Simple Calendar vs WP Event Manager (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 WP Event Manager at #7. 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.
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
Simple Calendar leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
WP Event Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #12 in Event Plugins.
Simple Calendar has more users: 50,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
WP Event Manager is rated higher: 4.0 out of 5 from 249 reviews, against 3.8 from 397 reviews.
Simple Calendar has more reviews behind its score: 397 against 249.
Simple Calendar was updated more recently, on October 7, 2026; WP Event Manager on July 22, 2026.
Simple Calendar was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 76,262 times against 4,799.
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 want the plugin more sites already run, you want the score backed by more reviews, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
WP Event Manager
Pick WP Event Manager if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them or the review score matters most to you.
Simple Calendar vs WP Event Manager side by side
| Simple Calendar | WP Event Manager | |
|---|---|---|
| Event Plugins ranking | #12 | #7 |
| Rating | 3.8 | 4.0 |
| Reviews | 397 | 249 |
| Active installs | 50,000+ | 20,000+ |
| Total downloads | 3,876,370 | 1,027,713 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 76,262 | 4,799 |
| Last updated | Oct 7, 2026 | Jul 22, 2026 |
| First published | Jul 5, 2010 | Mar 4, 2017 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.7 | 7.0.7 |
| Requires PHP | 8.1 | 7.6 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Simple Calendar 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 Simple Calendar nor WP Event Manager can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Event Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Simple Calendar vs WP Event Manager: common questions
Is Simple Calendar better than WP Event Manager?
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. WP Event Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #12 in Event Plugins.
Which has more users, Simple Calendar or WP Event Manager?
WP Event Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #12 in Event Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Simple Calendar or WP Event Manager?
Simple Calendar has more users: 50,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
Are Simple Calendar and WP Event Manager free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Simple Calendar may also sell a paid version or add-ons. WP Event Manager may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Simple Calendar and WP Event Manager
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
-
Events Manager
60,000+ installs · 4.2 from 551 reviews
-
Eventin
10,000+ installs · 4.7 from 409 reviews
-
The Events Calendar Shortcode
10,000+ installs · 4.7 from 101 reviews
-
Events Widgets For Elementor And The Events Calendar
10,000+ installs · 4.5 from 108 reviews
-
The Events Calendar
600,000+ installs · 4.2 from 2,459 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.