Action Scheduler
by Automattic · WordPress.org page · Website
Action Scheduler has 20,000+ active installs on WordPress.org and 719,977 downloads all time. We have tracked it since September 4, 2026; download trends appear after 30 days of data. The last update was on August 5, 2026, tested up to WordPress 7.0.4.
Action Scheduler at a glance
Is Action Scheduler well maintained?
Features
The feature list from the plugin's own readme on WordPress.org, trimmed to the essentials.
- Usage guide: instructions on installing and using Action Scheduler
- WP CLI guide: instructions on running Action Scheduler at scale via WP CLI
- API Reference: complete reference guide for all API functions
- Administration Guide: guide to managing scheduled actions via the administration screen
- Guide to Background Processing at Scale: instructions for running Action Scheduler at scale via the default WP Cron queue runner
Action Scheduler reviews and ratings
13 reviews on WordPress.org, with the most recent ones as their authors posted them.
13 reviews
- 5★
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8
- 4★
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0
- 3★
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0
- 2★
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1
- 1★
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4
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Did the job !
I was missing the actionscheduler_logs table in my database. This plugin detected it and restored it. Thanks for your efforts ! Pascal.
pol -
This plugin is broken and almost malicious in nature.
I started wondering why my db server was tracking TB's of internal traffic. After a few days I tracked it down to this plugin. It was scheduling millions of claims and logs. You can't manage any of them through the GUI without other 3rd party plugins and even then Action Scheduler just re-adds anything tasks you delete or attempt to pause. This means GB's of useless garbage from claims and logs in my DB which slowed my server to a crawl trying to delete. I tried reinstalling the plugin. Tried pausing its schedule. Nothing work. Well, not nothing. Uninstalling the plugin and deleting the tables it added worked fine. No more 4GB WP DB or 4-6TB or network traffic. Considering I never even intentionally installed this plugin I find it incredibly frustrating how broken and incomplete it is. Do better.
smokex365 -
It's great.
Everything works as stated. There was a problem with hung tasks, now cron+wp cli executes everything. Other options did not work to solve the problem.
mfwriter -
Incredibly powerful
What this plugin/library adds to WordPress is incredibly powerful. It's asynchronous execution of actions gives developers incredible possibilities. The fact that plugin developers have the option to integrate this plugin/library into their own plugins is fantastic. Keep up the good work!
Auke Piersma -
Like a Leech
Only tested it, I didnt like it, and now it wont leave. Manually removing tables – crashes my site. Sucking the life out of my server. I have to ask support for how to get rid of it. Horrible Horrible
traqbar -
This is malware
This plugin is a classical malware:1) it acts hidden: it integrates in Wordpress core, don't identificate itself for site owner, don't allow any management of it's activity or control for site owner. 2) It secretly and non-stop (every minute) allocates all server resources displacing all useful processes like processing user's requests and all others too. It slow down site in times. From my experience "server response time" decreased from 7-8s to 1,2s just as I started to limit this malware, but I still can't stop or remove it completely (there is no woocommerce on my site, but I believe that it were the result would be more impressive). 3) It acts as extension to Wordpress's wp_cron service. All that it does can be done under pure wp_cron but not hidden and without slowing down site. So, it's crear to understand that if some other plugin use Scheduled Actions it does it only to hide something from site owner eyes or/and slow down site (probably to upsale pro version that acts without Scheduled Actions. 4) There is no way how to completely stop neither uninstall it neither remove it's actions neither it's wp_cron task. 5) It's impossible just to short circle some functions in it to stop it's working - it's code made the way that it break site down if someone try to stop it. I have found the way to limit it's activity but can't stop it completely. 6) All question to developers regarding this behavior return with answer like "it runs as we wish, keep enjoying slow down your site" or buy our other plugins or employ us to find why your site is slow down. Explanations about clear difference with Scheduled Actions working as they with and limited they just ignore. I strictly advice plugin developer run a mile of this malware otherwise site owners have to remove already your plugins accusing already you in the fatal slow of their sites and probably with criminal charge (at least in EU).
Alexander Guskov
Action Scheduler alternatives
Plugins that solve the same problem, ranked by how closely they overlap with Action Scheduler.
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Advanced Cron Manager 30,000+ installs · 4.7 -
TAO Schedule Update 2,000+ installs · 4.6 -
Transients Manager 20,000+ installs · 5.0 -
Revisionize 4,000+ installs · 4.6 -
Missed Scheduled Posts Publisher 30,000+ installs · 4.9
Details
Action Scheduler - Job Queue for WordPress
The full description, screenshots and every review live on the WordPress.org page.
Tags
- cron
- scheduler
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- Version
- 4.1.0
- Last updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- First published
- Jul 14, 2020
- Requires WordPress
- 6.8
- Tested up to
- 7.0.4
- Requires PHP
- 7.2
- Pricing
- Free on WordPress.org
Action Scheduler FAQ
What does Action Scheduler do?
According to its WordPress.org readme, Action Scheduler offers Usage guide: instructions on installing and using Action Scheduler, WP CLI guide: instructions on running Action Scheduler at scale via WP CLI, API Reference: complete reference guide for all API functions, Administration Guide: guide to managing scheduled actions via the administration screen and Guide to Background Processing at Scale: instructions for running Action Scheduler at scale via the default WP Cron queue runner.
How many active installs does Action Scheduler have?
WordPress.org reports 20,000+ active installs for Action Scheduler as of September 7, 2026.
Is Action Scheduler still maintained?
Yes. The last release was on August 5, 2026 and it is tested up to WordPress 7.0.4.
Does Action Scheduler have good support?
On the WordPress.org forum, 1 of 2 recent support threads for Action Scheduler are marked resolved. That is the developer's free support; a paid version usually comes with its own channel.
Is Action Scheduler free?
Action Scheduler is free to install from WordPress.org. Many plugins also sell a paid version or add-ons.