Choosing a WordPress event plugin is not really a feature comparison, it is a choice between two philosophies of how events should be managed on a site. Modern Events Calendar takes the everything-included approach, packing recurring events, multiple calendar views, booking, ticketing, virtual event support, and a frontend submission system into a single plugin. EventON sits at the other end, a design-first plugin whose tile-based calendar has shaped how many premium WordPress sites display events for over a decade.
Both plugins serve the same surface need, letting visitors discover and register for events on a WordPress site, but they make very different trade-offs around extensibility, pricing model, design polish, and how much functionality lives in the core download. MEC is the more feature-dense out of the box; EventON ships a leaner core and sells deep customization through a large add-on catalogue.
This comparison walks through pricing, feature depth, design and customization, ticketing flow, integrations, and the workflow details that decide which plugin earns its keep over a season of recurring events. By the end, you should know which one matches the way you actually run events on WordPress.
Quick Verdict
- →Pick Modern Events Calendar if you want one plugin that handles recurring events, multiple views, booking, and virtual events without buying add-ons.
- →Pick EventON if you want the most polished tile-based calendar design and are willing to buy add-ons for the features you need.
In This Comparison
Modern Events Calendar Overview
Modern Events Calendar (MEC) by Webnus is a feature-dense WordPress event plugin that aims to replace several smaller plugins with one install. The free version on the WordPress.org repository already includes more than a dozen calendar views (monthly, weekly, daily, list, grid, agenda, masonry, timetable, carousel, slider, tile, cover, countdown, and map), recurring events, search and filter, frontend event submission, and Google Calendar export. The Pro version adds booking, ticketing, invoices, gateway integrations, virtual events, and an event builder.
MEC is built for sites that need real depth out of the box, multi-day conferences, community calendars, fitness studios with class schedules, religious organizations with weekly services, and venues that sell tickets directly. Because so much is bundled into the core Pro plugin, you rarely hit the add-on rabbit hole. For a wider view of what else exists in this category, see our roundup of the best WordPress booking and appointment plugins.
EventON Overview
EventON is a premium WordPress event calendar plugin that has been on CodeCanyon since 2013 and built a reputation on its distinctive tile-based calendar layout. Where most calendar plugins ship traditional month or list views first, EventON puts a clean expandable tile grid front and center, and that design has been imitated across the WordPress event space for years. The plugin sells on Envato as a one-time purchase with six months of support included.
The core EventON download covers single events, recurring events, categories, and the signature tile view. Almost every other feature, ticketing, RSVPs, virtual events, multi-day events, time zones, event submission, and dozens more, lives in a separate paid add-on. The plugin is excellent at what it does and the add-on ecosystem is mature, but the total cost of a full setup adds up quickly.
Pricing Compared
Modern Events Calendar has a permanent free tier on WordPress.org that is genuinely useful for many small sites. MEC Pro starts at around $75 per year for a single site with all features included (booking, ticketing, gateways, virtual events, event builder, all calendar views). The Pro Plus and Pro Plus Bundle tiers cover more sites and include premium add-ons for FES (frontend submission), iCal sync extras, and integrations. Because the Pro license bundles almost everything in one purchase, the upfront math is simple.
EventON costs $25 on CodeCanyon for a single site, regular license, with six months of support. That sounds cheaper than MEC, but add-ons are the catch. The Tickets add-on, RSVP add-on, Virtual Events add-on, Frontend Submissions add-on, and most other meaningful features cost $15 to $25 each. Building a full-featured calendar typically lands between $150 and $300 in add-on purchases on top of the core license, and add-on support renewals are separate.
On core price, EventON wins. On total cost for a feature-complete site, MEC usually comes out cheaper, especially once you factor in renewals and the time spent stitching add-ons together.
Features Compared
MEC ships with more in the core download. The free plugin alone includes more than a dozen display layouts, recurring events with exception dates, search and filter widgets, an event builder, frontend submission, organizers and venues as custom post types, Google Maps integration, and weather widgets. MEC Pro adds the booking and ticketing engine, payment gateways, invoices, virtual events with Zoom integration, an event countdown, and a guest list manager.
EventON’s core is leaner by design: the tile calendar, single event pages, recurring events, categories, and a few sorting options. Tickets, RSVPs, virtual events, time zones, frontend submission, recurring tickets, custom fields, action user, and more are sold separately. The upside is that you pay only for what you use; the downside is that comparing total feature parity to MEC means buying five or more add-ons. For a side-by-side perspective on event-versus-booking plugins, see our guide to the best WordPress booking and appointment plugins which covers adjacent tools.
Design and Customization
EventON’s biggest selling point is design. The tile-based calendar looks premium straight out of the box, and the shortcode-driven configuration gives designers a lot of control over which events appear in which contexts. Colors, fonts, layouts, and accent styling are all configurable from a single design panel.
MEC ships more layout variety but slightly less out-of-the-box polish on any single view. The trade-off is real: a site that needs three or four different event displays (a homepage carousel, a sidebar list, a full monthly calendar, and a category-filtered grid) can build all of them from MEC’s built-in shortcodes without touching CSS, where EventON would need add-ons or custom styling for the same range. MEC also integrates with major page builders (Elementor, Divi, WPBakery) via dedicated widgets.
