Side by side
Belenios vs POLYAS
Both stand on online voting software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan Self-hostedWeb
Belenios offers ballot privacy and public verification, with several preferential voting methods on its hosted platform. Election setup, key management, and the hosted voter limit need careful consideration, especially for high-stakes use.
Visit Belenios
Free plan AndroidiPhoneWeb
POLYAS combines online elections with live meeting votes and offers a small test election before going live. Check voter-count pricing and plan exclusions when estimating project costs.
Visit POLYASThe facts
| Belenios | POLYAS | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | No |
| Runs on | Self-hosted, Web | Android, iPhone, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 4 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | belenios.org | polyas.com |
| On online voting software | #4 of 31 | #8 of 31 |
Belenios: what it does well
- Free hosted platform for up to 2500 voters
- Supports Condorcet, STV, and Majority Judgment
- Voters can check ballots in the public ballot box
- Source code is available for self-hosting
What to know first
- Voter lists cannot be changed after an election starts
- Lost trustee key prevents tallying and cancels the election
- Does not protect against stronger voter coercion
- No hotline; support is through FAQ and mailing list
POLYAS: what it does well
- Free test election allows up to five test voters.
- Live Voting supports remote participation.
- iFrame can embed voting in websites or event portals.
- Voting data is stated to remain within the European Union.
What to know first
- Free Standard plan covers up to 50 voters.
- Listed €50 base prices exclude voter-count pricing.
- Projects above 20,000 people require contacting service.
- Self-service features and service are excluded from the free plan.
Alternatives to Belenios Alternatives to POLYAS The whole list