Simple History alternative

uiXpress vs Simple History

A readable WordPress audit log trusted on 300,000+ sites.

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About this comparison

If you are looking for a Simple History alternative, this page compares what Simple History actually ships with what uiXpress includes. Simple History, by Pär Thernström, focuses on logs humans can read: “Updated page About us” with relative time and before/after comparisons. The official listing covers failed logins, core integrity checks, posts and media (including image-edit details), taxonomies, comments, menus, users, WordPress 6.9 notes, plugins, and more. It is free to start, translated into 15+ languages, and aimed at site owners and agencies who want accountability without a security console. It does not change the rest of the admin.

Compared against features published on wordpress.org/plugins/simple-history and public pricing available in .

Feature comparison

Feature comparison of uiXpress and Simple History
Feature uiXpress Simple History
Modern rebuilt admin UI
uiXpress: Vue admin shell that replaces default wp-admin screens, not a skin over core markupSimple History: Not available in Simple History
Built-in analytics dashboard
uiXpress: Privacy-first traffic, users, media, WooCommerce, and site-health cards with date rangesSimple History: Not available in Simple History
Admin dark mode
uiXpress: Dark Engine styles the full admin, including Gutenberg, classic screens, and third-party pluginsSimple History: Not available in Simple History
White label branding
uiXpress: Logos, favicon, text replacement, and plugin renaming across the adminSimple History: Not available in Simple History
Login page customization
uiXpress: Modern login layout, custom login URL, per-role redirects, and optional Cloudflare TurnstileSimple History: Not available in Simple History
Global command search
uiXpress: Keyboard-first search across posts, users, taxonomies, plugins, and admin menu itemsSimple History: Not available in Simple History
Admin menu editor
uiXpress: Menu Creator with drag-and-drop, role targeting, custom links, and import/exportSimple History: Not available in Simple History
Modern plugin manager
uiXpress: Split-panel plugin workspace with performance inspector, rollback, and fatal-error recoverySimple History: Not available in Simple History
Modern media library
uiXpress: Rebuilt media workspace with grid/list views, unused-file filters, tags, and replaceSimple History: Not available in Simple History
Modern content tables
uiXpress: Rebuilt posts, pages, users, and comments tables with inline edit, filters, and batch actionsSimple History: Not available in Simple History
Activity audit log
uiXpress: Searchable on-site activity log with before-and-after diffs, auth events, and retention controlsSimple History: Readable on-site audit log with diffs
Role and capability editor
uiXpress: Create and edit roles and grouped capabilities in a dedicated workspaceSimple History: Not available in Simple History
Database explorer
uiXpress: Browse tables, inspect schema, and run guarded read-only SQL from the adminSimple History: Not available in Simple History
Remote multi-site switcher
uiXpress: Connect remote WordPress sites with application passwords and switch without leaving adminSimple History: Not available in Simple History
One-time license
uiXpress: Lifetime plans from Solo, with yearly billing as an optionSimple History: Core is free; Premium adds extra features

Included Limited Not available

The short version.

Simple History is the log to add when logging is the only gap. uiXpress is the admin to buy when logging should sit next to analytics, search, and a branded backend.

Where Simple History fits.

What it includes

  • Plain-language event messages with relative timestamps
  • Before-and-after comparisons for many events
  • Failed logins with IP filtering
  • Core file integrity and forced security update events
  • Posts, pages, CPTs, attachments, taxonomies, comments, menus, and widgets
  • User profile, login, logout, and role changes
  • WordPress 6.9 notes support
  • Install-and-activate with no required setup

Strengths and limits

Strongest when

  • The most readable log in this set
  • Huge install base and a long maintenance history
  • Strong editorial and freelancer accountability use cases

The boundary

  • Logging only
  • No admin theme, analytics, or workspaces
  • Enterprise routing and SIEM are not the product focus

Everything inside uiXpress.

Explore all features
Admin interface
  • Rebuilt Vue admin shell with sidebar, toolbar, and SPA navigation
  • Theme Designer with color presets, density, radius, and custom fonts
  • Dark Engine for native WordPress and third-party admin screens
  • Light, dark, system, or forced global theme
  • Custom logos, dark-mode logos, and admin favicon
  • Admin custom CSS and extra stylesheets
  • Frontend toolbar that matches the admin chrome
  • Disable uiXpress by role, user, or URL pattern
White label and login
  • Rename the plugin in the plugins list and settings menu
  • Find-and-replace text across menus, plugin headers, and Vue screens
  • Modern split-panel login page with optional side image
  • Custom login URL and per-role login redirects
  • Optional Cloudflare Turnstile on login
Dashboard and analytics
  • Custom dashboard with Overview, Analytics, and WooCommerce Store tabs
  • Per-user card layout: drag, resize, show, and hide
  • Built-in privacy-first analytics or Google Analytics 4
  • Page views, visitors, sessions, countries, referrers, devices, and campaigns
  • Real-time active visitors, conversions, and event tracking
  • Media analytics, user registrations, scheduled content, and server health
  • WooCommerce revenue, orders, products, customers, and coupons
Workspaces
  • Global command search with history, quick actions, and menu links
  • Menu Creator with role targeting, drafts, and import/export
  • Modern plugin manager with WordPress.org browse, ZIP upload, and bulk actions
  • Plugin performance profiler and update protector with rollback
  • Modern media library with unused-file filters, tags, SVG, and font uploads
  • Modern posts, pages, users, and comments tables with inline and batch edit
Admin tools
  • Activity logger with diffs, IP, user agent, and retention cleanup
  • Role editor with grouped capabilities and role cloning
  • Database explorer with schema view and SELECT-only SQL
  • Admin notices targeted by role or user
  • Remote site switcher with encrypted application passwords
  • Settings import/export and optional GitHub settings sync

Common questions.

Is uiXpress a good alternative to Simple History?
Yes. uiXpress is a Simple History alternative for teams that want that same accountability inside a modern admin, next to analytics and publishing tools. Simple History is the log to add when logging is the only gap. uiXpress is the admin to buy when logging should sit next to analytics, search, and a branded backend.
Does uiXpress include something like Simple History?
Yes. The activity logger records content, users, comments, plugins, settings, media, and auth events with before/after diffs, IP, and retention. Simple History remains a specialist log with broader third-party event coverage.
Does Simple History change the WordPress admin UI?
No. uiXpress does, and includes a recent-activity card on the dashboard.
Is Simple History free?
The core plugin is free. uiXpress includes logging as part of a paid admin product.

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