XWiki vs Microsoft 365

Pricing

In terms of pricing, Microsoft 365 offers a plethora of plans. A business subscription can set you back at either 7.00 EUR/user/month or 11 EUR/user/month if you opt for the Premium Business Plan. XWiki, on the other hand, starts as low as 1.00 EUR/user/month and, from the Silver Plan upwards at 3.00 EUR/user/month, it includes all extensions and apps for no additional costs.

The main discrepancy lies in the fact that while Microsoft 365 offers a free 30-day trial, XWiki is an Open Source software and therefore entirely accessible to anyone, for free. We are strong believers of the Open Source core, but also of letting you make your own choices. While it is not the perfect solution, it provides the best (and possibly, only) guarantee that software can be trusted. You choose where you deploy, what services you use and what features you need, but you are also free to change your mind at any point in time.

Comparison between XWiki and Microsoft 365

In terms of technology and features

In terms of usage: Suite of Apps vs Collaborative platform

Microsoft 365 is a cloud-based service integrating the familiar Microsoft Office desktop and helping people seamlessly create and share content. XWiki, on the other hand, is an Open Source software in the form of a second-generation wiki, with a focus on answering Enterprise Information Organization and Collaboration needs. Microsoft 365 combines the functionalities and features of numerous apps, therefore appealing to a wide variety of uses cases. Meanwhile, XWiki is a "Knowledge Management and Collaboration" specialized platform, with a focus on answering more complex knowledge management needs: sales/support knowledge base, extranet, procedures and more.

While with Microsoft 365 you can allow external access to documents or build internal spaces for knowledge sharing, XWiki can enable you to share information as a full intranet or even create information sharing websites. Features like the WYSIWYG editor, PDF export, file attachments, and rights management are just a few which can help you systematize information. Developed with the help of a community of passionate developers, XWiki is advancing at a fast pace which ensures compatibility and strong security. We take privacy and security seriously, which is why XWiki has in place a set of features that ensure personal files are protected. With its structured data model, you can also ease the creation and editing of information. In combination with the ability to filter by tags and the advanced search, your wiki's navigation capabilities will be drastically improved. However, we're not all talk. Our clients believe the same and have continuously expressed how XWiki helped them achieve their organizational goals: "We retained XWiki to develop a tailored Document Management system using the Collaboration Suite. We are really pleased with the results - and the fact that the project was delivered on time and on budget. It is a flexible and reliable solution for knowledge and document management and more."

In terms of flexibility: Proprietary vs Open Source software

The key difference between XWiki and MIcrosoft 365 lies in the potential development on top of the standard platform. Microsoft 365 is a proprietary software, distribute as-it-is and therefore providing limited hosting options. Meanwhile, XWiki is an Open Source software adaptable to any business requirements. Microsoft 365 provides the tools necessary for collaboration and communication in an enterprise but has limited customization abilities. XWiki, on the other hand, allows developers to tweak the source code to meet any enterprise or individual's needs. In fact, XWiki integrates with Microsoft 365. With the application, you can connect XWiki to Microsoft 365 and display office documents from OneDrive inside XWiki. It also allows you to search for OneDrive documents on the XWiki search page.

Microsoft 365's flexibility lies in the package of apps it provides and the 2,000+ add-ons available in the Microsoft AppSource store. By contrast, XWiki's high level of flexibility directly results from its Open Source core. With over 750 extensions and apps, it is an extensible and versatile collaborative platform. Whether you are looking for a solution to help with your document management or create a directory accessible to both internal and external individuals, with XWiki it is all feasible. Even as a non-technical user, you can create your own apps with App Within Minutes. Similarly, Microsoft 365 proposes PowerApps, a low-code development platform for solving challenges with custom business solutions. The main difference is that App Within Minutes focuses on solving the most common use cases and does not include all types of features, which can be added by developers for an increased level of extensibility. Your XWiki instance can become anything you need it to be in order to meet your needs.

What makes XWiki the right choice?

The advantages of an Open Source model

As software developed under the LGPL license and backed up by over 500 projects over the past 15 years, XWiki’s main strength lies in its Open Source nature. There are certain benefits that come along with this which would otherwise not be possible in the case of proprietary software like MIcrosoft 365.

• More opportunities for innovation. XWiki fosters innovation and transparency through the freedom it offers for development. Since it relies on the concept of community, contributors are freely and willingly working to improve the product. At XWiki SAS, we, too, are strong believers of this. As such, XWiki is a secure investment and has a better ROI as a result of the ongoing updates and improvements developed by the community.

• Scalable and adaptable. XWiki encourages thinking beyond preset features. Its customization abilities are the core. You can start with a simple knowledge base and then upgrade it to undertake intricate projects. The source code can be tweaked and modified without restrictions, offering you a broader range of possibilities in terms of tailoring solutions, which would be otherwise limited in the case of proprietary software.  With XWiki, meeting your company's needs becomes easy, be it in the form of Intranet, Extranet or even as a Website.

• No vendor lock-in. Choosing where to deploy, what services to use and what features do the job is up to you. You don't have to deal with license fees, a lack of portability or the inability to customize the software as you wish. XWiki can effectively address all these needs. It can be deployed both on your server or our Cloud, but there is no vendor lock-in so you are free to change your mind at any point.

• The power of the crowd. XWiki benefits from the Open Source values which dictate that the source code will always be available for further improvements. This means the sky is the limit in terms of who can contribute. The community is continuously reviewing code, making improvements and fixing security gaps. The collective power of such a community of talented individuals coming together not only delivers more ideas but quicker development and troubleshooting.