The main Glean alternatives are Onyx (open-source, self-hosted search), Microsoft 365 Copilot (for Microsoft 365 organizations), Atlassian Rovo (for Jira and Confluence teams), Guru (verified answers), Notion and Slite (wikis with AI), and Reattend (organizational memory captured from work). Pick by what is missing: search, price, hosting or knowledge that was never written.
Disclosure: Reattend is our product. Details below are from vendors' public pages as of October 2026.
Why do teams look for Glean alternatives?
Glean is a strong enterprise search and agent platform with a large connector library. Teams look elsewhere for a few common reasons:
- Pricing: Glean does not publish seat prices; its docs describe per-user licensing plus AI usage (Glean docs). Smaller teams often want published, self-serve pricing.
- Hosting: some organizations need on-premise or air-gapped deployment.
- Scope: search finds what exists. If decisions are never written down, there is nothing to find.
Glean alternatives compared
| Alternative | Type | Hosting | Pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onyx | Open-source AI search | Self-host, air-gappable | Open source (MIT) plus an Enterprise Edition | Engineering-led teams |
| Microsoft 365 Copilot | AI over Microsoft 365 | Microsoft cloud | Check with Microsoft | Microsoft 365 shops |
| Atlassian Rovo | AI search and agents | Atlassian cloud | Included in paid cloud plans, with credits | Jira and Confluence users |
| Guru | Verified knowledge base | Check with Guru | Tailored, not published | Support and sales teams |
| Notion | Workspace with AI | Check with Notion | Check with Notion | Teams that write a lot |
| Slite | Knowledge base with AI | Check with Slite | Check with Slite | Small and mid-size teams |
| Reattend | Organizational memory | Cloud; on-premise scoped per engagement | Published (see pricing) | Knowledge never written down; regulated sectors |
1. Onyx: open-source Glean alternative
Onyx (formerly Danswer) connects to 50+ applications and offers AI search and chat. It can be self-hosted, including an air-gappable deployment, with self-hosted models (GitHub). Best if you have engineers to run it.
2. Microsoft 365 Copilot
If your work lives in Outlook, Teams and SharePoint, Copilot works over your Microsoft 365 data. Check Microsoft for current licensing.
3. Atlassian Rovo
Rovo is included with Standard, Premium and Enterprise cloud plans of Jira and Confluence, with monthly credit allowances pooled across the organization (Atlassian). Natural for Atlassian customers.
4. Guru
Guru focuses on verified knowledge with AI answers and many integrations. Its pricing is tailored rather than published (Guru).
5. Notion
Notion includes AI features in its workspace. Strong if your team already writes in Notion.
6. Slite
A lighter knowledge base with AI answers. A practical choice for smaller teams.
7. Reattend
Reattend takes a different approach from search. A desktop app on each computer remembers decisions, commitments, facts and meeting notes as work happens, and syncs only that derived knowledge to the organization under record-level access rules. Raw capture stays on the device. It adds workflows Glean does not focus on: exit interviews that become handoff documents, a view of topics only one person holds, a first-week packet for joiners, and policies people read and accept. On-premise deployment is scoped per engagement, and it supports single sign-on via OIDC (Entra ID, Okta, Google Workspace). The Mac app is the main client; Windows is in pilot.
See the head-to-head: Reattend vs Glean.
How to choose
- Need search across many tools now? Glean, Onyx or Copilot.
- Need published pricing? Rovo or Reattend.
- Need air-gapped? Onyx. For Reattend on your own infrastructure, on-premise deployment is scoped per engagement.
- Losing knowledge when people leave? Reattend, plus a knowledge transfer plan.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Glean?
It depends on why you are looking. For open-source and self-hosted search, Onyx. For Microsoft 365 organizations, Microsoft 365 Copilot. For Jira and Confluence teams, Atlassian Rovo. For knowledge that is never written down, a memory system such as Reattend.
Is there an open-source alternative to Glean?
Yes. Onyx (formerly Danswer) is an open-source AI search and chat platform that can be self-hosted, including in air-gapped environments with local models.
How much does Glean cost?
Glean does not publish seat prices. Its documentation describes per-user, per-month licensing with AI usage charged through credits or model usage.
Is Glean good for small companies?
Glean does not publish seat prices; its documentation describes per-user licensing plus AI usage. Smaller teams often prefer tools with published pricing and self-serve setup.