Booking Calendar vs WP Booking System (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 WP Booking System at #5. 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
WP Booking System
WP Booking System – Booking Calendar
The booking calendar plugin for WordPress. Get easy online booking with this lightweight and powerful booking calendar.
Who leads on what
Booking Calendar leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Booking Calendar ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #5 in Booking Plugins.
Booking Calendar has more users: 40,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
WP Booking System is rated higher: 4.9 out of 5 from 344 reviews, against 4.7 from 655 reviews.
Booking Calendar has more reviews behind its score: 655 against 344.
Booking Calendar was updated more recently, on August 31, 2026; WP Booking System on June 29, 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.
WP Booking System
Pick WP Booking System if the review score matters most to you.
Booking Calendar vs WP Booking System side by side
| Booking Calendar | WP Booking System | |
|---|---|---|
| Booking Plugins ranking | #1 | #5 |
| Rating | 4.7 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 655 | 344 |
| Active installs | 40,000+ | 10,000+ |
| Total downloads | 5,267,769 | 358,905 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 31, 2026 | Jun 29, 2026 |
| First published | Aug 15, 2009 | Mar 5, 2014 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | 5.6 | 5.6 |
| 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
WP Booking System 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 WP Booking System can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Booking Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Booking Calendar vs WP Booking System: common questions
Is Booking Calendar better than WP Booking System?
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 #5 in Booking Plugins.
Which has more users, Booking Calendar or WP Booking System?
Booking Calendar ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #5 in Booking Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Booking Calendar or WP Booking System?
Booking Calendar has more users: 40,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are Booking Calendar and WP Booking System free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Booking Calendar may also sell a paid version or add-ons. WP Booking System may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Booking Calendar and WP Booking System
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
More Booking Plugins comparisons
- Amelia vs Booking Calendar
- Amelia vs WP Booking System
- Appointment Hour Booking vs Booking Calendar
- Appointment Hour Booking vs WP Booking System
- Booking Package vs WP Booking System
- Booking Calendar vs Booking Package
- Booking Calendar vs Bookly
- Booking Calendar vs Fluent Booking
- Booking Calendar vs LatePoint
- Booking Calendar vs SimplyBook.me
- Booking Calendar vs WP Simple Booking Calendar
- Bookly vs WP Booking System
Weekly · free
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.