8 Best Free Knowledge Base Software [2025]

Every company has questions that come up again and again—where to find product info, how onboarding works, or what the latest policy on refunds is. And when that information is scattered across emails, Slack threads, personal folders, or someone’s memory, it slows everyone down. 

Every company deals with repetitive questions on a daily basis. Questions like, “How do I reset my password?” or “What’s the return policy?” are extremely common. And when that information is scattered across emails, Slack threads, personal folders, or someone’s memory, it slows everyone down. 

New hires struggle to get up to speed. Support teams repeat the same answers. Projects get held up because people just can’t find what they need.

A free knowledge base tool can help clear up that mess. It gives your team (and customers) a single place to find answers quickly, without having to ping someone else for help. 

We spent some time testing and researching the best free knowledge base software available right now. In this guide, you’ll understand exactly what each tool does, and if there any limitations. 

Table of Contents

• What is a free knowledge base software?   
• Key features you should look for in a free knowledge base tool 
• Quick Comparison of free knowledge base tools: What’s actually free?
• 8 best free knowledge base tools and what they offer 
• Don’t overthink it—just pick a free knowledge base and get started
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• Start using Hiver today

What is a free knowledge base software?

A free knowledge base software is a tool that lets you create an central, searchable hub of important information without paying for it. Think of it as your team’s own internal or public-facing Wikipedia.

It helps you document and organize everything from:

• Customer FAQs and troubleshooting guides
• Employee onboarding processes and SOPs
• Product documentation and policies

Instead of repeating the same answers or digging through old emails and chats, people can just search the knowledge base and find what they need instantly. Knowledge bases typically fall into three categories:

• Internal knowledge base – This is meant for your internal teams and is a repository of onboarding docs, HR policies, workflows, SOPs.
• External knowledge base – This is for your customers. They can search the knowledge base to find answers to FAQs, troubleshoot issues, and check out how-to manuals.
• Mixed – Some tools let you manage both, with access controls to keep sensitive content secure.

Key features you should look for in a free knowledge base tool

When you’re choosing a free knowledge base software, here are the features that matter most, especially if you want something easy to set up, scalable, and genuinely useful on a zero budget.

✅ Article editor that’s easy to use

Look for a clean, intuitive editor that supports:

• Headings, bullets, links, and images
• Code blocks or tables (essential for technical documentation)
• Autosave and draft mode

You shouldn’t need to train your team to use it. They should feel that it’s as familiar as writing in Google Docs.

✅ Search functionality

Your knowledge base is only as good as its search.

• Must have: a built-in search bar that returns fast, relevant results 
• Bonus: highlights keywords inside articles, offers filters
• Red flag: tools that restrict search behind a paywall

✅ Categories and content organization

Structure matters as your content grows.

• Look for folders, tags, or categories
• Support for nested topics (e.g., FAQs > Billing > Refunds) improves navigation
• Drag-and-drop ordering is useful for reordering pages as things evolve

✅ Permissions and access control

If you’re managing both internal and external content, this is critical. Even free plans should let you:

• Set visibility levels (public vs internal-only articles)
• Restrict access by team, role, or login
• Keep sensitive content safe without compromising usability

✅ Custom domain or basic branding

If you’re customer-facing, a polished, on-brand help center builds trust.

• Add your logo, favicon, and brand colors
• Use a custom subdomain (e.g., help.yourcompany.com)
• Some free tools allow light branding; removing their watermark is usually part of paid plans.

✅ Collaboration and version control

For teams creating content together:

• Real-time editing or multi-user access
• Version history to track changes and restore old drafts
• Internal comments or annotations for peer reviews

✅ Basic analytics and reporting

Even minimal insights can improve your documentation.

• View counts and most-read articles
• “No results found” search terms (shows content gaps)
• Reader feedback (like thumbs up/down or “Was this helpful?”)

✅ Integrations or embeddable widgets

Boost discoverability and access with simple integrations:

• Embed KB articles in your app or website
• Use browser extensions or quick-access widgets
• Link with chat tools (Slack, Intercom, MS Teams, etc.)

✅ Article limits and data portability

Don’t get locked in or caught off guard:

• Check for caps on the number of articles, users, or storage
• Understand whether your data is exportable
• Know if your content remains accessible if you downgrade or stop using the tool

Quick Comparison of free knowledge base tools: What’s actually free?

8 best free knowledge base tools and what they offer

1. Hiver: Get essential knowledge base features for free

Hiver is an AI-powered customer service platform that makes it easy for teams to manage email, live chat, WhatsApp, and voice channels—without pulling them into a new, complex interface. It also comes with a built-in knowledge base, so you can start documenting FAQs, SOPs, and help content for both your team and your customers.

What sets Hiver apart? The knowledge base capability is included in the tool’s forever-free plan, along with other critical support features such as shared inbox (email support), chat, WhatsApp, and internal collaboration. 

