At a glance
Table of Contents Plus
A powerful yet user friendly plugin that automatically creates a table of contents. Can also output a sitemap listing all pages and categories.
Simple SEO
Allows the modification of META titles, descriptions and keywords for all pages and posts. Also allows for default setting for of META title, descript …
Full Comparison
Technical Specs
| Metric | Table of Contents Plus | Simple SEO |
|---|---|---|
| Requires WP | 3.2+ | 4.6.2+ |
| Tested up to WP | 6.7.5 | 7.0.1 |
| Plugin age | 15 yrs | 9 yrs |
Quick Verdict
Simple SEO takes the win. Its 91% five-star rating from active users signals clear satisfaction, while Table of Contents Plus sits at 77%. If you need control over meta data for search visibility, Simple SEO is the straightforward choice. Table of Contents Plus has 20x more installs, but those numbers reflect a different job: building navigation within your content. Pick the tool that matches your primary task.
Feature Comparison: Table of Contents Plus vs Simple SEO
| Feature | Table of Contents Plus | Simple SEO |
|---|---|---|
| Primary function | Auto-generates a table of contents from page headings | Edits meta titles, descriptions, and keywords per page or post |
| Meta title control | Not included | Yes, per page and global defaults |
| Meta description control | Not included | Yes, per page and global defaults |
| Meta keywords control | Not included | Yes, per page and global defaults |
| Sitemap output | Yes, lists all pages and categories | Not included |
| Anchor link generation | Yes, creates anchor links within the TOC | Not included |
| Automatic heading detection | Yes, scans post content for heading tags | Not included |
| Default settings for all content | Not included | Yes, for meta title, description, and keywords |
Who Should Use Table of Contents Plus
- Bloggers who write long-form guides and want to auto generate table of contents wordpress entries from their headings. The plugin handles this automatically, saving manual link work.
- Site owners who also need a simple sitemap listing all pages and categories, without installing a second plugin for that task.
- Teams that value a plugin with a large user base. Table of Contents Plus has 20x more installs than Simple SEO, suggesting broad testing across many site configurations.
Who Should Use Simple SEO
- Anyone who needs to change meta description wordpress page by page for better search snippets. Simple SEO gives you a dedicated field for each post.
- Site owners who want to add meta keywords to wordpress posts without editing theme files. The plugin adds the field directly to the editor.
- Users who prioritize high satisfaction ratings. Simple SEO holds a 91% five-star score from its reviewers, indicating few complaints about its core function.
Community & Support
Simple SEO shows 0 open support threads in the last 2 months. Table of Contents Plus shows 2 open threads in the same period. Both sample sizes are too small to draw reliable conclusions about response times or quality. The ratings breakdown gives a clearer picture of user sentiment. Simple SEO earns 91% five-star reviews and only 6% one-star reviews. Table of Contents Plus earns 77% five-star and 12% one-star. The one-star gap suggests Simple SEO's narrower feature set leads to fewer mismatched expectations.
Verdict: Table of Contents Plus or Simple SEO for WordPress sites?
Pick Table of Contents Plus if your priority is how to add table of contents in wordpress posts automatically. It handles anchor links and heading detection, and its 20x larger install base proves it works reliably for that single job. You also get a bonus sitemap feature.
Pick Simple SEO if your focus is search engine visibility. It solves a problem Table of Contents Plus ignores: controlling meta titles, descriptions, and keywords per page. Its 91% five-star rating versus 77% for Table of Contents Plus reflects a tighter, more focused product. For most intermediate users who already have a content structure, Simple SEO fills the bigger gap in their site's SEO setup.
This comparison is AI-generated from live WordPress.org data. Install counts, ratings, versions and support statistics sync weekly, so the numbers on this page stay current. Content passes automated quality checks before publishing, and pages below our quality threshold are held for human review.
Read our full methodologyFrequently Asked Questions
Q How many people use Table of Contents Plus compared to Simple SEO?
Table of Contents Plus has 200K+ active installs while Simple SEO has 10K+, meaning Table of Contents Plus is used on more sites.
Q Which has better user ratings — Table of Contents Plus or Simple SEO?
Simple SEO averages 4.7/5 from 33 reviews, while Table of Contents Plus averages 4.4/5 from 159 reviews — Simple SEO has the higher average rating.
Q Which is more actively maintained — Table of Contents Plus or Simple SEO?
Simple SEO was last updated on Jun 29, 2026 and Table of Contents Plus on Nov 21, 2024, so Simple SEO received the more recent update.
Q Are Table of Contents Plus and Simple SEO both free?
Yes — both Table of Contents Plus and Simple SEO are free to install from the official WordPress.org plugin directory. Some features may require a paid upgrade offered by the plugin author.
Q Is Table of Contents Plus or Simple SEO better for WordPress sites?
For most sites, Simple SEO is better because it handles the core meta tags and descriptions that search engines actually use to rank your pages. Table of Contents Plus only adds a table of contents to your posts, which improves readability but does not directly help with SEO metadata. If you can only install one, Simple SEO gives you more fundamental search optimization.
Q Which is easier to set up for a WordPress beginner — Table of Contents Plus or Simple SEO?
Table of Contents Plus is easier for a beginner because it works automatically, you just activate it and it adds a table of contents to long posts without any configuration. Simple SEO requires you to fill in meta titles and descriptions for each page, which takes more effort and knowledge. If you want a set-and-forget tool, go with Table of Contents Plus.
Q What is the biggest feature difference between Table of Contents Plus and Simple SEO?
The biggest difference is that Table of Contents Plus focuses on creating a navigable index of your content with anchor links, while Simple SEO focuses on managing meta titles, descriptions, and keywords for search engines. Table of Contents Plus is a content navigation tool, and Simple SEO is a metadata optimization tool. They solve completely different problems.
Q Can you switch from Table of Contents Plus to Simple SEO (or the other way) without losing data?
Yes, you can switch between them without losing data because they do not store any post content or settings in a way that conflicts. Table of Contents Plus only generates a table of contents on the front end based on your headings, and Simple SEO only saves meta fields for each post. Deactivating one will not remove the other's data or affect your existing content.
Q Which type of site should choose Table of Contents Plus, and which should choose Simple SEO?
Choose Table of Contents Plus if you run a content-heavy blog or documentation site where long posts need a clickable index to help readers jump between sections. Choose Simple SEO if you run any type of site that needs proper meta titles and descriptions to rank in search results. Most commercial sites should pick Simple SEO first, then add Table of Contents Plus later if needed.
More SEO Comparisons
Rank Math SEO vs SureRank SEO
Rank Math SEO vs All in One SEO
Rank Math SEO vs Recipe Card Blocks Lite
Recipe Card Blocks Lite vs WPGraphQL Yoast SEO Addon
Cloudflare vs Recipe Card Blocks Lite
Yoast SEO vs Recipe Card Blocks Lite
Yoast SEO vs WPGraphQL Yoast SEO Addon
Internal Links Manager vs Recipe Card Blocks Lite