The best Wordpress plugins for running events

WordPress gives event creators plenty of flexibility, but choosing the right plugins can feel like a project in itself. Some focus on displaying events through attractive calendars, while others help with registrations, attendee management, or ticket sales. And within those categories, there are a variety of options that can soon get your head in a spin if you’re not familiar with plugin territory (or, even if you are, to be fair).

In this guide, we do the hard work for you by narrowing down some of the best WordPress event plugins, including options for event calendars, event management, and ticketing.

What are WordPress plugins and how can they help with events?

WordPress plugins are software add-ons that extend the functionality of your website without requiring custom development work. You can install them directly from your WordPress dashboard, then use them to add features that aren't included in WordPress by default.

Thousands of plugins are available, covering everything from SEO and ecommerce to forms, memberships, and event management.

The main event-specific plugins enable you to:

• Publish event listings
• Display interactive calendars
• Collect registrations
• Manage attendees
• Sell tickets online

Free vs paid WordPress plugins

Lots of WordPress event plugins offer a free version that covers the essentials, including event listings, calendar views, and basic management tools. 

Paid plans and premium add-ons usually unlock additional features like recurring events, advanced integrations, attendee management, ticket sales, and customisation options. 

Upgrading can make sense when your events become more complex or when you need tools that save time as your audience grows.

Best WordPress event calendar plugins

A WordPress event calendar plugin helps visitors discover what's coming up and find the information they need quickly. It enables you to display upcoming events easily through organised, user-friendly calendar views.

Ticket Tailor

Ticket Tailor have spent 15 years ticketing events and giving event organisers all of the calendar functionality they could possible need. All of the brilliant functionality users have with our calendar views is directly accessible via our Wordpress plugin. That means 9 different layout options, grid formats, listing formats, images, no images and more. Everything is designed from a mobile first experience too giving your attendees a great checkout experience and it all links up to the 100s of other ticketing features we've build too.

The Events Calendar

Best for: Creating professional event calendars with minimal setup.

The Events Calendar is a popular WordPress event plugin that makes it easy to create and display events through calendar and list views. The free version includes the core tools needed to publish and manage events, while premium add-ons unlock additional functionality like recurring events, advanced calendar views, and venue management. This makes it a good option for event creators looking for a dedicated event calendar that’s easy to get up and running.

Key features:

• Month, day, and list calendar views
• Venue and organiser management
• Event categories and tags
• Recurring events (premium)

Pricing: Freemium

Sugar Calendar

Best for: Simple event calendars on WordPress websites.

Sugar Calendar focuses on ease of use, helping organisers create and manage events without a steep learning curve. The interface is straightforward, and the plugin is designed to stay lightweight while still covering essential event calendar functionality. This makes it a good fit for those looking for simplicity and ease-of-use.

Key features:

• Event scheduling and management
• Time zone support
• Recurring events
• Calendar embedding options

Pricing: Freemium

Best WordPress event management plugins

Event management plugins can help with registrations, attendee management, recurring events, venue information, and other tasks involved in organising and running successful events.

Events Manager

Best for: Registrations and recurring events.

Events Manager combines event listings with registration and booking functionality, making it useful for those who need more than a simple calendar. The plugin supports recurring events, location management, and attendee registrations, while premium upgrades add further booking and management tools.

Key features:

• Event registration and bookings
• Recurring events
• Location and venue management
• Custom booking forms

Pricing: Freemium

EventPrime

Best for: All-in-one event management.

EventPrime is designed to handle multiple aspects of event management from a single dashboard. Organisers can create events, manage registrations, track attendees, and sell tickets through the platform. Its broad feature set makes it suitable for organisations running different types of events throughout the year.

Key features:

• Event creation and management
• Attendee registration tools
• Ticket sales functionality
• Event analytics and reporting

Pricing: Freemium

WP Event Manager

Best for: Flexible event management with room to grow.

WP Event Manager offers a lightweight starting point for event organisers, with additional extensions available as requirements become more complex. The plugin supports event listings, registrations, and event discovery features, making it suitable for businesses, venues, and community organisations.

Key features:

• Front-end event submissions
• Event listings and search tools
• Registration management
• Wide range of add-ons

Pricing: Freemium

Eventin

Best for: Conferences and multi-speaker events.

Eventin includes tools for managing events, attendees, and registrations, with particular attention given to conferences, summits, and larger gatherings. Features like speaker profiles and schedule management help organisers showcase detailed event information while keeping everything organised in one place.

Key features:

• Speaker and session management
• Event registration tools
• Attendee management
• Schedule and agenda creation

Pricing: Freemium

Best WordPress ticketing plugins & integrations

While some event plugins include ticketing features, dedicated ticketing tools can offer greater flexibility for selling and managing tickets online. These options help organisers accept payments, manage attendees, and create a smoother booking experience for guests.

Ticket Tailor

Best for: Selling tickets through your WordPress website.

Ticket Tailor integrates with WordPress through embeddable event listings and checkout widgets. Event creators can sell tickets directly from their website while benefiting from a vast suite of user-friendly ticketing features, from discount codes to group tickets, attendee communication, customisable checkout forms and much more. 

