Best AMS (Article Management System) Alternatives in 2026
The top AMS (Article Management System) alternatives are Congressio, Sciencesconf and Microsoft CMT: 15 event abstract management software our editors would look at instead of AMS (Article Management System), in our ranking order.
AMS (Article Management System): A comprehensive web platform for scholarly events that extends from submissions to publication. Where it falls short: no free plan is available.
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Best forEnd-to-end conferences needing deep workflows
A full conference workflow with a useful free plan and scalable paid tiers.
- Author revisions
- Poster handling
- Scoring tools
10.0/10★★★★★Visit Congressio -
Best forFree abstract and poster review programs
A focused free option for scientific abstract, poster, and peer-review workflows.
- Author revisions
- Poster handling
- Scoring tools
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Sciencesconf -
Best forAcademic conferences wanting a free platform
A free academic conference system with unusually deep submission, review, and scheduling workflows.
- Blind review
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Microsoft CMT -
Best forResearchers needing proven low-cost review management
A flexible academic event workflow with a free entry plan and usage-based paid tiers.
- Blind review
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit EasyChair -
Best forLarge events needing unlimited abstract submissions
A broad abstract workflow with unlimited submissions and conference planning tools.
- Blind review
7.3/10★★★★☆Try Oxford Abstracts -
Best forBudget-conscious teams wanting self-hosting
A low-cost WordPress option for submissions, review workflows, scheduling, and payments.
- Blind review
7.1/10★★★★☆Visit SimplyConf -
Best forOrganizations wanting open-source event infrastructure
A free, open-source event platform covering abstracts, registration, ticketing, and check-in.
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit Indico -
Best forTeams wanting broad submission types and automation
A broad event workflow covering submissions, review, decisions, registration, and AI summaries.
- Author revisions
- Poster handling
- Scoring tools
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit PeerSubmit -
Best forOpen peer-review communities and research venues
A free, open-source review workflow for research venues and peer-review communities.
- Blind review
6.6/10★★★☆☆Visit OpenReview -
Best forComplex conferences with tracks and hybrid delivery
A connected workflow for complex academic conferences, from submissions to proceedings.
6.5/10★★★☆☆Visit Ex Ordo -
Best forTechnical paper-review teams needing self-hosting
A paper-focused review system with self-hosting, open-source access, and detailed workflows.
- Blind review
6.5/10★★★☆☆Visit HotCRP -
Best forResearch events needing hierarchical review workflows
A configurable choice for research events with structured, multi-stage review workflows.
- Author revisions
- Poster handling
- Scoring tools
6.2/10★★★☆☆Visit Softconf -
Best forSmall events wanting simple abstract management
A focused, low-cost option for small academic events with straightforward review workflows.
- Blind review
6.1/10★★★☆☆Visit AbstractWiz -
Best forIEEE-oriented conferences needing proceedings support
A strong fit for IEEE-oriented conferences that need configurable review and proceedings workflows.
- Blind review
6.0/10★★★☆☆Visit EDAS -
Best forMulti-track conferences needing broad event operations
A broad event operations suite for multi-track conferences, with free access for eligible events.
5.9/10★★★☆☆Visit ConfTool
AMS (Article Management System) Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to AMS (Article Management System)?
Congressio: #1 in our Event Abstract Management Software ranking, with an editor score of 10.0 out of 10. A full conference workflow with a useful free plan and scalable paid tiers.
Is there a free alternative to AMS (Article Management System)?
Yes. Congressio, Sciencesconf, Microsoft CMT, EasyChair and Oxford Abstracts have a free plan or a free tier (11 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
What is the cheapest paid alternative to AMS (Article Management System)?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, SimplyConf starts lowest, at $29/yr.
AMS (Article Management System) vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Submission types | Review workflow | Scoring tools | Blind review | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | AMS (Article Management System) | No | $299/yr | Papers | — | Yes | Yes | 6.0 |
| 1 | Congressio | Yes | — | Multiple | Custom | Yes | Yes | 10.0 |
| 2 | Sciencesconf | Yes | None | Multiple | Multi_stage | Yes | Yes | 9.0 |
| 3 | Microsoft CMT | Yes | None | — | — | — | Yes | 7.7 |
| 4 | EasyChair | Yes | — | — | — | — | Yes | 7.6 |
| 5 | Oxford Abstracts | Yes | — | Abstracts | — | — | Yes | 7.3 |
| 6 | SimplyConf | Yes | $29/yr | — | — | — | Yes | 7.1 |
| 7 | Indico | Yes | None | — | — | — | — | 6.8 |
| 8 | PeerSubmit | No | $100/yr | Multiple | Custom | Yes | Yes | 6.8 |
| 9 | OpenReview | Yes | None | — | — | — | Yes | 6.6 |
| 10 | Ex Ordo | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6.5 |
| 11 | HotCRP | Yes | — | — | — | — | Yes | 6.5 |
| 12 | START Conference Manager | No | — | Multiple | Custom | Yes | Yes | 6.2 |
| 13 | AbstractWiz | Yes | — | — | — | — | Yes | 6.1 |
| 14 | EDAS | No | — | — | — | — | Yes | 6.0 |
| 16 | ConfTool | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | 5.9 |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026
Last updated · How we research and update