Ticketing and Booking
MEC Pro’s booking and ticketing engine is built in: multiple ticket types per event, variable pricing, attendee details, discount coupons, invoice generation, attendee export, and payment gateways for PayPal, Stripe, WooCommerce, and offline payments. There is also a guest list manager and a built-in countdown widget for ticket urgency.
EventON’s ticketing requires the Tickets and Payments add-ons (sold separately) and adds Stripe and PayPal integration through more add-ons. It works well once assembled, but the assembly is the work. For sites that need ticketing on day one, MEC’s bundled approach saves both money and configuration time.
Integrations and Extensibility
MEC integrates with Zoom, Google Meet, Jitsi, BigBlueButton, and Webex for virtual events; with WooCommerce for ticket sales; with Mailchimp, MailerLite, and Sendinblue for newsletter signups; and exposes hooks for developers to extend behavior. The plugin also supports Elementor, Divi, WPBakery, and Gutenberg blocks.
EventON integrates with Zoom (via add-on), WooCommerce (via add-on), MailChimp (via add-on), and a similar list of popular tools, though each integration is typically its own paid add-on. EventON’s shortcode and template system is well-documented, which makes deep customization straightforward for developers comfortable in PHP and CSS.
Side-by-Side Table
| Feature | Modern Events Calendar | EventON |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | Yes, full free version on WP.org | No, paid only |
| Starting Price | $75/year, Pro (all features) | $25 core + $15-25 per add-on |
| Calendar Views | 14+ built in | 1 signature tile view |
| Recurring Events | Yes, free and Pro | Yes, core |
| Ticketing | Built in, Pro | Add-on required |
| Virtual Events | Built in, Pro (Zoom, Meet, more) | Add-on required |
| Frontend Submission | Built in, free and Pro | Add-on required |
| Payment Gateways | PayPal, Stripe, WooCommerce, offline | Add-ons required |
| Page Builder Widgets | Elementor, Divi, WPBakery, Gutenberg | Shortcode based |
| Mobile App | No | No |
| Best For | Feature-complete sites, multi-view calendars, ticketing on day one | Design-first sites, lean core, willing to buy add-ons |
Which Should You Choose
Pick Modern Events Calendar if you need a feature-complete event calendar with booking, ticketing, virtual events, and multiple views without juggling add-ons. Studios, schools, conference organizers, religious organizations, and community sites that sell tickets or host hybrid events get the most value here.
Pick EventON if design polish is your top requirement, you only need a calendar (not ticketing or virtual events), and you do not mind buying add-ons later as needs grow. Premium WordPress themes that want a beautiful event tile on the homepage often default to EventON for the look alone.
Get Modern Events Calendar Pro
14+ calendar views, booking, ticketing, virtual events, and an event builder, all in one plugin.
Try MEC Pro →FAQs
Is Modern Events Calendar better than EventON?
Better depends on context. MEC wins on bundled features (ticketing, virtual events, multiple views in the core Pro license) and total cost of ownership. EventON wins on the design polish of its signature tile calendar and on flexibility for sites that only need what they pay for.
Does Modern Events Calendar have a free version?
Yes. The free MEC plugin on WordPress.org includes 14+ calendar views, recurring events, frontend submission, search and filter, and basic event management. The Pro upgrade adds booking, ticketing, and virtual event integrations.
Does EventON include ticketing in the core plugin?
No. EventON’s core covers the calendar and event display. Ticketing requires the paid Tickets add-on, and payment gateways (Stripe, PayPal) each ship as separate add-ons.
Can Modern Events Calendar handle virtual events?
Yes, MEC Pro includes Zoom, Google Meet, Jitsi, BigBlueButton, and Webex integrations for hosting and selling virtual events directly from the calendar.
Does EventON work with WooCommerce?
Yes, via the WooCommerce add-on. Once installed, ticket purchases route through WooCommerce checkout, which gives you access to Woo’s gateway and order management.
Which plugin is faster on a large calendar?
Both perform well on calendars with hundreds of events. MEC has more built-in caching options and a leaner front-end on the simpler views; EventON’s tile layout is heavier but well optimized for the events it shows.
Does Modern Events Calendar support recurring events?
Yes, in both the free and Pro versions. Recurring events support daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, and custom patterns, plus exception dates for individual cancellations.
Is there a refund on EventON purchases?
EventON is sold on CodeCanyon (Envato), which uses Envato’s refund policy. Refunds are granted in limited circumstances; MEC Pro is sold directly by Webnus with its own refund window.
Final Word
Both Modern Events Calendar and EventON are well-built tools that have powered WordPress event sites for years. The split is structural: MEC is for people who want one plugin to handle the full event workflow from calendar to ticket scan, EventON is for people who want a beautiful calendar core and the flexibility to add only what they need. Match the choice to how you actually run events. For more options across the category, see our best local business directory plugins roundup which covers tools that often live alongside event calendars on community sites.