Choosing the wrong abstract management software is a decision that ripples through every aspect of your conference.
However, the right platform can transform your administrators’ daily workflows from juggling chaotic spreadsheets to streamlined automation. It can also enhance speaker satisfaction by providing an intuitive submission experience that reflects well on your organization.
And most importantly, choosing the right abstract management software can enhance your event’s credibility and attendance by ensuring a smooth, professional process that encourages high-quality submissions and builds confidence in your conference brand.
Now, let’s address the obvious: we’re a conference and association management software provider with an abstract management module, and yes—we’re the ones publishing this comparison of abstract management platforms.
Naturally, that might raise a few eyebrows.
But we’re not here to claim that X-CD is the best fit for every organization because in this space, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
A small regional academic society has very different needs from an international medical association managing thousands of submissions across multiple specialty tracks. What works seamlessly for a computer science conference might fall short for a clinical research symposium with strict compliance standards.
This comprehensive guide will help you identify which abstract management software truly aligns with your specific requirements, so you can cut through the noise.
What is Abstract Management Software?
Abstract management software is a specialized digital tool designed to streamline the process of collecting, reviewing, and organizing abstracts, typically for academic, scientific, or professional conferences.
The 12 Best Abstract Management Software Options
1. X-CD Technologies
Best For: Small to medium academic associations, multi-day scientific conferences, and organizations requiring sophisticated integration between abstract management and other conference functions.
Key Features:
- Unified platform combining abstract management and association management with complete conference management
- Advanced conditional display logic for customized submission forms
- Comprehensive peer review tools with automated conflict detection
- Integrated speaker management and presentation collection
- Seamless integration with event registration, mobile apps, and proceedings publication
- Multi-level security and compliance features for sensitive research content
We offer a comprehensive suite of tools designed to streamline the complexities of conference and membership management. Our platform seamlessly integrates abstract submissions, event registration, speaker management, continuing education tracking, and virtual and hybrid event support. Tailored for organizations that require a unified system without the need for complex APIs or multiple vendors, we provide a cohesive experience that simplifies operations and enhances abstract management.
2. Fourwaves
Best For: Academic conferences, symposiums, and workshops with a focus on peer review and agenda publishing, especially university-led or scientific community events such as research fairs and departmental conferences. Its intuitive interface and integrated virtual poster tools make it especially well-suited for organizers without technical teams or AMS dependencies.
Key Features:
- Dynamic, customizable submission forms
- Real-time editing capabilities for authors
- Integrated event website creation
Fourwaves simplifies abstract management with customizable submission forms, flexible review workflow for blind and open reviews, and seamless publishing to virtual galleries. Authors can update submissions until the deadline, and organizers can track progress with real-time dashboards and analytics.
3. Cvent
Best For: Large corporations, enterprises, and professional conference organizers managing complex corporate events, such as trade shows, partner conferences. Ideal for organizations that need full-scale event infrastructure with built-in Salesforce integration, marketing automation, travel logistics, and venue sourcing, all under one umbrella.
Key Features:
- Customizable submission forms and workflows
- Advanced reviewer management tools
- Automated email communication systems
Cvent delivers enterprise-grade event management that combines registration, venue selection, attendee engagement, and marketing automation, which is helpful for organizations managing thousands of attendees and multiple event locations worldwide.
4. Whova
Best For: Mid-sized to large organizations, including academic institutions, associations, and nonprofits, looking to simplify logistics and boost attendee engagement across in-person, virtual, or hybrid events. Its lightweight deployment and mobile-first app make it particularly effective for teams without dedicated IT support or pre-existing AMS platforms.
Key Features:
- Speaker management, including slide uploads, bios, photos, and Q&A
- Customizable review timelines and workload distribution
- Automatic updates of speaker info across webpages
Whova stands out for its rich attendee-focused features, including mobile apps, networking tools, and seamless hybrid event support, which is ideal for event planners who want to maximize participant interaction and engagement.
5. The Conference Exchange
Best For: Large-scale scientific, academic, and medical conferences, especially those run by societies that require robust abstract management, CE tracking, complex scheduling, and multi-format (hybrid or in-person) delivery. Its proven track record in managing longitudinal event series makes it ideal for organizations with legacy data and continuing education mandates.
Key Features:
- Comprehensive tools for abstract submission and review
- Structured management of proposals and calls for speakers
- Robust scheduling features for streamlined session organization
The Conference Exchange offers flexible abstract management solutions that support customized submission workflows, multi-stage reviews, and seamless integration with program scheduling, helping organizers manage speaker proposals while balancing commercial and networking priorities.
6. OpenWater
Best For: Associations, academic institutions, and grant-giving bodies that need a highly configurable system to manage multi-step processes, including call for papers, abstract reviews, awards, grants, and speaker submissions. Ideal for organizations with advanced workflows or those integrating with AMS or CRM systems such as Salesforce or iMIS.
Key Features:
- Versatile abstract management with support for awards and grants
- Customizable submission forms
- Robust reporting and analytics
OpenWater offers customizable workflows, collaborative review processes, and seamless integrations with systems such as iMIS and Salesforce, enabling efficient application management and data synchronization.
7. Oxford Abstracts
Best For: Universities, academic associations, and small-to-mid-sized conferences seeking a straightforward, reliable abstract management tool with clear pricing. Especially well-suited for organizations that don’t require full event websites or CRM integrations but value powerful peer review tools, accessible scheduling, and downloadable outputs.
