Best Event Ticketing Plugin for WooCommerce: 2026 Comparison

The best event ticketing plugin for WooCommerce in 2026 is one that sells unlimited tickets with zero per-ticket fees, supports recurring and hybrid events in the free version, and uses your existing WooCommerce checkout. In this guide, we compare four popular options — WPEvently, Event Tickets, WP Event Manager, and Tickera — across features, pricing, and hidden costs, so you can choose the right plugin for your events.

Why Sell Event Tickets Through WordPress Instead of Eventbrite?

Selling tickets on your own WordPress site means you keep 100% of your revenue. Hosted platforms like Eventbrite charge service fees of roughly 3.7% + $1.79 per paid ticket, which adds up fast: on 500 tickets at $50 each, that’s over $1,800 in fees. A WooCommerce-based ticketing plugin charges no commission — you only pay standard payment processing — and you own your attendee data, your branding, and your customer relationship.

There’s a second advantage most organizers overlook: your event pages live on your own domain, building your SEO instead of Eventbrite’s.

Eventbrite fees vs WooCommerce plugin: $1,820 vs $0 on 500 tickets

What Should You Look for in an Event Ticketing Plugin?

Before comparing plugins, know what actually matters for running events:

Ticket selling in the free version. Some “free” event plugins can list events but require a paid addon before you can sell a single ticket. Check this first.

WooCommerce checkout support. If the plugin uses WooCommerce checkout, you instantly get 100+ payment gateways, tax handling, and order management. If it uses its own commerce system, you’re locked into fewer options.

Recurring and multi-date events. Classes, tours, and workshops need repeating schedules without recreating the event every week.

Attendee management. Registration forms, attendee lists, editing, and CSV export — the unglamorous features that save hours on event day.

Total cost of ownership. Look past the sticker price. A cheap base plugin with five required paid addons often costs more than one complete Pro license.

5 things to check before choosing an event ticketing plugin for WordPress

WPEvently vs Event Tickets vs WP Event Manager vs Tickera: Quick Comparison

FeatureWPEventlyEvent TicketsWP Event ManagerTickera
Sell tickets free✔ Unlimited✔ Tickets CommercePaid addon✔ (per-ticket fee)
WooCommerce checkout✔ Native, freePlus only (paid)Paid addonFree bridge addon
Per-ticket commission0%0%0%Fee on free plan
Recurring events✔ FreeCalendar Pro (paid)Paid addon
Virtual & hybrid events✔ FreeCalendar Pro (paid)Paid addon
Early bird pricing✔ FreePaid addon
Conditional registration forms✔ FreePlus (no conditions)Paid addonPaid addon
Shared ticket quantity✔ Free
Event reviews & ratings✔ Free
Booking datepicker✔ FreePaid addon
PDF ticketsProWallet Plus (paid)Paid addon
QR check-inAddonPlus onlyPaid addon
Seat plansAddonSeating tierPaid addon
Bulk reschedule + attendee auto-updatePro
Social share photo cardPro
Lifetime license✔ From $149
Entry paid plan$75/yr~$99/yr~$39+/yr per addon~$70/yr

Pricing and features as of July 2026 — check each vendor’s site for current details.

3-year cost comparison: WPEvently $149 lifetime vs Event Tickets, WP Event Manager, Tickera

WPEvently: Best for WooCommerce Stores That Want Everything Free Users Actually Need

WPEvently (also known as Event Booking Manager for WooCommerce) takes a different approach from its competitors: the features most organizers need daily — unlimited ticket sales, recurring events, virtual and hybrid events, conditional registration forms, early bird pricing, shared ticket quantities, a booking datepicker, and event reviews — are all in the free version.

Because it’s built natively on WooCommerce, every payment gateway WooCommerce supports works out of the box, and event orders appear alongside your regular store orders.

