Conference database: which one to use for the events you need
The right conference database depends on your job. Researchers need WikiCFP for calls for papers, developers need dev.events, and sales teams and organizers need ConferenceDB, which shows who sponsors and exhibits at 3,684 conferences and what 1,728 organizers charge. Each covers its own kind of event, and most are free.
How we sorted them: by the job each one serves, from what each site says about itself, read 10 November 2026. ConferenceDB is ours and covers business events. Figures for it are live. Conference Index ranks for this search but blocked our reader that day, so its row says so.
Quick picks: what are you looking for?
| Your job | Use | What it holds | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who sponsors and exhibits | ConferenceDB (ours) | 3,684 conferences and trade shows with company lists | Free, no account |
| Calls for papers in science and technology | WikiCFP | "about 50,000 CFPs", by its own count | Free to search |
| Software engineering and programming research | conf.researchr.org | Sites of conferences such as POPL and APSEC | Free to read |
| Developer and tech events | dev.events | About 1,160 conferences, filtered by place and topic | Free to search |
| Conferences, workshops and fairs worldwide | Conference Monkey | A worldwide listing with sections for each type | Free to browse |
| Academic and professional conferences by topic | Conference Index | Blocked our reader on the day, so not described | Not read |
| Broad event listings, including local ones | 10times | Says it lists over 500,000 events; guest browsing is limited | Free to list; paid plans for promotion |
Each site's own pages, read 10 November 2026; the 10times notes are from its site and plans page, read 7 November 2026. ConferenceDB figures are live as of 10 November 2026.
How to pick one
- Name the field you need. Dates are everywhere, so choose by the extra field: a paper deadline, a topic filter, or a sponsor list.
- Check its source. A listing is only as good as where it came from. Prefer one that says it read the organizer's own site, and open that page before you book.
- Check how fresh it is. Look at next year's dates on a conference you already know. If they are missing or wrong, expect the same elsewhere.
Where each field lives
| Field | Where to find it |
|---|---|
| Dates and place | All of them |
| Paper deadlines | WikiCFP and conference sites |
| Named sponsors and exhibitors | ConferenceDB |
| Published sponsorship prices | ConferenceDB, from 1,728 organizers |
What ConferenceDB holds
ConferenceDB is built for people who sell to or at business events. Open any conference for its sponsors, exhibitors and published packages, use the trade show directory for shows ranked by exhibitors, and the sponsor finder for the companies already backing events like yours. Upcoming conferences lists what is on next.
It is the wrong tool for a paper deadline, a meetup or a concert, and it publishes no named person's contact details.
Sources
- WikiCFP"about 50,000 CFPs" and its coverage of science and technology fields, read 10 November 2026
- conf.researchr.orgthe conference sites it hosts, read 10 November 2026
- dev.eventsthe count of conferences, place and topic filters, read 10 November 2026
- Conference Monkeyconferences, workshops, exhibitions and fairs, read 10 November 2026
- 10times pricing, on this siteplans and the limit on guest browsing
- ConferenceDB company factshow the lists are collected; figures live as of 10 November 2026
Questions
What is a conference database?
A searchable list of conferences with their dates and places. Most add one more thing for a particular reader: paper deadlines for researchers, or sponsors and exhibitors for sales teams.
Is there a free conference database?
Yes. WikiCFP, dev.events and ConferenceDB can all be searched free. ConferenceDB needs no account and covers 3,684 conferences and trade shows with company lists.
Which conference database is best for academic conferences?
WikiCFP for calls for papers across science and technology, and conf.researchr.org for software engineering and programming conferences. ConferenceDB is built for business events and is the wrong place to look for a paper deadline.
Which conference database shows sponsors and exhibitors?
ConferenceDB lists 194,603 sponsor and exhibitor listings, read from each conference's own directory, sponsor page or prospectus. Paid tools add named contacts; ConferenceDB does not. Best conference sponsor databases, compared.
Keep going: best websites to find conferences · best conference sponsor databases · trade show calendar · free sponsor and exhibitor lists