Number of Seats/Users: Zealous offers discounts based on the number of users or seats. A higher volume typically leads to a better discount structure, especially for enterprise-level usage.

Commitment to a Long-Term Contract: Discounts are often provided to companies that commit to using the service for a longer period (e.g., 1-year or 3-year contracts). A longer commitment shows Zealous that the company is serious and willing to invest in the platform long-term.

No Active Discounts: Companies that are not already receiving other active discounts may have a better chance of qualifying for additional discounts from Zealous. Zealous reserves discounts for new customers or those not currently under promotional pricing.

Volume or Usage Commitment: Zealous offers discounts if you agree to a minimum amount of usage or transaction volume. This could be based on data storage, transactions, or other metrics tied to how much you will use the platform.

Enterprise-Level Negotiation: Companies that qualify as “enterprise” due to their size or complexity (e.g., having large teams, multiple departments, or geographical presence) may be eligible for additional discounts from Zealous. Such companies are often in a position to negotiate for better pricing.

Early Renewal or Prepayment: Zealous often offers discounts if you renew early or prepay for the entire contract period. This is a common approach to securing a lower price.

Here at Spendbase, our internal data shows that Zealous has become a top pick among our clients for contest and awards management. Across many industries—nonprofit, education, arts, events, and more—clients consistently highlight several key positives and areas where Zealous is leading the market.

Key strengths our clients report:

– Ease of Use: Many Spendbase clients find Zealous very intuitive—setting up calls, managing entries, and organizing opportunities is described as quick and straightforward.
– Customer Support: This stands out as a clear winner. Clients love the friendly, rapid support, often noting that their account managers go above and beyond resolving queries and even hopping on training calls when needed.
– Judging Process: The ability to automate and customize judging, assign judges to specific categories, and run anonymous rounds has saved our clients hours of administration.
– Entry Organization: Submissions can be easily sorted, scored, and downloaded as CSV or PDF files, making reporting and analysis a breeze.
– Flexibility: The platform offers handy features like public voting, media uploads (images, video, sound), multi-stage contests, and form personalization.
– Value for Money: Affordable monthly pricing, no long-term commitments required, and the option to pay only for the months you need the service.

Where clients see room for improvement:

– Email notifications and communications need more customization to better fit different contest needs and branding.
– Some features—such as bulk messaging, form field flexibility, and scoring comments—are still developing but are highly requested.
– Occasional bugs or glitches have been reported, mostly with new functions or during updates (these appear to be fixed quickly).
– Accessibility and user experience for specific user groups (screen readers, category management) need improving but the team is responsive to these suggestions.

Most valued features according to client feedback:

– Customizable entry forms
– Media-rich submission support
– Automated judging workflows
– Excellent data export options
– Real-time support and onboarding
– Efficient payments integration

Spendbase clients have seen notable results such as:
– Significant increases in submitted entries (sometimes over 1,000 per event)
– Massive reductions in admin time (some saving hundreds of hours)
– Higher participant engagement thanks to a visually engaging gallery and user-friendly design

In summary, Zealous consistently delivers transparency, flexibility, and strong support, making it a great choice for organizations large or small seeking a smarter way to run competitions. Our clients often come back year after year, and it’s clear Zealous listens, adapts, and keeps getting better. If you’re looking to streamline your contest management, Zealous is a genuine contender!