Sharepoint is a web-based platform built by Microsoft that integrates with the Microsoft Office suite. Organisations widely use it for document management, storage, and many other collaborative features.

Although it has become popular over the years for its features which provide a robust collaborating platform, there are unavoidable drawbacks, like difficulty in migration and user customisation issues whenever a new release comes to market and its somewhat clunky feel per se.

Why use a Sharepoint alternative?

Sharepoint is a widely used tool mainly because it is the first on the scene. Companies use it for sharing documents and digital assets to manage projects. Sharepoint was one of the first of its kind. 

However, many changes in the playing field mean it is not the leading option anymore.

Today there are a plethora of Sharepoint alternatives, which are worth considering depending on company and industry use. Sharepoint combines multiple project and document management tools, but these vast systems do not apply to all enterprises and, thus, usually are not even required. 

If you do not use all the features, then why pay for them?

More streamlined applications with user-friendly interfaces are what enterprises value more. Whilst SharePoint offers numerous capabilities; an enterprise will likely find that a different CMS, DAM, or collaboration system better suits its needs. 

Reasons to consider a SharePoint alternative

When Microsoft announced the end of support for SharePoint in 2016, many experts assumed the vendor would shelf the product after nearly 20 years. 

Nevertheless, Sharepoint has resurged. 

Microsoft upgraded it with new automation, and custom app features that tied it into the Microsoft Azure tool set, ultimately increasing its popularity.

And yet, enterprises are choosing to migrate from Sharepoint to seek more powerful alternatives that contain more of the features they actually need. Several reasons organizations are choosing a Sharepoint alternative include one or some of the following:

Forced to have Azure

Having Sharepoint means committing to Azure and introducing a new learning curve for the entire organization. Any enterprise looking to implement digital asset management software, sharing, and collaboration tools apart from Azure must explore other Sharepoint alternatives.

Lack of customization

Customization has long been a problem with Sharepoint. Organizations that need strong asset and content management, version control, or collaboration tools that can easily integrate with other platforms will definitely prefer an alternative.

Sharepoint can be complex 

Whilst the Sharepoint interface is solid and getting better, the extensible features, workflow, forms, and embedded apps are only simple to use if the templates are designed well. Otherwise, it can be a headache to set up workflows.

What to consider in a Sharepoint alternative

Today, it is a combination of cloud storage and asset management. 

Many organizations still rely on on-premise storage, but platform tools that contain little to no asset management or cloud storage will soon suffer from a lack of business.

Suitable Sharepoint alternatives should also have strong integrations with out-of-the-box APIs, ample cloud storage, asset management features like metadata, stellar security, and adherence to solid compliance standards.

Finally, organizations should consider a platform's version control tools for collaborative work or document routing. As businesses rapidly automate processes, version control becomes essential. 

6 Sharepoint alternatives for enterprise companies

1. Digizuite

Digizuite is a digital asset management platform that empowers users to store, create, and manage thousands of images across several devices and channels. Its collaborative platform enables users from all departments to quickly find the digital assets they need through Digizuite's powerful search capabilities.

• Pros: Digizuite can easily plug into other enterprise companies through its integration features. It also has a powerful metadata component that can make it much easier to manage digital files. 

• Cons: It is not an ideal alternative for brands that manage a few products and services. 

2. Confluence

An Atlassian product, Confluence is a collaboration software that contains shared document editing capabilities, commenting, team spaces, shared calendars, workflow, and task management functionality and syncs content with mobile and handheld devices. Confluence has four pricing tiers, from free to enterprise, where you need to contact and establish a quote.

• Pros: Confluence has an excellent knowledge base, a large number of integrations, and superb organizational features.

• Cons: Asset searching is poor and can be severely frustrating when searching for assets and documents. 

3. Google Workspace

Whilst a solid platform to get started with Google Workspace is not really a genuine alternative to Sharepoint. Although it has excellent features like Google Drive, Docs, Hangouts, Sheets, and Calendar, it lacks in establishing good workflows and limited control over files. 

Google Workspace begins at $6 per user per month.

• Pros: Effortless to use and minimal training required to get started.

• Cons: Limited control over shared files, and Google collects data about what files you store to build up a user profile.

4. Samepage

Samepage prioritizes project management, file sharing, and chat functionality as part of its team collaboration features. 

Samepage's functionality appears on a single page. For extended functionality, enterprises will use the API to add features like automated scheduling, tracking, and other configurable notifications. 

Samepage has three pricing tiers, from free to $9 per month.

• Pros: Files and information can be accessed via many devices. It is iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows friendly, and the interface is very straightforward to begin.

• Cons: The dashboard is not so easily customizable. Samepage also lacks email integrations which are imperative for sharing digital assets and customer communication.

5. Box

Box is a content management platform that operates across multiple devices and services. 

Also, it provides security and compliance, integrates with other software providers, and supports various files such as PDF, and Excel, including features for document group editing and approval workflows. Box also has features including central workspaces, task lists, project tracking, and secure file sharing.

• Pros: Box has integrations with Salesforce, Microsoft, and other business apps, making it a powerful solution for those who use these platforms. Box also syncs to mobile devices. 

• Cons: Box has minimal functionality in some areas, which could sometimes be a bit frustrating, especially for Android device users.

6. Workzone

Workzone is used across many organizations to manage and share projects with diverse users. Here tracking projects become more manageable with the powerful yet easy-to-use tool, providing good quality training and support. 

It has many advantageous features, such as file sharing, documentation, and comments, and can be customized to accommodate different requirements.

• Pros: Workzone possesses all the reliable features of MS Excel and MS Project that are nicely integrated into a nice simple layout. Workzone allows sharing of assets and messages across the team, suitable for collaboration.

• Cons: Team members can mark each other's tasks as done - this can be frustrating as mistakes can mean workflows are disrupted and incorrectly marked as completed when they are not. 

Use a DAM platform as your Sharepoint alternative

If you need to move away from Sharepoint because of cost, ease of use, or functionality, then there are various platforms and applications to choose from. 

The right platform will depend on the industry, the company's size, and the required features.

Carefully consider your needs and research available options before making a purchase decision. Remember that various Sharepoint alternatives offer varying features, so selecting one that will meet your specific requirements is vital.

Before you make a decision, book a demo with vendors directly so you can see the software and ensure that you understand how it suits your organisational needs.