Best Brownbag Alternatives in 2026
The top Brownbag alternatives are Congressio, Sciencesconf and Microsoft CMT: 15 event abstract management software our editors would look at instead of Brownbag, in our ranking order.
Brownbag: A free, focused workflow for conferences managing papers, reviews, programs, and registration. Where it falls short: premium costs $1,000 per conference.
Switching from Brownbag? For most event abstract management software buyers the best Brownbag alternative is Congressio, built for end-to-end conferences needing deep workflows.
Why People Look for a Brownbag Alternative
- Premium costs $1,000 per conference
- Integration options are limited to ChatGPT and Stripe
- Teams needing verified blind review or revision workflows may need an alternative
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallCongressio9.4
End-to-end conferences needing deep workflows
Visit Congressio - Best free optionCongressio9.4
Has a free plan
Visit Congressio
All 15 Brownbag Alternatives, Ranked
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.
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Best forEnd-to-end conferences needing deep workflows
- Better than Brownbag:
- Editor score 9.4 vs 7.0
A full conference workflow with a useful free plan and scalable paid tiers.
- Author revisions
- Poster handling
- Scoring tools
9.4/10★★★★★Visit Congressio -
Best forFree abstract and poster review programs
- Better than Brownbag:
- Editor score 9.2 vs 7.0
A focused free option for scientific abstract, poster, and peer-review workflows.
- Author revisions
- Poster handling
- Scoring tools
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Sciencesconf -
Best forAcademic conferences wanting a free platform
- Better than Brownbag:
- Editor score 9.1 vs 7.0
A free academic conference system with unusually deep submission, review, and scheduling workflows.
- Blind review
9.1/10★★★★★Visit Microsoft CMT -
Best forResearchers needing proven low-cost review management
- Better than Brownbag:
- Editor score 9.0 vs 7.0
A flexible academic event workflow with a free entry plan and usage-based paid tiers.
- Blind review
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit EasyChair -
Best forLarge events needing unlimited abstract submissions
- Better than Brownbag:
- Editor score 8.9 vs 7.0
A broad abstract workflow with unlimited submissions and conference planning tools.
- Blind review
8.9/10★★★★☆Try Oxford Abstracts -
Best forBudget-conscious teams wanting self-hosting
- Better than Brownbag:
- Editor score 8.8 vs 7.0
A low-cost WordPress option for submissions, review workflows, scheduling, and payments.
- Blind review
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit SimplyConf -
Best forOrganizations wanting open-source event infrastructure
- Better than Brownbag:
- Editor score 8.7 vs 7.0
A free, open-source event platform covering abstracts, registration, ticketing, and check-in.
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit Indico -
Best forOpen peer-review communities and research venues
- Better than Brownbag:
- Editor score 8.6 vs 7.0
A free, open-source review workflow for research venues and peer-review communities.
- Blind review
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit OpenReview -
Best forComplex conferences with tracks and hybrid delivery
- Better than Brownbag:
- Editor score 8.5 vs 7.0
A connected workflow for complex academic conferences, from submissions to proceedings.
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Ex Ordo -
Best forTechnical paper-review teams needing self-hosting
- Better than Brownbag:
- Editor score 8.4 vs 7.0
A paper-focused review system with self-hosting, open-source access, and detailed workflows.
- Blind review
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit HotCRP -
Best forTeams wanting broad submission types and automation
- Better than Brownbag:
- Editor score 8.3 vs 7.0
A broad event workflow covering submissions, review, decisions, registration, and AI summaries.
- Author revisions
- Poster handling
- Scoring tools
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit PeerSubmit -
Best forMulti-track conferences needing broad event operations
- Better than Brownbag:
- Editor score 8.2 vs 7.0
A broad event operations suite for multi-track conferences, with free access for eligible events.
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit ConfTool -
Best forIEEE-oriented conferences needing proceedings support
- Better than Brownbag:
- Editor score 8.1 vs 7.0
A strong fit for IEEE-oriented conferences that need configurable review and proceedings workflows.
- Blind review
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit EDAS -
Best forSmall events wanting simple abstract management
- Better than Brownbag:
- Editor score 8.0 vs 7.0
A focused, low-cost option for small academic events with straightforward review workflows.
- Blind review
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit AbstractWiz -
Best forMultilingual paper-review programs
- Better than Brownbag:
- Editor score 7.9 vs 7.0
A free web platform for multilingual paper submission, review and conference programmes.
- Blind review
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Lynk
Brownbag Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Brownbag?
Congressio: #1 in our Event Abstract Management Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. A full conference workflow with a useful free plan and scalable paid tiers.
Is there a free alternative to Brownbag?
Yes. Congressio, Sciencesconf, Microsoft CMT, EasyChair and Oxford Abstracts have a free plan or a free tier (12 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
Why do people look for Brownbag alternatives?
Premium costs $1,000 per conference; Integration options are limited to ChatGPT and Stripe; Teams needing verified blind review or revision workflows may need an alternative.
How do I switch from Brownbag?
Export your data from Brownbag (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Brownbag.
How to Switch from Brownbag
- Export your data from Brownbag (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Brownbag.
Brownbag vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Blind review | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | Brownbag | Yes | $1,000 one-time | 7.0 | |
| 1 | Congressio | Yes | $490/yr | Yes | 9.4 |
| 2 | Sciencesconf | Yes | Free | Yes | 9.2 |
| 3 | Microsoft CMT | Yes | Free | Yes | 9.1 |
| 4 | EasyChair | Yes | $4/unit usage-based | Yes | 9.0 |
| 5 | Oxford Abstracts | Yes | $890 one-time | Yes | 8.9 |
| 6 | SimplyConf | Yes | $139/yr | Yes | 8.8 |
| 7 | Indico | Yes | Free | 8.7 | |
| 8 | OpenReview | Yes | Free | Yes | 8.6 |
| 9 | Ex Ordo | 8.5 | |||
| 10 | HotCRP | Yes | $7.50/unit usage-based | Yes | 8.4 |
| 11 | PeerSubmit | No | $100/unit/yr | Yes | 8.3 |
| 12 | ConfTool | Yes | 8.2 | ||
| 13 | EDAS | No | $6/unit usage-based | Yes | 8.1 |
| 14 | AbstractWiz | Yes | $270/unit one-time | Yes | 8.0 |
| 15 | Lynk | Yes | Yes | 7.9 |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update