Bookly 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: Bookly at #3 and WP Booking System at #5. Bookly leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Bookly
Online Scheduling and Appointment Booking System – Bookly
Appointment booking system for WordPress — schedule appointments, manage calendars, send reminders, take payments. Start booking today!
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
Bookly leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Bookly ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #5 in Booking Plugins.
Bookly has more users: 60,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
WP Booking System is rated higher: 4.9 out of 5 from 344 reviews, against 4.4 from 576 reviews.
Bookly has more reviews behind its score: 576 against 344.
Bookly was updated more recently, on August 25, 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.
Bookly
Pick Bookly 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.
Bookly vs WP Booking System side by side
| Bookly | WP Booking System | |
|---|---|---|
| Booking Plugins ranking | #3 | #5 |
| Rating | 4.4 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 576 | 344 |
| Active installs | 60,000+ | 10,000+ |
| Total downloads | 3,938,744 | 358,905 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 25, 2026 | Jun 29, 2026 |
| First published | Oct 10, 2014 | Mar 5, 2014 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | 5.3.7 | 5.6 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Bookly 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 Bookly nor WP Booking System can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Booking Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Bookly vs WP Booking System: common questions
Is Bookly better than WP Booking System?
Bookly leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Bookly ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #5 in Booking Plugins.
Which has more users, Bookly or WP Booking System?
Bookly ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #5 in Booking Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Bookly or WP Booking System?
Bookly has more users: 60,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are Bookly and WP Booking System free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Bookly may also sell a paid version or add-ons. WP Booking System may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Bookly and WP Booking System
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
More Booking Plugins comparisons
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- Appointment Hour Booking vs WP Booking System
- Booking Package vs Bookly
- Booking Package vs WP Booking System
- Booking Calendar vs Bookly
- Booking Calendar vs WP Booking System
- Bookly vs Availability Datepicker
- Bookly vs Easy Appointments
- Bookly vs Embed Calendly Scheduling
- Bookly vs Fluent Booking
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