Submittable Pricing Plans in 2024: What’s Included in the Basic Package?

Understanding the software solutions you want to invest in can spell the difference between success and failure. So, it is best to know the pricing plans of your prospective provider before spending top dollar on them. In the case of Submittable, these come in three types. For instance, if you work in publishing with a small team, there is a plan that can work for you. Or, if you are in HR and you need applicant tracking capabilities, Submittable has a deployment for you, too. Furthermore, if you work for a literary publication, you can bet that Submittable has an excellent discount deal.

This is because Submittable and other submission management platforms are a flexible bunch of solutions. Many come in the form of applicant tracking software, grant management tools, and even online customer survey solutions. They can be morphed, customized, and be used for a variety of business processes. And, this is the case with Submittable. In this article, we’ll discuss the Submittable pricing plans and the flexibility of the Submittable packages to give you an idea of what’s the right deployment type for you.

Using digital solutions, such as a submission management tool can help you do many things. Firstly, digital speed is five times faster than traditional businesses. This doesn’t just stop at internal processes. It also involves external-related activities such as surveys and submissions. These can range from video contests, job applications, bids, and many more. Thus, submission and review management tools offer a wide variety of uses. 

Moreover, benefits come aplenty when you adopt a submission management software product properly. This goes for most types of businesses as well.

Firstly, it offers a channel for quick and easy collaboration. Usually, products include in-app messaging modules, notes, and comment sections. Collaboration tools like these can provide an increase of about 20-30% in productivity. Also, digital solutions sport the ease-of-use and intuitiveness reminiscent of your favorite social media networks. They make collaboration easier.

Secondly, the software allows you to receive different types of files directly in the system. This means you can use submission management tools for different things like applicant tracking, contest submissions, procurement management, and many more.

Third, you can use it for surveys as well. For instance, employee retention is a big problem. Only by opening up communication lines and being data-driven can you have an idea of the reasons behind turnover rates. With these tools, businesses can monitor performance on many fronts. And, it gives them more chances to course-correct as inefficiencies are better detected.   

Additionally, unlike free tools, such as email platforms and cloud documents, dedicated software solutions, help you become consistent with your branding. Free tools deny you this chance for better brand recognition and recall. Full-on software products such as Submittable provide you with customization options to create more customer touchpoints that are truly yours. 

Overview of Submittable

Submittable, a cloud-based application, helps companies and organizations manage submissions. It is a great tool to help you manage many submission activities such as peer-review publications, auditions and talent acquisition, admissions, incubators and accelerators, grants, publishing, and many more. 

The program shines as an easy-to-use system. It packs its powerful features into an easy-to-use graphic interface with intuitive usability. Its core features include an all-in-one review portal, auto-scoring, team permission levels, collaboration tools, file viewer, customizable smart forms, response templates, and custom URL. It covers all your bases, from branding to the actual submission and approval processes. 

If you’d like to get to know the product, you can sign up for a free trial plan to tinker with its features. 

Submittable is used by all types of organizations, from small businesses to large enterprises. Moreover, if you are always on the go, Submittable allows you to access the platform via Android and iPhone devices. Thus, you can check on your submission status anywhere and anytime, provided you can connect to the internet. 

Furthermore, the software provider offers Submittable in three plans. The first is the Basic plan that starts at $84 billed annually. There are also other monthly payment options that we will discuss. Second, you get the Enterprise plans that can be customized to suit your particular needs. Thus, these are offered in quotes. Last but not least is the special plan for literary publications that are members of the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP). 

Submittable Pricing Packages and Custom Deployments

Now, let’s answer the questions: “how much does Submittable cost?” and “what plans are made for whom?.” Remember, Submittable is as flexible as the best of them. It can work for all types of businesses that want to be data-driven too. It’s not just for managing file submissions. Submittable is a workflow management tool. To wit, here are its plans and pricing to help you decide whether it matches your needs or not.

Basic Plan for Small Teams

The Basic plan offers a variety of features applicable to small teams to manage different business processes. There are different deployment options depending on what function you’ll be using Submittable for. For instance, you can choose a version for ‘Festival or Event,’ ‘Literary Journal,’ ‘Peer Review, ‘Grants,’ ‘Conference,’ ‘Publishing,’ and, even, ‘Job Application.’ This shows that Submittable is a flexible solution. It can be a grant management solution, an applicant tracking software, or an event management tool, among many others. 

This includes three team seats for administrators and reviewers. It also supports up to 300 submissions per year. Moreover, the Basic plan can accommodate one project and one live form. Additionally, it sports an auto label feature that automatically places customized submission labels based on the response of the submitter. It also includes a native module for payment processing. Lastly, thanks to its open API capabilities, you can connect Submittable to your favorite digital tools.

