CaFÉ Pricing Explained for Art Organizations (2026)
A sourced explanation of CaFÉ Pro and Plus pricing, application tokens, jurying, renewal, and payment charges.
Last reviewed · Editorial policy
CaFÉ pricing explained
CaFÉ, operated by Creative West, uses a layered organization-pricing model. A reliable budget needs to include more than the call-activation price.
Pricing below was verified from CaFÉ's official organization-pricing page on July 19, 2026.
Published charges
| Charge | Published amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Organization onboarding | $225 | One-time organization setup |
| Pro call | $250 | Application tokens are purchased separately |
| Plus call | $475 | First 250 applications are included |
| Additional application | $2.49 | Sold as application tokens; applies after included volume where relevant |
| Annual renewal | $120 | Organization renewal |
| Payment processing | 3.25% | Applies when CaFÉ processes application payments |
CaFÉ lists its online jury module in both Pro and Plus. Both include unlimited jurors and unlimited jury rounds. The separate Smart Call service is assisted call setup; it is not the price of adding jury functionality.
Example budgets
For a new organization running one Pro call with 100 applications, the published platform charges before payment processing are:
- $225 onboarding
- $250 Pro call
- 100 × $2.49 application tokens = $249
- Total before payment processing: $724
For a new organization running one Plus call with no more than 250 applications:
- $225 onboarding
- $475 Plus call, including the first 250 applications
- Total before payment processing: $700
In later years, replace onboarding with the published $120 renewal. If application fees are collected, add the 3.25% processing charge to the scenario. Taxes, optional services, and contract-specific terms may also change the total.
What the price includes
Do not treat the pricing page as a feature limit table. CaFÉ's value includes an established opportunity directory and artist audience, call administration, application intake, and its jury module. A gallery comparing CaFÉ with another system should separately evaluate what happens after decisions: artwork intake, space planning, labels, sales, member relationships, websites, campaigns, and operational reporting.
Budget with your own numbers
Use this formula for a first-year Pro estimate:
onboarding + call fees + application tokens + payment processing + optional services
For Plus, subtract the applications included in the plan before calculating additional tokens. Confirm the current price and included volume directly with Creative West before approving a budget.
To see how these per-call charges compare with a flat-plan model, read the sourced Crafted Call vs CaFÉ comparison or the wider call-for-entry software comparison.
Sources
Primary sources cited in this guide.
- CaFÉ organization pricing — Creative West
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Submittable Alternatives for Art Organizations in 2026
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Evaluating Submittable for a Gallery: Requirements Worksheet
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