Complete Guide to Academic Conference Management Software

Introduction

For over 25 years, my professional journey has been dedicated to the field of academic conference organization. My initial interest emerged during my doctoral research, which focused specifically on understanding the economics and dynamics of the a event industry. Since then, I have had the privilege of organizing and managing more than 100 international academic conferences in collaboration with prestigious universities and academic societies.

Recognizing a significant gap in specialized tools for academic conferences, in 2009 I developed a tailored software solution to enhance our internal management processes, including abstract submission, peer review, scheduling, and participant registration. We launched this software publicly under the name MeetingHand at 2016 within the demand and motivation of our partners. 

This guide is designed to articulate the necessity of using dedicated software tailored to academic conferences. Drawing from extensive experience, it offers practical guidance and best practices to streamline and optimize the planning and execution of academic events.

In this guide you’ll learn:

·  What academic conference management software does

·  How it compares to general event tools

·  Top conference management system features and common challenges

·  How to choose the right conference platform

·  See the most popular conference softwares and why MeetingHand is a top choice

What is Academic Conference Management Software? Why You Need One?

Academic conference management software is a tool designed to help organizers plan and run academic events smoothly. It focuses on tasks specific to academia, such as collecting
research papers or abstracts, organizing peer reviews (where experts evaluate submissions anonymously), creating schedules with multiple sessions, and communicating with participants. Unlike general event tools, it handles academic needs like linking researcher IDs (e.g., ORCID), publishing conference materials, and ensuring fair review processes. By automating tasks like sending reminders or tracking deadlines, it saves time, reduces mistakes, and makes conferences more professional.

Why is Specialized Software Important for Conference Management?

Academic conferences have unique requirements that regular tools cannot manage. For example, they need to handle hundreds of paper submissions, organize strict peer reviews, and publish results like conference books or journals. Specialized software simplifies these tasks, reducing errors and saving time for organizers. It also supports hybrid or online events, manages time zones for global attendees, and provides tools like mobile apps for networking. Without this software, organizing large conferences becomes chaotic, and the quality of academic events could suffer.

The Importance of Academic Conference Management Software in Today's Academia

Today, academic collaboration happens globally, and conferences often mix online and in-person participation. Specialized software makes this possible by managing virtual
sessions, live Q&A, and recordings. It also ensures fairness in peer reviews and helps track participation trends (e.g., which topics are popular). By simplifying tasks like registration or scheduling, researchers can focus on sharing ideas instead of paperwork. This software also makes conferences more inclusive by supporting multiple languages and accessibility features. For universities and researchers, using these tools improves conference quality, attracts international participants, and strengthens academic networks—key goals in modern education and research.

Chapter 1: Understanding Academic Conference Management

1. What are Academic Conferences?

Academic conferences are formal gatherings where researchers, scholars, academicians and professionals share new findings, discuss ideas, and collaborate within their fields. These events include presentations, workshops, panel discussions, and poster sessions. Conferences can be small (e.g., department-level meetings) or large (e.g., international summits). They play a key role in advancing knowledge, building professional networks, and validating research through peer feedback. Examples include annual meetings of academic societies or specialized workshops on topics like climate change or artificial intelligence.

2. Core Elements of Conference Management

Effective academic conference management involves a series of coordinated tasks that
ensure the smooth planning and execution of the event. Some of the critical tasks/steps:

1. Planning: Defining the conference theme, dates, and format (in-person, virtual, or hybrid).
2. Setting objectives and building organizing committees
3. Setting the workflow: Designing the abstract form and review process 
4. Call for Submissions: Collecting research papers, abstracts, or proposals from participants.
5. Peer Review: Organizing anonymous evaluations by experts to ensure quality.
6. Scheduling: Creating timetables for sessions, keynotes, and discussions, often with multiple tracks.
7. Communication: Notifying authors, sending updates, reminders, and instructions to participants.
8. Logistics: Managing registrations, payments, venues, and technical setups (e.g., online platforms).
9. Publishing: Producing conference materials like programs, abstracts, or proceedings.

