Managing a WordPress website means dealing with bugs. Plugin conflicts, theme issues, client-reported problems, security vulnerabilities—they all need tracking, prioritizing, and fixing.
Using email or spreadsheets doesn't scale. You need proper issue tracking. But which tool works best for WordPress sites?
Quick Comparison
| Tool | Best For | Starting Price | WordPress Integration | Video Reports |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lantern | Agencies managing client sites | $15.50/mo | Portal-based | Yes (Loom) |
| BugHerd | Visual feedback on live sites | $39/mo | Widget-based | No |
| Marker.io | Technical bug reports | $39/mo | Widget + console logs | No |
| ManageWP | WordPress maintenance teams | Free-$2/site | Native WordPress | No |
| MainWP | Self-hosted management | Free | Native WordPress | No |
| Jira | Development teams | $8.15/user | Via plugins | No |
1. Lantern - Best for Agencies with Multiple WordPress Clients
What it is: Bug tracking designed for agencies managing multiple client WordPress sites, with video walkthroughs instead of vague text descriptions.
How it works: Each client gets a unique portal link. They submit bugs with 30-second Loom videos showing exactly what's broken. Bugs auto-sync to Jira if your dev team uses it.
WordPress-specific features:
- No plugin installation required (keeps client sites clean)
- Client-specific bug tracking (separate portal per client)
- Video reports work perfectly for non-technical WordPress site owners
- Team analytics show response times per client
Pricing: $15.50/mo for Individual (5 clients), $40/mo for Team (unlimited clients)
Best for:
- ✅ Agencies managing 5+ WordPress client sites
- ✅ Freelancers tired of "it's broken" emails
- ✅ Teams who need Jira integration with client routing
Not ideal for:
- ❌ Solo site owners managing just their own blog
- ❌ Teams who need on-page visual feedback widgets
Why WordPress users love it: Non-technical WordPress site owners can record a video showing "I clicked Publish and got this error" instead of trying to describe it. You see the WP admin, the error message, what they clicked—everything you need to debug.
2. BugHerd - Best for Visual Feedback on WordPress Sites
What it is: The established choice for visual bug tracking. Click elements on your WordPress site to leave feedback, captured as screenshot pins on a Kanban board.
How it works: Install JavaScript snippet on WordPress site (via plugin or theme functions). Anyone visiting the site can click the BugHerd widget to report issues. Each report captures screenshot, browser details, and CSS selectors.
WordPress-specific features:
- Visual pin system works well for layout/design issues
- Captures WP theme and plugin info
- Browser extension available for clients
- Integrates with common PM tools
Pricing: $39/mo for Standard (5 projects), $109/mo for Premium (unlimited)
Best for:
- ✅ Design feedback on WordPress themes
- ✅ Layout issues and visual bugs
- ✅ Teams already using BugHerd successfully
Not ideal for:
- ❌ Interaction bugs (form submissions, checkout processes)
- ❌ Agencies with 10+ clients (gets expensive)
WordPress consideration: The widget appears on your client's live WordPress site. Some clients find this distracting or confusing.
3. Marker.io - Best for Technical WordPress Bug Reports
What it is: Developer-focused bug tracker that captures console logs, network requests, and technical metadata automatically.
How it works: Widget on WordPress site captures bugs with full technical context. Automatically grabs JavaScript errors, failed AJAX requests, and browser details. Syncs to Jira, Linear, GitHub.
WordPress-specific features:
- Captures JavaScript errors from plugins
- Network activity shows failed API calls
- Browser/device info automatically logged
- Excellent for debugging plugin conflicts
Pricing: $39/mo for Starter (1 site), $99/mo for Pro (3 sites)
Best for:
- ✅ Development teams debugging complex WordPress sites
- ✅ Technical users who understand console logs
- ✅ Sites with heavy JavaScript/AJAX functionality
Not ideal for:
- ❌ Non-technical WordPress site owners
- ❌ Agencies with many client sites (per-site pricing)
WordPress consideration: Per-site pricing gets expensive if you manage multiple WordPress client sites.
4. ManageWP - Best for WordPress Maintenance Teams
What it is: WordPress management platform with built-in client reporting and issue tracking for maintenance teams.
How it works: Connect WordPress sites via plugin. Manage updates, backups, security scans from one dashboard. Clients can submit support tickets through a portal.
