Best Call for Papers Software in 2026
Updated
In short: HotCRP is ranked #1 of 24 as of 3 October 2026, ahead of Fireside and Fourwaves. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Fireside. The lowest first paid tier on this page is SimplyConf at $2.42/mo.
24 call for papers software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
| # | Platform | Score | Why | From | Free plan | Paid from | Blind review | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  HotCRP | 8.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 2 | Fireside | 8.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 3 | Fourwaves | 7.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $83.25/mo | Yes | 999 /yr | — | View |
| 4 | Microsoft CMT | 7.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 5 |  EasyChair | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 6 | SimplyConf | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $2.42/mo | Yes | 29 /yr | Yes | View |
| 7 | MeetingHand Abstract Management | 7.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $4.90/mo | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 8 | Airballoon | 7.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 9 | OpenReview | 6.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 10 |  ConfTool | 6.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 11 | Oxford Abstracts | 6.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 12 |  Sessionize | 6.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 13 | AbstractWiz | 6.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 14 |  Lynk | 6.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 15 | OpenConf | 6.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 16 | Ex Ordo | 5.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | — | View |
| 17 |  Smart Abstract | 5.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | — | View |
| 18 | OpenRostrum | 5.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 19 | EDAS | 5.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | Yes | View |
| 20 |  Propozify | 4.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | — | View |
| 21 |  CATALYST | 4.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | — | View |
| 22 |  Paperpod | 4.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | — | View |
| 23 |  Symposia | 4.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | No | View |
| 24 | Sessionboard | 4.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | — | View |
Is your platform on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which call for papers software is ranked first on Inferse?
HotCRP is ranked #1 of 24 with a score of 8.4. Fireside is second and Fourwaves third.
How many of these have a free plan?
10 of the 24 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, open and connectable first: a public API, open-source code, the depth of its documentation and a free tier to try it on. Model lists are sorted by the figure in their title, exactly as each provider publishes it. Paid placements never change a rank.