These elements require coordination to ensure smooth execution and aligment with the academic expectations and quality standards of the target audience.

3. Common Challenges in Managing Academic Conferences

Organizers often face challenges such as:

• High Volume of Submissions: Managing hundreds of papers or abstracts while ensuring timely and fair reviews.
• Communication Constraints: Ensuring participants receive clear, timely notification and updates.
• Coordinating schedules: Scheduling across multiple sessions, speakers, and tracks can be complex, especially for international events with time zone considerations.
• Administrative burdens: Such as handling registration details, processing payments, and issuing certificates, can overwhelm small teams.
• Budget Constraints: Balancing costs for venues, technology, and participant support. 
• Quality Control: Maintaining strict peer review standards to uphold academic credibility.
• Hybrid Events: Integrating online and in-person sessions seamlessly.

For example, a conference with attendees from 30 countries might struggle with time zone conflicts, while a hybrid event could face technical issues during live streams.

Chapter 2: What is Academic Conference Management Software?

1. Clarifying the Niche Focus on Academic Events

Academic conference management software is designed exclusively to meet the unique
needs of scholarly events, which prioritize intellectual exchange over commercial goals. Unlike entertainment or corporate events, academic conferences rely on workflows like call-for-papers, abstract submissions, peer review, and scientific program creation—all essential to maintaining academic quality. These tools support academic hierarchies (e.g., committees, reviewers) and structured communication between organizers and participants. For example, they automate anonymous peer reviews, link submissions to researcher profiles (like ORCID), and generate conference proceedings. By aligning with academic values, this software ensures organized, efficient collaboration among scholars.

2. Differentiating from Generic Event Tools

General event software often handles logistics like ticketing, promotion, or on-site check-ins. However, academic events require much more—such as managing abstract evaluations, handling various session types, compiling proceedings, and creating academic certificates. These tasks are not well-supported by commercial event tools. Academic conferences also often have tight budgets, international attendees, and multilingual needs. That’s why software tailored to academia is essential—it solves problems general tools were never built to handle.

For instance, tools like MeetingHand automate workflow and adapt to limited budgets, while generic tools cannot. This makes specialized software necessary, not optional, for academic credibility.

3. Why Specialized Software is Crucial for Academic Conferences

Academic conferences are complex. Each step, from submissions to scheduling, is connected. For example, abstract decisions affect the program, and program updates must be reflected across all materials—from mobile apps to printed booklets. Specialized software manages these connections automatically. It reduces errors, saves time, and ensures a professional experience for both organizers and participants. Without such tools, planning an academic conference can become disorganized, inefficient, and overwhelming.

Key Takeaways

• Academic conferences need tools that prioritize scholarly workflows (peer
  review, proceedings) over generic logistics.
• Specialized software ensures academic integrity, efficiency, and professional outputs that generic tools cannot provide.
• Investing in the right platform saves time, reduces errors, and elevates the conference’s credibility in the academic community.

Chapter 3: Conference Management Software vs. Event Management Software: Key Differences

1. Common Misconceptions Explained

Many assume event management software and academic conference software are interchangeable. However, they serve fundamentally different purposes:

Event Management Software (e.g., Eventbrite, Cvent):

o   Designed for corporate events, weddings, or festivals.

o   Focuses on selling tickets, promoting events, managing venues, and checking in guests.

o   ❌ Cannot handle academic tasks like peer review or abstract submissions.

·      
Academic Conference Software (e.g., Ex Ordo, ConfTool):

o   Built for research conferences, symposiums, or workshops.

o   Focuses on scholarly workflows: collecting research papers, organizing blind reviews, and creating scientific programs.

Using generic tools for academic conferences leads to frustration. For example, Eventbrite cannot anonymize submissions for blind peer review, while academic software automates this process.

2. Unique Academic Needs: Abstract Submissions, Peer Reviews, Program Development, Book of Abstracts

Academic conferences require specialized features that generic tools lack:

Abstract Submissions:

o   Collect and organize hundreds of research summaries (abstracts) by topic, language, or format (e.g., posters, oral presentations).

o   Example: A climate science conference might group abstracts into "Renewable Energy" or "Carbon Emissions."

