Top private knowledge base software tools for 2026

Full disclosure: I am the Knowledge Goddess and Chief Executive Owl at KnowledgeOwl, so you aren’t getting a totally unbiased opinion. But you probably already knew that because you are on the KnowledgeOwl website. So why listen to me? I talk to a LOT of people about knowledge bases, and I’m always happy to share when KnowledgeOwl isn’t the best fit for someone and point them towards a better solution for their needs. Great customer service is my jam, and I will always do my best to help you find the best solution for your needs, even if it’s not KnowledgeOwl.

If you are here for the goods, here are some quick links to my totally biased top private knowledge base picks:

• KnowledgeOwl

• HelpDocs

• Helpjuice

• Document360

I’ve been working in the knowledge base software industry for over 10 years, and I’ve only recently realized a crucial priority for many of our software company clients: the need for a private knowledge base.

Can you relate to any of the following wants/needs?

1. You want customers to be able to self-serve without allowing competitors to see how your software works.

2. You want to be able to publish your product documentation online but prevent non-paying customers from being able to see it.

3. You want to be able to share restricted content with only employees or specific customers.

If so, you are not alone!

Securing intellectual property is critical for many of our customers, and there can be risks associated with making product and company information accessible online.

So, how do you allow your customers to self-serve, easily share up-to-date product documentation and help materials, and give different folks access to different content based on their needs? You build a private knowledge base / help center.

Since KnowledgeOwl has always provided the option to make your knowledge bases public, private, or a mix of both, we didn’t really understand how big of a deal these options were until we started talking to our customers about why they chose KnowledgeOwl.

"The biggest win, which is why I eventually signed up, was that [KnowledgeOwl] was one of the few (if only) platforms that gave you the ability to create different groups and control which articles could be seen by those groups. This is the killer feature which is allowing me to segment content by group internally and externally so that I can have both public and private articles all managed within one system. Don't ever change this feature, it sets you apart." - Brian from Rewrite

This is something we keep hearing over and over again, so I decided to do some research to determine the best private knowledge base solutions.

So without further ado, here are my totally biased picks for the top private knowledge base solutions.

Bonus: our team also put together a (mostly unbiased) Private Knowledge Base Comparison Tool that you can copy and use for your own knowledge base software evaluation.

Top pick: KnowledgeOwl

Surprise! 😆 My top pick for private knowledge base software is KnowledgeOwl. Our team uses KnowledgeOwl for our customer-facing Support Knowledge Base as well as for our internal company knowledge bases.

I’m not just the CEO, I’m also a customer (RIP Sy Sperling). I use KnowledgeOwl to create help sites for some of my private clients.

About KnowledgeOwl:

• Founded: 2015 (formerly known as HelpGizmo from 2011-2015)

• CEO: Marybeth Alexander (that’s me!)

Pros:

• Easy-to-use and powerful

• Straightforward pricing

• Great documentation (we get compliments all the time!)

• Great customer service (don’t just take my word for it, read our reviews!)

• Gives back (B Corp Certified and member of 1% for the Planet)

Cons:

• Multilingual / translations not fully baked into the product

• No chatbot/AI

• No free option

Who is KnowledgeOwl best for?
KnowledgeOwl is best for companies looking for a comprehensive, user-friendly knowledge base solution with excellent customer support and a strong commitment to social responsibility.

Why choose KnowledgeOwl?
Choose KnowledgeOwl if you need a reliable, feature-rich knowledge base solution that offers great value at all plan levels and outstanding customer service. Or if you really like owls!

Runner-up: HelpDocs

If KnowledgeOwl didn’t exist, I would be very tempted to look into HelpDocs. They remind me a lot of KnowledgeOwl. Like us, they have sponsored Write the Docs. Their website, with the pink branding and happy animal illustrations, is delightful. Plus, they're a small two-person team, which I find charming and authentic.

About HelpDocs:

• Founded: 2016

• CEO: Taylor Sloane

Pros:

• Pink branding

• Animals!

• Great looking support docs

• Straightforward pricing tiers

Cons:

• Advanced permissions, SSO, and other features are only available on the top tier

• No owls (but they do have animals and a cute pink bookmark!)

Who is HelpDocs best for?
HelpDocs is ideal for small support teams and startups that value simplicity, transparency, and a friendly, approachable brand.

Why choose HelpDocs?
Consider HelpDocs if you’re looking for a straightforward, charming knowledge base solution and don’t require advanced permissions and SSO at lower pricing tiers.

Honorable mention: Helpjuice

Helpjuice has been our top competitor since we brought KnowledgeOwl to market as HelpGizmo. When we started, there were only a handful of standalone knowledge base solutions that weren’t part of larger help desk solutions.

About Helpjuice:

• Founded: 2011 

• CEO: Emil Hajric (Founder and CEO)

Pros:

• Straightforward pricing

• All features at all plan levels (with the exception of auto-translations)

• Free customizations

• Friendly and accessible CEO (hi, Emil!)

Cons:

• Lack of owls

Who is Helpjuice best for?
Helpjuice is great for companies looking for a straightforward pricing model and access to all features across all plan levels, with the exception of auto-translations.

Why choose Helpjuice?
Helpjuice is a solid choice if you need a comprehensive knowledge base solution with straightforward pricing and don’t mind the lack of a free option.

Honorable mention: Document360

Document360 is one of the top knowledge base solutions and it’s quite different from the others in this list. Document360 has a strong corporate feel and focuses on being an "AI-powered" solution. Their marketing style is more traditional and very polished, which appeals to some organizations.

About Document360:

• Founded: 2017 (built during a 14-day hackathon!)

• CEO: Saravana Kumar (CEO of Kovai.co, which makes BizTalk360, Document360, Turbo360, and Churn360)

Pros:

• Robust feature set

• Lots of AI-powered functionality

• Established company that doesn’t appear to be going anywhere

Cons: 

• Pricing escalates quickly for private knowledge bases and add-on features

• No owls

Who is Document360 best for?
Document360 is suitable for larger organizations that need advanced features and customization options and are willing to invest in a higher-priced solution.

Why choose Document360?
Choose Document360 if you need a feature-rich, customizable knowledge base solution and can accommodate a higher budget.

Comparison table

*KnowledgeOwl was formerly HelpGizmo from (2011-2015) and we have a bunch of customers who were with us when we were HelpGizmo.

**ChatGPT conversation was from July 14, 2024.

Next steps

If you are thinking KnowledgeOwl might be a good fit for you, feel free to schedule a 15-minute discovery call to talk through your needs and what we have to offer. There won’t be any sales pitch or pressure, but there might be a few owl puns. We’d love to help point you in the right direction to whichever type of knowledge base or knowledge management solution you need.

Finding the right tool for the job: To help you find the right knowledge base software for your needs, we’ve created a free knowledge base software comparison tool: https://www.knowledgeowl.com/private-knowledge-base-comparison-tool