PluginSift

The Events Calendar vs Simple Event Manager (2026)

Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.

The Events Calendar

The Events Calendar

4.3(2,430)

700K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 week ago
View The Events Calendar
VS
Simple Event Manager

Simple Event Manager

0(0)

10 active installs

Free

Updated 1 week ago
View Simple Event Manager

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, The Events Calendar has a higher user rating (4.3/5 from 2,430 reviews) and leads in active installations (700K+ vs 10). Both are free WordPress plugins. The Events Calendar has accumulated 80M+ total downloads while Simple Event Manager has 1.9K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.3/5The Events Calendar
◄
Simple Event ManagerN/A
Total Reviews
2,430The Events Calendar
◄
Simple Event Manager0
Active Installs
700K+The Events Calendar
◄
Simple Event Manager10
Total Downloads
80M+The Events Calendar
◄
Simple Event Manager1.9K+
Support Resolution
90%The Events Calendar
Simple Event ManagerN/A
Last Updated
1 week agoThe Events Calendar
►
Simple Event Manager1 week ago
First Released
2010The Events Calendar
Simple Event Manager2025
Age
16 yearsThe Events Calendar
Simple Event Manager1 year
WP Requires
6.7+The Events Calendar
Simple Event Manager5.0+
PHP Requires
7.4+The Events Calendar
Simple Event Managerfalse+
Business Model
FreeThe Events Calendar
Simple Event ManagerFree
Latest Version
6.15.18The Events Calendar
Simple Event Manager2.0.2

Rating Breakdown

The Events Calendar

4.3/5(2,430 reviews)
5
75%
4
6%
3
4%
2
3%
1
13%

Simple Event Manager

0/5(0 reviews)
5
0%
4
0%
3
0%
2
0%
1
0%

Recent Reviews

The Events Calendar Reviews

by paulwkleong

Excellent Support!

I had an issue with the event google map and TEC support logged in to fix it. Overall very happy with The Event Cal and highly recommend it.

by mbratch

Capability is meh… Description content very limited

First off, when I enabled the Event Manager it commandeered an Events page I already had content in and that all disappeared and was replaced by a calendar widget. Next off, I tried adding an event

by Floris

Excellent features, great ease of use, top-shelf support

We use TEC to publish our scheduled appearances on our website. TEC supports this perfectly, with just the right amount of features and integrations. The intuitive setup makes it child’s play to confi

Simple Event Manager Reviews

No reviews yet

Frequently Asked Questions

Is The Events Calendar or Simple Event Manager more popular?
The Events Calendar has 700K+ active installations while Simple Event Manager has 10. The Events Calendar is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — The Events Calendar or Simple Event Manager?
The Events Calendar has a 4.3/5 rating from 2,430 reviews, while Simple Event Manager has a 0/5 rating from 0 reviews.
Are The Events Calendar and Simple Event Manager free?
The Events Calendar is free and Simple Event Manager is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — The Events Calendar or Simple Event Manager?
Support resolution data is not available for all plugins. Check each plugin's WordPress.org support forum for current response quality.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
The Events Calendar was last updated 1 week ago and Simple Event Manager was last updated 1 week ago.

Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.