Key features:

• Embeddable event listings and checkout
• Unlimited ticket types
• Email all attendees in one click 
• Free event check-in app
• Robust reporting and analytics features
• Marketing integrations and pixel tracking

Pricing: Flat fee per ticket sold. Pay as you sell, or buy credits in advance for even cheaper rates. Free events are free.

Find out more about selling tickets on your WordPress site with Ticket Tailor.

Tickera

Best for: Self-hosted ticket sales.

Tickera gives organisers control over ticket sales directly from their WordPress website. The plugin supports digital tickets, attendee management, and event check-in tools, making it suitable for event creators who want to manage ticketing within their own WordPress setup.

Key features:

• Ticket sales through WordPress
• Digital ticket generation
• Attendee management
• Event check-in functionality

Pricing: Paid

FooEvents

Best for: WooCommerce-based ticketing.

FooEvents extends WooCommerce with ticketing functionality, allowing organisers to sell event tickets through their existing online store. This makes it particularly useful for businesses already using WooCommerce and looking to add events without introducing a separate ecommerce system.

Key features:

• WooCommerce integration
• Ticket sales and management
• Attendee information collection
• Event check-in tools

Pricing: Paid

Event Espresso

Best for: Advanced registration and ticketing.

Event Espresso combines event registration, ticket sales, and attendee management within a single platform. It offers extensive configuration options and supports a range of event types, making it suitable for organisers who need greater control over registrations and ticketing workflows.

Key features:

• Event registration management
• Custom ticket options
• Attendee tracking
• Payment gateway integrations

Pricing: Freemium

Best free event plugins for WordPress

Lots of WordPress event plugins offer free versions that include enough functionality for smaller events and organisations. If you're looking for a free starting point, these plugins stand out for different reasons depending on what you need your website to do.

Ticket Tailor Wordpress Plug In

Ticket Tailor have built a wordpress plugin that enables the full functionality of our ticketing platform directly on your website. You can install it via Wordpress and see all of the features like our event calendar, ticket types, multi-checkout and more, directly in your ticketing flow on your website.

The Events Calendar: Best free calendar plugin

The Events Calendar offers a generous free version with calendar and list views, event categories, and venue management tools. It's a good choice for organisers who want a dedicated event calendar without adding too much complexity to their website.

WP Event Manager: Best free event management plugin

WP Event Manager combines event listings, registration features, and flexible customisation options in a lightweight package. The free version provides plenty of functionality, with additional extensions available as your requirements grow.

Events Manager: Best free plugin for registrations and recurring events

Events Manager includes booking functionality, recurring events, and venue management features within its free plan. This makes it particularly useful for organisers running regular events that require attendee registrations.

EventPrime: Best free all-in-one option

EventPrime brings together event creation, attendee management, and registration tools within a single platform. Organisations looking for a broad set of features without an upfront investment may find it a good fit.

Sugar Calendar: Best lightweight free calendar plugin

Sugar Calendar focuses on simplicity and ease of use. Its streamlined interface makes creating and managing events straightforward, making it a practical option for smaller websites and community organisations.

Getting more from your WordPress event website

The right WordPress event plugin can make a big difference to how easily you manage and sell tickets for your events. Whether you're looking for a simple calendar, a complete event management solution, or a dedicated ticketing tool, there are plenty of options available to suit different needs and budgets. Start by identifying the features that matter most to your organisation, then choose a solution that can support your events both now and as they grow.

WordPress event plugin FAQs

What is the best WordPress event plugin?

The best WordPress event plugin depends on what you need it to do. If you're primarily displaying upcoming events, a calendar-focused plugin may be the right fit. If you need attendee management, registrations, or ticket sales, you'll likely need more advanced functionality. Many organisers choose different tools depending on whether their priority is event promotion, event management, or ticketing.

What is the best free event plugin for WordPress?

Several WordPress event plugins offer useful free versions. Popular options include The Events Calendar, WP Event Manager, Events Manager, EventPrime, and Sugar Calendar. The right choice will depend on your requirements, but these plugins provide a good starting point for displaying events, managing registrations, and organising event information without an upfront cost.

Can I sell event tickets through WordPress?

Yes, you can sell event tickets through WordPress using a dedicated ticketing plugin or a ticketing platform that integrates with your website. Many solutions allow you to accept payments, manage attendees, issue tickets, and track sales. Some operate entirely within WordPress, while others use embedded checkout experiences that work alongside your existing website.

Do I need a WordPress plugin to run events?

Not always. Some organisers use WordPress plugins to manage calendars, registrations, and event information directly within their website. Others use external event management or ticketing platforms that integrate with WordPress through widgets, embeds, or other integrations. The right approach depends on how much functionality you need and where you want to manage your events.

What should I look for in a WordPress event plugin?

Useful features include event calendars, registration forms, recurring event support, attendee management, ticketing options, and integrations with other tools you already use. It's also worth considering ease of use, pricing, and available support. Choosing a plugin that matches your current requirements while allowing room for future growth can help you avoid switching platforms later.