Best Event Abstract Management Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Congressio is ranked #1 of 29 as of 7 October 2026, ahead of Fourwaves and HotCRP. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Fourwaves. The lowest first paid tier on this page is SimplyConf at $2.42/mo.
Managing event abstracts means handling submissions and the review process around them. Compare review workflow, blind review, scoring tools, and author revisions, along with submission types and poster handling, to see how each option fits your event. Publishing tools may matter once reviews are complete; free-plan availability and paid-from pricing add cost context. Congressio, Fourwaves, and HotCRP are among the entries. Weigh the listed capabilities against the materials you accept and the decisions your organizers need to manage.
29 event abstract management software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
29ranked
14free plans on this page
$2.42/molowest paid tier
7 Oct 2026last checked
Input list Event Abstract Management Software 25 channels on this page · 72 of 200 spec lines stated by the makers
Ch Tool Free planPaid fromSubmission typesReview workflowScoring toolsBlind reviewAuthor revisionsPoster handling Spec sheet Score
01 Congressio Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSubmission typesmultipleReview workflowcustomScoring toolsYesBlind reviewYesAuthor revisionsYesPoster handlingYes 7/8spec lines stated 7.4
02 Fourwaves Free planYesPaid from$999/yrSubmission typesnot statedReview workflownot statedScoring toolsnot statedBlind reviewnot statedAuthor revisionsnot statedPoster handlingnot stated 2/8spec lines stated 7.3
03 HotCRP Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSubmission typesnot statedReview workflownot statedScoring toolsnot statedBlind reviewYesAuthor revisionsnot statedPoster handlingnot stated 2/8spec lines stated 7.2
04 Indico Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSubmission typesnot statedReview workflownot statedScoring toolsnot statedBlind reviewnot statedAuthor revisionsnot statedPoster handlingnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 7.2
05 ConfTool Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSubmission typesnot statedReview workflownot statedScoring toolsnot statedBlind reviewnot statedAuthor revisionsnot statedPoster handlingnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 7.1
06 SimplyConf Free planYesPaid from$29/yrSubmission typesnot statedReview workflownot statedScoring toolsnot statedBlind reviewYesAuthor revisionsnot statedPoster handlingnot stated 3/8spec lines stated 7.1
07 OpenConf Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSubmission typesnot statedReview workflownot statedScoring toolsnot statedBlind reviewnot statedAuthor revisionsnot statedPoster handlingnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 7.0
08 EasyChair Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSubmission typesnot statedReview workflownot statedScoring toolsnot statedBlind reviewYesAuthor revisionsnot statedPoster handlingnot stated 2/8spec lines stated 6.9
09 Oxford Abstracts Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSubmission typesabstractsReview workflownot statedScoring toolsnot statedBlind reviewYesAuthor revisionsnot statedPoster handlingnot stated 3/8spec lines stated 6.9
10 Sciencesconf Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSubmission typesmultipleReview workflowmulti stageScoring toolsYesBlind reviewYesAuthor revisionsYesPoster handlingYes 7/8spec lines stated 6.9
11 Linklings Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedSubmission typesmultipleReview workflowcustomScoring toolsYesBlind reviewYesAuthor revisionsYesPoster handlingYes 6/8spec lines stated 6.8
12 Microsoft CMT Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSubmission typesnot statedReview workflownot statedScoring toolsnot statedBlind reviewYesAuthor revisionsnot statedPoster handlingnot stated 2/8spec lines stated 6.8
13 PeerSubmit Free planNoPaid from$100/yrSubmission typesmultipleReview workflowcustomScoring toolsYesBlind reviewYesAuthor revisionsYesPoster handlingYes 8/8spec lines stated 6.8
14 Ex Ordo Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedSubmission typesnot statedReview workflownot statedScoring toolsnot statedBlind reviewnot statedAuthor revisionsnot statedPoster handlingnot stated 0/8spec lines stated 6.7
15 Lynk Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSubmission typespapersReview workflownot statedScoring toolsnot statedBlind reviewYesAuthor revisionsnot statedPoster handlingnot stated 3/8spec lines stated 6.7
16 OpenReview Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSubmission typesnot statedReview workflownot statedScoring toolsnot statedBlind reviewYesAuthor revisionsnot statedPoster handlingnot stated 2/8spec lines stated 6.7
