ConfTool

ConfTool supports conference organizers with submissions and reviews, program scheduling, participant registration, administration, and invoicing. It is intended for academic conferences, congresses, workshops, and seminars, including on-site and virtual events. ConfTool Pro supports configurable submission and review workflows, including open or blind review, and offers an optional multi-track feature. Organizers can schedule sessions and accepted submissions, check presenter conflicts, and let participants create personal agendas. Its registration module supports participant groups, time discounts, event items, conditional options, and admission limits. Payment methods include bank transfer, PayPal, Stripe, and connections to more than 45 online card-payment systems. Data can be exported in Excel, Word, CSV, JSON, and XML, while agenda sessions can link to external virtual-event resources. ConfTool Standard is free on request for smaller non-commercial events of up to 150 participants, but is limited to local installation and does not include support. Pro is hosted and billed per conference; the fee depends on event requirements and size, and optional modules may add fees. The maker says project data is stored in Germany in a separate database per conference and deleted when the project ends.

ConfTool covers core conference administration from submissions through registration and invoicing. Standard has a small-event cap, while Pro pricing and optional module fees depend on the event.

ConfTool suits organizers of academic and other conferences, workshops, and seminars, whether on-site or virtual. Standard is aimed at smaller non-commercial events; Pro is hosted and billed per conference.

ConfTool is conference-management software for academic events, from workshops and seminars to congresses. It is best suited to organizers who need to manage submissions, reviews, scheduling and registration together. Its broad coverage comes with a sharp divide: Standard is free but limited to small non-commercial events, while Pro is hosted and priced per conference.

Overview

ConfTool handles the core administrative flow from submissions and reviews through program scheduling, participant registration and invoicing. Organizers can configure open or blind review, schedule accepted work, check presenter conflicts and let participants create personal agendas. That makes it a strong fit for events with a structured academic program, whether on-site or virtual. It is not a marketing platform: ConfTool does not provide email marketing services.

Pro can link sessions and presentations to external virtual-event resources, which is useful for connecting an online or hybrid program with other services. Organizers can also export data in Excel, Word, CSV, JSON and XML formats. Its payment support includes bank transfer, PayPal, Stripe and connections to more than 45 online credit-card payment systems.

Key features

• Submission and review: Configurable processes and open or blind reviewing suit different evaluation models. The optional multi-track feature can accommodate more complex programs, but may add to the cost.
• Scheduling: Organizers can schedule sessions and accepted submissions, check presenter conflicts and let participants build personal agendas. That combination helps coordinate a formal program and gives attendees a way to plan their own day.
• Registration and payments: Pro supports participant groups, time discounts, events and items, conditional options and admission limits. Its range of payment connections is useful for international or varied payment needs, though the per-conference fee and possible module charges make budgeting dependent on the event.
• Security and privacy: ConfTool lists HTTPS access, regular automatic backups and role-based access control. The company says servers are in Germany, each conference has its own database, and project data is deleted when the project ends.
• Support: Pro includes professional help with configuration and use. Standard comes without support, so its free license is best for organizers able to manage a local installation themselves.

Pricing

ConfTool Standard costs free. The free license is available on request for smaller non-commercial events with up to 150 participants. It requires a local installation and includes no support, making it a sensible fit for a small event with in-house technical capacity, but a poor fit for larger events or organizers who need a hosted service.

ConfTool Pro has custom pricing, billed per conference. It is a hosted service, with the fee depending on event requirements and size; the optional multi-track feature and other modules may incur extra fees. Pro is the more practical route for organizers who need hosted administration and support, but the event-specific quote and possible module charges mean costs should be settled against the event’s requirements before committing.

Platforms

ConfTool is available on web, Android and iOS, and also supports self-hosting. The self-hosted option aligns with Standard’s local-installation model, while Pro is hosted. ConfTool also supports session tracks, room scheduling, speaker management, an attendee mobile app and hybrid events.

Who it's for

ConfTool is aimed at academic conferences, congresses, workshops and seminars that need to coordinate submissions, review, scheduling and participant administration. Standard fits a small non-commercial event with no more than 150 participants and someone prepared to install and administer it without support. Pro is better suited to organizers who need a hosted service, professional support, or registration and payment options for a larger or more involved event. Look elsewhere if email marketing is a required part of the workflow.

Pros and cons

• Pro: One system covers submissions, reviews, scheduling, registration and invoicing, reducing the need to split core conference administration across tools.
• Pro: Open or blind reviewing, conflict checks and participant agendas support the needs of a structured academic program.
• Pro: Pro offers multiple payment connections and several export formats, useful for handling payments and working with event data beyond ConfTool.
• Con: Standard’s 150-participant cap, non-commercial restriction, local installation and lack of support rule it out for many organizations.
• Con: Pro’s event-dependent custom pricing and potentially extra module fees make the total harder to determine in advance.
• Con: There are no email marketing services, so organizers needing campaign tools will need another solution.

Alternatives

For a narrower or differently priced fit, consider Fourwaves, whose free Starter plan allows 25 abstract submissions per year alongside unlimited registrations and events, with a 3% service fee. Sessionize has a free Community event plan restricted to free community events, so it is worth considering when that restriction matches the event. Ex Ordo uses personalized quotes, making it an option to compare when a sales-quoted service is acceptable.

Airballoon includes its BalloonUp event and networking app at no additional charge on its free plan. HotCRP offers free plans for ACM- or USENIX-sponsored conferences, journals and workshops, so it may suit events under those sponsorships. MeetingHand Abstract Management has a free plan capped at 25 registrations or abstracts, a better starting point for a small event within that limit.

OpenConf offers a Community Edition for three or fewer events and journals per calendar year, making it a possible fit for organizers within that annual limit. SimplyConf has a free Core plan with unlimited events, submissions and users, which is worth comparing for organizers prioritizing those uncapped quantities.

For more focused comparisons, browse Call for Papers Software, Event Abstract Management Software, Event Scheduling Software and Speaker Management Software.

Verdict

Choose ConfTool if you run an academic event and want submissions, review, scheduling, registration and invoicing in one system, with Pro support and payment flexibility for more demanding events. Its free Standard plan is genuinely useful for a small non-commercial event, but the 150-person cap, local setup and lack of support are substantial constraints. If hosted Pro costs do not fit or email marketing is central, compare alternatives before choosing.