ConfTool vs OpenReview

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.

OpenReview is a configurable web and API platform for peer review and scientific communication. Venues can track submissions and coordinate authors, reviewers and editors through multiple review stages. Organizers configure review forms, permissions and timing, while accepted papers can retain reviews, comments and ongoing discussion. Reviewer-paper matching can use expertise, bids, constraints and reviewer balancing. Venues may enable real-time committee chat on paper forums; messages are hidden from authors and the public by default. The REST API covers records, groups, documents, invitations, assignments, conflicts and workflow automation. OpenReview’s web interface is free software under the GNU Affero General Public License v3, and other platform components are also open source. Its free plan provides free paper access and submissions with no fees. Organizers request a venue through a support form, then the OpenReview team reviews and deploys it. For venues with separate track deadlines and review forms, organizers are instructed to request a separate venue for each track. General inquiries use the support form.