Booking Calendar vs Events Manager (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Booking Plugins top 10: Booking Calendar at #3 and Events Manager at #1. Events Manager leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Booking Calendar
WP Booking Calendar plugin for full-day bookings, time-slot appointments, rentals & events. Accept bookings and inquiries with flexible contact forms
Events Manager
Events Manager – Calendar, Bookings, Tickets, Appointments and more!
Events calendar and booking system: bookings, reservations, appointments, scheduling, event registration, tickets and recurring events.
Who leads on what
Events Manager leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
Events Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in Booking Plugins.
Events Manager has more users: 60,000+ active installs against 40,000+.
Booking Calendar is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 657 reviews, against 4.2 from 551 reviews.
Booking Calendar has more reviews behind its score: 657 against 551.
Events Manager was updated more recently, on October 21, 2026; Booking Calendar on October 11, 2026.
Events Manager was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 116,592 times against 65,358.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Booking Calendar
Pick Booking Calendar if the review score matters most to you or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Events Manager
Pick Events Manager if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Booking Calendar vs Events Manager side by side
| Booking Calendar | Events Manager | |
|---|---|---|
| Booking Plugins ranking | #3 | #1 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.2 |
| Reviews | 657 | 551 |
| Active installs | 40,000+ | 60,000+ |
| Total downloads | 5,440,508 | 6,575,447 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 65,358 | 116,592 |
| Last updated | Oct 11, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 |
| First published | Aug 15, 2009 | Aug 6, 2008 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 5.6 | 7.0 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Booking Calendar ratings
Events Manager ratings
How we compare these two
Every figure here is pulled from the WordPress.org plugin API every day at 03:00 UTC, for both plugins in the same run, so the two are always read on the same day. We compare only what the directory reports: active installs, the rating and how many reviews stand behind it, the last release date and, once we have a month of history, downloads over the last 30 days. Ratings are only called a win above 50 reviews each, because a handful of five-star reviews is not evidence. Nothing is weighted into an overall score, no measure is worth more than another, and neither Booking Calendar nor Events Manager can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Booking Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Booking Calendar vs Events Manager: common questions
Is Booking Calendar better than Events Manager?
Events Manager leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Events Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in Booking Plugins.
Which has more users, Booking Calendar or Events Manager?
Events Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in Booking Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Booking Calendar or Events Manager?
Events Manager has more users: 60,000+ active installs against 40,000+.
Are Booking Calendar and Events Manager free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Booking Calendar may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Events Manager may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Booking Calendar and Events Manager
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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What moved this week
One email a week, built from the same daily snapshots these rankings come from: the plugins that climbed, what launched, and one ranking worth a look.