Sugar Calendar 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: Sugar Calendar at #6 and WP Event Manager at #8. They split the 5 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
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.
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
They split the 5 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most.
Sugar Calendar ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #8 in Event Plugins.
WP Event Manager has more users: 20,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Sugar Calendar has 24, WP Event Manager has 248. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
WP Event Manager has more reviews behind its score: 248 against 24.
Sugar Calendar was updated more recently, on August 24, 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.
Sugar Calendar
Pick Sugar Calendar if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
WP Event Manager
Pick WP Event Manager if you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Sugar Calendar vs WP Event Manager side by side
| Sugar Calendar | WP Event Manager | |
|---|---|---|
| Event Plugins ranking | #6 | #8 |
| Rating | 4.5 | 4.0 |
| Reviews | 24 | 248 |
| Active installs | 10,000+ | 20,000+ |
| Total downloads | 235,736 | 1,020,689 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 24, 2026 | Jul 22, 2026 |
| First published | Oct 5, 2012 | Mar 4, 2017 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.6 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Sugar 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 Sugar 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.
Sugar Calendar vs WP Event Manager: common questions
Is Sugar Calendar better than WP Event Manager?
They split the 5 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Sugar Calendar ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #8 in Event Plugins.
Which has more users, Sugar Calendar or WP Event Manager?
Sugar Calendar ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #8 in Event Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Sugar Calendar or WP Event Manager?
WP Event Manager has more users: 20,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are Sugar Calendar and WP Event Manager free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Sugar Calendar may also sell a paid version or add-ons. WP Event Manager may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Sugar Calendar 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.