Booking Calendar vs SimplyBook.me (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Booking Plugins top 10: Booking Calendar at #1 and SimplyBook.me at #4. Booking Calendar leads on 4 of the 5 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
SimplyBook.me
SimplyBook.me – Booking and reservations calendar
Simply add a booking calendar to your site to schedule bookings, reservations, appointments and to collect payments.
Who leads on what
Booking Calendar leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Booking Calendar ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #4 in Booking Plugins.
Booking Calendar has more users: 40,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Booking Calendar has 655, SimplyBook.me has 17. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Booking Calendar has more reviews behind its score: 655 against 17.
Booking Calendar was updated more recently, on August 31, 2026; SimplyBook.me on August 19, 2026.
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 you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
SimplyBook.me
SimplyBook.me does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
Booking Calendar vs SimplyBook.me side by side
| Booking Calendar | SimplyBook.me | |
|---|---|---|
| Booking Plugins ranking | #1 | #4 |
| Rating | 4.7 | 4.5 |
| Reviews | 655 | 17 |
| Active installs | 40,000+ | 30,000+ |
| Total downloads | 5,267,769 | 192,686 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 31, 2026 | Aug 19, 2026 |
| First published | Aug 15, 2009 | Apr 5, 2024 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 5.6 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Booking Calendar ratings
SimplyBook.me 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 SimplyBook.me can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Booking Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Booking Calendar vs SimplyBook.me: common questions
Is Booking Calendar better than SimplyBook.me?
Booking Calendar leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Booking Calendar ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #4 in Booking Plugins.
Which has more users, Booking Calendar or SimplyBook.me?
Booking Calendar ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #4 in Booking Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Booking Calendar or SimplyBook.me?
Booking Calendar has more users: 40,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Are Booking Calendar and SimplyBook.me free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Booking Calendar may also sell a paid version or add-ons. SimplyBook.me may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Booking Calendar and SimplyBook.me
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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