Trusted by 500+ organisations running programmes worldwide:
Every format, no compromises on quality
Your entrants submit photography, video, 3D models, audio, documents, or all of the above. Zealous handles files up to 4GB with lossless image compression, so judges see exactly what was uploaded. No downscaled previews, no missing attachments, no frantic re-sends the night before judging starts.
Judges who actually finish their reviews
You‘ve recruited a brilliant panel. Half of them haven‘t logged in.
Zealous sends automated reminders, shows you a live progress dashboard, and lets judges review on any device. They can work on the train, at home, or in the office. You see who‘s behind before it becomes a crisis.
The UK National Awards saw a 22% increase in submissions year-on-year after moving to Zealous. See how it works.
What I appreciate most is how Zealous supports clarity — for entrants, judges, and organisers alike. When systems are clear, people can focus on creativity rather than logistics.
Judy Holm, Founder and Director
The Global Climate Design Awards
Scoring that holds up to scrutiny
When every judge uses their own mental rubric, results get messy and hard to defend.
Define criteria for each round. Set the score range for each one – give impact a score out of 20 and presentation a score out of 10, so your priorities are reflected in the final result. No more copying numbers between tabs at 1am.
Explore all assessment options on our features page.
It’s been a pleasure to work with Zealous. The system is easy to use and intuitive for participants, judges and administrators. The dashboard allowed me to quickly manage the entire process.
Paola Lucente, Director
Procreate Project
One programme this year, five next year
Your first edition had 200 entries and a small panel. Now you‘re running multiple categories across regions, with different judges for each. The spreadsheet approach doesn‘t survive that growth.
Assign judges to specific categories so they only see what‘s relevant. Clone your programme for the next edition instead of rebuilding from scratch. Real-time dashboards scale with you.
Read the complete guide to managing awards and competitions.
Fair results that people trust
Competitions live or die by credibility. If entrants suspect bias or vote manipulation, your programme‘s reputation takes the hit. Anonymous judging hides personal details from panellists automatically. Public voting includes fraud detection that flags suspicious patterns before results go live.
Switch on anonymous mode and judges see only the submitted work — no names, no affiliations, no assumptions. Scoring records capture every panel member’s assessment, so you can back up your results with evidence rather than reassurance.
All data encrypted in transit and at rest. GDPR compliant. See our security overview.
I found your judging process a pleasure, it was very easy to follow. I judge many awards and some are difficult to navigate and clunky.
Vanessa Brady OBE, Founder & CEO
The Society of British & International Interior Design
Five ways to evaluate entries, used alone or combined
Different programmes need different approaches. Pick one mode or layer several across rounds.
Hosting our annual photography competition on Zealous was a revelation. The platform is incredibly easy to use at every stage of the process.
Imogen Bakelmun
UCL
Reclaim your weekends
You didn‘t start running competitions to spend every evening chasing judges and reconciling spreadsheets. These are the tasks that eat your week, handled automatically.
Why organisations move their programmes to Zealous
Run your next programme on Zealous
Join 500+ organisations who‘ve stopped wrestling with spreadsheets and inboxes.
- Cancel anytime. Monthly billing, no annual lock-ins, no guilt trips.
- 20 free submissions to test everything before you commit.
- Launch in under 48 hours with ready-made templates and free support.
Your full programme lifecycle, covered
Before launch
- Set up a branded programme page with your logo and colours
- Define categories, entry criteria, and submission fields
- Configure entry fees, promo codes, and early-bird pricing
- Use a template or clone last year‘s edition to start faster
- Get a free pre-launch review from the Zealous support team
Entries open
- Entrants upload images, video, audio, 3D, and documents in one form
- Auto-save protects work across devices if a browser crashes
- Track submissions in real time and monitor revenue as it comes in
- Add or edit form fields mid-programme without restarting
Judging rounds
- Assign judges to specific categories so they only see relevant entries
- Enable anonymous mode to hide entrant details automatically
- Send automated reminders to judges who haven‘t started scoring
- Judges open entries in separate tabs to compare work across submissions
- Track every judge‘s progress on a live dashboard
Results and legacy
- Announce shortlists and winners on your own schedule
- Winner galleries build automatically on your programme page
- Export all data for board reports and internal analysis
- Notify entrants of their results with branded automated emails
- Past editions accumulate into a public archive that builds reputation
Frequently Asked Questions
What is competition management software?
It‘s a platform that handles the full lifecycle of a competition or open call: collecting entries, managing judges, scoring submissions, and announcing results. Instead of juggling email, forms, and spreadsheets, everything lives in one place with automated workflows and real-time tracking.
What file types and sizes can entrants upload?
Entrants can upload images, video (up to 4GB), audio, documents, and 3D models (.obj, .stl). They can also embed content from YouTube, Vimeo, and SoundCloud. Images use lossless compression, so judges see the exact quality that was uploaded. There‘s no cap on the number of files per entry.
Can judges only see entries in their category?
Yes. You assign judges to specific categories, so each person only reviews what‘s relevant to their expertise. You can also use different scoring criteria and score ranges per category or per round.
How does anonymous judging work?
When you enable anonymous mode, entrant names, institutional affiliations, and other personal details are hidden from judges automatically. Judges evaluate the work itself. You can turn this on or off per round. Learn more about planning your selection process.
Can we run public voting alongside expert judging?
Yes. Run a public vote and a panel round as separate stages. Results are shown independently so they can inform each other without overlapping. During the public vote, totals are hidden from voters, and built-in fraud detection blocks suspicious activity automatically.
How do entry fees and payments work?
Payments go through Stripe directly to your account. You can set different prices per category, offer early-bird rates, and create promo codes for partners or sponsors. Commission is charged on paid submissions and deducted automatically. Revenue shows up in your dashboard in real time. See our pricing page for full details.
What happens if an entrant needs to change their submission after the deadline?
You can unlock a single entry for resubmission without reopening the whole programme. If someone missed the deadline entirely, you can issue a private late-comer link just for that person. No workarounds needed.
How many entries and judges can we have?
There are no limits on the number of entries, judges, or categories. Whether you have 50 submissions or 5,000, the platform handles it. Pricing is based on your plan, not volume.
Can judges review entries on their phone or tablet?
Yes. Zealous is fully responsive and works on any device with a browser. Judges can review and score on mobile, though we recommend desktop for programmes with large images or video-heavy entries. They can also download PDF packs for offline review.
How quickly can we get help if something goes wrong?
Unlimited support is included on every plan at no extra cost. Live chat is available during UK business hours, and the team offers a free pre-launch review to make sure your programme is set up properly before entries open. Most questions get answered the same day.
How long does it take to set up a programme?
Most organisers launch within 48 hours. Sign-up takes about two minutes. You can start from a template or clone a previous edition. If you‘re migrating from another platform, the support team will help you get set up. Our launching a programme tour walks you through it.