     
Peer Reviews:

o   Ensure fairness with anonymous evaluations (reviewers don’t see authors’ names,
and vice versa).

o   Track reviewer feedback and resolve disagreements between experts.

Program Development:

o   Build schedules with parallel sessions, workshops, and keynote speeches.

o   Adjust for last-minute changes (e.g., a speaker canceling) without disrupting the entire program.

Book of Abstracts/Proceedings:

o   Automatically compile accepted abstracts or papers into professional PDFs or printed books.

o   Example: IEEE conferences publish research proceedings using specialized software like EDAS.

Without these features, organizers waste time fixing errors, and conferences lose academic credibility.

3. Choosing the Right Solution for Academic Events

When selecting software, ask:

• Does it support academic workflows?
  • ✅ Customizable submission forms, peer review systems, and automated certificates.
  • ✅ Multilingual interfaces and integration with tools like ORCID.
• Is it user-friendly and scalable?
  • Can it handle 50 or 5,000 submissions?
  • Is there training or customer support for first-time users?
• Does it save time and reduce errors?
  • Look for bulk emailing, deadline reminders, and real-time updates across platforms.

Is it Cost Effective and Scalable?

• Can it handle small workshops or large international conferences?
• Are there hidden fees for features like multilingual support?

Does it support Hybrid/Virtual Conferences?

• Does it integrate with Zoom or other tools for online presentations?
• Can it manage live Q&A sessions or pre-recorded videos?

For example, MeetingaHand offers end-to-end academic tools, while Sched focuses on
agenda-building. Avoid platforms that prioritize "event hype" over scholarly needs.

Key Takeaways

• Academic conferences need tools built for research content, not just logistics.
• Generic software fails at peer review, abstract management, and academic outputs.
• The right solution ensures quality, efficiency, and professionalism—key to a conference’s success.

Chapter 4: Top Features in Academic Conference Management Software

1. Call for Papers

Sending a call-for-papers (CFP) is a basic solutions ot collect submissions in different topics,
presentation types, formats. It should:

• Set deadlines and accept multiple formats (oral presentations, posters, workshops).
• Send automatic notifications and reminders to authors.

2. Abstract Submission Management

This feature manages the entire submission process:

• Authors upload abstracts, and organizers track progress (e.g., "submitted," "under review").
• Bulk uploads save time for large conferences.
• AI based checks ensure originality.

3. Abstract Review Management and Evaluation Workflow

A fair review system is critical for academic quality:

• Blind review: Hide author names to avoid bias.
• Assign reviewers based on expertise (e.g., a climate scientist reviews ecology abstracts).
• Collect scores and feedback in one place.

4. Customizable Submission and Review Forms

Every conference has unique needs:

• Adjust submission fields (e.g., word limits, keywords, references, author affiliations, additional questions).
• Design review forms with scoring scales (e.g., 1–5) or open-ended questions.

5. Customizable Registration Forms

Tailor registration for different attendees is required especially to track presenters registration and payment status:

• Set pricing tiers (e.g., academician, students, early, normal late, etc).
• Add options like workshop tickets or dietary preferences.
• Apply role based tickest or discounts such as invited speaker, committee member, etc.

6. Session Scheduling and Multi-Track Management

Organize parallel sessions without conflicts:

• Create tracks (e.g., "AI in Healthcare" and "AI in Education").
• Avoid scheduling popular speakers at the same time.
• Track conflicts and ensure all accepted presentations are scheduled.
• Manage last minute upadates on time

7. Speaker and Presenter Coordination

Keep speakers informed and prepared:

• Share guidelines (e.g., presentation length, slide format).
• Send automatic reminders for deadlines and presentation times.

8. Certificate of Presentation

Automatically generate certificates:

• Customize designs with logos and signatures.
• Download certificates in bulk after the conference.

9. Abstract Exports and Book of Abstracts

Produce professional outputs:

• Export accepted abstracts into PDF/Word with templates.
• Generate content automatically and include metadata like keywords or session numbers.

