Events Manager vs The Events Calendar (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Event Plugins top 10: Events Manager at #2 and The Events Calendar at #1. The Events Calendar leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Events Manager
Events Manager – Calendar, Bookings, Tickets, and more!
Events calendar with bookings, scheduling, appointments, event registration, tickets, recurring events, and venue management.
The Events Calendar
The Events Calendar: #1 calendar plugin for WordPress. Create/manage events (virtual too!) on your site with the free plugin.
Who leads on what
The Events Calendar leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
The Events Calendar ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #2 in Event Plugins.
The Events Calendar has more users: 600,000+ active installs against 60,000+.
Both are rated 4.2 out of 5 (548 and 2,453 reviews).
The Events Calendar has more reviews behind its score: 2,453 against 548.
The Events Calendar was updated more recently, on September 3, 2026; Events Manager on August 27, 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.
Events Manager
Events Manager does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
The Events Calendar
Pick The Events 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.
Events Manager vs The Events Calendar side by side
| Events Manager | The Events Calendar | |
|---|---|---|
| Event Plugins ranking | #2 | #1 |
| Rating | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| Reviews | 548 | 2,453 |
| Active installs | 60,000+ | 600,000+ |
| Total downloads | 6,409,034 | 86,297,200 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 27, 2026 | Sep 3, 2026 |
| First published | Aug 6, 2008 | Jan 19, 2010 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.0 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Events Manager ratings
The Events Calendar 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 Events Manager nor The Events Calendar can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Event Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Events Manager vs The Events Calendar: common questions
Is Events Manager better than The Events Calendar?
The Events Calendar leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. The Events Calendar ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #2 in Event Plugins.
Which has more users, Events Manager or The Events Calendar?
The Events Calendar ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #2 in Event Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Events Manager or The Events Calendar?
The Events Calendar has more users: 600,000+ active installs against 60,000+.
Are Events Manager and The Events Calendar free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Events Manager may also sell a paid version or add-ons. The Events Calendar may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Events Manager and The Events Calendar
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.