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Simple History – Track, Log, and Audit WordPress Changes

By PÃ¤r ThernstrÃ¶m

Site Administration & Utilities / Site Health & Diagnostics

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

Trusted WordPress expert with 20+ years of experience evaluating plugins for the WP ecosystem.

Simple History – Track, Log, and Audit WordPress Changes Review - In-Depth Analysis

Track changes and user activities on your WordPress site. See who created a page, uploaded an attachment, and more, for a complete audit trail.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

7.24/10

User Rating

4.9/5 (based on 491+ reviews)

Active Installations

300,000+

Update Frequency

Outstanding It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

5.6 / 10 (Medium Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

Simple History shows recent changes made within WordPress, directly on your dashboard, on a separate page, or in the admin bar.

The plugin acts as an audit log of the most important events that occur in WordPress.

It is a plugin that is good to have on websites where several people are involved in editing the content.

No coding is required to use the plugin. Just install it and it will start logging events.

Track what is happening on your site. Identify issues and debug faster. Keep freelancers and agencies accountable.

Out of the box Simple History has support for posts, pages, attachments, taxonomies, comments, widgets, plugins, user profiles, user logins, menu edits, and more.

Simple History comes with built-in support for many plugins and allows plugin authors to add support for Simple History in their plugins.

Simple History begins tracking your WordPress site's activities instantly after installation. View your activity logs through the convenient dashboard widget or browse the full history on the dedicated 'Simple History' page in your WordPress admin.

Enable weekly email reports to stay informed about your site's activity without logging in daily.

Using the optional password protected RSS feed, you can keep track of the changes made on your website using your favorite RSS reader.

WP-CLI commands are available for automation to view and search the log.

Stealth Mode allows Simple History to run completely in the background, hidden from the WordPress admin interface.

Theme and plugin developers can log custom events in Simple History using the logging API.

Take your activity logging to the next level with add-ons that enhance tracking, security, and customization.

Comparing to Alternatives

Simple History competes with several other activity-logging tools, ranging from lightweight loggers to more enterprise-focused audit solutions. It stands out for its clean interface and ease of setup, though some alternatives offer more specialized or advanced tracking capabilities.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Very high user satisfaction with a near-perfect average rating
Simple, readable event log that non-technical users can understand
Actively maintained with regular security patches
Free version covers most core logging needs effectively
Trusted by agencies for use across multiple client sites

Weaknesses

Has accumulated more known vulnerabilities over time than some competitors
Default display settings (menu visibility) require manual adjustment for some workflows
Advanced audit features may require the pro version compared to some all-in-one alternatives

User Sentiment Analysis

With 489 ratings and a 4.9/5 average, Simple History enjoys overwhelmingly positive sentiment—94.7% of reviewers gave it 5 stars, and only 1.4% left a 1 or 2 star review. The tone across recent reviews is consistently appreciative, emphasizing simplicity and reliability.

Positive highlights

"Really useful to determine what was done, and by whom" — bryanhiggs
"I use the free & premium version on multiple websites. Too simple & easy not to use" — Ron the Web Guy
"This is one of the first plugins I install on any site that content editors... will need to edit" — jdav17
"It lives up to its name: it creates an event history and is beautifully simple" — Drakis
"Simple History takes the mystery out of 'Where did all my time go today?'" — seansloan777

Common complaints

Weaknesses

The plugin has had five recorded vulnerabilities historically, including a high-severity account takeover issue fixed in version 5.27.0
No negative reviews were available to identify specific user grievances, limiting insight into edge-case frustrations
Some users note default settings expose the log too visibly in wp-admin, requiring manual reconfiguration

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Simple History is ideal for site owners, agencies, and developers who need a clear, human-readable audit trail of changes made by editors, admins, or automated processes. It's especially valuable on sites with non-technical content editors, multi-user teams, or client projects where accountability and troubleshooting matter.

Not ideal for

Users requiring the most hardened security track record may want to ensure they're running the latest version given the plugin's history of vulnerabilities, including a high-severity issue patched in 5.27.0. Those needing deep, enterprise-grade audit compliance features might also want to compare against more specialized alternatives.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version provides robust core logging: tracking of logins, content changes, plugin/theme updates, and user actions, all presented in a clean, readable timeline—enough for most single-site or small team needs.

Pro version (49 - 149 USD / year)

The premium version typically extends retention periods, adds more detailed event data, integrations, and reporting tools aimed at agencies and larger teams managing multiple sites.

Final Verdict

Simple History earns its reputation as a trusted, easy-to-use activity logger, backed by a near-perfect rating and an almost complete absence of negative reviews. Its simplicity and clarity make it a favorite among developers managing client sites and non-technical teams alike, and the free version alone covers most everyday auditing needs.

The main caveat is its security history—five recorded vulnerabilities, including a high-severity issue patched relatively recently—so staying current with updates is essential. Compared to alternatives like Stream or Audit Trail, Simple History wins on ease of use and community trust, making it a solid choice as long as users keep the plugin updated.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free Simple History – Track, Log, and Audit WordPress Changes plugin.

Activity

Audit Log

Event Log

History

User Tracking

Screenshots

FAQ

Yes! Simple History has been free for over 10 years and will remain free. To support development and unlock extra features, you can purchase the premium add-on. View premium features.