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Protects WordPress with a web application firewall, malware scanner, two-factor authentication, and security monitoring tools.
WP Activity Log
by 3R1C B.V.
One of the strongest fits for teams that need forensic visibility into what changed, who changed it, and when.
Last Updated: September 12, 2026
Plugin Health & Stats
Active installs
300,000+Official WordPress.org tierWP.org rating
4.7/5488 ratingsVersion
5.6.6Current repository releaseLast updated
1 week agoSep 23, 2026Total downloads9,799,499
Tested with WP7.1.1
Requires WP5.5+
Requires PHP7.4+
Support resolved (2 mo.)8 of 9 (89%)
Plugin age13 years, 4 months
Updates observed0
Tracking sinceSep 12, 2026
Repository data is older than 3 days. Showing the latest successful snapshot.
Historical overview
364-day WordPress.org historyDownload trendDaily package downloads · last 90 days
7d88,943
30d244,156
90d651,554
Peak day64.1KSep 23
Active version adoptionCurrent usage share
5.6 76.0%other 13.8%5.4 5.2%5.5 5.0%
Quick take: One of the strongest fits for teams that need forensic visibility into what changed, who changed it, and when.
Best fit: Multi-user WordPress sites, agencies, and security-conscious teams that need detailed records of user and system changes.
Audit trails for multi-user WordPress sites
WP Activity Log is most valuable when more than one person can change the site and the team needs to answer questions such as who changed a setting, who logged in, what happened before an outage, or when a plugin configuration changed.
Features that matter for this plugin
- Detailed activity events: The plugin records a broad set of user and system events rather than limiting the log to post edits or logins.
- Login and security visibility: Successful logins, failed attempts, logouts, and other account activity can be reviewed alongside content and configuration changes.
- Plugin and settings changes: Administrative actions around plugins and configuration become easier to trace during troubleshooting.
- Retention policies: Log retention can be configured so the audit trail remains useful without keeping unnecessary data indefinitely.
- Premium reporting and external storage: Commercial editions add deeper filtering, reporting, session controls, and options for external databases or log-management services.
Who this fits best
Multi-user WordPress sites, agencies, and security-conscious teams that need detailed records of user and system changes.
Very detailed event coverage. Useful for troubleshooting and accountability. Free edition does not artificially restrict event collection. These strengths matter most when they align with an existing operational need.
Trade-offs to consider
Detailed logs add database data that should be managed with retention policies. Premium features are needed for some reporting and external storage workflows. Test these constraints on staging before rolling the plugin across an important production site.
Free vs paid
The WordPress.org plugin provides a free entry point. Upgrade only when a specific premium capability solves a limitation you have actually reached.
Designing a log you will actually use
I would define retention, identify who is responsible for reviewing suspicious events, and connect the log to a troubleshooting process. Collecting everything forever is not the goal. The value is being able to search a relevant time window quickly when a security, editorial, or operational question appears.
What to compare before choosing
Simple History is easier for teams that mainly want a readable timeline of common changes. WP Activity Log is the stronger fit when event depth, security investigation, compliance workflows, or external log handling matter more.
Practical decision notes
Detailed audit data is most valuable during a specific investigation window. On a busy membership, ecommerce, or editorial site, database growth can become significant if every event is retained indefinitely. I would choose a retention period that matches the organization’s troubleshooting or compliance needs, then test how quickly administrators can filter to the events that matter. If logs need to be preserved longer than the WordPress database should reasonably hold them, that is where external storage or a higher-tier logging workflow becomes much more defensible.
PluginSuggest verdict
One of the strongest fits for teams that need forensic visibility into what changed, who changed it, and when.
WP Activity Log FAQs
Does the free edition limit which events are logged?
The publisher states that the free edition does not limit the event data it collects. Premium editions add management, reporting, integrations, and other advanced capabilities.
Where are WP Activity Log records stored?
By default, the activity log is stored in the WordPress database. Higher-tier products can add external storage and log integrations.
How long are logs kept?
The default retention is configurable. The publisher currently documents a default of three months, which can be changed.
Can WP Activity Log help troubleshoot site changes?
Yes. Being able to correlate user and system events with the time an issue started is one of its strongest operational uses.
Is WP Activity Log free?
A free WordPress.org edition is available, with commercial editions for advanced workflows.
Who probably does not need it?
A small single-admin site may not gain enough from detailed audit logging to justify the additional database data and review process.
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