# Linchpin vs Refined: comparing Confluence intranet solutions

> Linchpin vs Refined compared side by side: target audience, theming, social features and price for your Confluence intranet.

Source: https://www.xalt.de/en/blog/linchpin-vs-refined-confluence-intranet-comparison/

TEAM XALT Atlassian Platinum Partner · 22 November 2021 · 6 min

Confluence is an excellent foundation for your corporate intranet. However, only together with Linchpin or Refined do you get the interface and features that turn Confluence into a central hub for communication, the provision of important information, and the extended arm of your company. You are surely asking yourself which app I should use for my intranet. Linchpin vs Refined. Which solution is better?

Below, we have examined Linchpin and Refined in more detail and recorded the most important differences in a clear table.

## Linchpin vs Refined

|  | Linchpin | Refined |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Target audience | People looking for an intranet solution with social media features. | For individuals who want to use Confluence as an intranet. |
| Product Use Case | Create a social intranet tailored to your company's look and feel, creating a familiar working environment. | Add structure, themes, layouts, and navigation to Confluence to create intranet, documentation, and collaboration pages for projects. |
| Summary | With Linchpin, you can customize your Confluence to match your brand and add social features such as team events and microblogging. There are also modules to support various use cases, such as content personalization or extranet features. | A ready-to-use solution that is very easy to use and covers most design requirements. Key features include a navigation system that organizes the entire space into categories. With the theme and website designs, you can create a structure for your content and intranet layout. |
| Advantages and Limitations | Easy to install and use. Design with logo and custom colors for buttons, header icons, etc. Extensive intranet features including microblogging, personalized content, localization, custom navigation, extended profiles, and more. | Refined is quick to set up, and you can achieve great results with minimal effort. There are limitations in customizing the design, navigation, and news streams. Social features such as events, org charts, extensive profiles, and microblogging are missing. |
| Success Story | BSH Linchpin Success Story | EEX Refined Success Story |

Find out more about what an intranet should be able to do and how to find the best solution for your company in this article: [How to find the right intranet for your company](https://www.xalt.de/en/).

## Theme and features

### Theme and design features

| Feature | Linchpin | Refined |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Design / Themes for Confluence | ✅ | ✅ |
| Different designs per Confluence space | ✅ | ✅ |
| Design personalisation\* | ✅ | ✅ (to some extent) |
| Inheritance of design elements from global designs into the area and automatic adaptation | ✅ | ❌ |
| Easy to update (even with larger UI changes) | ✅ | ✅ |

\*In principle, the design of [Confluence](https://www.atlassian.com/software/confluence?&aceid=&adposition=&adgroup=98495824705&campaign=9612158313&creative=425988942623&device=c&keyword=confluence&matchtype=e&network=g&placement=&ds_kids=p52352094614&ds_e=GOOGLE&ds_eid=700000001542923&ds_e1=GOOGLE&gclid=CjwKCAiAnO2MBhApEiwA8q0HYX14w6Dlao0olVysdiB2WHzv0yYesdzs7z3c02AeCnOl8bGBsJPBuhoCskoQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) can be customised with both intranet providers. However, Linchpin offers more features, e.g. more extensive customisation of the header or fonts. You can see this in the demo instances.

### Further intranet features

| Feature | Linchpin | Refined |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The ability to like posts, entries, etc. | ✅ | ✅ |
| The ability to comment on posts, entries, etc. | ✅ | ✅ |
| Simple design features that allow teams to manage their own websites without a web designer. | ✅ | ✅ |
| Menu personalisation | ✅ | ❌ (a global menu can be created and structured, but no further customisations are possible) |
| Social features alongside regular Confluence (microblogging, events / RSVP function, profiles, org charts) | ✅ | ❌ (via apps on the Marketplace) |
| App Center for a personalised set of alternative systems | ✅ (no SSO for legacy apps) | ❌ (via apps on the Marketplace) |
| Terms of use for legal compliance. | ✅ | ❌ (via apps on the Marketplace) |
| Touchscreen and native mobile app. | ✅ | ❌ |

## Summary and recommendation: Linchpin vs Refined

|  | Linchpin | Refined |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Why we love it | Turn Confluence into a modular, fully personalised social intranet platform. | Partially customise the Confluence design (which is usually sufficient) and set it up very quickly and easily. |
| Theming & Personalisation | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ |
| Usability | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ |
| Social Intranet Features | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ |
| Implementation effort | Medium | Low |
| Price | €€€ | € |

### Refined

If you are looking for a simple and relatively affordable upgrade to the design and navigation of Confluence, then you should choose Refined.

### Linchpin

If you want to use Confluence as the basis for a full-fledged social intranet, then Linchpin is probably the right solution for you.

[Find more information here](https://www.xalt.de/en/intranet/) and [Success Stories](https://www.xalt.de/en/case/bsh-digital-workplace-and-intranet/) from former projects on intranets with Confluence, Refined and Linchpin.

Do you need support with implementing an intranet in your company? [Feel free to send us a message](https://www.xalt.de/en/contact/) or [call us directly.](tel:+4989416124240)

## Which intranet fits your business?

Whether it's Linchpin, Refined or a custom Confluence setup – we'll advise you honestly and help you find the right fit.

[Talk to us](https://www.xalt.de/en/contact/)

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