10. Communication Automation

Send emails and reminders without manual work:

• Notify authors about submission status (accepted/rejected) and presentation times.
• Alert reviewers about deadlines.

11. Integrated Conference Program and Check-ins

Keep everyone updated in real time:

• Publish schedules on conference websites.
• Use QR codes for fast check-ins.

12. Integrated Registration and Financial Management

Track payments and budgets:

• Manage invoices, refunds, and discounts.
• Generate financial reports for stakeholders.

13. Real-time Data Analytics and Reporting

Get insights during and after the conference:

• Track announcements open and readness rates
• Track submission trends (e.g., most popular topics).
• Measure presentation and attendance rates for sessions.

Key Takeaways

• Academic conference software must handle research workflows (peer review, abstracts) and logistics (scheduling, budgets).
• Features like automation and customization save time and reduce errors.
• Choose software that grows with your event—whether it’s a small workshop or an international conference.

Chapter 5: How Conference Management Software Saves Time, Money,
and Effort

1. Automated and Rule-Based Workflow 

Academic conference software uses pre-set rules to automate repetitive tasks, saving organizers hundreds of hours. For example:

• ✅ Abstract confirmations: Authorsget instant notifications and confirmation letters. As well as tracking their abstract status (under review, edit required, confirmed) and presentation details.
• ✅ Deadline reminders: Authors and reviewers receive automatic emails, reducing manual follow-ups.
• ✅ Automatic review and assignments: The system matches submissions to experts based on keywords (e.g., a machine learning paper goes to an AI researcher).

• ✅ Registration confirmations: Attendees get instant payment receipts and event details. Platforms like MeetingHand help organizers save 37% of their time by replacing manual work with automated workflows.

2. Automating Review and Abstract Management Processes

Managing hundreds of submissions manually is slow and error-prone. Software solves this by:

• Blind reviews: Hide author identities to ensure fairness.
• Structured scoring: Reviewers use custom forms (e.g., rate 1–5 on "originality" or "methodology").
• Centralized feedback: All comments are saved in one place for easy decision-making. As well as forwarding reviewers’ messages to the authors, and tracking their updates
  Example: A conference with 500+ abstracts uses software to complete reviews in 2 weeks instead of 2 months.

3. Enhancing Personalized Communication and Reducing Administrative Errors

Manual emails often lead to mistakes, like sending a rejection to an accepted author. Software fixes this by:

• Role-based messaging: Send tailored updates to authors, reviewers, and attendees.
• Template libraries: Use pre-written emails for acceptance letters, review requests, or deadline reminders.
• Bulk actions: Notify 1,000+ participants in minutes.
  Example: A conference organizer sends personalized certificates to 200+ speakers with one click.

4. Efficient Financial Tracking and Budget Control

Academic events often have tight budgets. Software helps by:

• Real-time tracking: Monitor registration fees, sponsor payments, and expenses.
• Automatic invoices: Generate and send invoices for attendees or sponsors.
• Budget alerts: Get warnings if spending exceeds limits.
  Example: A university conference stays within its $20,000 budget using built-in financial reports.

5. Error-Free Conference Agenda and Book of Abstracts

Manual updates often cause mistakes in printed programs or abstracts. Software ensures accuracy by:

• Sync across platforms: Changes to sessions or abstracts update instantly on websites, apps, and PDFs.
• Auto-generated outputs: Create print-ready agendas or books of abstracts with one click.
• Version control: Avoid confusion with outdated schedules.
  Example: When a speaker cancels, the software adjusts the agenda and notifies attendees automatically.

Key Takeaways

• Save time: Automation handles repetitive tasks like emails, reviews, and scheduling.
• Save money: Avoid overstaffing, printing errors, or budget overruns.
• Reduce errors: Ensure accuracy in communications, agendas, and financial reports.

By using specialized software, academic organizers focus on what matters most: advancing knowledge and building scholarly communities.

