Microsoft CMT vs SimplyConf

MCMicrosoft CMT9.0Visit SimplyConf7.9Visit

Higher score MC Microsoft CMT #1 in Call for Papers Software 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 2 features Visit Microsoft CMT

vs

SimplyConf #4 in Call for Papers Software 7.9/10 Free plan · paid from $29/yr Free plan✓ 2 of 2 features Visit SimplyConf

• Microsoft CMT fits best

  Free, full-featured academic conferences

• SimplyConf fits best

  Self-hosted conferences needing modular pricing

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Side by side

Feature	MCMicrosoft CMT 9.0/10 Visit ↗	SimplyConf 7.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.0	7.9
Ranking	#1 in Call for Papers Software	#4 in Call for Papers Software
Best for	Free, full-featured academic conferences	Self-hosted conferences needing modular pricing
Pricing model	Free	Free plan + paid
Starting price	Not published	$29/yr
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud	Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms	Web	Web
Support	Tickets, Docs	Email, Docs
Integrations	1 integrations	2 integrations
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Microsoft CMT 2/2 · SimplyConf 2/2
Blind review	✓	✓
Schedule builder	✓	✓
Specs
Submission types	Mixed	Mixed
Review stages	Custom	Custom
Submission limit	Not published	Not published
Reviewer limit	Not published	Not published
Our review
Pros	Supports submissions, revisions, camera-ready papers, and presentations Deep review controls include blind review, conflicts, quotas, and bidding Covers multi-track planning, copyright collection, and session scheduling	Free, open-source core with web and self-hosted deployment Supports blind review, reviewer assignment, and review progress tracking Adds Stripe payments, scheduling, email, and export workflows
Cons	Web-based delivery limits the platform choice to browser access Reviewer capacity is configured by conference chairs, not fixed product-wide Its focus on academic peer review may not suit general event management	Reviews, emails, payments, schedules, and exports require paid add-ons WordPress is central to the product's ecosystem fit Managed hosting and self-hosting involve different deployment choices
Our verdict	Microsoft CMT is a free, cloud-hosted conference management system for academic and scientific peer review. It is designed for conference chairs, reviewers, authors, and proceedings editors managing submissions from abstracts through full… Read the review →	SimplyConf is a WordPress-based conference management product for academic conferences, universities, program committees, and organizations running one or multiple events. Its free, open-source core covers events, abstract submissions, and… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Microsoft CMT — where it wins

  • Supports submissions, revisions, camera-ready papers, and presentations
  • Deep review controls include blind review, conflicts, quotas, and bidding
  • Covers multi-track planning, copyright collection, and session scheduling

  Where it doesn't

  • Web-based delivery limits the platform choice to browser access
  • Reviewer capacity is configured by conference chairs, not fixed product-wide
  • Its focus on academic peer review may not suit general event management

• SimplyConf — where it wins

  • Free, open-source core with web and self-hosted deployment
  • Supports blind review, reviewer assignment, and review progress tracking
  • Adds Stripe payments, scheduling, email, and export workflows

  Where it doesn't

  • Reviews, emails, payments, schedules, and exports require paid add-ons
  • WordPress is central to the product's ecosystem fit
  • Managed hosting and self-hosting involve different deployment choices

• MCMicrosoft CMT9.0/10 · Free plan

  A free, full-featured system for managing academic submissions, reviews, rebuttals, and schedules.

  Visit Microsoft CMTFull verdict →
• SimplyConf7.9/10 · Free plan · paid from $29/yr

  A flexible WordPress-based choice for conferences that need self-hosting and add-on control.

  Visit SimplyConfFull verdict →