Can WordPress be my knowledge base software?
Yes. WordPress with the free KnowX theme gives you a self-hosted knowledge base: topics, articles, search and breadcrumbs on your own domain. Here is what that covers and what it leaves out.
The short answer
What do I get, and what do I pay?
On this site, knowledge base software always means WordPress plus KnowX, hosted by you.
Free and open source
WordPress and KnowX are both free under the GPL. There is no per-seat or per-agent fee.
Your hosting, your cost
You pay for web hosting and a domain. That is the running cost.
Your content, your database
Articles are normal WordPress posts stored on your own site. You can export them at any time.
Honest comparison
Hosted knowledge base software or WordPress with KnowX?
Hosted tools do more out of the box. WordPress costs less and you own it.
Hosted knowledge base software | WordPress with KnowX | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Sign up and start writing | Install WordPress, then the theme |
| Software fee | Monthly, often per seat | None for the theme |
| Hosting and updates | Done for you | Done by you or your developer |
| Article voting and feedback | Often built in | Not in KnowX. Plugin needed |
| Search analytics | Often built in | Not in KnowX. Plugin needed |
| AI answers or chatbot | Often built in or an add-on | Not in KnowX. Plugin needed |
| Ticketing | Often part of the same product | Not in KnowX. Separate tool |
| Design freedom | Within the provider's templates | Customizer, child themes and code |
| Leaving later | Export depends on the provider | Standard WordPress export |
Good fit, poor fit
Is this right for me?
A good fit
You already run WordPress, want the help site on your own domain, and need clear articles grouped by topic.
A good fit
You want to stop paying per seat for a tool you mostly use to publish articles.
A poor fit
You need ticketing, AI answers and analytics in one product today, and nobody on your team looks after a WordPress site.
Getting started
How do I set it up?
Get hosting and WordPress
Any host that runs WordPress 4.8 or later with PHP 7.4 or later.
Install KnowX
It creates the Knowledge Base home page on first activation.
Add topics and articles
Categories are topics. Posts are articles.
Brand it
Logo, colours and fonts in the Customizer.
Questions about WordPress as knowledge base software
Is this free knowledge base software?
Is it open source?
Can I move from a hosted tool?
Can it be private, for staff only?
Own your knowledge base
Download KnowX free, or ask us to move your articles over.