Hiver’s interface looks and feels just like your inbox, so it’s extremely easy to get started. This is in stark contrast to a lot of knowledge-base tools that come with extensive onboarding processes.  

Key Features

• Selective access control: Control who can view what. Grant access to specific articles only to authorized team members. 
• Unlimited articles on the free plan: Create as much documentation as you need. There are no storage or publishing limits. 
• Search functionality: Built-in search helps your team or customers find relevant articles quickly.  
• Custom branding + domain: Make your help center look professional with your own logo and URL. 
• Real-time feedback: Add a contact form so users can flag unclear or unhelpful content. This gives you insights on how to improve the quality of documentation over time.
• AI-powered assistance: Hiver’s AI Copilot lets your team query the knowledge base directly and get instant answers, reducing time spent digging through documents.  

2. Flowlu: End-to-end work management platform that offers a free knowledge base

Flowlu is a business management platform that includes a surprisingly robust knowledge base, available as part of its free plan. You can create unlimited knowledge bases at no cost, making it ideal for teams that manage multiple clients, departments, or projects and want to centralize knowledge in one place.

Key Features:

• Unlimited knowledge bases: Create separate spaces for internal teams, client projects, or public help docs, without limitations on the free plan.
• Access permissions: Control who can view, edit, or manage each knowledge base by setting up different user roles.
• Cloud-based access: Your documentation is available from any device, with automatic sync and backups.
• Integrated workspace: Works alongside CRM, task management, invoicing, and time tracking. No app-switching needed.

3. Guru: A smart internal wiki with AI-powered search and verification

Guru is an internal knowledge base platform designed to help teams document and access critical information—right when and where they need it. From onboarding guides and sales playbooks to process documentation and product FAQs, Guru serves as a centralized source of truth that integrates deeply into the tools your team already uses.

Unlike traditional knowledge base tools, Guru doesn’t rely on users “going somewhere else” to find information. Its browser extension and Slack integration surface answers in context, making it easy for employees to find what they need without juggling tabs. 

That said, Guru is built primarily for internal use—it doesn’t offer a native way to publish public-facing content. Also, as your documentation scales, it can take effort to keep everything well-structured and up-to-date.

Key Features:

• Verification workflows: Assign reviewers and set content expiration dates to keep documentation fresh.
• AI-powered search: Find answers across connected tools like Google Drive, Slack, and Confluence.
• Smart duplicate detection: Flags similar entries to reduce clutter and ensure consistency.
• Browser extension & Slack integration: Surface answers without leaving your current tab or chat.
• Customizable templates: Speed up content creation with plug-and-play formats for policies, playbooks, and how-tos.

4. BookStack: A self-hosted, open-source knowledge base that feels like a digital library

If you’re looking for a free knowledge base tool you can host on your own server, BookStack is worth checking out. What sets it apart is its library-style structure: content is organized into shelves, books, chapters, and pages. 

This setup makes it especially useful for teams that manage large volumes of documentation and want a visually clean way to organize by function, department, or topic.

The platform is designed for simplicity. The interface is minimal, distraction-free, and easy to navigate, even for non-technical users. Teams can choose between a rich WYSIWYG editor or Markdown mode, depending on their workflow. It also comes with built-in search, user permissions, and customization options that make it practical for internal documentation.

Key Features:

• WYSIWYG and Markdown editors: Choose between simple drag-and-drop formatting or Markdown with live preview.
• Built-in diagrams.net support: Add flowcharts and visuals directly within pages.
• Full-text search: Search across or within books, with deep linking to specific sections.
• Customizable interface: Update the logo, name, access settings, and public/private visibility. 
• Authentication options: Integrate with GitHub, Google, LDAP, SAML, and more for secure logins. 

5. Documize Community: An open-source knowledge base built for structure and flexibility

Documize Community is a free, open-source knowledge base platform designed for teams that want to manage both internal and external documentation, on their own infrastructure. Unlike tools that enforce strict folder hierarchies, Documize gives you the flexibility to organize content by spaces, labels, and categories, making it easier to evolve your structure as your company grows.

The editor supports a mix of content formats, from rich text and Markdown to embedded diagrams, PDFs, and even third-party tools like Jira or Trello. That makes it especially valuable for teams that need to maintain both technical and non-technical documentation in one unified platform.

Key Features:

• Approval workflows: Manage updates with draft → review → and publish workflows
• Version control: Track content changes over time and restore previous versions if needed
• Composable content blocks: Combine rich text, code, embeds, diagrams, and more on a single page.
• Authentication and access controls: Integrate with LDAP, Active Directory, or Keycloak for secure, role-based permissions

6. Mybase: A personal knowledge base for offline use

Mybase is a free-form, offline knowledge base designed for individuals and small teams who want full control over their data, without depending on the cloud. It lets you capture and organize unstructured information like text, documents, images, emails, web pages, and more, all within a structured, tree-style database.

