Brownbag
What it is
Brownbag is web-based conference management software for academic research. Organizers can create public conference pages and calls for papers with headings, images, tabs and submission blocks. Submission forms support required fields, file types, deadlines and co-authors, while authors can reuse uploaded details across conferences. Review tools assign internal or external reviewers, apply custom labels, track scores and export data to CSV. Accepted papers can be arranged into sessions, rooms and time slots, then published for audiences on any device. Organizers can email authors, reviewers and attendees, including messages scheduled for later. Built-in analytics show page views, referrers and devices without requiring a third-party tag. Brownbag describes a ChatGPT connection for organizer and reviewer tasks that carries its permissions across. Attendee registration is listed as “Coming soon.” The Free plan costs nothing, billed per conference, with organizer views capped at 100 submissions. Premium costs $1,000, paid once, billed one-time for the conference, and removes that submissions cap.
For and against
For
- Conference pages and calls for papers
- Custom submission forms and co-authors
- Internal and external reviewer workflows
- Program builder with device-friendly publishing
- Analytics and CSV exports
Against
- Attendee registration is marked Coming soon
- Free plan caps organizer views at 100 submissions
- Premium costs $1,000, paid once
- No free trial
The verdict
Brownbag covers the main workflow from call for papers through review, scheduling and publication. The Free plan supports a complete conference workflow with a submission-view cap, while Premium removes that cap for a one-time conference payment.
Who it suits
Brownbag suits academic conference organizers, reviewers, authors and attendees who need submission, peer-review, program and publishing tools.
Plans and prices
Free
Organizer views cap at 100 submissions · full conference management tools · reviewer workflows and scoring · program builder
Read 7 Oct 2026 · brownbag.org
Premium
Everything in Free · unlimited submissions in organizer views
Read 7 Oct 2026 · brownbag.org
On the record
- Analytics
- Built-in conference page analytics include views, referrers, and devices, with no third-party tag to install.brownbag.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Conference pages
- Organizers can create a public conference page and call for papers with an editor that supports headings, images, tabs, and submission blocks.brownbag.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Organizers can email authors, reviewers, or attendees and schedule messages for a later time.brownbag.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Integration
- Brownbag describes a ChatGPT connection for organizer and reviewer tasks, with Brownbag permissions carried across.brownbag.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The help center describes Brownbag as connecting conferences, papers, and researchers, with separate guides for organizers, reviewers, authors, and attendees.brownbag.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Paper submissions
- Submission forms can include required fields, file types, deadlines, and co-authors, and authors can reuse their uploaded details across conferences.brownbag.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Payments
- The site says Premium upgrades use secure payments with Stripe and can be made from the dashboard.brownbag.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Peer review
- Organizers can assign internal and external reviewers, use custom labels, track scores, and export conference data to CSV.brownbag.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Program builder
- Accepted papers can be arranged into sessions, rooms, and time slots, then published for audiences on any device.brownbag.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Brownbag is conference management software for academic research, covering conference pages, submissions, reviews, programs, and registration.brownbag.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Registrations
- The site describes attendee registration as a feature, but labels it “Coming soon.”brownbag.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Support
- The help center offers guides for organizers, reviewers, authors, and attendees.brownbag.org · read 7 Oct 2026
