What determines how many Confluence licenses I need?

Beth Hume

How do I calculate how many Confluence licenses to get (what can a licensee do that a Jira Software or Service Desk licensee can't?)   Currently have 100 Software and 100 Service Desk (Cloud, annual plan), Need to go to 200 Software very soon, so would like to understand how many Confluence licenses to get at same time. Currently on a 30 trial of Confluence.   Thanks!!! Beth

Dave Theodore [Coyote Creek Consulting]

If a user can log in to Confluence, they require a license. If they are a Jira Service Desk Customer and they only consume Confluence knowledge content through the Service Desk portal, they do not need a license.  

In a simple example, say you have 25 JSD Agents and 1000 Customers.  Your Agents need to create KB content and the Customers never log in to Confluence. You would need 25 JSD Agent licenses, 25 Confluence licenses and the Customer license would be "free." This does assume that all 25 Agents are creating articles, though.