An honest comparison of SlideRoom, Submittable, and Artsumé for arts organizations and artists. Compare pricing, features, and find the right platform for managing art applications.
Whether you're an organization managing applications or an artist submitting work, the platform you use matters. SlideRoom, Submittable, and Artsumé each take different approaches to art applications—with significant differences in cost, features, and user experience.
This guide provides an honest comparison to help both organizations choose the right platform and artists understand what to expect when applying.
Quick Summary
Key Takeaways
Before comparing platforms, it's important to understand how costs work in this space:
Organizations pay platform fees to use submission management software. These can be structured as:
The platform you choose affects your budget, your applicant experience, and your workflow.
Artists may encounter two distinct types of fees:
These are separate costs, though they're often confused:
On SlideRoom: Artists pay platform fees ($10-15) PLUS any application fees the organization charges. A $25 juried show costs $35-40 total.
On Submittable: Artists pay whatever the organization sets. The platform fee is built into the organization's pricing, not charged separately to artists.
On Artsumé: Artists pay NO platform fees. Organizations CAN charge application fees if they choose (and keep 100% of those fees), but many Artsumé organizations offer free applications.
SlideRoom was founded in 2008 and is now owned by Liaison International, a company specializing in higher education technology. The platform is primarily used by:
Business model: Charges both organizations (annual subscription) AND artists (per-submission fees)
Primary market: Higher education and academic admissions
Company background: SlideRoom was acquired by Liaison International in 2016, which explains its strong focus on academic admissions workflows. The platform integrates with student information systems and serves over 1,000 programs.
Submittable launched in 2010 as a general submission management platform. It serves a broad range of industries:
Business model: Charges organizations based on usage tiers; artist fees set by each organization
Primary market: Publishing, grants, and general submissions across all industries
Company background: Based in Missoula, Montana, Submittable has raised over $20 million in funding and serves thousands of organizations. Its generalist approach means it's not specialized for any particular industry.
Artsumé is the newest platform, built specifically for visual and performing arts:
Business model: Free tier for organizations with unlimited opportunities; paid tiers for advanced features. Artists never pay platform fees.
Primary market: Visual and performing arts organizations
Company background: Artsumé was founded by artists and arts administrators who experienced the frustrations of existing platforms firsthand. The platform is designed around how artists and arts organizations actually work.
If you're an organization choosing a platform, here's what matters:
| Feature | SlideRoom | Submittable | Artsumé |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Platform Cost | $3,000-10,000+ | $1,200-6,000+ | Free tier available |
| Per-Application Revenue | Platform takes cut | Platform takes cut | Organization keeps 100% |
| Can Charge Entry Fees | |||
| Built for Visual Arts | Partial (edu focus) | No (general purpose) | Yes |
| Visual Application Review | Basic | Yes - gallery-style | |
| Team Collaboration | |||
| Blind Review Option | |||
| Custom Application Forms | |||
| Applicant CRM | Basic | Basic | Yes - full CRM |
| Artist Profile Import | No | No | Yes |
Let's compare annual costs for a typical arts organization running 4 opportunities per year with 500 total applications:
| Platform | Base Cost | Transaction Fees | Total Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| SlideRoom | $3,000-5,000 | Varies | $3,000-5,000+ |
| Submittable | $1,200-3,000 | Platform cut of fees | $1,200-3,000+ |
| Artsumé | $0 (free tier) | $0 (keep 100%) | $0* |
*Artsumé's free tier includes unlimited opportunities. Paid tiers ($49-199/mo) add advanced features like full CRM, analytics, and priority support.
Choose SlideRoom if:
Choose Submittable if:
Choose Artsumé if:
For a detailed organization comparison with interactive pricing calculator, visit our platform comparison page.
If you're an artist applying to opportunities, here's what to expect on each platform:
| Feature | SlideRoom | Submittable | Artsumé |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform Fee to Apply | $10-15/submission | $0 (fees set by org) | $0 always |
| Reusable Profile/CV | Limited | No | Yes - full CV & portfolio |
| Auto-Generated CV (PDF) | |||
| Portfolio Organization | Partial | No | Yes - by project/series |
| Apply with Saved Profile | Partial | No | Yes - one click |
| Track All Applications | |||
| Mobile Experience | App available | Web only | App available |
This is crucial—the difference between platform fees and application fees:
On SlideRoom:
On Submittable:
On Artsumé:
For an artist applying to 30 opportunities in a year:
| Scenario | SlideRoom | Submittable | Artsumé |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform fees | $360 | $0 | $0 |
| If orgs charge $20 avg entry fee | +$600 | +$600 | +$600* |
| Total | $960 | $600 | $600* |
*Many Artsumé opportunities have no entry fee, potentially reducing this significantly.
Over a 5-year career, the difference in platform fees alone is $1,800—money better spent on materials, studio rent, or professional development.
Beyond cost, the biggest practical difference for artists is profile portability:
SlideRoom: Some information saves between applications, but you often need to re-upload and reorganize materials for each submission. Time savings are minimal.
Submittable: Essentially starts fresh each time. No persistent portfolio, no saved CV, no artist statement that carries over. Every application is a blank form.
Artsumé: Build your profile once—CV entries, portfolio works, artist statement—and reuse across all applications. When you add a new exhibition to your CV, it's automatically available for every future application. Download your CAA-formatted CV as a PDF anytime.
SlideRoom has been the default for academic art applications since 2008. Its strengths and weaknesses reflect that heritage.
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Best for: MFA admissions, university teaching positions, large institutional fellowships that require academic-style applications
Submittable serves a broad market, which means it's good at many things but specialized in none.
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Best for: Literary submissions (poetry, fiction, essays), multi-disciplinary organizations, general grants, film festivals
Artsumé is newer but purpose-built for how the visual and performing arts world actually works.
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Best for: Galleries, residencies, grants, public art programs, arts councils, foundations; artists who apply frequently and want to save time and money
Switching platforms is easier than you might expect:
Organizations report the switch typically takes a few hours to a day. Contact us for personalized migration support and a demo.
You can—and should—use multiple platforms based on where opportunities are:
Organizations: manage applications with no platform fees. Artists: build your profile and apply free.
The right platform depends on your role and specific needs:
For Organizations:
For Artists:
Ready to explore? Create a free account to see the platform for yourself—whether you're an organization evaluating options or an artist building your professional profile.
Last updated: January 2025
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