wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “events”

wp.org orders by popularity, so a plugin a host bundled onto millions of sites, or a big-brand one that's slow and mediocre, can sit at the top. Our ranking is built to answer a different question: which of these is actually worth installing. How this works →

For “events”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 8 plugins are pushed down for signals wp.org ignores: errors, a host-installed base, or removal risk.

wp.org search ranks on

Install count (uncapped), the raw star average, freshness, and support. Popularity dominates, so the biggest install base usually wins regardless of how it got there.

We add

A cap on the install boost, volume-weighted ratings, and signals wp.org can't see: whether it throws errors on current PHP, whether the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

EventON – Events Calendar shows at wp.org #13 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 6K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.1★ average from 44 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

merit plugin signals wp.org

The Events Calendar 600K+ · 4.2★ (2461) wp.org #1 2

Events Manager – Calendar, Bookings, Tickets, Appointments and more! 60K+ · 4.2★ (551) not PHP-current wp.org #2 3

Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) heavy footprint wp.org #3 4

Booking for Appointments and Events Calendar – Amelia 90K+ · 4.6★ (793) wp.org #7 ↑14 3 too low 5

Events Widgets For Elementor And The Events Calendar 10K+ · 4.5★ (108) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #4 ↑5 1 too high 6

My Calendar – Accessible Event Manager 20K+ · 4.7★ (159) wp.org #8 ↓3 2 too low 7

Event Booking Manager for WooCommerce – Sell Tickets, Event Registration, RSVP & Event Calendar 7K+ · 4.5★ (167) throws errorsnot PHP-currentheavy footprint wp.org #5 ↓1 2 too high 8

Event Tickets and Registration 90K+ · 3.5★ (236) heavy footprint wp.org #6 2 too high 9

Events Made Easy 1K+ · 4.6★ (111) wp.org #10 ↑2 1 too low 10

Eventin – Events Calendar, Tickets, Registration, Booking & WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.7★ (413) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #11 ↓1 1 too low 11

Registrations for the Events Calendar – Event Registration Plugin 7K+ · 5.0★ (103) wp.org #14 ↓1 3 too low 12

Events Shortcodes For The Events Calendar 10K+ · 4.9★ (214) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #12 ↓4 13

EventPrime – Events Calendar, Bookings, Tickets & AI 7K+ · 4.4★ (85) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #9 ↑1 4 too high 14

The Events Calendar Shortcode & Block 10K+ · 4.7★ (101) wp.org #17 ↓2 3 too low 15

WP Event Manager – Events Calendar, Registrations, Sell Tickets with WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.0★ (249) wp.org #19 ↑4 4 too low 16

Import Social Events 3K+ · 4.8★ (116) wp.org #23 ↓1 7 too low 17

Import Eventbrite Events 3K+ · 4.5★ (52) wp.org #22 ↓2 5 too low 18

Event Genius – Event Calendar, Event Registration, and Attendee Management 600+ · 4.8★ (17) thin reviews wp.org #15 3 too high 19

Event Countdown for The Events Calendar 3K+ · 4.6★ (48) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #16 ↓2 3 too high 20

EventON – Events Calendar 6K+ · 4.1★ (44) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #13 ↑4 7 too high 21

Event Single Page Builder For The Events Calendar 6K+ · 4.8★ (81) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #24 3 too low 22

Events Search & Filter Bar for The Events Calendar 3K+ · 4.8★ (29) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #18 ↓2 4 too high 23

Sugar Calendar – Events Calendar, Event Tickets, and Events Management Platform 10K+ · 4.5★ (24) not PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #20 ↓12 3 too high 24

WP Events Manager 30K+ · 2.7★ (13) thin reviews wp.org #21 ↓3 3 too high

Merit ranking caps the install boost at 1M (wp.org leaves it uncapped), replaces the raw star average with a volume-weighted Bayesian score and a Wilson lower bound, and keeps wp.org's own freshness and compatibility decays. Method from the plugin-directory source; see Meta Trac #8298. Positions are tracked daily from the first visit to a keyword, so the small arrows show movement since tracking began.