Chapter 6: Why MeetingHand is the Top Choice for Academic Conferences

1. Tailored Solutions for Academic Workflows

MeetingHand is designed exclusively for academic needs, unlike generic tools.

Key features include:

• Abstract submission: Apply abstract format and deadline rules, presentation or registration type based submission limits, etc.
• Peer review management: Supports blind reviews to ensure fairness.
• Academic outputs: Auto-generated acceptance letters, Auto-synchronized programs, and books of abstracts.
• Compliance: Meets standards for academic publishing (e.g., linking to ORCID).

2. Fully Synchronized Updates Across All Platforms

Changes made in MeetingHand update instantly everywhere:

• Event website: New sessions or speakers appear immediately.
• Participant account: Attendees track and update registration, submissions and bookings. And see real-time schedule changes.
• Printed materials: Abstracts and agendas stay error-free.
  Example: When a speaker cancels, the system updates the website and program PDF in seconds—no manual editing required.

3. Unique Features: Peer Review Management, Multiple Format Abstract Handling

MeetingHand simplifies complex academic tasks:

• Peer review: Assign reviewers, track feedback, and resolve conflicts in one place.
• Flexible submissions: Accept text-based abstracts, PDFs, videos, or datasets.

4. Affordable and Transparent Pricing Models

MeetingHand’s pricing is designed for academic budgets:

• Scalable pricing: pricing based on the collected registration and abstracts.  
• No hidden fees: Unlimted events, users, all features included and no any hidden costs.
• Save up to 43%: Get reduced fees with pre-paid packages in addition to reducing staffing costs.
  Example: A small scholarly society cuts costs by 43% using MeetingHand’s automated workflows.

5. Marketing Solutions Drive Growth by up to 11%

MeetingHand includes tools to attract more participants:

• Ensure visibility: Expand visibility by securing the 1st page on Google
• Discount campaigns: Generate discount codes for specific purposes such as group or registration type discounts.
• Targeted emails: Send personalized invites to researchers in specific fields.
• Social media integration: Share event updates and boost visibility.
• Custom websites: Create professional event pages to impress sponsors.

Key Takeaways

• Built for academia: Handles peer reviews, abstracts, and academic outputs better than generic tools.
• Real-time sync: Avoid errors with instant updates across all platforms.
• Cost-effective: Transparent pricing and automation save time and money.
• Growth-focused: Marketing tools attract more attendees and sponsors.

MeetingHand helps academic organizers focus on research quality and global collaboration, not paperwork.

Chapter 7: What Makes MeetingHand Different from Competitors?

MeetingHand stands out by offering a unique combination of intelligent automation, full customization, and simplicity—crafted specifically for academic conference organizers. Its gap-free process allows you to manage everything from abstract submissions to attendee communication in a single streamlined workflow. Designed from the perspective of experienced organizers, every tool in MeetingHand saves time, effort, and potential mistakes.

Unlike other platforms like Cvent or Eventbrite, MeetingHand provides fully customizable setups without hidden fees or user-based charges. Its intuitive, no-training-needed interface makes it easy for any team member to get started and stay in sync. Collaboration is at its core—you can add your team, partners, or even MeetingHand’s support specialists at no additional cost.

MeetingHand is not just a tool—it’s a partner built for academia. With transparent pricing, easy setup, and powerful automation, it's no surprise users report saving up to 43% in costs, 37% in time, and growing their event reach by 11%. Academic conferences require more than just event logistics—they need precision, flexibility, and reliability. That’s what MeetingHand does differently.

Chapter 8: How to Choose the Right Conference Management Platform: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Identifying Your Conference’s Specific Needs

Start by answering key questions:

• Size: Will your conference have 50 or 500+ attendees?
• Format: Is it in-person, virtual, or hybrid?
• Scope: Do you need peer review, multi-language support, or complex scheduling?
• Budget: Are costs fixed, or can they scale with registration numbers?

Example: A small workshop may need basic abstract management, while an international conference requires multi-track scheduling and live-streaming.

2. Checklist for Academic Organizers

3. How to Test Platforms

1. Free Trials: Use trial periods to test features like abstract submission or peer review.
2. Ask for Demos: Request live demos to see how the platform handles real tasks.
3. User Reviews: Check feedback from similar academic events.

