Add to Calendar integration on the confirmation page is the most important feature to look for - and the one most WordPress RSVP plugins skip. Everything else is table stakes.

Must-have features

Add to Calendar on the confirmation page and email After someone RSVPs, they should get an immediate, frictionless way to add the event to Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Outlook, or Yahoo. This is the single highest-impact feature for improving actual attendance. Most WordPress RSVP plugins don't include it - look specifically for this.

Automatic confirmation email Sent immediately on RSVP, including event details and the Add to Calendar button. A confirmation page alone isn't enough - the email is what attendees refer back to.

Custom form fields Ability to add your own questions beyond name and email - dietary restrictions, company, how they heard about you, T-shirt size. Check for text fields, dropdowns, checkboxes, and required vs. optional settings.

Seat limits / capacity management Automatically closes the form when registrations hit a cap. Essential for any event with limited physical or virtual capacity.

Attendee list with CSV export A downloadable spreadsheet of all registrants - name, email, RSVP response, submission time - for post-event follow-up.

High-value extras

Automated reminder emails - a 1-week and 1-day reminder dramatically reduces no-shows. Look for a plugin that lets you configure a sequence without rebuilding it for every event.

Embeddable form - the RSVP form rendered directly on your WordPress page, not just a link to an external registration site.

Integrations - connection to Mailchimp, HubSpot, or Zapier for CRM sync and list building.

What to skip for most events

Seating charts, check-in apps, badge printing, and attendee networking features matter for large conferences. For webinars, workshops, and community events, they add complexity without improving attendance.