Transform Your WordPress Website with the Right Calendar Plugin

A well-designed calendar plugin can transform your WordPress website by offering a sleek and user-friendly way to manage events, appointments, and bookings. Whether you’re running a business, managing an online community, or organizing local events, having a reliable and feature-rich calendar plugin is essential.

In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the best calendar plugins for WordPress, helping you choose the perfect tool to fit your specific needs. From general event management to appointment scheduling and booking, these plugins offer a wide range of features that can take your site to the next level.

There is no compensation from any vendor for this review. This is strictly our experience and our opinion.

---

Special Note on Syncing with Google Calendar

Looking to sync your WordPress plugin with Google Calendar?

We’ve had a tortured experience with displaying a Google Calendar on WordPress sites. Our primary use has been to display a calendar updated by others using the standard Google interface. It’s very common, plus it’s easy for the client to understand and use. But if you want it to display correctly and reliably, we have some tips for you. Here are the key issues as we see it:

• You can simply embed directly from Google, but your calendar will be plain-Jane Google style. The ability to style the Calendar is limited.
• Many of the options offer terrific styling options and a process to sync with Google, sometimes only as a premium, but our experience is that many break. The events get stuck in cache. The venues get confused. It can be worked through at great cost in time and frustration. Then plugins and themes update, and you may be back to an event that displayed the wrong location or didn’t update as you expected.
• You can do one-time imports easily enough, but if syncing in real-time is your goal, our best experience has been with Styled Calendar.

---

Top WordPress Calendar Plugins

1. The Events Calendar

Best For: General Event Management

Overview:

The Events Calendar is one of the most popular and widely used WordPress calendar plugins. It’s known for its user-friendly interface, flexible event management features, and robust customization options.

Key Features:

• Multiple calendar views (month, list, day, etc.)
• Recurring event support for repeated events
• Google Maps integration for event locations
• Easily customizable to match your site’s design
• Integration with WooCommerce for ticketing and paid events

Link: The Events Calendar

---

2. Modern Events Calendar

Best For: Comprehensive Event Management with Advanced Features

Overview:

Modern Events Calendar (MEC) provides a modern and flexible solution for managing events.

Key Features:

• Multiple display options
• Advanced booking system
• Customizable event templates
• Recurring event support

Link: Modern Events Calendar

---

3. Styled Calendar

Best For: Google Sync, Simple Event Display

Overview:

Styled Calendar is a sleek and intuitive calendar solution for event scheduling.

Key Features:

• Multiple display options
• Customizable color schemes
• Responsive design

Why We Like It:

• Reliable Google Sync
• Simple customizations
• Nice responsive design

Link: Styled Calendar

---

4. EventON

Best For: Visually Stunning Calendars

Overview:

If you’re looking for a calendar plugin that doesn’t just function well but also looks incredible, EventON is a great option. Known for its beautiful, modern design, EventON allows you to create highly customizable calendars that are both functional and visually appealing.

Key Features:

• Gorgeous design with customizable color schemes and layouts.
• Support for recurring events.
• Multiple calendar views, including a compact, minimalistic style.
• RSVP functionality and ticketing options (via add-ons).
• Event location and Google Maps integration.
• Social media sharing options.

Why We Like It:

• Visually stunning designs with lots of customization options.
• Easy-to-use, even for beginners.
• Responsive and mobile-friendly.

Link: EventON

---

5. Amelia

Best For: Appointment and Booking Systems

Overview:

If your primary need is to manage appointments and bookings (for a service-based business, for instance), Amelia is a fantastic choice. This plugin simplifies the appointment process while offering a professional, sleek design for booking events and services online.

Key Features:

• Supports appointments for multiple services, employees, and locations.
• Front-end booking interface for customers.
• Google Calendar synchronization. (we have not tested)
• Email and SMS notifications for customers and staff.
• Integration with WooCommerce for payments.
• Recurring appointments and group bookings.
• Advanced reporting and analytics.

Why We Like It:

• Elegant, user-friendly interface.
• Highly customizable for different types of businesses.
• Seamless payment integration.

Link: Amelia

---

6. All-in-One Event Calendar

Best For: Comprehensive Event Management

Overview:

The All-in-One Event Calendar plugin is an excellent solution for anyone who needs to manage and display a wide range of events. With its advanced features and extensive customization options, it’s perfect for organizations that need to display multiple events in an organized, accessible manner.

Key Features:

• Gorgeous calendar views (month, list, day, etc.).
• Supports recurring events, event categories, and custom tags.
• Easy event importing from Google Calendar and iCalendar.
• Color-coded event types and filtering.
• Front-end event submission (Pro version).
• Google Maps integration for event locations.

Why We Like It:

• Flexible and feature-packed.
• Multiple calendar views and easy-to-navigate event listings.
• Great for large-scale event management.

Link: All-in-One Event Calendar

---

7. Sugar Calendar

Best For: Simplicity and Performance

Overview:

Sugar Calendar is a lightweight, simple-to-use calendar plugin perfect for users who want to manage events without the need for complex features or a steep learning curve. Despite being lightweight, Sugar Calendar still offers a range of useful tools for event scheduling.

Key Features:

• Simple and intuitive event management interface.
• Google Calendar integration (Pro version).
• Event categories, tags, and custom fields.
• Recurring events functionality (Pro version).
• Front-end event submission (Pro version).

Why We Like It:

• Lightweight and fast.
• Simple to use, even for beginners.
• Great for smaller event management tasks.

Link: Sugar Calendar

---

8. Booking Calendar

Best For: Booking and Appointment Systems

Overview:

Booking Calendar is a versatile plugin designed to help businesses manage appointments, reservations, and bookings directly from their website. This plugin is ideal for service-based businesses like salons, clinics, and rental companies that need a simple yet effective booking solution.

Key Features:

• Simple calendar display for booking appointments.
• Customizable time slots, availability, and booking forms.
• Email notifications for bookings and cancellations.
• Google Calendar integration.
• Multiple booking types, including group bookings.

Why We Like It:

• Simple and intuitive to use.
• Great for appointment-based businesses.
• Google Calendar integration.

Link: Booking Calendar

---

Conclusion: Which WordPress Calendar Plugin Is Best for You?

When selecting the best calendar plugin for your WordPress site, consider your specific needs:

• For syncing from events generated by Google Calendar: Styled Calendar
• For general event management: The Events Calendar and All-in-One Event Calendar are excellent options with rich features.
• For visually stunning calendars: EventON and Modern Events Calendar offer beautiful design and flexibility.
• For booking and appointments: Amelia and Booking Calendar provide powerful solutions for service-based businesses.
• For simple, lightweight event management: Sugar Calendar is perfect for smaller, straightforward tasks.

Each of these plugins brings something unique to the table. Evaluate which one best aligns with your website’s goals and requirements. With the right calendar plugin, you’ll streamline your event management and provide an intuitive experience for your users.