Example: Test if a platform can anonymize submissions for blind reviews or export abstracts into a formatted PDF.

Key Takeaways

• Prioritize academic needs (peer review, abstracts) over generic event features.
• Choose user-friendly tools to avoid training time for your team.
• Ensure scalability and support to avoid disruptions during critical phases.

By following this checklist, you’ll select a platform that saves time, ensures quality, and aligns with your conference’s goals.

Chapter 9: Common Challenges in Academic Conference Planning (and How Software Solves Them)

1. Abstract Content and Formats

Challenge: Different academic fields require varied formats (text, PDFs, videos) and metadata (keywords, funding sources).

⁠Solution:

• Customizable submission forms let organizers add fields for specific requirements (e.g., word limits for humanities, data tables for STEM).
• Multi-format support allows authors to upload text, PDFs, or multimedia files.

2. Managing High-Volume Abstract Submissions and Peer Reviews

Challenge: Reviewing 500+ submissions manually leads to delays and errors.

Solution:

• Automated reviewer assignments match submissions to experts by keywords.
• Blind review ensures fairness, while dashboards track progress.

3. Coordinating Complex Scheduling Across Multiple Sessions

Challenge: Overlapping sessions, speaker conflicts, and room allocation errors.

Solution:

• Drag-and-drop schedulers auto-avoid conflicts and balance themes.
• Real-time updates sync changes across websites, apps, and printed programs.
  Example: A medical conference schedules 10 parallel tracks with no overlaps.

4. Ensuring Timely Communication with Speakers and Attendees

Challenge: Missed deadlines due to manual email follow-ups.

Solution:

• Automated notifications send reminders for submissions, reviews, and payments.
• Role-based templates tailor messages to authors, reviewers, and attendees.
  Example: A linguistics conference reduces no-shows by 20% with automated reminders.

5. Exporting Draft Conference Book of Abstracts

Challenge: Manual formatting takes days and risks errors.

Solution:

• One-click exports compile abstracts into print-ready PDFs with templates.
• Custom metadata adds session numbers, author affiliations, or keywords.
  Example: An engineering team generates a 200-page book of abstracts in 10 minutes.

6. Managing Presenter Registration and Payment Status

Challenge: Tracking who has registered or paid is time-consuming.

Solution:

• Integrated registration links submissions to payments, with dashboards showing real-time status.
• Auto-invoicing sends payment reminders and receipts.
  Example: A sociology conference tracks 300+ presenters’ payments with zero errors.

7. Ensuring Error-Free and Updated Conference Programs

Challenge: Last-minute changes create inconsistencies across platforms.

Solution:

• Real-time sync updates programs instantly on websites, apps, and PDFs.
• Version control prevents outdated schedules.
  Example: When a keynote speaker cancels, the software updates all platforms in seconds.

8. Real Examples of Problems Solved by Software

• Case 1: A climate conference used software to manage 800+ submissions and blind reviews, cutting review time by 40%.
• Case 2: A hybrid education conference synced live-stream links and in-person schedules, boosting attendance by 25%.
• Case 3: A nonprofit reduced registration errors by 27% with automated payment tracking.

Key Takeaways

• Software solves: Formatting chaos, review delays, scheduling conflicts, and payment errors.
• Results: Save time (up to 37%), reduce costs (up to 43%), and improve attendee satisfaction.
• Action: Choose platforms with automation, real-time updates, and academic-specific features.

Chapter 10: Future Trends in Conference Management Technology: AI Driven Automation and Beyond

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and the integration of AI technologies will drive
user-centric developments aligned with new user behaviors emerging from AI-powered software. The growing demand for automation and advancements in AI technologies will shape the development trends of conference management software:

Discover how MeetingHand is pioneering AI tools to revolutionize academic conferences – and how you can be part of the journey.

1. Abstract Automation (Coming Soon!)

Problem: Manual abstract workflows drain time with:

• Reviewer assignments and formatting checks.
• Delays in scheduling and publishing decisions.

