SimpleTOC
by Marc Tönsing
A block-native table of contents that adds no frontend JavaScript.
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What SimpleTOC does
A block-native table of contents that adds no frontend JavaScript.
It sits in the content part of a WordPress stack and is sold by Marc Tönsing on a free basis. We recommend it in our content guides because it does that one job well without asking you to rebuild the rest of the site around it.
Every plugin adds work to a page request, so treat this as a decision with a cost. Record a speed test before you install it and run the same test afterwards, on the same page, so you know exactly what it charged you.
Real user ratings
Score
4.9/5
Reviews
77
Active installs
10,000+
Downloads
608K
Latest version
7.3.0
Last updated
2026-08-22
These figures come straight from the public WordPress.org plugin directory API for version 7.3.0, not from us. Check them yourself on the WordPress.org listing. Our own editorial score is 4.6/5.
Where SimpleTOC ranks elsewhere
SimpleTOC does not appear in the published "best of" lists we track from WPBeginner, TechRadar, Kinsta, Themeisle and similar sites. That is not a mark against it - those roundups are short and skew towards the biggest names.
What changed in the latest version
- Changed: Box is now a native Gutenberg block style in the Styles tab.
- Added: Native text, link, background color, margin, and padding controls.
- Added: theme.json styling support for colors, spacing, and typography.
- Added: WordPress 7.1 support and automated compatibility tests.
- Changed: Existing box-style blocks and the global Force box style setting remain compatible.
- Thanks: Lovro Hrust (@lovor) for the theme.json and block styling feedback.
Release notes are the developer's own words, published on WordPress.org. Read the full changelog
Pros and cons
- Zero JavaScript on the frontend
- Free with no licence to renew
- Actively maintained and used on production sites we test
- Block editor only
- Support is community-led rather than guaranteed
How to use it
- 1Install on a staging copy first if the site takes money.
- 2Work through the setup wizard and connect any external accounts it needs.
- 3Configure the one feature you installed it for, and leave the rest off.
- 4Test the result as a logged-out visitor on both mobile and desktop.
- 5Re-run our speed test to confirm the plugin has not cost you load time.
How it compares
Other content plugins we recommend, with their rating and pricing model.
| Plugin | Our rating | WordPress.org | Pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SimpleTOC | 4.6 | 4.9 (77) | Free | Zero JavaScript on the frontend |
| Advanced Custom Fields | 4.5 | 4.5 (1,439) | Freemium | Turns messy page content into structured, reusable data |
| Custom Post Type UI | 4.6 | 4.6 (276) | Freemium | Structured content types with no code |
| Easy Table of Contents | 4.6 | 4.4 (219) | Freemium | Automatic and configurable |
| LuckyWP Table of Contents | 4.7 | 4.9 (885) | Free | Clean markup and free |
| Pods | 4.8 | 4.8 (418) | Free | Fields and content types in a single free tool |
Guides that cover SimpleTOC
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