Tidy TOC – Table of Contents Plugin for WordPress
The best table of contents plugin for WordPress — auto-generated from H2-H6 headings, server-side rendering, scroll spy, dark mode, and 2-tier cache. All free.
Simple pricing
All plans include updates and priority support.
Free
Unlimited sites
- Gutenberg block + shortcode
- 3 themes + dark mode
- Smooth scroll + collapse
- Scroll spy (inline)
- 2-tier cache
- AMP + ACF support
- Device targeting
- Per-post control
Pro
1 site
- All Free features
- Floating TOC button
- Custom theme + live preview
- Sticky sidebar
- Progress bar + copy anchor
- Collapsible sub-headings
- View more/less
- Widget + Elementor
- Schema + read time
- Migration + export/import
- Priority support
Agency
Unlimited sites
- All Pro features
- Unlimited site activations
- Priority support
14-day money-back guarantee. No questions asked.
Free — included at no cost
All features
Lightweight WordPress table of contents plugin with Gutenberg block, SSR (zero CLS), 3 themes, smooth scroll, AMP and ACF support, ARIA accessibility, and per-post control. The best free Easy Table of Contents alternative.
Gutenberg Block
Native block editor integration. Drop a TOC block anywhere in your content with precise placement control.
3 Visual Themes
Minimal (no box, inherits site styles), Card (clean border), Highlight (tinted background). All with dark mode.
Scroll Spy
The active heading is highlighted in the TOC as you scroll through the article. Works on all TOCs, not just sticky.
2-Tier Cache
Object Cache (Redis/Memcached) + postmeta fallback. Auto-invalidated on post save and settings change.
Device Targeting
Show the TOC on all devices, desktop only, or mobile only. Pure CSS, no JS overhead.
Dark Mode
Automatically adapts colors when the user's system is in dark mode. All themes supported.
Floating TOC Button
A fixed button in the bottom-right corner that opens a sliding panel with the full TOC. Like Notion and Confluence.
Custom Theme
Full control over background, border color/width/radius, link color, and hover color. Live preview updates as you tweak.
Sticky Sidebar + Scroll Spy
Fix the TOC on screen while scrolling. Active heading highlights in real-time.
Progress Bar
A thin colored bar at the top of the page that fills as the reader scrolls. Visual reading progress indicator.
Copy Heading Anchor
A link icon appears on hover next to each heading. Click to copy the anchor URL. Like GitHub and Notion.
Collapsible Sub-headings
Toggle arrows on nested items let readers expand/collapse sections. Accessible with keyboard.
View More / Less
Truncate long TOCs. Show only the first N items with a 'Show more' toggle.
Widget + Elementor
Classic WordPress widget for sidebars + native Elementor widget.
SiteNavigation Schema
JSON-LD structured data for search engines. Better chances of sitelinks.
Read Time
Display estimated reading time next to the TOC title. Configurable words-per-minute.
Exclude by Text Pattern
Skip headings containing specific words (e.g. 'Conclusion, FAQ'). Configured in settings.
Exclude by Category/Tag
Automatically skip the TOC on posts in specific categories or with specific tags.
Rich Shortcode Attrs
Override any setting per-shortcode: heading_levels, exclude, device_target, view_more.
Migration Tool
One-click import from Easy Table of Contents or Table of Contents Plus.
Export/Import Settings
Download settings as JSON. Import on another site. Built for agencies.
How we compare
See how Tidy TOC – Table of Contents Plugin for WordPress stacks up against the competition.
| Feature | Tidy TOC | Easy Table of Contents | SimpleTOC | LuckyWP TOC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Server-side rendering (zero CLS) | ||||
| Gutenberg block | Pro ($49) | |||
| Auto-insert | ||||
| Smooth scroll | ||||
| Scroll spy in free tier | ||||
| Collapsible TOC | ||||
| Dark mode in free tier | ||||
| Exclude headings | ||||
| ACF fields support (free) | Pro ($49) | |||
| AMP support | Pro ($49) | |||
| Built-in caching | 2-tier (Redis + postmeta) | |||
| Accessibility (ARIA + keyboard) | ||||
| Device targeting (desktop/mobile) | ||||
| Visual themes | 3 free + custom Pro | 2 themes | 3 themes | |
| Floating TOC button | Pro ($29) | |||
| Sticky sidebar + scroll spy | Pro ($29) | Pro ($49) | ||
| Progress bar | Pro ($29) | |||
| Elementor widget | Pro ($29) | Pro ($49) | ||
| Migration from Easy TOC | Pro ($29) | N/A | ||
| Active installs | New | 400,000+ | 30,000+ | 60,000+ |
| Pro price (1 site) | $29/year | $49/year | Free only | Free only |
| Lifetime deal | $89 | $499 (10 years) | N/A | N/A |
See it in action
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free table of contents plugin for WordPress?
Tidy TOC is the most feature-complete free WordPress table of contents plugin. The free version includes server-side rendering (zero CLS), Gutenberg block, smooth scroll, scroll spy, 3 visual themes, dark mode, AMP support, ACF fields, 2-tier caching, and ARIA accessibility. No other TOC plugin offers this many features for free.
Does it generate the table of contents automatically?
Yes. Tidy TOC scans headings (H2-H6) and builds the table of contents automatically on every WordPress post and page. No manual configuration needed. You can also use the Gutenberg block or shortcode for precise placement control.