Unlike most knowledge base tools, Mybase runs entirely on your local machine and stores content as encrypted database files. You can group information into hierarchical categories and sub-notes, and format content using a familiar, word processor-style editor. This makes it especially handy for researchers, writers, or professionals who deal with mixed data types and want to work without internet access.

Key Features:

• Free-form data capture: Store notes, images, web clippings, PDFs, emails, and other files without rigid formatting rules
• Rich text editor: Format your content with different fonts, colors, images, and links with ease.
• Offline-first design: All data is saved locally and can be encrypted
• Built-in task manager: Create to-do lists, set reminders, and track tasks by priority or due date

7. XWiki: A powerful self-hosted wiki for teams and enterprises

XWiki is an open-source, self-hosted wiki platform built for organizations that need a highly customizable and scalable documentation system. It’s especially suited for teams that want to maintain structured internal knowledge—from company policies and SOPs to product architecture and development workflows.

What sets XWiki apart is its extensibility. You can organize documentation using a hierarchical page system, apply granular permission settings at every level, and even build custom apps or workflows directly on top of the platform. The editor supports both WYSIWYG and Markdown, which means both technical and non-technical users can contribute easily

Key Features:

• Granular permission controls: Set viewing and editing rights by user, group, or page 
• Version history and rollback: Track changes and revert to earlier content if needed.
• Search and tagging: Use advanced search and filters to find pages quickly. 
• Templates and macros: Standardize documentation with reusable components
  

8. SiYuan – A privacy-first, self-hosted knowledge base for personal use

SiYuan is an open-source, self-hosted personal knowledge management system for users who prioritize data privacy, offline access, and full control. Unlike traditional note-taking apps, SiYuan is built around block-level content organization. This means every paragraph, list item, or table is a modular block that can be structured, folded, and linked independently.

All content lives on your local device by default. You can use SiYuan fully offline, and if needed, sync data across devices with end-to-end encryption via SiYuan Sync (a paid option). This makes it a great fit for anyone who wants to keep sensitive information away from cloud servers, while still enjoying modern documentation capabilities.

Key Features:

• Markdown WYSIWYG editor: Seamless rich text formatting with block-level control
• Outliner and folding: Structure your knowledge hierarchically using collapsible content blocks
• AI integration: Use OpenAI-powered features for writing assistance and knowledge querying
• Database-style views: Manage and visualize structured data with relations, filters, and rollups
  

Don’t overthink it—just pick a free knowledge base and get started

A knowledge base doesn’t need to be perfect on day one—but it does need to exist. Whether you’re trying to reduce support load, onboard users faster, or keep internal knowledge aligned, the right tool can help you get there faster.

The best part? You don’t have to spend a dollar to get started. If you’re looking for something simple and cloud-based, tools like Hiver offer powerful features even on a free plan, including unlimited articles, access control, and AI-powered search. If privacy or customization is your priority, self-hosted options like BookStack, Documize, or XWiki give you complete control.

Start small—maybe with a few FAQs, SOPs, or onboarding checklists. Once these are in place, it becomes easier to expand and maintain.

Pick the tool that fits your workflow. Set it up. Get the basics down. You’ll thank yourself later.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What’s the difference between a knowledge base and a wiki?

A knowledge base is typically structured for quick access to FAQs, help articles, and SOPs. A wiki is more open-ended and collaborative, allowing anyone to edit and contribute freely. 

2. Are free knowledge base tools really free?

Yes, but with limits. Most free knowledge base software offers core features at no cost for individuals or small teams. However, some tools may restrict the number of users, articles, or storage. Always check what’s included in the free tier, especially search, branding, and access controls.

3. Can I use a free knowledge base software for both internal and external content?

Yes—if the tool supports access control. Platforms like Hiver and Documize let you create both internal documentation and public-facing help centers. Others, like Guru or Mybase, are designed only for internal use.

4. What’s the best free self-hosted knowledge base software?

If you want full control over your data, the best free self-hosted options are BookStack, Documize Community, and XWiki. These are open-source platforms you can run on your own server, offering customization, privacy, and flexibility.

5. Does any free knowledge base software offer AI features?

Yes, but they’re limited. Guru includes AI-powered search in its free plan, and SiYuan supports AI writing assistance via OpenAI API. Tools like Hiver offer an AI Copilot, though availability may depend on the plan.

6. Can I migrate my existing documentation into a knowledge base tool?

Absolutely. Most tools support importing content from Word, Markdown, or Google Docs. Look for platforms that offer import/export options, or integrations with tools like Notion or Confluence to simplify the process.

7. Do I need technical skills to set up a self-hosted knowledge base?

Some, yes. Tools like BookStack or XWiki require basic knowledge of hosting, databases, and server management. However, they often provide step-by-step documentation to guide the setup process.