The strongest Email Log alternative for most sites is WP Mail Logging, which records every outgoing message with a cleaner interface and the active maintenance Email Log now lacks. The best free option is WP Mail Catcher, a lightweight logger, while FluentSMTP and Post SMTP fold logging into full email delivery. We ranked these from our index of 55,000+ WordPress plugins.

Why people switch from Email Log

• Email Log has seen slow development, so people move to WP Mail Logging or WP Mail Catcher for an actively maintained logger.
• Logging alone does not fix deliverability, so people move to Post SMTP or FluentSMTP, which route mail through SMTP and log it too.
• Teams wanting resend and failure alerts move to Post SMTP for its retry and notification features.
• Sites wanting a modern interface and easy export move to WP Mail Logging.

WP Mail Logging – Overall replacement

WP Mail Logging, now maintained by the WP Mail SMTP team at Awesome Motive, records every email WordPress sends with details on status, headers, and attachments. Against Email Log, it is actively developed and has a cleaner, more informative log viewer. What it does not do: some conveniences such as advanced filtering sit in the paid tier.

Choose WP Mail Logging if you want a well-maintained logger with a clear, modern interface.

Post SMTP – Delivery plus logging

Post SMTP is a full SMTP delivery plugin that also keeps a detailed log of every message, with failure alerts and a mobile app for notifications. Against Email Log, it fixes the underlying delivery problem while logging, rather than only recording. What it does not do: it is heavier than a pure logger, and configuring an SMTP or API provider takes more setup.

Choose Post SMTP if you want to fix deliverability and log messages in one plugin.

WP Mail Catcher – Lightweight free logging

WP Mail Catcher is a simple, focused plugin that captures outgoing emails and lets you view or resend them. Against Email Log, it is lighter and continues to receive updates. What it does not do: it is deliberately minimal, so it lacks the deeper filtering, export, and reporting some teams expect.

Choose WP Mail Catcher if you want a no-frills free logger that just captures outgoing mail.

FluentSMTP – Free SMTP with logs

FluentSMTP, from WPManageNinja, connects WordPress to providers like Amazon SES, SendGrid, and Mailgun and logs every email, all completely free with no paid tier. Against Email Log, it improves deliverability and logs at the same time. What it does not do: as an SMTP-first tool its logging is a companion feature, so log management is simpler than a dedicated logger’s.

Choose FluentSMTP if you want free SMTP delivery with built-in logging and no upsell.

When to stay on Email Log

Stay on Email Log if it already does exactly what you need, a straightforward record of outgoing mail, and you are not chasing new features. It is light and familiar, and if your deliverability is fine and you only occasionally check the log, there is little to gain from switching. Rebuilding around a new plugin is effort you take on only for a real benefit.

How we ranked these

Every plugin here is scored by the WPS Score, a single 0 to 10 rating built from 21 signals covering maintenance, support responsiveness, compatibility, performance, and ratings quality across our index of 55,000+ plugins. Rankings are derived from that data, not editorial preference, and no plugin author can pay to change a score. How the WPS Score works.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free alternative to Email Log?

FluentSMTP is a strong free choice because it logs every message and also routes mail through a proper SMTP provider at no cost. If you only want logging, WP Mail Catcher and the free tier of WP Mail Logging both capture outgoing email without charge.

Does an email log plugin fix emails not being delivered?

No. An email log only records what WordPress tried to send; it does not change how mail leaves your site. To fix deliverability you need an SMTP plugin such as Post SMTP or FluentSMTP, which route email through an authenticated provider and usually log it as well.

Why do WordPress emails go missing?

Most hosts send WordPress mail through PHP’s default mail function, which often lands in spam or is rejected because it is not authenticated. Connecting your site to an SMTP or API provider with a plugin like Post SMTP, FluentSMTP, or WP Mail SMTP is the usual fix, and a logger confirms what was sent.

The verdict

For most sites the best Email Log replacement is WP Mail Logging, which pairs active maintenance with a clean log viewer. If poor deliverability is the real issue, FluentSMTP or Post SMTP solve that while logging too. If your current setup records mail reliably and you need nothing more, staying on Email Log is reasonable.