How is Tidy TOC different from Easy Table of Contents?
Tidy TOC uses server-side rendering (SSR) so the TOC is in the HTML from the first byte — zero Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). Easy TOC renders client-side with JavaScript, which causes layout shifts and hurts Core Web Vitals. Tidy TOC also offers scroll spy, dark mode, ACF support, AMP support, and 2-tier caching for free — features that Easy TOC either lacks or charges $49/year for.
Can I exclude specific headings from the table of contents?
Yes. Add the stoc-ignore CSS class to skip headings, or configure the minimum heading level in settings. Pro adds text pattern exclusion (e.g., skip headings containing 'Conclusion') and category/tag-based exclusion.
Does the WordPress table of contents help with SEO and Google sitelinks?
Yes. The anchor links create jump points that Google can display as sitelinks in search results, increasing your click-through rate. Because Tidy TOC uses server-side rendering, the anchors are in the HTML that Google crawls — unlike JavaScript-based TOC plugins where Google may not index the links. Pro adds SiteNavigation JSON-LD schema for even better chances of rich results.
Does this table of contents plugin work with Elementor and page builders?
Yes. Tidy TOC works with any content that uses standard HTML headings. The TOC is generated server-side from rendered HTML, so it's compatible with Gutenberg, Elementor, Divi, and any WordPress theme or page builder. Pro adds a native Elementor widget.
Does the table of contents plugin slow down WordPress?
No. Tidy TOC is built for performance. The TOC is rendered server-side in PHP (no JavaScript needed), cached per post using a 2-tier system (Redis/Memcached + postmeta), and automatically invalidated on post save. There are zero frontend dependencies — no jQuery, no render-blocking scripts. This makes it the fastest WordPress table of contents plugin available.
Can I migrate from Easy Table of Contents to Tidy TOC?
Yes. Tidy TOC Pro includes a one-click migration tool that imports your Easy Table of Contents settings. You can also migrate from Table of Contents Plus. The migration preserves your existing configuration so you do not need to set everything up again.
Is there a lifetime license for this WordPress TOC plugin?
Yes. Tidy TOC Pro is available for $29/year or $89 lifetime (one-time payment, updates and support forever). The Agency plan for unlimited sites is $79/year or $199 lifetime. Compare this to Easy TOC which charges $499 for a 10-year license.
Why Tidy TOC Is the Best WordPress Table of Contents Plugin in 2026
Most WordPress table of contents plugins either offer a bare-bones free version or charge $39+/year for essential features like Gutenberg blocks, AMP support, and caching. Tidy TOC breaks that model by offering the most generous free tier in the WordPress TOC plugin space.
Unlike Easy Table of Contents and most competitors, Tidy TOC uses server-side rendering. The table of contents is built in PHP and included in the initial HTML response. This means zero Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), better Core Web Vitals, and anchor links that Google indexes from the first crawl. JavaScript-based TOC plugins inject the TOC after page load, causing layout shifts that hurt your search rankings.
The free version includes a native Gutenberg block (Easy TOC charges $49 for this), a 2-tier cache system that no other table of contents plugin offers at any price, full AMP support, ACF field scanning, device targeting, dark mode, inline scroll spy, and 3 visual themes. These are not stripped-down versions — they are full-featured implementations.
The Pro tier at $29/year adds the floating TOC button (a feature no competitor has), visual customization, sticky sidebar with scroll spy, a reading progress bar, copy heading anchors, and workflow tools like migration from Easy TOC and settings export/import. That is 40% less than Easy TOC Pro for significantly more features.
Tidy TOC vs Easy Table of Contents — WordPress Plugin Comparison
Easy Table of Contents is the most popular WordPress TOC plugin with over 400,000 active installations. It is a solid plugin, but its free version lacks Gutenberg block support, AMP compatibility, ACF field scanning, built-in caching, dark mode, and inline scroll spy — all of which Tidy TOC offers for free. Most importantly, Easy TOC renders the table of contents client-side with JavaScript, while Tidy TOC renders server-side for better performance and SEO.
Easy TOC Pro starts at $49/year. Tidy TOC Pro at $29/year includes everything Easy TOC Pro has, plus exclusive features: floating TOC button, reading progress bar, copy heading anchors, live admin preview, migration tools, and settings export/import. The lifetime option is $89 vs $499 for Easy TOC. If you are currently using Easy TOC, Tidy TOC Pro includes a one-click migration tool.
Tidy TOC vs SimpleTOC, LuckyWP TOC, and Other Alternatives
SimpleTOC shares the server-side rendering approach with Tidy TOC, but offers minimal features: no smooth scroll, no collapse/expand, no auto-insert, no exclude patterns, no themes, and no pro features. It is a good choice if you want the absolute simplest TOC, but most WordPress sites need more customization.
LuckyWP Table of Contents offers a decent free Gutenberg block but uses JavaScript rendering, receives sporadic updates, and lacks caching, dark mode, ACF support, and AMP compatibility. Fixed TOC on CodeCanyon ($21) is premium-only with no free tier, uses JavaScript rendering, and has not been consistently updated.
Joli Table of Contents is a newer entrant at $40/year with features similar to Tidy TOC Pro, but without server-side rendering, caching, AMP support, or the floating TOC button. At $29/year, Tidy TOC Pro offers more features for a lower price.
Try Tidy TOC – Table of Contents Plugin for WordPress today
Free forever. Pro starts at $29/year.