AI Solutions on the Horizon:

• Auto-Formatting: Submissions will automatically adapt to conference templates (APA, IEEE).
• Smart Reviewer Matching: AI assigns abstracts to the most qualified reviewers based on expertise.
• Instant Program Drafts: Generate a conference schedule and abstract book with one click.

Why Support MeetingHand:

"By choosing MeetingHand, you’re fueling AI innovations that will save organizers 20+ hours per event. Stay tuned for updates!"

2. Smarter Marketing (In Development)

Problem: Generic promotions fail to engage niche academic audiences.

AI Solutions Coming Soon:

• Behavior-Driven Campaigns: Target researchers who viewed your event but didn’t submit abstracts.
• Deadline Triggers: Automatically remind authors about submissions, registrations, or discounts.

Join the Innovation:

"Use MeetingHand today to support AI tools that will boost your event’s visibility by 35%."

3. Registration Automation (On the Roadmap)

Problem: Disconnected workflows between abstracts and registrations.

Future AI Solutions:

• Abstract-to-Registration Sync: Accepted authors receive auto-generated registration links.
• Personalized Pathways: Attendees see session recommendations based on their research interests.

Be the First to Experience It:

"MeetingHand is building AI that reduces no-shows by 50%. Support the future of conferences – try our platform now!"

How You Can Help Shape These Tools:

1. Use MeetingHand Today: The more organizers adopt our platform, the faster we’ll launch AI features.
2. Share Feedback: Tell us what you need – your input directly shapes our roadmap.
3. Stay Updated: Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive previews of AI tools.

"Ready to Simplify Conferences Now – and Unlock AI Soon?

MeetingHand’s existing tools streamline abstract management, registration, and scheduling today – while your support accelerates our AI innovations. Start your free trial and join the future of conference planning!"

Chapter 11: Top 10 Conference Management Software Comparison

Why Choose MeetingHand Over Competitors?

1. Built for Academia: Tailored for abstract/paper workflows (unlike corporate tools like Cvent or Socio).
2. Affordability: Freemium model beats costly platforms like Ex Ordo or Whova.
3. AI Innovation: Upcoming automation tools (e.g., auto-formatting, reviewer matching) set it apart.
4. Customization: Adaptable templates vs. rigid systems like OpenConf or EasyChair.
5. User-Friendly: Simpler setup than Conftool or Ex Ordo.

Key Takeaways

• For Academic Conferences: MeetingHand, Ex Ordo, and EasyChair are top contenders.
• For Corporate/Hybrid Events: Cvent, Bizzabo, or Socio.
• Budget-Friendly: MeetingHand (freemium) vs. OpenConf (one-time fee).

Conclusion

"With the right tools and strategies, your next academic conference is poised for success! Whether you’re organizing your first event or refining your 100th, MeetingHand is here to simplify every step—from abstract submissions to attendee engagement.

As you embark on your planning journey, remember: great events start with smart preparation. To help you succeed, we’ve curated actionable guides and checklists below. Dive in, bookmark your favorites, and turn complexity into clarity.

Wishing you a seamless, standout conference – you’ve got this!"**

Additional Resources and Useful Links

Step-by-step Academic Conference Planning Checklist:
https://meetinghand.com/blog/event-planning-check-list

Academic Conference Marketing Checklist:
https://meetinghand.com/blog/event-marketing-checklist      

Designing Effective Abstract Submission Forms:
https://meetinghand.com/blog/how-to-collect-abstracts-for-an-academic-event-and-design-an-effective-abstract-submission-form

Evaluating Abstracts Efficiently:
https://meetinghand.com/blog/how-to-evaluate-submissions-efficiently-in-an-academic-conference

Building an Academic Conference Program:
https://meetinghand.com/blog/how-to-build-an-academic-conference-program-that-maximizes-value-for-attendees

Ensuring Fair Abstract Evaluation:
https://meetinghand.com/blog/how-to-ensure-a-fair-evaluation-for-abstracts-submitted-to-your-academic-conference