How Open Call Manager compares
We charge nothing until you collect entry fees, and refunds include our commission. Here’s how that compares with the tools organizers use today.
At a glance
What each platform charges an organizer, and what happens when an artist withdraws.
| Platform | Before your first entry | Ongoing fees | Public prices | When an artist withdraws |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open Call Manager | $0 | 7.1% of the entry fees you collect | Yes | Automatic: the full fee minus Stripe’s processing fee, our commission included |
| CaFÉ | $225 onboarding, plus $250 or $475 per call | $2.49 per application (first 250 included on the $475 plan), $120 yearly renewal, 3.25% processing fee | Yes | Up to each call. CaFÉ says entry fees are “almost always non-refundable.” |
| ShowSubmit | $125 per call, paid up front for your first show | $6 per artist ($4.80 after 100 artists) | Yes | Not refunded when an artist withdraws |
| EntryThingy | $0 | $3 per entry, including on free calls | Yes | Up to the organizer. EntryThingy doesn’t handle entry fees. |
| ArtCall | From $79, tiered by entry volume | Higher tiers for more entries | Starting price only | Not stated |
| Picter | By quote | By quote | No | Not stated |
Platform by platform
CaFÉ lists calls in a directory artists already browse, with unlimited jurors and jury rounds.
It costs $225 to start and $250 or more per call. With us, you pay nothing until you collect fees, and free calls stay free.
After your first show, ShowSubmit takes its fees from the entry fees you collect, after your deadline.
It still charges $125 per call plus $6 per artist, and doesn’t refund withdrawals. We refund withdrawals automatically, our commission included.
EntryThingy charges a flat $3 per entry, with no setup or annual fees, and never touches your entry fees.
That $3 applies to free calls too. Ours are free up to 100 entries, and on a $40 fee our commission is $2.84.
ArtCall has one of the broadest feature sets, from online galleries to artwork sales.
Prices start at $79 and rise with entry volume. We charge nothing up front, so a small call costs nothing to try.
Picter is built around photography contests and can promote calls in its newsletter.
Prices are by quote, and blind judging and entry fees need its Premium plan. Our prices are public, and every call gets both.
What about just winging it with a Google Form and a Venmo?
Honestly, it works. Right up until the entries start coming in.
Collecting fees
Winging it:Scroll through Venmo trying to match “for the art thing 🎨” to a row in the form. Fees land in someone’s personal account, between rent and brunch.
With Open Call Manager:Every fee is tied to its entry and lands in your organization’s own Stripe account. Each call has a payments page that lists all of it.
Refunds
Winging it:An artist withdraws. Find their payment, send it back, and hope the memo makes sense to your treasurer.
With Open Call Manager:Withdrawals are refunded automatically, minus only Stripe’s processing fee. Our commission goes back too.
The deadline
Winging it:The form stays open until someone remembers to close it. Usually on Tuesday.
With Open Call Manager:Entries stop at the deadline. Nobody has to stay up until midnight to flip a switch.
Files
Winging it:Images arrive as giant attachments, phone photos of phone photos, or a Drive folder you don’t have access to.
With Open Call Manager:Images get fast-loading previews with hidden metadata removed. Audio plays in the browser with a waveform, and video arrives as a link.
Judging
Winging it:Email the judges a spreadsheet, then merge three copies named “scores_FINAL_v2 (1).xlsx”.
With Open Call Manager:Judges score in their own dashboard with Stars, Yes/No, or a rubric, and average scores are worked out for you.
Blind judging
Winging it:Remember to delete the name column before you share the sheet. Every time.
With Open Call Manager:Tick the fields to hide from judges, such as names, avatars, bios, or IDs.
Shortlisting
Winging it:Copy the top 30 rows into a new tab called “Round 2 (real)”.
With Open Call Manager:Advance the top entries or everyone above a score, then add or remove individual entries by hand.
Announcing results
Winging it:BCC 200 people and hope nobody hits Reply All.
With Open Call Manager:One click emails every entrant their own result. Winners accept or decline from their dashboard.
Next year
Winging it:Artists retype their bio and upload the same images all over again.
With Open Call Manager:An artist’s profile and media library carry over to every call they enter.
Both cost nothing for a free call. Only one of them sends the refunds for you.
Try it on your next call
It’s free to start, and free calls stay free.