11 Best WordPress Calendar Plugins to Use in 2024

A calendar plugin for WordPress can help you manage events, appointments, bookings, and more directly from your website. These plugins can be a powerful tool for businesses, event organizers, and service providers who need to display upcoming events, schedule bookings, or coordinate meetings. Here’s a list of the 11 best WordPress calendar plugins you should consider in 2024, each offering unique features to suit different needs.

1. The Events Calendar

The Events Calendar is one of the most popular and robust event management plugins for WordPress, developed by Modern Tribe. It’s perfect for creating and managing both simple and complex events.

Key Features:

• Easy event creation with a simple user interface.
• Recurring events and event categories.
• Integrates with Google Maps for event locations.
• Shortcode support for displaying events anywhere on your site.
• Premium version (Events Calendar Pro) includes additional features like advanced recurring events and custom event fields.

Best For:

• Users who need a reliable, feature-rich event management solution.
• Websites that require recurring events or location-based events.

Price: Free with a Pro version starting at $99/year.

Link: The Events Calendar

2. Amelia

Amelia is a booking plugin that also offers calendar functionalities, making it ideal for service-based businesses like salons, consultants, and fitness centers.

Key Features:

• Automated appointment booking with a user-friendly interface.
• Allows for multiple employees and locations.
• Syncs with Google Calendar, making it easy for users to keep track of their schedules.
• Offers recurring appointments and custom service packages.
• Payment integration with PayPal, Stripe, and other gateways.

Best For:

• Businesses needing a comprehensive booking system with calendar functionality.
• Users who require appointment reminders and payment integration.

Price: Free version available, with the Pro version starting at $79/year.

Link: Amelia Booking Plugin

3. Events Manager

Events Manager is a versatile WordPress calendar plugin that provides powerful features for event management, registration, and ticketing.

Key Features:

• Create one-time or recurring events.
• Event registration and ticketing system.
• Integration with Google Maps for event locations.
• Shortcodes and widgets for displaying events.
• Pro version includes custom booking forms, discount codes, and payment gateways.

Best For:

• Users who need a flexible event management solution with registration capabilities.
• Websites that require event listings with ticket sales.

Price: Free with a Pro version starting at $89/year.

Link: Events Manager

4. Modern Events Calendar (MEC)

Modern Events Calendar is known for its beautiful design and easy-to-use interface. It’s great for creating visually appealing event displays on your website.

Key Features:

• Responsive design that looks great on all devices.
• Multiple event display options, including calendar view, list view, and countdowns.
• Booking and ticketing options.
• Integration with PayPal, Stripe, and WooCommerce for ticket sales.
• Advanced options like recurring events, shortcodes, and custom event fields.

Best For:

• Websites that need stylish event displays with robust booking options.
• Users who want flexible design customization for events.

Price: Free with a Pro version starting at $75/year.

Link: Modern Events Calendar

5. Sugar Calendar

Sugar Calendar is a lightweight yet powerful event calendar plugin that focuses on simplicity and performance.

Key Features:

• Simple event creation with an easy-to-use interface.
• Recurring events and multi-day events.
• Integration with WooCommerce for event ticketing.
• Event categories and shortcodes for displaying events anywhere on your site.
• Designed for fast loading times to minimize impact on website performance.

Best For:

• Users looking for a lightweight event calendar that doesn’t slow down their site.
• Small businesses or personal blogs that need basic event functionality.

Price: Starting at $49/year.

Link: Sugar Calendar

6. Booking Calendar

Booking Calendar is one of the oldest and most popular appointment booking plugins for WordPress, with a built-in calendar view for managing bookings.

Key Features:

• Appointment booking form integrated with a calendar.
• Users can check availability and book directly through the calendar.
• Admin and user notifications for bookings.
• Customizable booking form fields.
• Responsive calendar that works well on mobile devices.

Best For:

• Service-based businesses like salons, clinics, and consultants.
• Users who need a simple appointment booking system with a calendar interface.

Price: Free with a Pro version starting at $47.40 (one-time payment).

Link: Booking Calendar

7. WP Simple Booking Calendar

WP Simple Booking Calendar is a straightforward plugin for managing availability and bookings using a simple calendar.

Key Features:

• Easy-to-use availability calendar.
• Allows users to see available dates for bookings.
• Ideal for managing vacation rentals, rooms, and property bookings.
• Customizable calendar colors and styles.
• Multiple calendars in the Pro version.

Best For:

• Property owners and managers needing an availability calendar.
• Websites that don’t need complex booking features but want to show availability.

Price: Free with a Pro version starting at $39/year.

Link: WP Simple Booking Calendar

8. My Calendar

My Calendar is a free, user-friendly event management plugin that offers great flexibility and customization options.

Key Features:

• Multiple calendar views including monthly, weekly, daily, and list.
• Allows for event categorization and tagging.
• Location management for events.
• Event search and filtering options.
• Custom templates for styling your calendar display.

Best For:

• Users looking for a free calendar plugin with extensive customization options.
• Websites that need multiple event views.

Price: Free with Pro add-ons starting at $49/year.

Link: My Calendar

9. EventON

EventON is known for its beautifully designed event calendar that offers a modern, responsive layout.

Key Features:

• Responsive design with various calendar display styles.
• Event tiles and calendar sliders for unique event presentations.
• Repeating events and event sorting.
• Integrates with WooCommerce for selling tickets.
• Supports event images, custom fields, and event organizers.

Best For:

• Websites that prioritize visual appeal and customization.
• Users who want a premium look for their event calendar.

Price: Starting at $25 (one-time payment) on CodeCanyon.

Link: EventON

10. Calendarize It!

Calendarize It! is a premium calendar plugin that offers extensive design customization and event management options.

Key Features:

• Drag-and-drop editor for event creation.
• Customizable calendar layouts and event colors.
• Supports recurring events and multi-day events.
• WooCommerce integration for event ticketing.
• Shortcodes and widgets for displaying events.

Best For:

• Users who want extensive customization for their calendars.
• Websites that need flexible event management options.

Price: Starting at $30 (one-time payment).

Link: Calendarize It!

11. Simple Calendar – Google Calendar Plugin

Simple Calendar integrates directly with Google Calendar, allowing you to display your Google Calendar events on your WordPress site.

Key Features:

• Syncs with Google Calendar automatically.
• Displays events from Google Calendar in a clean, responsive layout.
• Offers shortcodes for embedding the calendar on different pages.
• Customizable design using templates and CSS.
• Allows you to use private calendars with API keys.

Best For:

• Users who already use Google Calendar and want a simple way to display events on their WordPress site.
• Websites that do not need complex event management.

Price: Free with Pro add-ons starting at $49/year.

Link: Simple Calendar

Summary

The right WordPress calendar plugin for your site depends on your specific needs, such as event management, appointment bookings, or displaying availability. Here’s a recap of some of the best options:

1. The Events Calendar – Best for robust event management.
2. Amelia – Ideal for appointment bookings.
3. Events Manager – Great for event registrations and ticketing.
4. Modern Events Calendar – Offers beautiful and responsive design.
5. Sugar Calendar – Lightweight and simple for managing events.
6. Booking Calendar – Perfect for service-based businesses.
7. WP Simple Booking Calendar – Best for managing availability.
8. My Calendar – Free and highly customizable.
9. EventON – Great for visually appealing event displays.
10. Calendarize It! – Offers extensive customization.
11. Simple Calendar – Integrates with Google Calendar.

Choose a plugin that matches your feature needs, budget, and design preferences to make the most out of your WordPress calendar functionality in 2024.