Key Features:
- Flexible submission forms tailored to unique event criteria
- Customizable review workflows and evaluation standards
- Administrative tools for managing submissions, assigning reviewers, and tracking progress
Oxford Abstracts simplifies abstract collection, peer review, ticketing, and virtual session hosting, and is designed to facilitate seamless collaboration between organizers, reviewers, and presenters.
8. EasyChair
Best For: Academic institutions, technical committees, and research groups hosting conferences with large submission volumes and multiple tracks. A go-to for cost-conscious organizers familiar with open-source tools, it’s best suited for those who prioritize core academic functions (submissions, reviews, scheduling) over marketing or CRM integration.
Key Features:
- Smart Call for Papers builder with flexible options
- Streamlined peer review workflows
- Integrated conference scheduling tools
EasyChair offers a system optimized for rigorous blind peer review, program committee management, and seamless proceedings publication in scientific disciplines.
9. Dryfta
Best For: Universities, independent researchers, and nonprofit-led symposiums seeking an all-in-one platform for submission handling, peer review, and attendee management. Best for organizers who rely on custom reporting via CSV or PDF and want a self-service system without needing AMS or enterprise-level software dependencies.
Key Features:
- Export reports and data easily in CSV or PDF formats
- Automatic alerts for overdue submissions and reviews
- Options for both single-blind and double-blind review workflows
Dryfta supports hybrid and virtual events across various sectors, including academic, nonprofit, and some business-driven conferences, offering tools for submissions, peer review, registration, and attendee engagement.
10. Ex Ordo
Best For: Research societies, scholarly associations, and academic institutions managing international or interdisciplinary conferences with a focus on peer-reviewed content. Ideal for organizers who want an easy-to-navigate experience with fewer bells and whistles, no Salesforce or AMS tie-ins, just streamlined content workflows and strong support.
Key Features:
- Customizable submission and peer review workflows
- Reviewer scoring and ranking tools for efficient decisions
- Automated notifications for overdue reviewer tasks
Ex Ordo is designed to enhance efficiency in scholarly publishing, reducing administrative burdens and accelerating publication timelines without the broader event or association management features.
11. Reviewr
Best For: Nonprofits, foundations, associations, and educational institutions managing competitive submission programs such as grants, fellowships, awards, or scholarships. Its strength lies in simplifying submission intake and evaluation for teams looking for a purpose-built review platform without the complexity of full event management systems.
Key Features:
- Intuitive interface for submitters and reviewers
- Built-in feedback and review tools
- Flexible support for calls for abstracts, speakers, and proposals
Reviewr streamlines submission intake, reviewer assignment, and evaluation processes with reporting and communication tools, tailored for organizations running application-driven initiatives.
12. Morressier
Best For: Academic publishers, research institutions, and professional societies looking to extend their scholarly reach via virtual poster sessions, preprint workflows, and early-stage research dissemination. Perfect for organizations invested in open science and knowledge sharing, and already working with publishing ecosystems or DOI repositories.
Key Features:
- Abstract and poster management
- Scalable for both large conferences and smaller symposiums
- Advanced analytics for submission trends and reviewer insights
Morressier enhances global visibility for emerging research and supports real-time collaboration and engagement among scholars, publishers, and conference organizers focused on early-stage scientific communication.
The Core Functions of Modern Abstract Management Systems
Submission Collection and Organization
Modern abstract management platforms provide customizable submission forms that can collect abstracts. These systems automatically organize submissions by topic, track, presentation type, and other criteria essential for academic conferences.
Peer Review Management
The peer review process is where abstract management software truly shines. These platforms automate reviewer assignments based on expertise areas, manage conflicts of interest, track review progress, and facilitate communication between reviewers and conference organizers. Certain online abstract management systems support single-blind, double-blind, and even triple-blind review processes to maintain academic integrity.
Communication and Workflow Automation
Abstract management software eliminates the endless email chains that plague manual submission processes. Automated notifications keep authors, reviewers, and organizers informed at every stage, from submission confirmations to acceptance notifications. This automation reduces administrative burden while ensuring consistent communication.
Why Abstract Management Software is Essential
The academic conference landscape has become increasingly complex. Research conferences now routinely receive hundreds or thousands of submissions, require sophisticated peer review processes, and must accommodate both in-person and virtual attendance. Manual processes simply cannot scale to meet these demands while maintaining the quality standards expected by academic communities.
Quality Assurance and Academic Integrity
Modern abstract management platforms often come with advanced features for plagiarism detection, automated formatting checks, and compliance monitoring. These tools help maintain the academic standards that are crucial for research conferences.
Data-Driven Decision Making
Abstract management platforms provide comprehensive analytics and reporting capabilities. Conference organizers can track submission trends, monitor reviewer performance, and generate detailed reports that inform both current event management decisions and future planning strategies.
Integration Capabilities
The best abstract management software doesn’t operate in isolation. These platforms integrate seamlessly with event registration systems, conference mobile apps, proceedings publishing tools, and other event management technologies to create a cohesive conference experience.
Find the Right Abstract Management Software For Your Association
Selecting the ideal abstract management software is key to your conference’s lasting success. With the right abstract management solution, you can streamline submissions, enhance peer review quality, and manage speaker content effortlessly while maintaining the academic standards your community expects.
We won’t pretend this comparison is completely impartial. As a software provider, we have our own perspective. But we’ve done our best to present a fair, useful overview of the options available because we believe the right platform should work with your team, not against it.
If your organization runs academic, scientific, or research-driven events, we may be a strong fit. However, only you can decide which platform aligns best with your goals and unique requirements.
We encourage you to request a demo of our abstract management software to determine if we’re the right partner for your association.
