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Compare WordPress Event Calendars
This WordPress events calendar comparison looks at what each popular plugin gives you for free, what needs a paid plan, and where Monthly Events Calendar fits. We build one of these plugins, so we’ve stuck to facts you can check, and linked our sources.
WordPress events calendar comparison: free versions
| Monthly Events Calendar | The Events Calendar | Modern Events Calendar Lite | Sugar Calendar Lite | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calendar views | Month, list, day | Month, list, day | Many (month, week, day, list, timetable, slider and more) | Month, week, day, upcoming list |
| Recurring events | Planned (2.0) | Pro | Yes | Pro |
| Per-event timezone | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed |
| Venues and organizers | Yes, reusable | Yes, reusable | Yes | Venue address per event; reusable venues in Pro |
| Selling tickets | Not yet (planned Pro add-on) | Separate Event Tickets plugin | Pro | Yes: Stripe, with a 3% fee in Lite |
| Maps | Planned | Pro | Basic Google Map; map view in Pro | Google Map on event page (needs your API key) |
| Google Calendar / iCal import | Planned | Paid Event Aggregator | Google Calendar import; .ics file import in Pro | Google Calendar sync; ICS URL import in Pro |
| Moving from The Events Calendar | Shows your events without importing, then imports with redirects | — | Import tool | One-click migration tool |
| Gutenberg block | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Checked November 2026 against each plugin’s WordPress.org listing and website (linked below). Plugins change often — check their pages before you decide.
Detailed comparisons
vs The Events Calendar
The biggest name, now sold in bundles. How to try a lighter calendar on your existing events. Read the comparison
vs Modern Events Calendar
Feature-packed with lots of skins, booking in Pro. When a simpler calendar is the better fit. Read the comparison
vs Sugar Calendar
Lightweight with built-in Stripe ticketing (with a fee). How the free versions differ. Read the comparison
How to choose
- You need recurring events today, for free: Modern Events Calendar Lite is the strongest free option right now. Monthly Events Calendar adds recurring events in 2.0.
- You need to sell tickets today: look at Event Tickets (with The Events Calendar) or Sugar Calendar’s built-in Stripe ticketing.
- You want a clean, fast calendar with month, list and day views, timezones and venues, free: that’s what Monthly Events Calendar is built for.
- You’re on The Events Calendar and want something lighter: all three alternatives can import your events. Monthly Events Calendar can also show them before you import anything, so you can compare on your own site, and it redirects the old URLs when you switch. Switching guide