-led growth companies (McKinsey)

• 25-95% profit increase from just 5% improvement in retention rates (Bain & Company)

How to choose the right knowledge management platform

Selecting the right platform requires evaluating both your current needs and how they align with modern B2B customer expectations.

Answer key questions before evaluating platforms

Where do your customers prefer to get support? If they live in Slack, Teams, or Discord, choose platforms that bring knowledge directly into those conversations rather than redirecting to separate help centers.

How complex is your product? Simple products may work fine with traditional knowledge bases, but complex B2B solutions need platforms that can provide contextual, conversational support.

What's your team's technical capacity? Some platforms require significant setup and maintenance, while others work immediately. Be realistic about your implementation capabilities.

How quickly do you need results? Traditional knowledge bases can take months to optimize, while collaborative platforms like Plain can deliver immediate value.

Create a shortlist based on modern B2B criteria

Focus your evaluation on platforms that address contemporary B2B needs:

Collaborative communication support: Does it integrate with Slack, Teams, Discord, and other business messaging platforms?

AI-powered assistance: Can it provide contextual, intelligent responses rather than just search results?

Real-time knowledge delivery: Does it surface information proactively within customer workflows?

Team collaboration features: Can your internal teams collaborate on customer issues without context-switching?

Integration ecosystem: Will it connect with your existing business tools and customer data?

Test platforms with real scenarios

When evaluating platforms, test them with scenarios that reflect your actual customer support challenges:

• Complex product questions requiring technical expertise

• Customers asking questions within Slack or Teams

• Knowledge that needs to stay current with rapid product changes

• Internal team collaboration on customer issues

• Integration with your existing tool stack

Consider total cost of ownership

Beyond licensing costs, factor in:

• Implementation time and complexity

• Training requirements for your team

• Ongoing maintenance and content management

• Integration development and maintenance costs

• Customer satisfaction impact of different approaches

Conclusion

The knowledge management landscape has fundamentally evolved. Static help centers can't compete with collaborative, AI-powered platforms that meet B2B customers where they work and provide contextual, conversational support experiences.

While traditional knowledge bases still serve certain use cases, the most successful B2B companies are adopting platforms that integrate knowledge directly into customer communication channels. As the research shows, 80% of B2B purchases are driven by experience rather than price, making your platform choice a critical business decision.

Plain leads this evolution by transforming static documentation into dynamic, collaborative customer experiences. Whether you're scaling a growing B2B company or transforming support at an established enterprise, the key is choosing a solution that aligns with how your customers actually work and communicate.

Ready to experience collaborative knowledge management? Plain offers a free trial so you can see how AI-powered, conversational knowledge delivery works for your team and customers.

Looking to transform your customer support approach? Book a demo with Plain to see how collaborative knowledge management can revolutionize your B2B customer experience.