The Events Calendar Shortcode 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: The Events Calendar Shortcode at #9 and WP Event Manager at #7. WP Event Manager leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
The Events Calendar Shortcode
The Events Calendar Shortcode & Block
Add shortcode, block and Elementor widget functionality to The Events Calendar Plugin, so you can easily list and promote your events anywhere.
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
WP Event Manager leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
WP Event Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #9 in Event Plugins.
WP Event Manager has more users: 20,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
The Events Calendar Shortcode is rated higher: 4.7 out of 5 from 101 reviews, against 4.0 from 249 reviews.
WP Event Manager has more reviews behind its score: 249 against 101.
The Events Calendar Shortcode was updated more recently, on August 18, 2026; WP Event Manager on July 22, 2026.
WP Event Manager was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 4,799 times against 2,305.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
The Events Calendar Shortcode
Pick The Events Calendar Shortcode if the review score matters most to you or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
WP Event Manager
Pick WP Event Manager 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.
The Events Calendar Shortcode vs WP Event Manager side by side
| The Events Calendar Shortcode | WP Event Manager | |
|---|---|---|
| Event Plugins ranking | #9 | #7 |
| Rating | 4.7 | 4.0 |
| Reviews | 101 | 249 |
| Active installs | 10,000+ | 20,000+ |
| Total downloads | 794,945 | 1,027,713 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 2,305 | 4,799 |
| Last updated | Aug 18, 2026 | Jul 22, 2026 |
| First published | Oct 10, 2014 | Mar 4, 2017 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.0.7 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.6 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
The Events Calendar Shortcode 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 The Events Calendar Shortcode nor WP Event Manager can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Event Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
The Events Calendar Shortcode vs WP Event Manager: common questions
Is The Events Calendar Shortcode better than WP Event Manager?
WP Event Manager 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 #9 in Event Plugins.
Which has more users, The Events Calendar Shortcode or WP Event Manager?
WP Event Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #9 in Event Plugins.
Which is rated higher, The Events Calendar Shortcode or WP Event Manager?
WP Event Manager has more users: 20,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are The Events Calendar Shortcode and WP Event Manager free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. The Events Calendar Shortcode may also sell a paid version or add-ons. WP Event Manager may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to The Events Calendar Shortcode 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.