The Event Espresso Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Event Espresso in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Event Espresso
The Insider’s Guide
WordPress plugin for event calendars, registration and tickets
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among event ticketing platforms, read from Event Espresso’s own pages.
Made by Event Espresso · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Event Espresso’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Event Espresso’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 39 of the 79 other event ticketing platforms we grade
Event Espresso is a WordPress plugin that adds an event calendar, registration forms and ticket sales to a site you host yourself. Payments go through your own gateway account, and the vendor says it takes no per-ticket commission on paid licenses. A free edition called Decaf covers the basics, and paid licenses add support, extra features and add-ons.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Event Espresso, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It needs a WordPress site you install and maintain yourself.
- 1
Best for WordPress sites that sell event tickets
Event Espresso is a WordPress plugin for event calendars, registration and tickets, with a free Decaf edition and Core at $129 a year for one site.
- 2
Paid plans start at $10.75 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $129 per year for 1 live site.
- 3
There is a free plan
Decaf: free plugin with unlimited events, registrations and ticket sales, PayPal payments and community support, with a 3% pay-as-you-go fee.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Event calendar
Publishes events on your WordPress site in month, week, day, agenda and list views, with category colors and filters. Calendar+ is a separate add-on.
- 6
Registration forms
Custom forms per event with text, radio, dropdown and multi-select questions, plus group registrations for several attendees at once.
- 7
Ticket types and dates
Unlimited ticket types with sale start and end dates, capacity limits, and events or tickets that span several dates.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 39 of 79
That is against the other event ticketing platforms we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Event Espresso you could make: calendar. What surrounds it you could not. The 2 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Event Espresso at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $129 per year for 1 live site
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Event Espresso
- Category
- Event Ticketing
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for WordPress sites that sell event tickets
Event Espresso is a WordPress plugin for event calendars, registration and tickets, with a free Decaf edition and Core at $129 a year for one site. You install and look after it yourself, and the free edition takes a 3% fee and cannot use add-ons.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | Core is $129 a year, about $10.75 a month, inside the category's cheaper quarter ($15), though add-ons are sold separately and All Access is $399. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Decaf is free with unlimited events and ticket sales, but it takes a 3% fee, takes PayPal only and cannot use add-ons. |
| Features | C | Calendar, registration forms, ticket types, direct payments and check-in apps. Discount codes, waitlists and the scanning app are add-ons. |
| Ease of use | D | No store rating on record. It needs a WordPress site you install and maintain yourself. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web only, through WordPress, with PayPal, Stripe, Square, Mailchimp, QuickBooks and Elementor connections. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Event Espresso is for
- Fits if you already run a WordPress site and can look after it
- Works for organisers who want to keep card payments on their own gateway
Who it is not for
- Not for you if you do not run WordPress, as it works only inside it
- Tight if you stay on Decaf, which takes a 3% fee and has no add-ons
- Pricey if you want the extras, since All Access is $399 a year
- Watch out: gateway fees still apply, and Core covers one live site only
Good to know
Good for
- WordPress site owners who want ticketing on their own domain
- Organizers who prefer paying a yearly license over per-ticket fees
- Agencies building event sites for clients
Worth knowing
- It runs only inside WordPress, which you install and maintain yourself.
- The free Decaf edition charges a 3% pay-as-you-go fee and cannot use add-ons.
- Core covers one live site and sells add-ons separately; All Access bundles them for $399 per year.
- Payment processing fees from your chosen gateway still apply.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$10.75
A month to start, paid by the year. There is a free plan too
Event Espresso has a free plan. Paid plans start at $129 per year for 1 live site.
Decaf
$0
Unlimited events and ticket sales, PayPal payments, basic forms; community support, not compatible with add-ons, 3% pay-as-you-go fee.
Core
$129
per year for 1 live site, plus staging sites
Decaf features plus custom forms, taxes, email support and no app fees; works with 30+ add-ons sold separately; 0% pay-as-you-go.
All Access
$399
per year
Core plus every add-on (discount codes, recurring events, waitlists, mobile scanning app, gateways) and premium support.
The free plan
Decaf: free plugin with unlimited events, registrations and ticket sales, PayPal payments and community support, with a 3% pay-as-you-go fee.
Read from eventespresso.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
WordPress plugin for event calendars, registration and tickets. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, calendar, ticketing.
Calendar, registration forms, ticket types, direct payments and check-in apps.
- Event calendar
- Publishes events on your WordPress site in month, week, day, agenda and list views, with category colors and filters. Calendar+ is a separate add-on.
- Registration forms
- Custom forms per event with text, radio, dropdown and multi-select questions, plus group registrations for several attendees at once.
- Ticket types and dates
- Unlimited ticket types with sale start and end dates, capacity limits, and events or tickets that span several dates.
