# ZAPP (Zapplication) reviews: what artists and organizers say. Artists in public forums call ZAPP the standard way to apply to juried art and craft shows, and like how easy applying is. Complaints are about slow status updates, locked applications and refunds from cancelled shows. The public discussion we found is older, mostly from 2010 to 2021, so check what has changed. _Updated 2026-10-11._ ## Easy applying and a saved image bank. We found no review-site listing for ZAPP that we could read. What we found are twelve public threads and posts on the Art Fair Insiders forum, written by working artists and a few show organizers between 2009 and 2021. That is a small, self-selected sample, and most of it is old. - Artists in several threads (2010, 2012, 2019, 2021) say applying online beats mailing slides, and that reusing images from a saved portfolio across applications saves time. - Artists on the road like being able to apply from anywhere, and like the calendar and deadline tracking, which they say help them keep track of many shows. - A 2019 thread calls it the industry standard for art show applications, and a 2010 thread notes that most large shows had adopted it or a rival system. - A 2012 poster recalled ZAPP stepping in and refunding artists after a show disappeared with their fees, and ZAPP staff replied in several threads offering to look into problems. - A 2011 thread notes that show administrators like that applications can't be changed in the middle of judging. ## Status updates, locked applications and refunds. - Status communication: in 2013 and 2019 threads, artists say decisions or waitlist placement appeared on the site without an email, and that the status lagged the jury's actual decision. - Locked applications: in 2010 and 2011 threads, artists were frustrated they couldn't edit images or answers after submitting, and had to ask the show for an exception. - Cancelled shows: in two 2012 threads, artists said they struggled to get jury fees back. One said ZAPP wasn't much help, while a ZAPP representative in the other offered to investigate and said the promoter was processing refunds. - Show quality: a 2015 thread argues ZAPP accepts any show that pays to list, so artists must research shows themselves. A reply argues the burden is on artists to research shows. - Organizer view: a fair organizer's 2010 post said ZAPP didn't deliver the promotion they were promised over three shows and left their fair out of call-for-entries emails, so they moved to a cheaper system. - Transparency and artist voice: a 2010 thread about a ZAPP conference criticized the timing, the cost to artists and a lack of artist input. ## What artists notice when they apply. From the artist side, the picture is mostly positive about the convenience and mixed about communication. Artists say the jury process feels opaque when status changes don't come with an email, and that they hesitate to chase shows for fear of annoying organizers. A 2010 thread asked for more control over a submitted application, noting that other systems already allowed edits before the deadline. Artists also separate ZAPP from the show. Several replies say jury fees, refund timing and booth-fee policies are set by each show, not ZAPP, and that the best fix is reading the prospectus before applying. ## Cost looks different to artists and organizers. ZAPP doesn't publish organizer pricing. Artists in the threads mostly talk about jury fees, which each show sets. A 2010 poster argued those fees pass ZAPP's cost on to artists, and replies said ZAPP's own charge is a small part of what a show asks. A 2012 thread said setting up ZAPP was a large expense for a small show and that other systems were cheaper, and a 2021 thread had a small fair organizer recommending a cheaper alternative while another commenter thought ZAPP might be flexible for small fairs. If you're an organizer, ask what you pay per application and per year, what promotion your show gets, and who handles refunds if a show is cancelled. ## Our view, and why you should weigh it accordingly. bzar is our product, so this section is not a review. ZAPP is built for juried art and craft fairs; bzar is built for markets and festivals where the same tool also handles tickets and check-in. The full comparison says where ZAPP is the better fit. - Organizers pay no subscription and no per-event fee to run events on bzar. - Vendors apply online with your own questions, and you approve, reject or waitlist each one. - Booth fees are paid by card through Stripe and paid out to you; if you reject a vendor, their booth fee is refunded. - [bzar vs ZAPP](https://bzar.app/compare/zapp): Side-by-side features and where ZAPP fits better. ## Questions **Do artists like ZAPP?** In the public forum threads we read, mostly yes for convenience: apply online, reuse images, track deadlines. Complaints are about slow or missing status emails and locked applications. **Does ZAPP refund jury fees for cancelled shows?** In the threads we read, refunds were handled by the show. ZAPP staff offered to investigate, and one artist said they got little help. Ask how refunds work before you list a show. **Is ZAPP worth it for organizers?** It fits juried fine art and craft shows that want ZAPP's artist pool. The organizer voices we found are few and old, so ask ZAPP for current pricing and talk to a few shows that use it. **How recent are these reviews?** Most threads are from 2010 to 2021, with one 2009 post. Features and fees may have changed, so use this as a list of questions to ask, not a verdict. ## Related - [bzar vs ZAPP](https://bzar.app/compare/zapp) - [What is a juried craft fair?](https://bzar.app/guides/what-is-a-juried-craft-fair) - [Should you charge a vendor application fee?](https://bzar.app/guides/should-you-charge-a-vendor-application-fee) - [bzar pricing](https://bzar.app/pricing) ## Sources - https://www.artfairinsiders.com/forum/topics/zapplication-1 - https://artfairinsiders.com/forum/topics/changing-images-or-information-in-a-zapp-application - https://artfairinsiders.com/forum/topics/zapplication-conference-in-st - https://www.artfairinsiders.com/forum/topics/cancelled-show-should-we-get-jury-fee-refunded - https://artfairinsiders.com/forum/topics/quality-shows-on-zapp - https://artfairinsiders.com/forum/topics/unrefunded-application-fees-from-cancelled-shows - https://artfairinsiders.com/forum/topics/when-a-promoter-doesn-t-contact-you-or-answer-emails-what-do-you - https://www.artfairinsiders.com/forum/topics/houston-we-have-a-problem - https://www.artfairinsiders.com/forum/topics/application-software - https://artfairinsiders.com/profiles/blogs/entry-thingy-vs-zapplication - https://www.artfairinsiders.com/forum/topics/question-for-artists-applying-to-shows - https://www.artfairinsiders.com/forum/topics/shows-asking-for-booth-fee - https://www.artfairinsiders.com/profiles/blogs/list/tag/zapp