The software provider also offers its Basic plan subscribers a chance to request promotion in the Submittable newsletter or their social media channels. This gives users an added boost to their publications with extra publicity. 

Before we discuss the package in more depth, here are the different payment options for the basic plan:

• Annual billing at $84 per month or $999 per year (save 16%)
• A monthly billing but with annual commitment at $99 per month
• Monthly billing without an annual commitment at $199 per month

Basic Workflow and Review Features

Workflow and review tools include a single-step voting feature with thumbs up and thumbs down options. This makes it easy to communicate approval or disapproval. Furthermore, the plan contains different team assignment controls. Users can choose between manually assigning submissions, generating random assignments, or letting the program automatically assign tasks to people. 

Moreover, it includes a module for batch emails and email templates. Another noteworthy feature is that it automatically collects supporting documents that can be added to each contact. This could be used for job applications, procurement proposals, and for general submissions.  

For peer-review journal management, Submittable provides users with an option to anonymize submitter data. This guards you against partial reviews stemming from personal or professional biases. Plus, there is an in-app messaging module for quick and easy communication on top of push notifications and reminders to help you collaborate with colleagues and submitters. 

In this Submittable page, you can view image file submissions.

Basic Reporting Features

The Basic plan provides you with two important reporting modules: dashboards and data exports. 

Submittable dashboards allow users to visualize key data easily. Thus, you don’t have to look at or create spreadsheets and charts that can take up a lot of time. Submittable does this all for you. Data exports also give you a chance to process your data in outside reporting and analytics system when need be.

Furthermore, you can easily export submitted or submitter data at any time as well. Submittable even supports 50+ file types, affording you more flexibility and breadth. 

Basic Support and Security Features

The Submittable customer support team offers email, chat, and phone support for Basic plan subscribers. It also comes with self-service options so you can easily find answers to your questions without having to contact their agents. For example, it has an up-to-date Help Center FAQs and other learning resources. Also, Submittable has a great forum where you can connect with its vibrant user community. 

Aside from the abovementioned, the Submittable Basic plan is safe and secure. It sports a SOC 2 Type 2-level compliance, with tools and processes conforming to General Data Protection Regulation guidelines. The program also includes five team role-based permission levels so you can customize viewing, reviewing, and submission options for users. 

The Enterprise Plan

The Enterprise plan targets large businesses with different submission management needs. Thus, unlike the Basic plan with set numbers for team seats, submission volume, projects, and forms, users can have more to match their needs. 

So, what’s included in the Enterprise plan? Of course, as a higher-tiered package, it has all the Basic plan features and more. One jumps straight out of the bat. The Enterprise plan allows for file uploads of all file types. Furthermore, there are additional features in the Enterprise plan Forms module.  

One notable feature is form logic. This helps you personalize submitter experience through customized fields. Moreover, Enterprise plan subscribers can include custom spreadsheets and tables as form fields as well — this is something that’s not available to Basic plan subscribers.

Other additional forms features include gallery display and customization capabilities like custom CSS and white labeling. With these, you can create a richer experience for submitters and reviewers alike. Also, if you have a lot of company events, these features are a valuable addition to your events management software stack. 

Enterprise Workflow and Review Features

The Enterprise plan provides additional features useful for designing your workflows and reviews.

Firstly, you can create custom review forms. These help in guiding reviewers when it comes to approval criteria and guidelines. Second, it allows for a multi-stage review process with custom scoring as well. In this way, you can make the program your very own. And, both submitters and reviewers get to have a unique brand experience.

Moreover, there is this nifty feature called video transcoding. This enables users to access video files with quick streaming right in Submittable. 

Of course, the Enterprise plan retains the in-app messaging module and the capability to anonymize submission data available for the Basic plan as well. 

The Enterprise plan supports uploads of all types of files.

Advanced Reporting Features

Just like the Basic Submittable subscription plan, there are reporting tools, such as a dashboard for easy viewing of performance. However, the Enterprise plan includes a more extensive data export feature as well as more advanced reporting tools. 

First, it includes features that can gather and merge information from multiple forms to help you visualize and make sense of data. This is great if you want to perform analytics and process optimization. 

Second, the Enterprise plan provides you with a fund tracking module. With it, you can track the payments you’ve made to applicants or submitters. This is perfect for commercial operations. Also, thanks to the data export tool, you will be able to do your tracking from right inside Submittable and have the choice to process your data further through your main accounting system. 

The Submittable fund and grant management dashboard.

Priority Support and Security Features

The Enterprise plan provides you with priority support over chat, phone, and email. Furthermore, you get to have a dedicated manager knowledgeable in connecting you with valuable technical and customer resources. 

