Open Source vs SaaS Knowledge Base: Key Differences and Which One to Choose

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In this content, you will see:

Knowledge base: why is it so important?
What is an open source knowledge base?
What is a SaaS knowledge base?
Open source and SaaS: what are the differences between the two?
How to choose the best knowledge base solution for your business?
To achieve customer satisfaction and loyalty , it is not enough to only worry about the quality of the product and service, but also about the experience in general. This includes all the points of interaction that the customer has with the brand and also the effectiveness of the service .

Throughout the purchasing journey, many doubts and line database can arise and the company must be prepared to solve them as quickly and effectively as possible.

And how can we provide the information they are looking for? One way is through a knowledge base , which expands the possibilities of service, providing a way for them to resolve simple issues quickly and independently.

In this article, we show why a knowledge base is so important and what the differences are between Open Source and Software as a Service (SaaS) options .

Enjoy reading!

Knowledge base: why is it so important?
The knowledge base is a type of virtual library that brings together in a structured way the main information relating to a product or service.

In this way, it is a great ally in customer service, both by helping agents answer questions and as a form of direct self-service for the customer.

It is also a repository for managing a company's information , as it records important information about the product or service offered, serving as a reference base for different sectors.

What is an open source knowledge base?
It is a knowledge base built using open source software.

The term “Open Source” refers to original source code that is publicly available, usually made available free of charge, and can be modified by anyone.
However, this does not mean that using open source software will be free of charge .

First, because many of these systems are made available free of charge only for free use by the community without commercial purposes. Therefore, when used by a company, some type of payment may be required, just like SaaS .

Second, even if there is no cost for using the software, the company will have expenses for hosting the system on its internal servers and for specialized professionals for its configuration, customization and maintenance.

What is a SaaS knowledge base?
Taking a different approach, SaaS knowledge base software is provided by a company on a monthly subscription basis. The provider is committed to updating and maintaining the system, as well as offering specialized support for potential problems and questions.

The solution is complete and offers troubleshooting guides, video tutorials, knowledge base articles, and answers to frequently asked questions ( FAQs ). And of course, you can customize all of this without having to start from scratch.

Open source and SaaS: what are the differences between the two?
To choose between one model or another, it is important to be clear about the benefits of each one. Below, we list the main differences, highlighting the pros and cons of both knowledge bases.