Sourced comparison
Crafted Call vs ZAPP (Zapplication)
ZAPP is the established application system for art fairs and festivals, built around booth-based events with high application volume. Crafted Call is built for galleries and art organizations whose calls end in exhibitions rather than booths.
ZAPP facts and pricing verified July 19, 2026 against the primary sources cited below.
The quick decision
Choose Crafted Call when
Galleries, art centers, and arts councils whose calls become exhibitions, with artwork logistics, sales, memberships, events, and marketing in the same system on flat monthly plans.
Choose ZAPP when
Art fairs and festivals that jury large application volumes for booth spaces and want ZAPP's festival-specific workflow, artist reach, and per-show licensing.
ZAPP documents unlimited juror accounts and unlimited jury rounds on every published tier, with festival logistics around them. Crafted Call matches the review depth for exhibition-shaped calls and connects results to gallery operations: artwork intake, sales and payouts, memberships, and your website.
Side by side: Crafted Call vs ZAPP
ZAPP cells quote documented capabilities and published prices, not assumptions from a feature grid. Crafted Call cells link to the feature pages that back them.
| Capability | Crafted Call | ZAPP |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | $0 Free plan plus 4 flat monthly plans ($19–$99/mo). Crafted Call pricing | Per-show licensing tiered by application volume, with setup fees and per-application charges on larger tiers. |
| Cost to run one call | $45 activation on the Free plan; $0 on paid plans. Crafted Call pricing | $1,100-$2,700/call plus $500-$1,500 onboarding. |
| Per-entry charges | 5% down to 1% of the entry fee on paid entries, by plan. Free-entry calls have no per-entry charge. Crafted Call pricing | $1.99-$6.99/sub + 2.95% + $0.30 published payment charge. |
| Jurying and rounds | Scored rounds with rubrics, juror assignment, recusal, and redistribution. Juror and round counts scale by plan, up to unlimited on Premier. Jury & Review | Every published ZAPP tier lists unlimited juror accounts and unlimited jury rounds per show, with up to 13 images per submission. |
| Blind review | Redaction hides the artist fields you choose, per round, and juror preview shows staff exactly what jurors will see. Jury & Review | Not publicly documented. |
| Artist portfolios | Artists keep reusable portfolios and hosted profile pages. Accepted work can be entered into future calls without re-uploading. Artist Portfolios | Not publicly documented. |
| Entry fees and payments | Stripe checkout for entry fees, artwork sales, tickets, and memberships, with artist payouts and 1099 tooling. Artist Payouts | Application payments carry a published 2.95% + $0.30 credit card processing charge across tiers. |
| Exports and portability | CSV exports on paid plans for submissions, artists, payments, and financial reports, plus an API with webhooks on higher plans. API & Webhooks | Not publicly documented. |
| Publishing accepted work | Accepted pieces publish to hosted exhibition pages and online galleries, with artwork detail pages and inquiry capture. Exhibitions & Sales | ZAPP lists a $200 Event Gallery add-on; its public pricing page does not detail the gallery's capabilities. |
| Labels and artwork intake | Print-ready wall labels generated from artwork data, plus QR-assisted check-in and checkout with condition notes. Exhibitions & Sales | Not publicly documented. |
| Exhibition operations | Floor plans and wall layouts, installation planning, condition reports, and sales during the show. Gallery Spaces | Not publicly documented. |
| Recurring calls | Duplicate any call or save it as a template. Each year keeps its own submissions, decisions, and reporting. Calls for Art | Not publicly documented. |
| Grants and non-art programs | Not the focus. Crafted Call is purpose-built for visual-arts calls; broad application platforms fit generic grant programs better. | Not publicly documented. |
| Memberships | Membership tiers, renewals, member pricing, and rosters tied to the same artist community as your calls. Memberships | Not publicly documented. |
| Events and ticketing | Ticketed events, registrations, check-in, and attendance reporting for openings and programs. Events & Ticketing | Not publicly documented. |
| Studio and space rentals | Rental agreements, charges, and occupancy reporting for studios, walls, and display cases. Space Rentals | Not publicly documented. |
| Email marketing | Campaigns, segments, automations, and delivery analytics through the Marketing Hub add-on. Marketing Hub | Not publicly documented. |
| Your website | A hosted, branded gallery site with calls, exhibitions, artists, shop, and events pages, plus WordPress embeds. Organization Website | Not publicly documented. |
| Admin assistant | Frida drafts calls, answers questions, and works through gallery admin with your approval at every step. Frida | Not publicly documented. |
"Not publicly documented" means the vendor does not publish that capability or number on the pages we cite. It describes their public documentation, not proof of absence. Competitor cells summarize ZAPP's public pages; every citation is listed under Sources below.
Published pricing, both sides
ZAPP
- Per-show licensing tiered by application volume, with setup fees and per-application charges on larger tiers.
- Onboarding: $500-$1,500.
- Per call: $1,100-$2,700/call.
- Per submission: $1.99-$6.99/sub.
- Published payment charge: 2.95% + $0.30.
- Event Gallery add-on: $200.
- Small Show 1 (under 150 applications): $500 setup + $1,100 license. Small Show 2 (over 150): $500 setup + $6.99 per application. Standard Show (over 500): $1,500 setup + $2,700 license + $1.99 per application.
Pricing as of · sourced from ZAPP primary pricing source
Crafted Call
- Free plan: $0/mo. Publishing a call costs a one-time $45 activation fee.
- Paid plans: $19–$99/mo (Core, Studio, Gallery, Premier) with $0 call activation.
- Platform fee on paid entries: 5% of the entry fee on Free, stepping down to 1% on Premier. Free-entry calls carry no per-entry charge.
- Sales commission when artwork sells through the platform: 4% down to 1% by plan.
- 45-day free trial on paid plans, no credit card required to start.
These are our current published prices, the same numbers you will find on our pricing page and at checkout.
Looking for a ZAPP alternative?
A Zapplication alternative matters when your call fills gallery walls instead of festival booths. Crafted Call trades booth logistics for exhibition operations, and replaces per-show licensing with flat plans an organization can run all year.
Migration reality
Export application and jury data from ZAPP's reporting tools, then map fields and images before cutover. Events switching mid-cycle should finish the active jury in ZAPP first.
A vendor export proves data portability; it does not guarantee that every field, attachment, status, or historical event maps one-to-one.
What galleries say
“We literally could not run our non-profit without Crafted Call. It saves us so much time and money every month.”
Elizabeth PieroniExecutive Director, Mosaic Art Collective
- calls hosted
- 37calls hosted
- submissions reviewed
- 1,619submissions reviewed
- members in their artist community
- 369members in their artist community
Sources and review date
Pricing and capability facts verified July 19, 2026. Product details can change, so confirm the final scope and quote before buying.
Crafted Call vs ZAPP (Zapplication): common questions
How much does ZAPP cost for an event?
Does ZAPP include jurying?
Is Crafted Call a good Zapplication alternative?
Can a festival use Crafted Call?
What does switching from ZAPP involve?
Compare with your real workflow
Bring your call count, applicant volume, jury structure, post-acceptance work, and required exports. The right answer should survive that concrete comparison.