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WP FullCalendar

By Marcus (aka @msykes)

E-commerce & Shopping /

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

Trusted WordPress expert with 20+ years of experience evaluating plugins for the WP ecosystem.

WP FullCalendar Review - In-Depth Analysis

WP FullCalendar uses the FullCalendar library to display events in a beautiful calendar view. It supports custom post types and taxonomies.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

7.28/10

User Rating

4.7/5 (based on 96+ reviews)

Active Installations

8,000+

Update Frequency

Below Average It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

5.6 / 10 (Medium Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

WP FullCalendar is a powerful plugin that utilizes the FullCalendar library to create a visually appealing calendar for your events. It allows you to showcase your posts or any custom post types in a calendar format, which can be filtered by custom taxonomies such as categories and tags.

This plugin is AJAX powered and offers month, week, and day views. You can style your calendar with various themes or create your own using the jQuery ThemeRoller. It also supports custom post types and provides popout summaries and thumbnails for calendar items on hover.

WP FullCalendar integrates seamlessly with the Events Manager plugin and offers various hooks and filters for developers to enhance functionality. The plugin is actively maintained and supported by the community, ensuring a reliable experience for users.

Comparing to Alternatives

WP FullCalendar offers a specialized calendar solution with several alternatives available that cater to various event management needs.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Highly rated with 86.5% five-star reviews indicating strong user satisfaction.
Good for developers needing customizable calendar functionality.
Supports integration with custom post types, albeit with limitations.
Free to use with no paid version, making it accessible for budget-conscious users.

Weaknesses

Known security vulnerabilities in versions prior to 1.6, some without fixes.
Limited documentation and guidance for users, making it challenging for non-developers.
Issues with displaying events correctly for custom post types and multi-day events.
No pro version or premium support options available.

User Sentiment Analysis

The plugin enjoys a high overall rating of 4.7 out of 5, with most users praising its functionality, though a small portion report significant issues.

Positive highlights

'Great plugin but needs documentation' – veedot2
'The plugin works well but it’s not another “end user” plugin' – o2xav
'Post Status for future posts' issue resolved, plugin works quite well – tomjungmedia
'Easy installation, great first view' – Ruben (though later noted lack of documentation)

Common complaints

Does not properly support custom post types, showing events on incorrect dates.
Lack of documentation and explanations makes usage confusing.
Security vulnerabilities reported and not fixed by developer.
Multi-day events are not displayed correctly, relying on post date only.

Weaknesses

Security vulnerabilities with medium to high severity exist in older versions.
Limited user guidance and documentation.
Functionality issues with custom post types and event date handling.

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Developers or technically skilled users who want a customizable calendar plugin and are comfortable working with filters and custom fields.

Not ideal for

Non-developers or users seeking a plug-and-play event calendar with comprehensive documentation and robust support, especially those concerned about security vulnerabilities.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version includes full calendar functionality suitable for developers and users comfortable with customization, but lacks extensive documentation or premium support.

Final Verdict

WP FullCalendar is a powerful and well-rated plugin favored by developers for its flexibility and customization options. However, it suffers from limited documentation and unresolved security vulnerabilities in older versions, which may deter less technical users or those prioritizing security.

While it offers good value as a free plugin, users needing robust support, easy setup, or guaranteed security fixes might consider alternative event calendar plugins with active maintenance and clearer user guidance.