GalleryEntry vs CaFÉ
A CaFÉ alternative without the fees stacked up.
CaFÉ’s Pro plan charges $225 to start, $250 for each call, $2.49 for each application, $120 a year to renew, and 3.25% of every online payment. GalleryEntry charges none of those for small organizations.
Why organizations choose GalleryEntry
Hundreds of dollars a year, back in your budget
Two shows with 50 entries each come to at least $974 in CaFÉ’s first year, before its 3.25% processing fee. On GalleryEntry, that’s $0.
No percentage of your entry fees
CaFÉ takes 3.25% of payments made through it. GalleryEntry takes nothing; fees go straight to your PayPal.
Your whole board, not five logins
CaFÉ’s Pro plan includes five administrator accounts. GalleryEntry has no limit on admins or jurors.
Modern, phone-friendly, plain-spoken
Artists apply from a phone in large type, with autosave. Volunteers see each show as a list of steps.
GalleryEntry and CaFÉ, side by side
What each service says about itself. Where CaFÉ doesn’t publish something, we say so rather than guess.
| Feature | GalleryEntry | CaFÉ |
|---|---|---|
| Price for entries | Free up to 100 entries a year | $2.49 per application |
| Per-call fee | $0 | $250 per call |
| Onboarding fee | $0 | $225 the first year |
| Yearly fee | $0 | $120 renewal |
| Fee on online payments | None (PayPal’s own fee only) | 3.25%, charged by CaFÉ |
| Administrator accounts | Unlimited | 5 on the Pro plan |
| Online exhibition of accepted work | Included | Check with CaFÉ |
| Blind jurying | Yes | Yes |
| Directory of calls for artists to browse | No | Yes |
What it costs in the first year
| Your year | GalleryEntry | CaFÉ |
|---|---|---|
| One show, 50 entries | $0 | $599.50 |
| Two shows, 50 entries each | $0 | $974 |
| One show, 100 entries | $0 | $724 |
CaFÉ: $250 per call + $2.49 per entry, $225 onboarding, $120 a year after the first. Processing: 3.25% of every online payment, charged by CaFÉ.
See GalleryEntry for yourself
These are real screens, not mockups: a sculpture guild’s show, from the artist’s phone to the jury’s results.
When CaFÉ might suit you better
We’d rather you pick the right tool than the wrong one. CaFÉ may be the better choice if:
- You need CaFÉ’s large, long-established artist audience: many artists browse calls there.
- You run public art calls or programs that already use CaFÉ’s specialized workflows.
- Your organization prefers CaFÉ’s fixed-cost plan for very high volumes.
Try your own numbers
Change the number of shows and entries to see what each service would charge.
100 entries a year on GalleryEntry: $0.
| Service | How it’s priced | First year | Each year after |
|---|---|---|---|
| GalleryEntry | Free up to 100 entries a year. No setup, per-call or per-entry fees. | $0 | $0 |
| JotForm | Free for 10 payments a month; $39 a month for up to 100 (one month per show). | $78 | $78 |
| ArtCall | A license per call, reported to start at $79 (larger calls cost more). | $158 | $158 |
| EntryThingy | $3 per entry. Emails and the online showcase cost extra. | $300 | $300 |
| Smarter Entry | $450 one-time setup + $0.70 per photo ($0.65 per entry for nonprofits). | $515 | $65 |
| ShowSubmit | $125 per show + $6 per artist ($4.80 after the first 100). | $850 | $850 |
| CaFÉ | $250 per call + $2.49 per entry, $225 onboarding, $120 a year after the first. | $974 | $869 |
Platform fees only, from each company’s published prices (October 2026), using the lowest price where several are listed. Card and PayPal processing fees are extra on every option. Per-photo prices assume 3 photos per entry; per-artist prices assume one entry per artist; JotForm assumes one paid month per show.
Questions people ask
How much does CaFÉ cost compared with GalleryEntry?
CaFÉ’s Pro plan is $225 onboarding, $250 per call, $2.49 per application and $120 a year, plus 3.25% of online payments. GalleryEntry is free up to 100 entries a year with no fee on payments.
Will artists find our call without CaFÉ’s directory?
Most guild and gallery entrants come from your own members, mailing list, website and social media. GalleryEntry gives you one clear link to share everywhere, and call pages that search engines can read.
How hard is it to switch?
Most organizations set up their first call in an evening: create your organization, add your logo, connect PayPal or add check instructions, and copy your prospectus into a new call. Artists create a free account when they apply. Write to us and we’ll help you set up your first show.
CaFÉ information comes from its own website (callforentry.org/how-it-works/pricing), checked in October 2026. Prices change; please check with CaFÉ before deciding. CaFÉ is a trademark of its owner, used here only to compare.
Switching from CaFÉ? Try GalleryEntry on your next show.
Free for small organizations. Set up your call in an evening, and we’ll help with your first show.