Confluence is $5.75/user/mo (Standard). Decision Log is a self-hosted alternative at $0.99/mo. Here's when each makes sense.
| Decision Log | Confluence | |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Self-hosted, your infra | Managed SaaS (cloud only) |
| Data location | Your server, your disk | Confluence's cloud |
| Free tier | 50 decisions | Paid only |
| Pro pricing | $0.99/mo | $5.75/user/mo (Standard) |
| Dependencies | None (single binary + SQLite) | N/A (managed) |
| Setup time | ~30 seconds | Account signup |
| Dashboard | Built-in at /ui | Cloud dashboard |
| License | BSL 1.1 | Proprietary SaaS |
Decision Log is a single Go binary with embedded SQLite. Install it with one command, and you are running in under a minute. Your data stays on your server.
curl -fsSL https://stockyard.dev/decisionlog/install.sh | sh
The decision between Decision Log and Confluence usually comes down to one question: do you need the breadth of features that Confluence offers, or would a focused tool that stays out of your way be a better fit? Confluence has spent years building an ecosystem around decision tracker. Decision Log does one thing well and gives you complete control of the underlying data.
The operational difference is significant. Confluence requires you to trust their infrastructure, their security practices, and their business continuity. Decision Log requires you to run a process and keep the data directory backed up. If your server dies, restore the binary and the SQLite file to a new server. The entire recovery procedure fits in a single paragraph because there is nothing else involved.
Moving from Confluence does not have to be all-or-nothing. Some teams run Decision Log for new data while keeping Confluence as a read-only archive of historical records. The API makes it straightforward to build a sync script if you need both systems to reflect the same data during a transition period.
Single binary. Free to start. $0.99/mo for Pro.