Kristy Law
- 10 min read
The Best Academic Conference Software for 2024 (A Comparison)
Easily compare academic conference software to find the best fit for your conference.
When it comes to academic conference software, there are many options to choose from, each with different setups, features, and packages to suit different needs.
Over the years, these have expanded and been improved, fine-tuned to suit customers' needs and wants.
Therefore, it has become increasingly difficult to differentiate between these software offerings and determine which suits you best.
So we've worked to source this information and give you the pros and cons, helping you make that decision more efficiently and giving back the time you would have spent perusing the internet.
For this comparison, we've identified the key players in the academic conference software industry, specified the features, and reviewed customer feedback to create a holistic, comprehensive list to help you compare and decide.
We've also included a ballpark cost for the software where possible.
(Prices correct as of January 2024).
Oxford Abstracts
About
Oxford Abstracts is a conference management software tailored to academic events. They combine all the complex elements of setting up and running a research conference into a single powerful, easy-to-use tool.
Many reviews on Trustpilot quote how the software is:
" easy to use, user-friendly, has excellent technical support, adaptable to specific needs, is an amazing, capable platform and very reasonably priced".
Over the last 12 months, the team has been working hard to significantly upgrade existing software features while creating and introducing brand-new features for their users.
These include:
A whole new delegate registration system
The opportunity to create and distribute certificates
Event analytics report
A revamped event program schedule view
A new conference homepage
An on-demand help hub
Plus, much more
Offering an easy-to-use, integrated platform that caters to everyone involved with an academic conference (event organisers, reviewers, committee members, participants, speakers, and sponsors).
It streamlines the organisation of events, workshops, and conferences. With tools ranging from registration and abstract submissions to schedule management and feedback collection, Oxford Abstracts is a comprehensive solution for academic event management.
Specifications
Design and deliver a dynamic, interactive program that includes plenty of features, including:
Live and on-demand content
Program and schedule builder
Conference Homepage
Include pre-recorded content
Certificates
Delegate Registration
Abstracts & posters included
Set conference time zones
Search & filter content
Event, private & group chat
Poster Gallery
Symposium
Customise event portal
Name badges
Complete access controls
Exhibitor space
Sponsorship
Zoom integration
Free analytical report on the success of your event
Helpdesk support
Online help articles and videos
Price
Oxford Abstracts offers two conference platform options.
Standard Conference - £1380 (with add-ons available to purchase).
Professional Conference - £2070
As well as a FREE PLAN for small events and meetings, and an Abstract Management plan costing £575 that includes:
Unlimited Submissions
Customisable forms
Custom emails
Detailed reports
The option to show reviews to submitters
Support Included
YES
Oxford Abstracts has a helpdesk that operates 24 hours a day.
The support team covers the globe, with team members based in the UK, Europe, India, Australia and America.
Oxford Abstracts is one of the elite-tier providers of academic conference software. They will forever put the customer first by actively listening to and implementing client feedback to continue improving the software. Thanks to the twenty-plus years of experience and knowledge they have gained in this industry, they understand academic conference organisers' needs,
They pride themselves on their transparency, from pricing through to communication and the software's ease of use.
EasyChair
About
EasyChair provides users with a conference management platform that includes most of what you would expect: processing of academic conference paper submissions, reviews, and publication of proceedings.
Established in 2006, it is one of the older conference management software providers available.
Their services include:
Virtual Conference Solution
Dedicated to scientific conferences only, there are three plans to choose from.
Basic
Aimed at smaller conferences, this package includes conference role support (session chairs, presenters, participants, etc.), live talks with slides, pre-conference training rooms, participant questions, and program editing.
VCS Pro
This package provides all the features from the above plan as standard, but also includes additional features required for an academic conference, aimed at those organising a small- to medium-sized conference.
These extra features are poster sessions, statistics and analytical logs, the ability to host three parallel sessions, a live session overview room and social sessions.
Custom
With the custom package, you're provided with all Basic and VCS Pro features and have access to unlimited parallel sessions.
EasyChair provides the prep work for you. There are sponsor logos, virtual sponsor rooms, live polling, and publishing of conference presentations.
Specifications
Other Specifications of the system include:
Attendee registration & online payment
Publication services
Price
Basic - All of this is available for $19 per person per day.
VCS Pro - $24 per person per day.
Custom - Contact for a quote
Support Included
YES
A few drawbacks of the software include looking outdated and the potential for costs to run high quickly under the per-person, per-day pricing model.
They have also recently introduced a $4.50 per-submission charge, which, if not accounted for, will increase costs and affect your budget.
ConfTool
About
Conftool, based in Germany, is another well-known conference and event management software company that helps event organisers with both virtual and onsite conferences.
Many reviews on Capterra suggest it has good facilities for organising an event, but first-time users find it difficult to navigate and require a lot of time to "read the online manual, with not everything being 100% intuitive" to get up to speed with the system.
ConfTool offers a versatile range of features that accommodate both small meetings and large international conferences.
