The Events Calendar vs The Events Calendar Shortcode (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 at #1 and The Events Calendar Shortcode at #9. The Events Calendar leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
The Events Calendar
The Events Calendar: #1 calendar plugin for WordPress. Create/manage events (virtual too!) on your site with the free plugin.
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.
Who leads on what
The Events Calendar leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track.
The Events Calendar ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #9 in Event Plugins.
The Events Calendar has more users: 600,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
The Events Calendar Shortcode is rated higher: 4.7 out of 5 from 101 reviews, against 4.2 from 2,459 reviews.
The Events Calendar has more reviews behind its score: 2,459 against 101.
The Events Calendar was updated more recently, on October 15, 2026; The Events Calendar Shortcode on August 18, 2026.
The Events Calendar was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 1,289,080 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
Pick The Events 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, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
The Events Calendar Shortcode
Pick The Events Calendar Shortcode if the review score matters most to you.
The Events Calendar vs The Events Calendar Shortcode side by side
| The Events Calendar | The Events Calendar Shortcode | |
|---|---|---|
| Event Plugins ranking | #1 | #9 |
| Rating | 4.2 | 4.7 |
| Reviews | 2,459 | 101 |
| Active installs | 600,000+ | 10,000+ |
| Total downloads | 88,287,743 | 794,945 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 1,289,080 | 2,305 |
| Last updated | Oct 15, 2026 | Aug 18, 2026 |
| First published | Jan 19, 2010 | Oct 10, 2014 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
The Events Calendar ratings
The Events Calendar Shortcode 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 nor The Events Calendar Shortcode can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Event Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
The Events Calendar vs The Events Calendar Shortcode: common questions
Is The Events Calendar better than The Events Calendar Shortcode?
The Events Calendar leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. The Events Calendar ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #9 in Event Plugins.
Which has more users, The Events Calendar or The Events Calendar Shortcode?
The Events Calendar ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #9 in Event Plugins.
Which is rated higher, The Events Calendar or The Events Calendar Shortcode?
The Events Calendar has more users: 600,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are The Events Calendar and The Events Calendar Shortcode free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. The Events Calendar may also sell a paid version or add-ons. The Events Calendar Shortcode may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to The Events Calendar and The Events Calendar Shortcode
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.