WordPress-specific features:
- Native WordPress integration
- Automatic update tracking
- Security scanning and alerts
- Client portal for ticket submission
- White-label options
Pricing: Free for basic features, $2/site/month for pro features
Best for:
- ✅ WordPress maintenance teams
- ✅ Managing updates across multiple sites
- ✅ Security monitoring and reporting
Not ideal for:
- ❌ Pure bug tracking (it's a full maintenance platform)
- ❌ Custom development work tracking
WordPress consideration: Requires plugin installation on each WordPress site you manage.
5. MainWP - Best for Self-Hosted WordPress Management
What it is: Open-source, self-hosted WordPress management dashboard. Manage multiple WordPress sites from your own server.
How it works: Install MainWP Dashboard on your own WordPress site. Install MainWP Child plugin on client sites. Manage everything from your dashboard.
WordPress-specific features:
- Complete control (self-hosted)
- No monthly fees (one-time extensions)
- Update management across sites
- Client management and reporting
- Extension ecosystem for added features
Pricing: Free core, $29-295 for extension bundles (one-time)
Best for:
- ✅ Agencies wanting full control/ownership
- ✅ Teams managing many WordPress sites
- ✅ Budget-conscious agencies (no monthly fees)
Not ideal for:
- ❌ Quick setup (requires hosting and configuration)
- ❌ Teams without technical WordPress knowledge
WordPress consideration: You need a WordPress site to install the dashboard on. Self-hosted means you handle updates and security.
6. Jira - Best for WordPress Development Teams
What it is: Industry-standard project management and issue tracking from Atlassian. Used by development teams worldwide.
How it works: Create WordPress-specific projects, track bugs as issues, assign to team members, integrate with Git repos. Use Jira's powerful workflows for complex development.
WordPress-specific features:
- Requires WordPress plugins for integration (WP Project Manager, etc.)
- Custom fields for plugin/theme versions
- Sprint planning for WordPress projects
- Code repository integration
Pricing: $8.15/user/month for Standard, $16/user for Premium
Best for:
- ✅ Development teams building custom WordPress solutions
- ✅ Agencies with complex development workflows
- ✅ Teams already using Atlassian tools
Not ideal for:
- ❌ Non-technical clients (too complex)
- ❌ Simple WordPress maintenance work
- ❌ Solo freelancers (overkill + expensive)
WordPress consideration: Jira isn't WordPress-specific. You'll need to configure it for WordPress workflows and train clients (or keep them out of Jira entirely).
How to Choose the Right Tool
For Agencies Managing Multiple WordPress Client Sites:
Choose Lantern if:
- You manage 5+ client WordPress sites
- Clients are non-technical (small business owners, etc.)
- You need video clarity to eliminate "it doesn't work" tickets
- You want Jira integration with client-specific routing
- Budget matters ($40/mo vs $200+/mo for alternatives)
Choose ManageWP or MainWP if:
- You do WordPress maintenance (updates, backups, security)
- You need white-label client reporting
- You manage 20+ WordPress sites
- Update management is as important as bug tracking
For WordPress Development Teams:
Choose Marker.io if:
- You build custom WordPress themes/plugins
- You need console logs and technical metadata
- Your team understands JavaScript debugging
- You manage 1-5 complex WordPress projects
Choose Jira if:
- You run a WordPress development agency
- You need sprint planning and complex workflows
- Your team is already technical/developer-focused
- You integrate with GitHub/Bitbucket for WordPress development
For Design Agencies and Visual Feedback:
Choose BugHerd if:
- You do WordPress theme design and need visual feedback
- Layout and design issues are your primary concern
- You prefer the visual pin approach
- You manage fewer than 10 WordPress sites
WordPress-Specific Considerations
1. Plugin Installation vs No Plugin
Requires WordPress plugin:
- ManageWP (ManageWP Worker plugin)
- MainWP (MainWP Child plugin)
- Some Jira integrations
No plugin required:
- Lantern (portal-based, no code on client site)
- BugHerd (JavaScript snippet, not a plugin)
- Marker.io (JavaScript snippet)
Why this matters: Every plugin you add to WordPress is a potential security risk, performance impact, and compatibility issue. Tools that don't require plugins keep client sites cleaner.
2. Client Technical Ability
For non-technical WordPress site owners:
- ✅ Lantern (video = no description needed)
- ✅ BugHerd (click element, done)
- ❌ Jira (too complex)
- ❌ Marker.io (assumes technical knowledge)
For technical teams:
- ✅ Marker.io (console logs matter)
- ✅ Jira (handles complexity well)
- ⚠️ Lantern (video is overkill if team can describe issues)
3. Pricing Models for WordPress Agencies
Per-site pricing (expensive for agencies):
- BugHerd: $39-199/mo for 5-20 sites
- Marker.io: $39-199/mo for 1-10 sites
Unlimited sites:
- Lantern: $40/mo for unlimited WordPress clients
- ManageWP: $2/site (scales linearly)
- MainWP: One-time fee (no monthly cost)
Per-user pricing:
- Jira: $8.15/user (scales with team size)
For agencies managing 20+ WordPress sites, Lantern or MainWP offer best value.
