Events Manager vs WP Event Manager (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 WP Event Manager at #8. Events Manager leads on all 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.
WP Event Manager
WP Event Manager – Events Calendar, Registrations, Sell Tickets with WooCommerce
Lightweight, scalable and full-featured event listings & management plugin for managing events & tickets from the Frontend and Backend.
Who leads on what
Events Manager leads on all 5 measures we track.
Events Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #8 in Event Plugins.
Events Manager has more users: 60,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
Events Manager is rated higher: 4.2 out of 5 from 548 reviews, against 4.0 from 248 reviews.
Events Manager has more reviews behind its score: 548 against 248.
Events Manager was updated more recently, on August 27, 2026; WP Event Manager on July 22, 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
Pick Events Manager if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, the review score matters most to you, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
WP Event Manager
WP Event 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.
Events Manager vs WP Event Manager side by side
| Events Manager | WP Event Manager | |
|---|---|---|
| Event Plugins ranking | #2 | #8 |
| Rating | 4.2 | 4.0 |
| Reviews | 548 | 248 |
| Active installs | 60,000+ | 20,000+ |
| Total downloads | 6,409,034 | 1,020,689 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 27, 2026 | Jul 22, 2026 |
| First published | Aug 6, 2008 | Mar 4, 2017 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | 7.0 | 7.6 |
| 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
WP Event 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 Events Manager nor WP Event Manager can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Event Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Events Manager vs WP Event Manager: common questions
Is Events Manager better than WP Event Manager?
Events Manager leads on all 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Events Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #8 in Event Plugins.
Which has more users, Events Manager or WP Event Manager?
Events Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #8 in Event Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Events Manager or WP Event Manager?
Events Manager has more users: 60,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
Are Events Manager and WP Event Manager free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Events Manager may also sell a paid version or add-ons. WP Event Manager may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Events Manager and WP Event 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.