View and skin variety
MEC ships a large library of calendar skins and layouts. Sites that want many visual options out of the box get real choice.
Comparison
Eventonomy vs Modern Events Calendar (2026)
MEC wins on the sheer variety of calendar skins and layouts. Eventonomy plays a different game: a free plugin with RSVPs, waitlists, recurring events, and frontend submission, plus blocks that inherit your theme instead of a fixed skin.
Feature by feature
The side by side
| Feature | Eventonomy | Modern Events Calendar |
|---|---|---|
| Price of entry | Free plugin; Pro from $99 per year (see store for current pricing) | Free Lite version; Pro sold separately, with some features as add-ons |
| Recurring events | Daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly series in the free plugin | Recurring events are supported |
| RSVPs | Going, maybe, and no with guest counts and questions, free | RSVP and booking arrive in the Pro tier |
| Waitlist | Free; capacity caps hand overflow to the waitlist | Booking limits exist; waitlist depends on the version |
| Paid ticketing and gateways | Pro checkout via Stripe, PayPal, Square, Mollie, or WooCommerce, with door check-in | Booking and tickets in Pro, with gateways such as PayPal, Stripe, and WooCommerce |
| Per-ticket fees | None, ever; you pay only your gateway | None; costs come from plugin and add-on licenses |
| Frontend submission | Free, with a member dashboard at /my-events/ | Frontend event submission is a Pro feature |
| Views and skins | Grid, List, Month, and Upcoming free; Pro adds Week and Day | A large library of calendar skins and layouts is its signature strength |
| Output model | Native WordPress blocks that inherit your theme styles | Custom post types with shortcode, block, and widget output |
| Data architecture | 9 custom tables, 56 REST endpoints, Interactivity API blocks | Custom post types with post meta; display-configuration heavy |
| Translations | Ships with 6 languages plus RTL support | Translation-ready with RTL support |
MEC details reflect their public free and paid lineup as of July 2026 and can change. Verify current packaging and pricing on their site.
Credit where due
Where Modern Events Calendar wins
A comparison you can trust names the other side's real strengths. Here are theirs.
Long feature list
Years of development mean a broad set of display and booking options, with settings for almost every layout detail.
Large install base
It is a widely used calendar plugin, so there are plenty of live examples, tutorials, and third-party tips.
The verdict
Who should pick which
Pick Eventonomy if
- You want native blocks that inherit your theme over shortcodes and skins to configure.
- RSVPs, waitlists, and frontend submission should be free, not Pro or add-ons.
- You want REST-first custom tables for larger sites.
- You want paid ticketing with door check-in and a commission ledger built in.
Pick MEC if
- You want the widest range of calendar skins and layouts out of the box.
- You prefer a long-established plugin with a big library of view types.
- You are comfortable configuring display through shortcodes and settings.
Questions
Frequently asked
Does Modern Events Calendar have a free version?
MEC offers a free Lite version, with Pro sold separately and some capabilities as add-ons. Verify current packaging on their site. Eventonomy starts free with RSVPs, waitlists, recurring events, and frontend submission.
Which has more calendar layouts?
MEC is known for its large library of skins and view types. Eventonomy ships Grid, List, Month, and Upcoming free, with Week and Day in Pro, all as blocks that inherit your theme styles instead of a fixed skin.
How do they compare on ticketing?
MEC handles booking and tickets in its Pro tier. Eventonomy Pro checks out through five gateways with tax, fees, coupons, door check-in, and a commission ledger for multi-organizer platforms.
Free $0
Try the side Eventonomy argues for
Recurring events, RSVPs, waitlists, and frontend submission are free. Pro starts at $99 per year when you sell tickets.