Specifications
There are two versions of the software to choose from:
VSIS Conftool
Designed for smaller events (up to 150 attendees), ConfTool's standard version is aimed at organisers of non-commercial, small events.
It has only basic functions and no support.
ConfTool Pro
Referred to as their Professional version, it includes more features, is suitable for larger events and offers flexibility. Portrayed as a hosted service that includes support, the fee for this service depends upon the event's needs and size.
Features include:
Customisable banners/logos/colours
The submission & review process is customisable to your needs
Includes online & paper upload
Open and blind reviewing
Define topics & submission types and tracks
Bespoke programming if you need something that isn't off the shelf
Easy scheduling process for your event
The software can inform you of any scheduling conflicts
Attendees can create their own "agenda" by selecting their favourite sessions
Group and personal discussion functions for participants and authors
Import and export user data to and from ConfTool
Registration process of attendees, including payments
Several payment options are available: PayPal, bank transfer, and Stripe
Price
No pricing is available.
The Pro package price depends on the event's size and needs.
Support Included
VSIS ConfTool - NO
ConfToolPro - YES
ConfTool also operates in 15 languages on the professional package, provides bespoke programming, and has reviews on Capterra saying its support team is "very good."
However, there are a few limitations that include:
Licensing regulations, depending on which version is chosen, could be prohibitive.
Their professional package has no set pricing, so costs could rise considerably.
Not clear how to get in touch
No transparent pricing on the website
The interface isn't intuitive for new users
Fourwaves
About
The Canadian-based company offers conference management software to event admins.
Reviews on Capterra say the platform is "practical and easy to use" and "user-friendly".
Specifications
Covering both in-person and virtual conferences, this software supports event organisers in organising academic conferences.
Overall, the software offers the following features, which vary between the four packages on offer:
End-to-end scientific conference platform
Event website, registrations and payments
Abstract management (collect & review)
Attendee Registration & payments
Host live conferences
Peer review
Virtual poster sessions
Covers in-person, hybrid and virtual events
The four packages to choose from are:
Discovery - Free
Unlimited registrations
25 abstract submissions
24/7 helpdesk
Essentials - $799
Unlimited registrations
100 abstract submissions
Email communications
Name tags and booklet
Advanced - $1,699
Unlimited registrations
200 abstract submissions
Full event website
Priority support
Pro - $4,999
Unlimited data
White label website
API Access
Price
The price varies from free to $4,999, depending on the package you choose.
Support Included
YES - for all packages.
Fourwaves does well in providing software that supports both English and French, with a mobile-friendly event website.
However, some sticking points could hinder the user experience, such as:
The restrictions on the number of abstract submissions allowed on each package
Being one of the newer academic conference software options, they haven't as much experience and knowledge to deal with academic conferences as some other companies listed in this blog
Position themselves towards more scientific conferences rather than encompassing all academia
Ex Ordo
About
Ex Ordo has recently undergone a rebrand and now offers a conference management platform specifically designed to serve the needs of scholarly events (scientific, medical, and technical).
Their platform helps conference organisers manage abstracts, provide a registration system, and host virtual conferences.
Specifications
Collect and review abstracts, track reviewers' progress
Programme builder for your sessions/conference
Customisable registration for those attending your virtual conference
Support team on hand
Online payments set up
Easily message those you need to (e.g. submitters/reviewers)
Software is PCI compliant and encrypted to keep data safe and secure
Add-ons - Mobile App & Book of proceedings template
Price
Not available on their website.
You have to contact them directly to find out how much your conference will cost.
Support Included
YES
Overall, Ex Ordo provides a clear, modern and easy-to-use system for the users they're aiming for.
The lack of clear pricing can be unhelpful when researching the right conference software for your needs.
Cvent
About
One of the big players, Cvent holds a global presence within the academic conference world yet caters to all sectors, not just the academic realm.
They're probably best known for their conference platform, which supports three types of conferences: in-person, virtual, and hybrid.
They also offer a wealth of other applications that can help event organisers manage and present their events, including hotel bookings.
Specifications
Mobile apps and onsite solutions
Event marketing
Attendee Registration
Exhibitor and sponsor management
Speaker and content management
Integration with CRM systems
Price
There is no pricing available on their website; you will need to get in touch with them to find out how much your conference would be.
Support Included
YES
Overall, Cvent is perceived as providing everything an event organiser would need. However, although they cater for events of all sizes, customer reviews suggest they are perhaps better suited to larger-scale events and, more specifically, to those looking for onsite solutions such as venue and hotel hire, which could be useful for those seeking a provider to configure their entire event rather than just software.
Reviews also note that customer service can be improved and that customers aren't keen on being tied into long-term contracts.
Being a comprehensive suite of features and services, users are often left feeling bewildered when navigating and creating their event.
Plus, being one of the bigger companies, their service will no doubt be pricier than others mentioned, and, due to their size, perhaps a lack of personalised care for your event's needs.