AddEvent is the strongest free WordPress RSVP plugin because it combines registration with Add to Calendar - so attendees register and save the event to their calendar in one step, which is what actually reduces no-shows.

Top WordPress RSVP plugins compared

AddEvent (official WordPress plugin) - free

• RSVP forms with automatic confirmation email and Add to Calendar button
• Embeddable events calendar and events list via Gutenberg block
• Subscription calendar - attendees subscribe once and automatically receive all future events
• Notification Flows for automated reminder emails
• Analytics dashboard
• Free up to 20 RSVPs/period; paid plans from $29/month for higher volume

The Events Calendar - free (with paid add-ons)

• Strong event display with month/week/list calendar view
• Free tier has no RSVP collection - you need the paid Events Calendar Pro + RSVP add-on
• No native Add to Calendar integration in the free version
• Best for displaying events on your site; not a complete RSVP solution without paid extensions

WPForms - free (Lite) with paid plans

• Flexible form builder that can be used for RSVPs
• No built-in event management, confirmation email, or Add to Calendar
• Requires additional setup to create an RSVP workflow; not purpose-built for events

Event Espresso - paid

• Comprehensive ticketing and paid event management
• RSVP and registration functionality with payment processing
• Significantly more complex than most teams need for simple event RSVPs

Modern Events Calendar (MEC) - free + paid

• Good event display with booking functionality in the paid version
• Less widely used than The Events Calendar; good feature set for content-heavy event sites

For most WordPress sites running business events, webinars, or community programs, AddEvent's plugin delivers the most complete workflow at the lowest friction.