Zealous

Zealous is a web-based submissions and judging platform for awards, open calls, grants and other application programs. It suits organizers handling varied creative work who need structured evaluation as well as entry collection. Its generous media support and judging controls are balanced by annual entry caps and commission on paid submissions.

Overview

Founded in 2011 and based in Battersea, London, Zealous serves programs across creative and other sectors, including those run by foundations, corporations and agencies. Its scope extends beyond awards to residencies, fairs and commissions, making it useful for organizations that run different kinds of calls through a common process.

The core proposition is a single workflow for collecting submissions and coordinating evaluation. Anonymous judging, multiple rounds and live progress tracking can help organizers manage a panel without losing sight of where reviews stand. That breadth is most valuable when a program has a real judging process; a simple form with little evaluation may not need the additional structure.

Key features

Flexible submissions and judging

Entrants can submit images, video, 3D models, audio, documents and embedded media, with individual files up to 4GB. That makes Zealous a better fit for programs receiving substantial creative work than a tool limited to small attachments. Embedded content is supported from services including Vimeo, YouTube, SoundCloud, Spotify, Sketchfab and Slideshare.

Organizers can define scoring criteria, use anonymous judging, run multiple evaluation rounds and monitor judge progress in real time. Pro adds unlimited scoring rounds, multiple-criteria scoring and public voting; Starter is limited to one scoring round. These distinctions matter: a straightforward single-pass review can fit Starter, while layered assessment calls for Pro or above.

Payments, automation and security

Entry fees are processed by Stripe and go directly to the organizer. Zealous charges commission on paid submissions, but not free ones; on Starter, Pro and Scale the stated rate is 2.2% plus 20p per entry fee, capped at £2. Scale adds custom automated emails, Zapier and webhooks, which suit teams wanting to connect the intake workflow to other services. Enterprise removes entry-fee commission.

Zealous says data is stored on Google Cloud in the UK with an EU twin data center, uses encryption at rest and TLS 1.2 in transit, and is GDPR compliant. It says it has signed EU Standard Contractual Clauses with US data-processing suppliers. Core data is backed up multiple times daily in separate locations, and the company reports 99.98% uptime. These assurances may matter to organizations handling sensitive applications, though Enterprise is the tier that offers an application uptime SLA.

Pricing

Zealous is freemium. The Free plan costs nothing, allows one program and 20 submissions, and requires no credit card. It is a low-risk way to run a small call, but the cap makes it unsuitable for a larger intake.

Starter, Pro and Scale have custom pricing, are billed monthly, and offer annual billing at a 33% discount. Their submission allowances are counted across the year and reset on the subscription anniversary, so organizers should plan around annual volume rather than treating the limit as a monthly quota. The pricing note says paid plans start at £26/mo.

• Starter: Up to 300 submissions, one scoring round, and 2.2% + 20p commission on entry fees, capped at £2. It is the paid step up for a modest program that needs more than Free’s 20 entries but only one evaluation pass.
• Pro: Up to 10,000 submissions, unlimited scoring rounds, multiple-criteria scoring, public voting, one-hour onboarding, and the same capped commission. It fits larger or more involved judging programs.
• Scale: Up to 10,000 submissions, custom automated emails, Zapier and webhooks, with the same capped commission. Choose it when those automation and integration needs justify a custom-priced tier.
• Enterprise: Custom pricing for larger annual submission numbers, an application uptime SLA, procurement support, non-standard contract terms and a dedicated account manager. It carries no commission on entry fees, which may matter to high-volume paid programs.

All plans include unlimited support. Live chat is available during UK business hours; Enterprise plans can include a dedicated account manager.

Platforms

Zealous runs on the web. That suits organizers working from a browser, but it is not a choice for teams seeking a dedicated mobile app.

Who it's for

Zealous is strongest for organizations running structured calls with meaningful judging requirements, especially when entries include large or varied media files. The free tier can cover a small program, while Pro and Scale provide room for higher annual volume and more elaborate workflows. It is less compelling for a tiny, one-off intake that needs no judging, or for a paid-entry operation where commission is a concern and Enterprise’s no-commission custom package is not appropriate.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Supports many media types and files up to 4GB, reducing the need to work around restrictive upload limits.
• Pro: Anonymous judging, multiple rounds and progress tracking give organizers practical control over panel review.
• Pro: Free allows 20 submissions with no credit card, making a small call possible without an upfront commitment.
• Con: Paid submission allowances are annual, so a program with uneven or unexpectedly high intake can run into its cap before the anniversary reset.
• Con: Starter, Pro and Scale charge commission on paid entries; only Enterprise removes it, and that plan uses custom pricing.
• Con: Paid tier prices are custom rather than stated as fixed amounts, making direct budget comparison harder.

Alternatives

Browse Awards Management Software for more category options. Accolade, AwardKit and Judgify are web-based freemium alternatives, worth comparing if you want to consider another option with a free plan.

Awards Flow is a paid alternative with a free trial and Android, iOS and web support; its Starter plan lists 500 applications, 20 judges and 5 MB file uploads, so consider it if those stated capacities and mobile platforms suit your program. OpenWater Grant Management is a paid, subscription-based option with custom quotes based on usage, and may be worth considering when you want pricing tailored to individual usage needs.

Evessio is another paid web option, with iOS support and a Starter tier that applies existing themes, customer branding, logos and brand colours without CSS or JavaScript customisation. Award Force is paid, has no free plan, and lists a Growth plan at $3,250 a year for up to 10k entries annually, with 10MB file uploads and unlimited managers and users; its stated fit is free-to-enter programs. Awardify is a paid web alternative with no free plan.

Verdict

Choose Zealous if your organization needs to collect varied submissions and run a controlled, multi-stage judging process in one web platform. Its strongest case is the combination of large-file support, anonymous evaluation and clear judge-progress tracking. Look elsewhere if predictable fixed pricing is essential, if you need a mobile app, or if commission on paid entries outweighs the convenience of its submission and review workflow.