Trigger Plugin Review: Reliable SMTP, Email Logs, and Tracking for WordPress

The Trigger plugin by nurwp takes a modern, reliable approach to email handling in WordPress by combining SMTP configuration, email logging, and tracking into one streamlined package. Let’s breakdown the key features of the plugin:

🔧 Setup & Usability

Setting up Trigger is quick and straightforward. The plugin provides a clean interface to configure SMTP with popular email services like Gmail, SendGrid, Mailgun, and others. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned developer, the guided options make configuration hassle-free.

The plugin also offers a debug mode, which is incredibly helpful for troubleshooting email sending issues during setup.

📝 Email Logging & Monitoring

One of Trigger’s standout features is its email log. Every email sent from your WordPress site is recorded, allowing you to view:

• Recipient addresses
• Timestamps
• Email subject and body
• Delivery status

In recent updates, they’ve even added the ability to resend emails, which is a lifesaver if an important message fails to go through the first time.

📊 Email Tracking

Trigger goes a step further by offering open and click tracking. This means you can see not just whether your emails were sent, but whether users actually engaged with them. This feature, often only found in premium plugins or services, is a great value addition.

⚙️ Performance & Reliability

The plugin introduces email queueing, which prevents email overload on high-traffic sites. This ensures that your emails are sent in a controlled manner without slowing down your server.

By replacing WordPress’s default wp_mail() function with SMTP, email deliverability is significantly improved—no more emails ending up in spam folders or disappearing altogether.

🧩 Compatibility

Trigger works well with contact forms, WooCommerce, membership plugins, and other tools that rely on email. It’s lightweight and doesn’t interfere with other functionalities on the site.

✅ Pros

• Easy SMTP setup
• Full email logging and tracking
• Resend failed emails
• Queue management
• Works with major SMTP providers
• Active development and updates

❌ Cons

• Limited advanced analytics or integrations (for now)
• UI could use minor polish for large log data filtering
• No direct email template editing (feature request-worthy)

🏁 Final Verdict

Trigger is a powerful, free alternative to other SMTP and email logging plugins. It does exactly what it promises—ensures your WordPress emails are sent, tracked, and logged reliably. The added features like resend and queueing show that the developer is thinking ahead.
If you’re looking for a no-nonsense SMTP and email tracking solution, Trigger is an excellent choice. Highly recommended for both casual users and professional developers managing client sites.