Congressio vs Fourwaves
Congressio
congressio.net
Fourwaves
fourwaves.comSide by side
| Figure | Congressio | Fourwaves |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $40.83/mo | $83.25/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 6 | 5 |
| Spec score · Event Abstract Management Software | 9.0 (#3) | 9.1 (#1) |
| Integrations | The maker describes Stripe payments, Apple and Google Wallet passes, ORCID and institutional single sign-on, and API keys and webhooks for integrating with other systems. | The product publicly documents payment integrations including Stripe, PayPal, Moneris, TouchNet, Global Payments, Authorize.net and Worldline/Bambora. |
| Peer review | Organizers can auto-assign reviewers, enforce deadlines and use conflict-of-interest detection. | The peer-review module supports reviewer workflows connected to submissions and conference-program decisions. |
| Program builder | Schedules can be drafted privately, published as public program pages and exported as iCal and PDF. | The program tools organize sessions, rooms, presentations, tracks and speaker information for public schedules. |
| Purpose | Congressio brings conference submissions, peer review, decisions, scheduling and attendee registration into one platform. | Fourwaves manages academic conferences, including abstracts, peer review, registration, event websites, programs and conference apps. |
| Registration and payments | Ticket tiers, discounts, add-ons, group orders, Stripe checkout, VAT invoices and refunds are supported. | Registration forms support priced options, multiple currencies and payment gateways such as Stripe, PayPal, Moneris, TouchNet and Global Payments. |
| Support | The contact page says support normally replies within one business day and prioritizes urgent requests during live events. | The pricing page lists AI, chat and email support on Starter and an onboarding call on Advanced. |
Plans
Congressio
- FreeFree
- Standard$49 a month
- Professional$149 a month
- Standard$490 a year
- Professional$1,490 a year
- EnterprisePriced on request
Fourwaves
- StarterFree
- StarterFree
- Essential$999 a year
- Advanced$2,599 a year
- ProPriced on request
In their own words
Congressio
Congressio brings conference submissions, peer review, decisions, scheduling, and attendee registration into one platform. Its drag-and-drop form builder supports conditional logic, uploads, and co-author invitations, while review tools include automatic reviewer assignment, deadlines, conflict-of-interest detection, and double-blind review. Organizers can publish a public program with attendee agendas and iCal or PDF exports. Ticket sales through Stripe support tiers, discounts, add-ons, VAT invoices, and refunds. QR passes can be stored in Apple and Google Wallet and scanned at check-in, with zones controlled by ticket tier or capacity. Virtual-event tools include live and on-demand streaming, recordings, e-posters, Q&A, and polls. Congressio also describes ORCID, institutional single sign-on, API keys, and webhooks for integrations. It says data is kept in the European Union and card details are handled by Stripe. The free plan allows one active event, 100 submissions, and three team seats. Standard costs $49 a month; a 14-day trial is listed.
Fourwaves
Fourwaves is a conference management service for academic and scientific events, covering abstract submissions, peer review, registration, event websites, programs and attendee apps. Submission forms can support calls for papers and abstracts, and organizers can export abstract books with author indexes. Review workflows offer single- or double-blind processes, reviewer conflict detection and custom scoring grids. Its iOS and Android app includes the event program, personal agenda, participant list and presentation materials, and works offline. An API with organization-specific keys provides endpoints for event, registration, form, submission and session data. The free Starter plan costs nothing and caps yearly submissions at 25. Essential costs $999 a year with a 100-submission limit; Advanced costs $2,599 a year with a 300-submission limit. Each lists a 3% service fee. When a yearly cap is reached, new submissions pause until an upgrade, though existing submissions, registrations and event websites remain accessible. The company describes its audience as research communities, universities, scientific societies and research networks.