The Pro version ($75/year or $149 lifetime) adds the professional ticketing workflow: automatic PDF ticket generation per attendee, email confirmations with tickets attached, attendee editing with bulk actions, bulk event rescheduling that automatically reissues updated tickets to every attendee, sales reports, and shareable social photo cards for event promotion. Addons cover QR code check-in, visual seat plans, group tickets, and admin backend orders.

Best for: WooCommerce store owners, recurring event organizers (classes, tours, workshops), and anyone who wants a lifetime license instead of yearly renewals.

Event Tickets: Best If You Already Use The Events Calendar

Event Tickets from The Events Calendar team is polished and well-supported, with free ticket selling through its own Tickets Commerce system (Stripe and PayPal). The catch: WooCommerce support, custom attendee fields, and QR check-in all require Event Tickets Plus (~$99/year), and recurring events require Events Calendar Pro on top of that. Costs stack quickly if you need the full workflow.

Best for: Sites already invested in The Events Calendar ecosystem that mainly need RSVPs and simple paid tickets.

WP Event Manager: Best for Event Listing Directories

WP Event Manager excels at frontend event listings and multi-organizer directories — its free version is genuinely good at displaying events. But it follows a per-addon pricing model: selling tickets, registration forms, recurring events, and calendars are each separate paid addons, so a complete ticketing setup means assembling (and paying for) several pieces.

Best for: Event directory and listing sites where ticket selling is secondary.

Tickera: Best for Standalone Ticketing Without WooCommerce

Tickera is a dedicated ticketing system with strong built-in features — PDF tickets, barcode check-in, and custom forms are included rather than addons. It connects to WooCommerce through a free bridge addon. The trade-offs: the free version applies a per-ticket fee, there’s no recurring event support, and no RSVP or calendar features.

Best for: One-off large events where built-in check-in hardware support matters more than recurring schedules.

Which Event Ticketing Plugin Should You Choose?

Choose WPEvently if you run a WooCommerce store or organize recurring, virtual, or hybrid events and want the widest free feature set with a lifetime pricing option. Choose Event Tickets if you’re already committed to The Events Calendar. Choose WP Event Manager for event directories. Choose Tickera for standalone one-off events with door check-in.

For most WooCommerce users, WPEvently delivers the lowest total cost: the free version covers what competitors charge addons for, and the $149 lifetime license eliminates renewal fees entirely.

Which event ticketing plugin to choose: WPEvently for WooCommerce, Event Tickets, WP Event Manager, Tickera compared

Download WPEvently free → or see Pro pricing →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best event ticketing plugin for WooCommerce?

WPEvently is the best event ticketing plugin for WooCommerce for most users because it includes unlimited ticket sales, recurring events, hybrid events, and conditional registration forms in the free version, uses native WooCommerce checkout with zero per-ticket fees, and offers a $149 lifetime license.

Can I sell event tickets for free with WordPress?

Yes. WPEvently’s free version sells unlimited event tickets through WooCommerce with no commission. You only pay your payment gateway’s standard processing fees. Some competing plugins require paid addons before you can sell tickets, so check the free version’s capabilities before installing.

How much does it cost to sell tickets with WooCommerce vs Eventbrite?

Eventbrite charges roughly 3.7% + $1.79 per paid ticket. Selling 500 tickets at $50 each costs over $1,800 in Eventbrite fees, versus $0 in plugin fees with a WooCommerce ticketing plugin like WPEvently (payment processing fees still apply in both cases).

Do event ticketing plugins support recurring events?

Support varies widely. WPEvently includes recurring events (daily, weekly, custom schedules) in its free version. Event Tickets requires the paid Events Calendar Pro, WP Event Manager requires a paid addon, and Tickera does not support recurring events.

Can attendees get PDF tickets with QR codes?

Yes, with the right setup. WPEvently Pro generates a PDF ticket per attendee automatically after payment, and the QR Code addon enables scanning tickets at the door with any mobile device — check-in history is saved automatically.

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