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Head-to-head · Manuscript Submission Software

Microsoft CMT vs Scholastica

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 6 checks side by side
Higher score Microsoft CMT #2 in Manuscript Submission Software 9.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 5 features Visit Microsoft CMT
Scholastica #6 in Manuscript Submission Software 8.7/10 Paid ✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Scholastica

Microsoft CMT leads on 1 check, Scholastica on 0, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreMicrosoft CMT · 9.1/10
  • Free planonly Microsoft CMT
  • Most featuresScholastica · 5 of 5

Microsoft CMT scores higher on our rubric for manuscript submission software: 9.1 against 8.7 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #6.

Microsoft CMT offers free plan; Scholastica doesn't.

Microsoft CMT is the better fit for conferences needing a free, full-featured workflow. Scholastica is the better fit for journals seeking a supported paid peer-review platform.

  • Microsoft CMT fits best

    Conferences needing a free, full-featured workflow

  • Scholastica fits best

    Journals seeking a supported paid peer-review platform

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Microsoft CMT 9.1/10 Visit ↗ Scholastica 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.1 8.7
Ranking #2 in Manuscript Submission Software #6 in Manuscript Submission Software
Best for Conferences needing a free, full-featured workflow Journals seeking a supported paid peer-review platform
Pricing model Free Paid
Starting price Free plan $500/unit/yr
Free plan ✓ (best) —
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud Cloud
Platforms Web Web
Support Tickets, Docs Email, Docs
Integrations 1 integrations 4 integrations
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Small business, Mid-market
Features Microsoft CMT 0/5 · Scholastica 5/5
Conference submissions Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Multi-journal management Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Configurable intake forms Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Automated email notices Not checked yet ✓ (best)
ORCID integration Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Our review
Pros
  • Supports abstracts through camera-ready papers and presentations.
  • Includes blind review, reviewer bidding, rebuttals, and review discussions.
  • Plans presentation sessions, rooms, and schedules; exports conference data.
  • Configurable forms support file requirements, instructions, and CRediT fields
  • Reviewer management, reminders, and manuscript versioning support editorial workflows
  • ORCID, ROR, and Crossref Similarity Check integrations support metadata workflows
Cons
  • The supplied integration is limited to TPMS.
  • Workflow breadth may exceed the needs of conferences seeking a narrower tool.
  • Conference chairs configure reviewer capacity rather than relying on a product-wide limit.
  • Peer Review System pricing combines an annual fee with a per-submission charge
  • Production Service pricing varies by word count, figures, tables, and equations
  • The service is cloud-based and web-only
Our verdict

Microsoft CMT is a free, cloud-hosted web system from Microsoft Research for academic and scientific conference management. It serves conference chairs, reviewers, authors, and proceedings editors, with workflows that cover abstracts, full…

Read the review →

Scholastica provides journal-focused software for collecting submissions and managing peer review, with additional production and open-access publishing services available. It suits scholarly journals and law reviews that need configurable…

Read the review →
  1. Microsoft CMTManuscript Submission Software 9.1Free plan
  2. ScholasticaManuscript Submission Software 8.7Paid

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Microsoft CMT — where it wins

    • Supports abstracts through camera-ready papers and presentations.
    • Includes blind review, reviewer bidding, rebuttals, and review discussions.
    • Plans presentation sessions, rooms, and schedules; exports conference data.

    Where it doesn't

    • The supplied integration is limited to TPMS.
    • Workflow breadth may exceed the needs of conferences seeking a narrower tool.
    • Conference chairs configure reviewer capacity rather than relying on a product-wide limit.

  • Scholastica — where it wins

    • Configurable forms support file requirements, instructions, and CRediT fields
    • Reviewer management, reminders, and manuscript versioning support editorial workflows
    • ORCID, ROR, and Crossref Similarity Check integrations support metadata workflows

    Where it doesn't

    • Peer Review System pricing combines an annual fee with a per-submission charge
    • Production Service pricing varies by word count, figures, tables, and equations
    • The service is cloud-based and web-only

More comparisons

All manuscript submission software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update