Brownbag vs ConfTool

Brownbag is web-based conference-management software for academic research. It combines public conference pages, calls for papers, submissions, peer review, program planning, email, and analytics. Organizers can build pages with headings, images, tabs, and submission blocks. Submission forms can require fields, define file types and deadlines, and collect co-authors; authors can reuse uploaded details across conferences. Review workflows support internal and external reviewers, custom labels, score tracking, and CSV export. Accepted papers can be arranged into sessions, rooms, and time slots, then published for viewing on any device. Organizers can email authors, reviewers, or attendees and schedule messages. Analytics show views, referrers, and devices without a third-party tag. Brownbag describes a ChatGPT connection for organizer and reviewer tasks while carrying its permissions across. Stripe handles Premium upgrades from the dashboard. A help center provides guides for organizers, reviewers, authors, and attendees. Attendee registration is marked “Coming soon.” The Free plan costs nothing, billed per conference, with organizer views capped at 100 submissions. Premium costs $1,000, paid once and provides unlimited submissions in organizer views.

ConfTool is conference management software for academic conferences, congresses, workshops, and seminars, including on-site and virtual events. It supports submissions and reviews, program scheduling, participant registration, administration, and invoicing. With ConfTool Pro, organizers can configure open or blind reviews, optionally use multiple tracks, schedule accepted submissions, and check presenter conflicts. Participants can create personal agendas. Pro registration supports participant groups, time discounts, event options, and admission limits; payments can be handled by bank transfer, PayPal, Stripe, or connections to more than 45 online credit card payment systems. Pro can link sessions and presentations to external virtual-event resources and export data in Excel, Word, CSV, JSON, and XML. ConfTool Standard is free on request for smaller non-commercial events, for up to 150 participants, and requires local installation. Pro is hosted and billed per conference; its fee depends on event requirements and size, and optional modules may cost extra. The maker lists HTTPS access, automatic backups, and role-based access control. Standard comes without support, while Pro includes professional support.