Question 1

Is Crafted Call cheaper than CaFE for galleries?

Accepted Answer

For most galleries, yes. CaFE publishes $225 onboarding, $250-$475/call call fee depending on plan, $120/yr renewal, $2.49/sub application tokens, and 3.25% electronic processing fees. Crafted Call has no onboarding fee, no annual renewal, and tiered monthly plans from $19 to $99 per month with no per-call activation fees on paid plans and per-submission fees as low as 12¢ on higher tiers. A gallery running three calls of 200 submissions each typically saves over $1,000 per year on Crafted Call.

Question 2

Can I migrate from CaFE to Crafted Call?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Crafted Call's migration team helps move call templates, jury panels, and historical submission data from CaFE. Most galleries are live within one to two weeks. Reach out at /contact-sales to start.

Question 3

What's the difference between CaFE and Crafted Call?

Accepted Answer

CaFE (run by WESTAF) is a long-standing platform built primarily for public art programs, museums, and government arts councils. Crafted Call is built for any size art organization, with a contemporary jury UI, integrated exhibition publishing, direct Stripe Connect payouts, and a free starter plan. CaFE focuses on submissions; Crafted Call covers the full call-to-exhibition lifecycle.

Question 4

Does CaFE have a free plan?

Accepted Answer

No. CaFE requires $225 onboarding plus per-call charges, per-submission tokens, and an annual renewal. Crafted Call has a free plan with no setup costs, no contracts, and no processing fee surcharge.

Question 5

Does Crafted Call work for large institutions like CaFE?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Crafted Call supports multi-program organizations, custom commission rates per program, multi-round jury panels, and high-volume submissions. Multi-program nonprofits use Crafted Call for both their juried shows and ongoing exhibitions in a single platform.

Question 6

How does Crafted Call handle payments compared to CaFE?

Accepted Answer

Crafted Call uses Stripe Connect for direct payouts — submission fees go to your gallery's Stripe account immediately, and artwork sales pay artists directly without platform-held funds. CaFE processes payments through their platform with a 3.25% processing fee and scheduled payouts.

Question 7

What features does Crafted Call have that CaFE doesn't?

Accepted Answer

Crafted Call adds integrated exhibition publishing, side-by-side jury comparison, artwork commerce with Stripe Connect, public artist directory pages, embed-on-your-website widgets, and a free starter plan. CaFE focuses on submissions and call management without these expansions.

Question 8

Why are nonprofit art centers switching from CaFE?

Accepted Answer

The most common reasons galleries cite when switching: CaFE's $225 onboarding fee, $120/yr annual renewal, and $2.49/sub token cost add up quickly for organizations running multiple calls. Smaller and mid-size galleries also want a more modern jury UI and integrated exhibition publishing rather than coordinating across multiple tools.

Question 9

Does Crafted Call work for public art programs?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Crafted Call supports public art commissions with custom application forms, multi-round juries, and project documentation. Some workflows specific to government RFP/RFQ processes may need configuration; book a demo at /contact-sales to discuss your specific program needs.

Crafted Call vs CaFE

Pricing transparency

Website integration

Jury workflow

Exhibition management

Stripe Connect payouts

Frequently Asked Questions

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