Note: this post was revised in 2020 to remove some outdated plugins and to add in some new, great options.
For a recent project, I scoured the web for way too long on the search for a great, free WordPress calendar plugin. I was able to narrow it down to a few great options, and eventually ended up opting for the All-in-One Event Calendar by Timely.
If you’re on the lookout like I was check out the list below to hopefully save some of your valuable time!
1. All-in-One Event Calendar
The All-in-One Events Calendar plugin features month, week, day, and agenda views and has a built-in widget for upcoming events. You can set recurring events, import and export events via .ics feeds, filter events by category or tag, and use built-in shortcodes to display calendars on specific pages.
2. The Events Calendar
The Events Calendar plugin offers both list and calendar views, in addition to a standalone events page option. With this plugin, you’ll be able to add event detail fields, including venue and organizer information. Other benefits include Google Map integration, an intuitive interface, and a built-in event widget. This option also offers a premium upgrade with features like recurring events, ticket sales, management of schedules, custom fields, user submitted events, and more.
3. Sugar Events Calendar Lite
Another very basic calendar plugin for WordPress, Sugar Events Calendar Lite will likely get the job done if you’re seeking a simple solution! This plugin features simple event management, the ability to set dates and times, and a shortcode to display your calendar on any page. The full, paid version features a recurring event option, event categories, built-in widgets, and more.
4. WP Simple Booking Calendar
The WP Simple Booking Calendar plugin serves a slightly different purpose than the others listed here. It is, however, a great plugin that I thought was worth mentioning for those of you in need of a calendar solution to show dates and times that are booked or available. This plugin has a built-in widget, the ability to embed the calendar into a page, and more. There’s also a pro version with plenty of advanced features.
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Hope this link help to your customers!
Nice review. The All-in-One Events Calendar plugin recommendation is perfect for a project that I’m working on right now. Thanks!
No problem, glad it helped! I’m a big fan of the All-in-One Events Calendar plugin, too!
Shannon – Thanks for the great review on calendar plugins. We would like to through ours into the mix the next time you update your review. We think we have one of the best ones out there. http://wordpress.org/plugins/calpress-event-calendar/. Thanks, Don
Awesome, I will check this one out! Thanks for sharing!
Very nice write up! Definitely glad I came across your website!
Thank you for the kind words! 🙂
Might I humbly suggest: http://wordpress.org/plugins/event-geek/
Absolutely! I’ll have to look into this one. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you very much for your information. All-in-one calendar is definitely the best plugin I ever see, and its free!
No problem! And I agree, I just love all-in-one calendar–and I love even more that it’s free 🙂
Hi Shannon, Do you have a calendar that you can suggest for wordpress that can be interactive for front end user input? User controls date/time of garage sale for example, and it shows up in a master calendar (by location too). thank you for sharing your knowledge. Agree with Free
Hi there! I’m not sure of any free solutions that accomplish this, but I know that the pro versions of The Events Calendar and All-in-One Event Calendar both offer this feature. Feel free to shoot me an email if you have any questions about either of these plugins!
Hey again!
Thanks for this little list.
My experience with All-in-One calendar has been pretty painful. My crawl errors have shot through the roof, with just under 1000 404’s… Also, certain elements that are crucial to make it work, will not work on a standard installation. For example, the page where you need to establish the basics settings doesn’t show up.
All in all, All-in-one just creates too many headaches to make it work…
Though to warn others searching for a good plugin.
These one looks smooth, but creates potholes along the way…
Hey there!
I’m sorry to hear that you’ve had a bit of a rough time with All-in-One calendar. I use it on several websites and have no issues with crawl errors (or any errors with it, for that matter).
I’d be glad to take a quick peek at your site and see what’s going on with this plugin; maybe I can advise on what’s causing the issue. Feel free to shoot me an email if you’d like some help investigating the problem!
Thanks for the quick email response Shannon! What was the reason you chose All-in-One over other options?
No problem at all! I opted for All-in-One because of how feature-rich it is. It’s one of the best solutions, in my experience, if you’re looking for more advanced capabilities (like setting up recurring events, giving users different calendar views, being able to set up categories and then filter using those, etc.). However, if you’re looking for a simple calendar solution, you may find that All-in-One is just too much! In that instance, I would recommend looking into The Events Calendar. It’s a little simpler and more lightweight.