The Events Calendar vs WP Simple Booking Calendar (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
WP Simple Booking Calendar
20K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, WP Simple Booking Calendar has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 227 reviews) while The Events Calendar leads in active installations (700K+ vs 20K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. The Events Calendar has accumulated 80M+ total downloads while WP Simple Booking Calendar has 478K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | The Events Calendar | WP Simple Booking Calendar | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | ► | 4.8/5 |
| Total Reviews | 2,430 | ◄ | 227 |
| Active Installs | 700K+ | ◄ | 20K+ |
| Total Downloads | 80M+ | ◄ | 478K+ |
| Support Resolution | 94% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 week ago | ◄ | 12 months ago |
| First Released | 2010 | 2011 | |
| Age | 16 years | 15 years | |
| WP Requires | 6.7+ | 4.7+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.4+ | 5.6+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 6.15.18 | 2.0.15 |
Rating Breakdown
The Events Calendar
WP Simple Booking Calendar
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, The Events Calendar averaged approximately 27,546 daily downloads while WP Simple Booking Calendar averaged 39.
Recent Reviews
The Events Calendar Reviews
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.
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
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
WP Simple Booking Calendar Reviews
Great Support
I had contact to the developer, which replyed in a few minutes and helped with my design question. Outstanding friendly an professional. Many Thanks
Reliable for 5+ Years – Outstanding Support!
I’ve been using WP Simple Booking Calendar for over 5 years, and it’s been a game-changer for managing reservations. When I hit a snag with migration and accented characters, Roland from Veribo resolv
A very easy to use plugin.
And great support from the staff.I’ve been using it for many years, and will continue to do so in the future.
More Calendar Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as The Events Calendar and WP Simple Booking Calendar
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Add shortcode, block, Elementor and Bricks functionality to The Events Calendar Plugin, so you can easily list and promote your events anywhere.
Simply add a booking calendar to your site to schedule bookings, reservations, appointments and to collect payments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Events Calendar or WP Simple Booking Calendar more popular?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.