Moreover, you don’t only get to use the Help Center FAQs and resources all by yourself. Submittable provides Enterprise plan subscribers with a dedicated onboarding package and specialist. You don’t have to figure out everything on your own. 

Last but not least, Enterprise subscribers have the option to add custom marketing campaigns to boost performance. This is an added service that connects you to more creatives through newsletters, sponsored blog posts, social media advertising, and email marketing.

One Pricing Scheme, Different Submittable Packages

As mentioned, submission management solutions are a diverse bunch of software products. Many come in the form of online survey tools and applicant tracking solutions. Some appear in the form of tools for managing learning, grants, fellowships, scholarships, and donations. Others, like Submittable, are somewhat flexible as they can cater to everything other specialized systems can as it is highly customizable.

Moreover, the software provider personalizes your deployment for you. You don’t have to do it on your own. Submittable provides you with onboarding materials through a dedicated specialist.

This starts exactly as you sign up for any plan–be the Basic or Enterprise plan. You’d instantly get a prompt asking you how you are going to use the SaaS product. Choices range from corporate giving to job applications. And, once you do, the version best for your needs will get rolled out.

Furthermore, you can customize your plan further within the system or with the help of your Submittable account specialist. However, this service is only available for the Enterprise tier, as mentioned.

Below is the full list of activities that you can use Submittable to help you manage.

• Grants
• Publishing
• Contests
• Corporate Giving
• Scholarships and Fellowships
• Awards and Nominations
• Conferences
• HR and Operations
• Events and Festivals
• Residencies
• Auditions and Talent
• Peer Review
• Exhibitions
• Admissions
• Incubators and Accelerators

The Special CLMP Plan

Literary journals were the first customers of Submittable. To give back, the provider offers a special plan to all members of the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP), a group of literary publishers and authors. This special plan provides a very low-cost alternative to its Basic and Enterprise packages. 

For CLMP members, Submittable is priced at a low $29 per month or $299 a year. This is a whopping 70.1% discount. 

This comprehensive plan includes eight team seats instead of the usual three for the Basic plan.  Also, there is an option to add more team seats for $2 a month as well. But, there is a cap to it at 60. 

Furthermore, the usual Basic plan subscribers only get 300 submission support per year. However, CLMP members would get 500 free submissions per month with an option to have an additional 250 submissions supported for an extra $25. Annual subscribers get 3,000 submissions per year. 

Additionally, CLMP plan subscribers can avail of six forms and over 30 other features. These include compliance-related ones such as GDRP and PCI. 

Lastly, if CLMP members should choose to have a more robust customized subscription with Submittable, they’d receive a 20% discount. So, if you are in the literary game, this plan is perfect for you. 

What Are Some Common Use Cases for Submittable?

Submittable is a versatile platform widely used across various sectors, making it ideal for managing submissions efficiently. Here are some common use cases:

• Literary Journals and Publishers: Many literary journals use Submittable to streamline the submission process for authors. It allows writers to submit manuscripts electronically, and editors can easily review and manage submissions in one place.
• Grant Applications: Nonprofits and foundations often use Submittable to collect and manage grant applications. The platform’s customizable forms and review workflows help organizations assess proposals efficiently and track funding requests.
• Contests and Awards: Submittable is popular for organizing contests and awards in writing, photography, and art. Organizations can set criteria, gather entries, and facilitate judging, all while maintaining a user-friendly interface for participants.
• Creative Projects and Collaborations: Artists, filmmakers, and other creatives use Submittable to submit project proposals, screenplays, and portfolios. It provides a platform for sharing work and ideas while simplifying collaboration.
• Surveys and Feedback Forms: Businesses and educational institutions often employ Submittable to collect feedback and conduct surveys. The platform’s ability to customize forms and analyze data helps organizations gain valuable stakeholder insights.

So, What’s the Best Submittable Plan For You?

With Submittable’s clearly laid out pricing tiers and plans, it’s very easy to know which one will fit your needs.

Firstly, if you are working with a small team, then the Basic plan is perfect for you. For instance, you are part of a school journal that is always soliciting entries from other students. It covers all your submission management needs and even more. For the price of $99 or $84 (should you choose to pay for the whole year), you get all your bases covered. 

Secondly, if you are looking to use Submittable for non-publication submission management, then there’s a good chance you’ll need the Enterprise package. For example, if you have a business and you profess a data-driven ethos, then Submittable can help you get organized customer feedback data. Furthermore, you can also use it for employee surveys to keep track of how your management affects productivity. Also, if you are in procurement, you can use your Submittable Enterprise subscription to solicit vendor proposals. Of course, it can also work as an applicant tracking software. These are just four possibilities among the many above. 

Thirdly, if you publish in the literary genre, the Submittable CLMP plan with its deep discounts and added features is the perfect one for you. Instead of paying $999 per year, you’ll only pay $290. Thus, this is close to a no-brainer as can be. 

