Eventonomy

Roundup · 2026

The best free WordPress events plugin in 2026

"Free" means very different things across events plugins. Some give you a calendar and paywall everything else. We ranked five options by what their free tier actually includes: recurring events, RSVPs and registration, waitlists, and frontend submission.

Yes, we make one of these. The limits column applies to us too.

The bar

What a free tier should include

The ranking

Five free plugins, ranked

  1. Eventonomy

    Our pick

    Recurring events, RSVPs, waitlists, and frontend submission, all free.

    Strengths

    • Unlimited events with daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly series
    • RSVPs with guest counts, custom questions, and a free waitlist
    • Grid, List, Month, and Upcoming views with pretty URLs
    • Frontend submission plus a member dashboard at /my-events/
    • ICS feed, CSV exports, branded emails, 6 languages

    Limits

    • Paid ticketing, Week and Day grids, and maps need Pro
    • New product; the community archive is still growing
    See all features

  2. The Events Calendar

    The calendar itself is solid; recurring and tickets need paid add-ons.

    Strengths

    • Polished free calendar with Month, List, and Day views
    • Massive install base, ecosystem, and knowledge archive
    • Add-ons exist for almost any requirement

    Limits

    • Recurring events require the paid Events Calendar Pro
    • RSVPs need the separate Event Tickets plugin; paid tickets cost extra
    • Frontend submission is a paid add-on
    Full comparison

  3. Events Manager

    A genuinely generous free tier behind a dated interface.

    Strengths

    • Recurring events and bookings included free
    • Frontend event submission in the free plugin
    • Mature multisite support and a long track record

    Limits

    • The interface and shortcode-first workflow feel dated
    • Online payment gateways require the Pro upgrade
    • No built-in waitlist as a headline feature
    Full comparison

  4. WP Event Manager

    A clean modular core; many event features are paid add-ons.

    Strengths

    • Lightweight free core with frontend submission
    • Modular pricing: buy only the add-ons you need
    • Familiar patterns for WP Job Manager developers

    Limits

    • Registrations, the calendar view, and recurring events are paid add-ons
    • Ticket sales run through a paid WooCommerce add-on
    • Costs add up once you need several features
    Full comparison

  5. Sugar Calendar

    Simple and clean, with a deliberately lighter feature set.

    Strengths

    • Easy to set up and pleasant to use
    • Uncluttered calendar that stays out of your way
    • Good fit when events are a small part of the site

    Limits

    • Lighter feature set overall; depth arrives in the paid version
    • No RSVP, waitlist, or frontend submission story in free

Rival details reflect each vendor's public free and paid lineup as of July 2026 and can change. Verify current packaging on their sites.

Questions

Frequently asked

What should a free events plugin actually include?

At minimum: unlimited events, real RSVPs or registrations, recurring events, and a calendar view without a paywall. Waitlists, frontend submission, and calendar feeds separate the generous free tiers from teaser tiers.

Why is Eventonomy ranked first?

Because its free tier includes the four things competitors most often paywall: recurring events, RSVPs with custom questions, a waitlist, and frontend submission. The ranking is ours, so verify it against your own requirements.

Which free plugin is best for event registration?

Eventonomy handles registration free through RSVPs with guest counts, custom questions, capacity caps, and waitlists. Events Manager also offers free bookings. The Events Calendar and WP Event Manager move registration into add-ons.

When do free plugins stop being enough?

Usually the day you charge money. Paid tickets, gateways, tax, and coupons sit in paid tiers everywhere. Eventonomy Pro starts at $69 per year and adds checkout through five gateways with no per-ticket fees.

Rank 1

Start with the most generous free tier

Recurring events, RSVPs, waitlists, and frontend submission cost nothing. Upgrade only when you start selling tickets.

Download Free See all comparisons