Common WordPress Bug Tracking Workflows
Workflow 1: Small Business WordPress Site (Solo Owner)
Problem: Site owner finds a bug, emails you, vague description, lots of back-and-forth.
Solution with Lantern:
- Give client their portal link (bookmark it)
- They find a bug → open portal → record 30-second video
- You get notification, watch video, see exactly what's wrong
- Fix bug, mark resolved, client gets notification
Time saved: 80% reduction in clarification emails
Workflow 2: WordPress Agency (10+ Clients)
Problem: Managing bugs across multiple client WordPress sites, everything mixed in email/Slack.
Solution with Lantern + Jira:
- Each client gets their own portal
- Client submits bug with video
- Bug auto-creates Jira ticket in client-specific project
- Developer works in Jira (familiar environment)
- Status syncs back to Lantern
- Client sees progress without accessing Jira
Benefits: Organized by client, team works in Jira, clients see progress
Workflow 3: WordPress Development Team
Problem: Building custom WordPress plugins, need technical debugging info.
Solution with Marker.io + Jira:
- Install Marker.io widget on staging site
- QA team reports bugs with screenshots + console logs
- Issues auto-create in Jira with full technical context
- Developers see JavaScript errors, failed API calls immediately
- Fix, deploy, mark resolved
Benefits: Technical metadata eliminates guesswork
Real Agency Example
Before (Email-based bug tracking):
- 12-person WordPress agency managing 28 client sites
- Bugs reported via email, Slack, sometimes phone calls
- Average 4-5 email exchanges to understand each bug
- No visibility into which clients needed attention
- Time spent: ~15 hours/week on bug clarification
After (Lantern):
- Same agency, same 28 WordPress clients
- All bugs submitted through client-specific portals
- Video reports show exactly what's broken
- Jira integration routes bugs to correct project
- Team analytics show response times per client
- Time spent: ~3 hours/week on bug clarification
Result:
- Saved 12 hours/week (624 hours/year)
- Improved client satisfaction (faster fixes)
- Better team accountability (analytics show performance)
- Cost: $40/mo vs $249/mo they were considering for alternatives
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I need a plugin for bug tracking on WordPress?
Not necessarily. Tools like Lantern use external portals (no code on your WordPress site). Tools like BugHerd and Marker.io use JavaScript snippets (not plugins). Only ManageWP and MainWP require actual WordPress plugins.
Q: Can clients report bugs without learning complicated software?
Yes with Lantern (record video) and BugHerd (click element). No with Jira (too complex for clients).
Q: What if I manage 50+ WordPress sites?
MainWP (self-hosted, one-time cost) or Lantern (unlimited clients for $40/mo) scale best. Per-site pricing tools get prohibitively expensive.
Q: Do these tools work with WordPress.com sites?
Most work with self-hosted WordPress (WordPress.org). For WordPress.com, check if you can add JavaScript snippets (usually requires Business plan or higher).
Q: Can I track WordPress plugin conflicts with these tools?
Marker.io captures console errors that often reveal plugin conflicts. Lantern videos show the error messages. ManageWP/MainWP track which plugins are active. For serious debugging, use Query Monitor plugin alongside your bug tracker.
Final Recommendation
For WordPress agencies managing multiple clients: Use Lantern. Video reports eliminate communication gaps with non-technical WordPress site owners. Unlimited clients means affordable scaling. Jira integration keeps dev team in familiar tools. $40/mo for unlimited sites is unbeatable value.
For WordPress maintenance teams: Use ManageWP or MainWP. You need update management, backups, and security scanning alongside bug tracking. These tools do it all. ManageWP for managed service, MainWP for self-hosted control.
For WordPress development agencies: Use Jira with Marker.io feeding into it. You need technical metadata (console logs, network activity) and complex project management. This combination handles both.
For small WordPress freelancers (1-5 clients): Use Lantern Individual ($15.50/mo) or BugHerd Standard ($39/mo). Both work well at small scale. Lantern is cheaper and offers video; BugHerd offers visual pins.
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Built specifically for WordPress agencies. No plugin required. Video bug reports included.
Last updated: January 2026
Questions about WordPress bug tracking? Email hello@lanternhq.app for recommendations based on your specific WordPress setup.
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