However, you may find Submittable to be too general for your needs. For instance, it isn’t a specialized HR software and lacks important features like onboarding and employee progress management. In this case, you need to take a look at other platforms.

Also, if you are looking for simpler solutions for surveys and the like, there are standalone survey software out there as well.

Key Insights

• Flexible Pricing Plans: Submittable offers three main pricing plans – Basic, Enterprise, and a special CLMP plan – catering to a range of needs from small teams to large enterprises. This flexibility allows businesses to choose a plan that best suits their specific requirements and budget.
• Wide Range of Applications: Submittable is highly versatile and can be used for various applications such as grant management, applicant tracking, event management, contest submissions, and more. This makes it a valuable tool across different industries and use cases.
• Robust Feature Set: Key features include custom branding, payment processing, advanced reporting, collaboration tools, file viewer, customizable forms, and an all-in-one review portal. These features enhance productivity and streamline submission management processes.
• Customizable and Scalable: The platform allows for extensive customization and scalability, making it suitable for growing businesses. The Enterprise plan, in particular, offers advanced customization options and the ability to handle larger volumes of submissions and team members.
• Enhanced Collaboration: Submittable includes collaboration tools such as in-app messaging, notes, comment sections, and push notifications, which help improve team productivity by facilitating easy communication and coordination.

FAQ

1. What is Submittable? Submittable is a cloud-based submission management software designed to help organizations manage submissions for various activities such as peer-review publications, auditions, grants, job applications, and more. It offers features like an all-in-one review portal, auto-scoring, customizable forms, and advanced reporting.
2. What are the different pricing plans offered by Submittable? Submittable offers three main pricing plans:
   • Basic Plan: Starts at $84 per month (billed annually) or $99 per month (billed monthly with an annual commitment). This plan is suitable for small teams and includes features like basic workflow and review tools, dashboards, and data exports.
   • Enterprise Plan: Customizable based on specific needs and offered in quotes. This plan is ideal for large businesses and includes advanced features like multi-stage reviews, custom review forms, fund tracking, and priority support.
   • CLMP Plan: Specially designed for members of the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP), priced at $29 per month or $299 per year. This plan includes additional team seats and submission support.
3. What features are included in the Basic Plan? The Basic Plan includes features such as:
   • Three team seats for administrators and reviewers
   • Support for up to 300 submissions per year
   • One project and one live form
   • Auto label feature
   • Payment processing
   • In-app messaging and push notifications
   • Data exports and dashboards
   • SOC 2 Type 2-level compliance and role-based permission levels
4. How does the Enterprise Plan differ from the Basic Plan? The Enterprise Plan includes all features of the Basic Plan plus additional capabilities such as:
   • Support for all file types
   • Custom review forms and multi-stage review processes
   • Form logic for personalized submitter experiences
   • Gallery display and custom CSS for branding
   • Advanced reporting tools and fund tracking
   • Priority support and a dedicated account manager
   • Custom marketing campaigns and onboarding specialist
5. What is the CLMP Plan and who is it for? The CLMP Plan is a special pricing plan for members of the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP). It is priced at $29 per month or $299 per year and includes eight team seats, 500 free submissions per month, six forms, and compliance-related features. This plan is ideal for literary journals and publications.
6. Can Submittable be used on mobile devices? Yes, Submittable is accessible via Android and iPhone devices, allowing users to check submission statuses and manage submissions on the go, provided they have an internet connection.
7. What types of organizations use Submittable? Submittable is used by a wide range of organizations, including small businesses, large enterprises, non-profits, educational institutions, and literary publications. It is versatile and can be customized to suit various submission management needs across different industries.
8. How does Submittable support collaboration? Submittable includes collaboration tools such as in-app messaging, notes, comment sections, and push notifications. These features facilitate easy communication and coordination among team members, improving overall productivity and efficiency.
9. What are the benefits of using Submittable? Benefits of using Submittable include:
   • Faster and more efficient submission management
   • Enhanced collaboration and communication
   • Customizable branding and submission forms
   • Advanced reporting and analytics
   • Secure and compliant data management
   • Versatility to handle various types of submissions and business processes
10. Is there a free trial available for Submittable? Yes, Submittable offers a free trial plan that allows users to explore and tinker with its features before committing to a paid plan.

By Jenny Chang

Jenny Chang is a senior writer specializing in SaaS and B2B software solutions. Her decision to focus on these two industries was spurred by their explosive growth in the last decade, much of it she attributes to the emergence of disruptive technologies and the quick adoption by businesses that were quick to recognize their values to their organizations. She has covered all the major developments in SaaS and B2B software solutions, from the introduction of massive ERPs to small business platforms to help startups on their way to success.