Zealous
Zealous: A flexible awards platform with a free entry point and broad evaluation workflows. Ranked #5 of 25 in Awards Management Software by our editors (8.7/10); pricing: Free plan; best for flexible programs with a low-cost start.
At a glance
- Editor score8.7 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forFlexible programs with a low-cost start
- Free planYes
- Paid from£26/mo
- Workflow automationYes
- Founded2011 · Battersea, London, United Kingdom
- Facts checked22 Sep 2026

Where it wins
- Free tier supports up to 20 entries with no credit card required.
- Covers anonymous judging, multiple rounds, scoring, voting, and galleries.
- Stripe, Zapier, webhooks, and media integrations support varied workflows.
Where it doesn't
- Paid plans add separate entry-fee commissions and Stripe fees.
- The Free plan is limited to 20 entries.
- The web-based platform does not list native mobile apps.
Our verdict on Zealous
Zealous is a web-based submissions management platform for awards, competitions, grants, open calls, and other application-based programs. It is designed for corporations, nonprofits, foundations, agencies, and arts organizations that need branded program pages, configurable forms, multimedia submissions, judging workflows, communications, reporting, and published results. The product supports entry fees, anonymous judging, public voting, and winner galleries, giving organizers a broad workflow rather than a tool focused only on collecting applications.
Pricing starts with the Free plan at £0 per month for 20 entries, with no credit card required. Starter costs £26 per month and supports up to 300 submissions, one scoring round, judge comments and chat, unlimited programs, and unlimited categories. Pro costs £79 per month and adds unlimited submissions, unlimited scoring rounds, multiple criteria scoring, public voting, and one-hour onboarding. Scale costs £239 per month and supports up to 10,000 submissions, custom automated email content, Zapier integration, and webhooks. Enterprise adds larger annual submission numbers, an uptime SLA, procurement support, a dedicated account manager, and no commission on entry fees. Annual billing is available with a stated 33% discount; entry-fee commissions and Stripe fees are separate from subscription prices.
The strongest fit is for organizations running varied programs that need more than a basic form: judge assignment, calculated scores, automated emails and reminders, progress tracking, reports, data exports, and multiple evaluation rounds are all covered. Integrations include Stripe, Zapier, webhooks, Vimeo, YouTube, SoundCloud, Spotify, Sketchfab, and SlideShare. That breadth suits multimedia and public-facing awards, while the free tier gives smaller programs a low-cost starting point. Organizations needing a native mobile product or a workflow outside web-based program management should look elsewhere; larger procurement-led teams are better aligned with Enterprise features such as an uptime SLA and dedicated account management.
Your product? Our editors can test Zealous in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
Zealous pricing
All 5 Zealous plans and prices →
Zealous fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | £26/mo |
| Submission limit | 300 entries |
| Judge limit | Not verified |
| Anonymous judging | Yes |
| Paid submissions | Yes |
| Workflow automation | Yes |
| Winner publishing | Yes |
| Deployment | Cloud |
| Platforms | Web |
| Compliance & security | GDPR |
| Support | Email, Live chat, Phone, Docs |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 9 integrations: Stripe, Zapier, Webhooks, Vimeo, YouTube, SoundCloud … |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | zealous.co |
| Facts checked | 22 Sep 2026 |
Zealous integrations
Zealous lists 9 integrations on its own site.
- Stripe
- Zapier
- Webhooks
- Vimeo
- YouTube
- SoundCloud
- Spotify
- Sketchfab
- SlideShare
Alternatives to Zealous
- AccoladeA broad awards workflow with a permanent free plan and paid tiers for larger programs.9.3
- AwardScienceA flexible awards platform with no-code workflows, AI judging, and automated communications.9.1
- Award ForceA mature, configurable awards platform for complex programs and integration needs.8.9
See all Zealous alternatives →
Zealous vs the competition
- Zealous vs Accolade
- Zealous vs AwardScience
- Zealous vs Award Force
- Zealous vs Awards Flow
- Zealous vs Judging Hub
- Zealous vs Awardify
Compare Zealous with any tool side by side →
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The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used Zealous for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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