- Direct payments
- Payments go into your own gateway account such as PayPal, Stripe or Square, with no per-ticket commission on paid licenses, per the vendor.
- Check-in apps
- A mobile app scans tickets and tracks attendance in real time. It is listed among the add-on features of the All Access plan.
- Developer hooks
- A REST API, hooks, filters and logging let developers extend the plugin; the site lists 25+ translations.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- PayPal
- Stripe
- Square
- Authorize.net
- QuickBooks
- Mailchimp
- Keap
- Elementor
Event Espresso is made by Event Espresso.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
39/79
Other event ticketing platforms it is graded above
Event Espresso's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 39 of the 79 other event ticketing platforms we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on value for money (B, above 56 of 79) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $10.75 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $50 for the category: 2 of the 22 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 13 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 80 event ticketing platforms we grade, cut by the letter each got. Event Espresso’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 56 of 79
- BFree plan and trialAbove 43 of 79
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 79
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 79
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 20 of 79
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 36 event ticketing platforms. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Event Espresso is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Event Espresso you could make: calendar. What surrounds it you could not. The 2 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It costs $129 a year.
What you could make
- Calendar: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Selling tickets and checking them at the door.
- It plugs into other products, PayPal, Stripe and Square among them, and has an API.
What this rests on. Event Espresso’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Tickera, FooEvents, Ticket Tailor, pretix and Eventbrite
The 5 tools Event Espresso is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
Tickera
From $99/yr
WordPress ticketing plugin with no per-ticket commission.
- Event Espresso has a free plan. Tickera does not.
- Only Tickera lists iOS and Android apps.
- Tickera can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.0GPA
FooEvents
From $169/yr
WooCommerce plugins for selling event tickets on your own site.
- Event Espresso has a free plan. FooEvents does not.
- Only FooEvents lists iOS and Android apps.
- Event Espresso also covers calendar.
- 3.0GPA
Ticket Tailor
Free
Event ticketing for a flat fee per ticket, with prepaid credits.
- Only Ticket Tailor lists iOS and Android apps.
- Event Espresso also covers calendar.
- Ticket Tailor also covers reports and email campaigns.
- 3.0GPA
pretix
Free plan · from €499/yr
Open-source ticket shop, hosted or on your own server.
- Only pretix lists iOS, Android, Windows and Linux apps.
- pretix is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Event Espresso also covers calendar.
- 3.0GPA
Eventbrite
Free plan · from $15/mo
Ticketing and event marketplace, with fees usually paid by buyers.
- Only Eventbrite lists iOS and Android apps.
- Event Espresso also covers calendar.
- Eventbrite also covers reports and email campaigns.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Event Espresso free?
Event Espresso has a free plan. Decaf: free plugin with unlimited events, registrations and ticket sales, PayPal payments and community support, with a 3% pay-as-you-go fee.
How much does Event Espresso cost?
Event Espresso lists 3 plans. Decaf: $0.
What platforms does Event Espresso work on?
Event Espresso is available on Web.
Does Event Espresso have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Event Espresso is listed for Web.
Does Event Espresso have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Event Espresso is listed for Web.
Is Event Espresso open source?
Event Espresso is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does Event Espresso have an API?
Yes. Event Espresso offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Event Espresso integrate with?
Event Espresso's listing names PayPal, Stripe, Square, Authorize.net, QuickBooks, Mailchimp, Keap and Elementor.
Who makes Event Espresso?
Event Espresso is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Event Espresso?
The closest alternatives to Event Espresso in our directory are Tickera, FooEvents, Ticket Tailor, pretix and Eventbrite.
How does Event Espresso compare with other event ticketing platforms?
Event Espresso's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 39 of the 79 other event ticketing platforms we grade, and level with 9.
Is Event Espresso good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Event Espresso B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $10.75 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $50 for the category: 2 of the 22 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Event Espresso?
The plain part of Event Espresso you could make: calendar. What surrounds it you could not.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Event Espresso’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Event Espresso's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Event Espresso. Prices change, so check eventespresso.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Event Espresso, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/event-espresso
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Event Espresso: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/event-espresso
Know someone choosing between event ticketing platforms?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/event-espresso/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded event ticketing platforms after Event Espresso, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Event Ticketing Insider's GuideEvery one of the 81 event ticketing platforms we grade, compared
- Luma Insider's GuideEvent pages and calendars for community events, free or paid3.2 GPA
- Zeffy Insider's GuideFree event ticketing and fundraising for nonprofits3.2 GPA
- Billetto Insider's GuideEuropean ticketing marketplace with ads you pay for per sale3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Event Espresso’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Event Espresso is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Event Espresso. Prices and plans change: check eventespresso.com before you buy.