Simple Calendar vs Sugar Calendar (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Event Plugins top 10: Simple Calendar at #12 and Sugar Calendar at #13. Simple Calendar leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Simple Calendar
Simple Calendar – Google Calendar Plugin
Add Google Calendar events to your WordPress site in minutes. Beautiful calendar displays. Mobile responsive.
Sugar Calendar
Sugar Calendar – Events Calendar, Event Tickets, and Events Management Platform
Easily manage events and sell tickets on your WordPress site. Sugar Calendar is easy-to-use, reliable, and exceptionally powerful. See for yourself.
Who leads on what
Simple Calendar leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
Simple Calendar ranks higher on WordPress.org: #12 against #13 in Event Plugins.
Simple Calendar has more users: 50,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Simple Calendar has 397, Sugar Calendar has 24. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Simple Calendar has more reviews behind its score: 397 against 24.
Sugar Calendar was updated more recently, on October 15, 2026; Simple Calendar on October 7, 2026.
Simple Calendar was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 76,262 times against 23,463.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Simple Calendar
Pick Simple 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 being installed faster right now.
Sugar Calendar
Pick Sugar Calendar if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Simple Calendar vs Sugar Calendar side by side
| Simple Calendar | Sugar Calendar | |
|---|---|---|
| Event Plugins ranking | #12 | #13 |
| Rating | 3.8 | 4.5 |
| Reviews | 397 | 24 |
| Active installs | 50,000+ | 10,000+ |
| Total downloads | 3,876,370 | 268,750 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 76,262 | 23,463 |
| Last updated | Oct 7, 2026 | Oct 15, 2026 |
| First published | Jul 5, 2010 | Oct 5, 2012 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.7 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 8.1 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Simple Calendar ratings
Sugar 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 Simple Calendar nor Sugar Calendar can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Event Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Simple Calendar vs Sugar Calendar: common questions
Is Simple Calendar better than Sugar Calendar?
Simple Calendar leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Simple Calendar ranks higher on WordPress.org: #12 against #13 in Event Plugins.
Which has more users, Simple Calendar or Sugar Calendar?
Simple Calendar ranks higher on WordPress.org: #12 against #13 in Event Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Simple Calendar or Sugar Calendar?
Simple Calendar has more users: 50,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are Simple Calendar and Sugar Calendar free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Simple Calendar may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Sugar Calendar may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Simple Calendar and Sugar Calendar
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
-
Tockify Events Calendar
2,000+ installs · 4.5 from 20 reviews
-
Eventin
10,000+ installs · 4.7 from 409 reviews
-
Events Widgets For Elementor And The Events Calendar
10,000+ installs · 4.5 from 108 reviews
-
EventON
6,000+ installs · 4.1 from 44 reviews
-
Quick Event Manager
1,000+ installs · 4.9 from 67 reviews
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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.