17 OpenWater Grant Management Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedSubmission typesnot statedReview workflownot statedScoring toolsnot statedBlind reviewnot statedAuthor revisionsnot statedPoster handlingnot stated 0/8spec lines stated 6.5
18 AMS (Article Management System) Free planNoPaid from$299/yrSubmission typespapersReview workflownot statedScoring toolsYesBlind reviewYesAuthor revisionsYesPoster handlingnot stated 6/8spec lines stated 6.4
19 Eventact Free planNoPaid fromnot statedSubmission typesnot statedReview workflownot statedScoring toolsnot statedBlind reviewnot statedAuthor revisionsnot statedPoster handlingnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 6.4
20 CATALYST Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedSubmission typesnot statedReview workflownot statedScoring toolsnot statedBlind reviewnot statedAuthor revisionsnot statedPoster handlingnot stated 0/8spec lines stated 6.3
21 Congirus Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedSubmission typesmultipleReview workflownot statedScoring toolsnot statedBlind reviewnot statedAuthor revisionsnot statedPoster handlingnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 6.3
22 START Conference Manager Free planNoPaid fromnot statedSubmission typesmultipleReview workflowcustomScoring toolsYesBlind reviewYesAuthor revisionsYesPoster handlingYes 7/8spec lines stated 6.3
23 joyn Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedSubmission typesnot statedReview workflownot statedScoring toolsnot statedBlind reviewnot statedAuthor revisionsnot statedPoster handlingnot stated 0/8spec lines stated 5.8
24 Brownbag Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSubmission typespapersReview workflownot statedScoring toolsYesBlind reviewnot statedAuthor revisionsnot statedPoster handlingnot stated 3/8spec lines stated 5.7
25 Symposio Free planNoPaid fromnot statedSubmission typesabstractsReview workflowmulti stageScoring toolsYesBlind reviewnot statedAuthor revisionsnot statedPoster handlingnot stated 4/8spec lines stated 5.7
Compare all 25 in a table
| # | Tool | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Submission types | Review workflow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Congressio | 7.4 | Free plan | $40.83/mo | Yes | — | multiple | custom |
| 2 | Fourwaves | 7.3 | Free plan | $83.25/mo | Yes | 999 /yr | — | — |
| 3 | HotCRP | 7.2 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 4 | Indico | 7.2 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 5 | ConfTool | 7.1 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 6 | SimplyConf | 7.1 | Free plan | $2.42/mo | Yes | 29 /yr | — | — |
| 7 | OpenConf | 7.0 | Free plan | — | Yes | — | — | — |
| 8 | EasyChair | 6.9 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 9 | Oxford Abstracts | 6.9 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | abstracts | — |
| 10 | Sciencesconf | 6.9 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | multiple | multi_stage |
| 11 | Linklings | 6.8 | No | — | — | — | multiple | custom |
| 12 | Microsoft CMT | 6.8 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 13 | PeerSubmit | 6.8 | No | — | No | 100 /yr | multiple | custom |
| 14 | Ex Ordo | 6.7 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
| 15 | Lynk | 6.7 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | papers | — |
| 16 | OpenReview | 6.7 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 17 | OpenWater Grant Management | 6.5 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
| 18 | AMS (Article Management System) | 6.4 | No | $18.67/mo | No | 299 /yr | papers | — |
| 19 | Eventact | 6.4 | No | $210/mo | No | — | — | — |
| 20 | CATALYST | 6.3 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
| 21 | Congirus | 6.3 | No | — | — | — | multiple | — |
| 22 | START Conference Manager | 6.3 | No | — | No | — | multiple | custom |
| 23 | joyn | 5.8 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
| 24 | Brownbag | 5.7 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | papers | — |
| 25 | Symposio | 5.7 | No | — | No | — | abstracts | multi_stage |
Is your tool on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored, and a sponsored row is labelled as paid.
Questions about this list
Which event abstract management software is ranked first on Specifiction?
Congressio is ranked #1 of 29 with a score of 7.4. Fourwaves is second and HotCRP third.
How many of these have a free plan?
14 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, SimplyConf has the lowest first paid tier we found: $2.42/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, the fullest spec sheet first: how deeply the product is documented, the platforms it runs on, a free tier or trial to test it, and its standing.
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