pretalx
pretalx is conference management software for calls for participation, submission review, talk selection, speaker communication, scheduling, and publication.
What pretalx is
pretalx is conference management software for calls for participation, submission review, talk selection, speaker communication, scheduling, and publication. Organizers can tailor call pages, set multiple deadlines, accept submissions in several languages, and use a chosen domain. They can build reviewer teams, collect ratings and reviews, and add questions for reviewers. The schedule editor accounts for speaker availability and warns about conflicts; published schedules can include an RSS feed and public changelog. Organizers also get full API access and can download static schedule pages for hosting elsewhere. pretalx is open-source software under the Apache License and can be installed with pip. It is available for self-hosting or through a hosted service. Self-hosting has no software charge, but requires server costs and maintenance. Hosted pricing is per event and varies with conference size and ticket price; the hosted service includes backups, certificates, updates, operational maintenance, and assistance. The hosted service says its servers are in Germany, uses encryption in transit, and does not track attendees through cookies, analytics, or sensitive IP logging. Its usual terms guarantee schedule and event-page availability for six months after an event.
Good
- Open-source software under the Apache License.
- Call pages support multiple deadlines and languages.
- Schedule editor warns about speaker conflicts.
- Full API access and static schedule export.
- Self-hosted software has no software charge.
Watch out
- Self-hosting requires server costs and maintenance.
- Hosted pricing varies by event.
- Self-hosted email support requires a support contract.
- Security support covers only the current stable release.
Who it suits
pretalx suits organizers managing submissions, reviews, speakers, and schedules, from technical conferences to music festivals. It offers a self-hosted option and hosted service.
Verdict
pretalx covers the conference workflow from calls for participation through published schedules, with hosted and self-managed options. Self-hosting avoids a software charge but requires server upkeep; hosted pricing depends on event details.
Plans and prices
From pretalx's own pricing page, checked 15 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Self-hosted | Free | unlimited users and submissions · self-managed hosting · no software charge; server and maintenance costs apply |
| Additional provider services | €80, paid once | custom provider services · EUR 80 per hour when ordered in writing |
| Self-hosted support contract | €499 a year | 5 hours dedicated support · troubleshooting · configuration and security advice · EUR 499 per year |
| pretalx.com hosting | Priced on request | unlimited users and submissions · up to 25% community-event discount · pay when event is made public · per event; calculated from expected attendees and standard ticket price |
The facts
Each one read from pretalx's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- API status
- The REST-style API is documented but explicitly not considered stable and may change between releases.checked 15 Oct 2026
- API versions
- API documentation lists version 1 from 2025.1.0 and version 2 from 2026.2.0, with legacy API removal announced for the next release.checked 15 Oct 2026
- API write limitation
- The documented API currently provides no write capabilities.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Availability commitment
- The service-level annex states an annual minimum availability of 98.5%, excluding force majeure and outside disruptions.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Call for papers
- Organisers can brand CFP pages, set multiple deadlines, accept multiple languages and use a custom domain.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Capacity statement
- The service is designed for events with up to 10,000 proposals or 1,000 talks, with possible temporary impact during exceptional demand.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Custom calls
- Organizers can customize call pages, set multiple deadlines, accept submissions in multiple languages, and use a chosen domain.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Documentation scope
- Documentation includes user, administrator, API, developer, legal, release-note and support sections.checked 15 Oct 2026
- GDPR hosting
- Hosted data is processed in the EU and stored in Germany, with pretalx acting as processor and the organiser as controller.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Hosted infrastructure
- Terms state that primary servers are leased from Hetzner in Falkenstein and backups from netcup in Nuremberg.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Hosting
- The hosted service includes backups, certificates, updates, operational maintenance, and assistance; self-hosting requires server costs and maintenance.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Hosting service
- Hosted pretalx handles backups, certificates, monitoring, updates and server administration.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Independent repository metadata
- SelfhostedWorld records the project as created February 24, 2017, Python-based and installable through package-manager or source methods.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Independent repository popularity
- SelfhostedWorld displays 946 stars for the pretalx project and reports no community ratings yet.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Integrations and exports
- The product offers full API access, and organizers can download a static export of schedule pages for hosting elsewhere.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Integrations listed independently
- VentureGaps lists Mailgun, Vimeo, Mailchimp, WordPress, Mattermost, Slack, Zapier, YouTube, pretix, GitHub and Rocket.Chat integrations.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- pretalx describes itself as suitable for events ranging from technical conferences to music festivals.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Licence
- pretalx is released under AGPL version 3 with additional permission and restrictions.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Licence copyleft
- Modified hosted versions and tightly integrated plugins generally must publish corresponding source under the same licence, subject to the project’s additional permission.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: technical setup
- VentureGaps says self-hosting requires technical knowledge for setup and maintenance.checked 15 Oct 2026
The company
- Founded
- Project licensing history says pretalx has been developed openly since 2017.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Headquarters
- The provider’s listed address is Multring 51, 69469 Weinheim, Germany.checked 15 Oct 2026
Money
- Free trial
- Users can test pretalx for free and pay only when they want to make their event public.checked 7 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Independent platform classification
- AlternativeTo classifies pretalx as free and open source and lists Mac, Windows, Linux and self-hosted alternatives for it.checked 15 Oct 2026
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