How to Improve Confluence Navigation: Finding the Right Menu Solution

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Navigating Confluence efficiently can be challenging, especially for teams managing multiple spaces and complex content structures. While Confluence offers a basic navigation system, many users look for custom menu solutions to streamline access to key pages, spaces, and external resources.

In this article, we explore the importance of a customizable navigation menu in Confluence and compare some of the available solutions.

What Makes a Good Navigation System in Confluence?

A well-structured navigation system in Confluence should work like a well-planned city:

🏙 Main Roads: Easy access to frequently used spaces and pages.
🚦 Signposts: Clear labels and visual cues to guide users.
🏢 Districts & Neighborhoods: Grouping related content for a structured experience.
🛣 Shortcuts & Expressways: Quick links to external resources and tools.
🌍 Multilingual Signs: Ensuring accessibility for global teams.

If your Confluence setup feels like an unmarked maze, it’s time to consider a custom navigation app to lay down clear roads and pathways.

Exploring the Best Confluence Navigation Apps

Several tools act as navigation planners, helping users create clear menus in Confluence. Let’s take a look at three popular options:

1. SubSpace Navigation for Confluence – The Well-Planned City

SubSpace Navigation is like a well-organized metropolis, where every building (space) has a clear address, and users can take main roads (menus) to get where they need to go quickly.

Key Features:

• Custom Roadmaps: Add folders, spaces, pages, external links, and even dynamic CQL-based menus.
• City Signposts: Use custom icons, colors, and labels for clarity.
• Access Control (Neighborhood Zoning): Show different menus to different teams or users.
• Dark Mode-Friendly: Works well in both light and dark themes.
• Multilingual Signposts: Menus can be adjusted to different languages for international teams.
• Drag & Drop Road Construction: Quickly design and preview menus in real time.
• Backup & Restore Blueprints: Save and restore menu setups effortlessly.

Best for: Teams looking for a structured, professional, and highly customizable menu system—especially those working in multi-language environments.

2. Navigation Menus – The Artistic City with Custom Street Signs

Navigation Menus is like a city that prioritizes aesthetic and creative signposts, allowing users to personalize menus with visual elements.

Key Features:

• Custom Street Signs: Users can change menu colors, add images, and pick from 1,000+ icons.
• District-Based Navigation: Assign different menus to different user groups.
• Live Preview in the Urban Planning Office: Real-time changes while configuring menus.
• Export & Import Roadmaps: Save and reuse menu structures across instances.

Best for: Teams that want extensive styling and branding options for their Confluence navigation.

3. Flexible Space Navigation – The New Emerging Town

A new competitor, Flexible Space Navigation by Open Source Consulting, is like a growing town in development—it has some basic roads and structures, but the city map is still expanding.

Key Features:

• Simple Road Network: Create menus with spaces, pages, and external links.
• Dynamic Signage: Use CQL-based menus to filter content dynamically.
• Basic Drag & Drop Construction: Build menus easily without complex configurations.

Since this app is new, features are still evolving, making it an option for teams seeking a lightweight, cloud-based navigation system.

Which Confluence Navigation App is Right for You?

SubSpace Navigation = A well-structured city with clear roadmaps, great accessibility, and support for global teams.
Navigation Menus = A city with artistic, highly customizable street signs for those who value branding.
Flexible Space Navigation = A growing town with a simplified but evolving menu system.