The Headway alternative
you can own
Headway is a solid changelog tool with a subscription. Shiplog covers the same core job with one-time pricing, an open-source widget, and an API your coding agent can use. Here is the honest comparison.
Headway pricing and features verified November 2026 from headwayapp.co.
The short version
Headway is one of the original changelog widgets: a hosted public page plus an in-app popup, with custom domains, scheduled publishing, and Slack and Twitter integrations on its Pro plan. It has been around for years and powers changelogs for products like Buffer, Superhuman, and Statuspage.
Choose Headway if
- You need a custom domain or a private changelog for your updates
- Your team posts to the changelog together and needs multi-user accounts
- You want scheduled publishing or Slack and Twitter integrations
- You prefer a proven tool with a long track record and do not mind $29/mo
Choose Shiplog if
- You are a solo developer or indie maker managing one or more apps
- You would rather pay $49 or $99 once than $29 every month forever
- You want your coding agent to draft updates through a real API
- You like that the widget you embed is MIT-licensed open source
- You want per-user read tracking without enterprise pricing
Subscription math vs paying once
Headway Pro is $29/mo. Shiplog Starter is $49 and Pro is $99, each paid once. Prices in USD.
| Year | Headway Pro ($29/mo) | Shiplog Pro ($99 once) |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $348 | $99 one-time purchase |
| Year 2 | $348 | $0 |
| Year 3 | $348 | $0 |
| 3-year total | $1,044 | $99 |
After about 4 months, Headway Pro has already cost more than Shiplog Pro costs forever.
Feature comparison
What each tool gives you, including the rows where Headway comes out ahead
| Feature | Headway | Shiplog |
|---|---|---|
| Public changelog page | ||
| Embeddable widget | Closed source | Open source (MIT) |
| Unread badge for users | Eyecatcher badge | |
| Markdown editor | ||
| Update categories | Fully custom (Free) | Fixed set of 10 |
| Custom changelog colors | Included (Free) | Starter ($49 once) |
| Read tracking & analytics | Free tracking, Pro analytics | |
| Public write API for agents | Pro ($99 once) | |
| Remove branding | Pro ($29/mo) | Starter ($49 once) |
| Apps / changelogs per account | Unlimited (Free) | 1 free, up to unlimited |
| Custom domain | Pro ($29/mo) | |
| Private changelog | Pro ($29/mo) | |
| Scheduled publishing | Pro ($29/mo) | |
| Team accounts | Pro ($29/mo) | |
| Slack & Twitter integrations | Pro ($29/mo) | |
| Widget translations | ||
| Pricing model | Free + $29/mo | Free + one-time |
Headway pricing and features verified November 2026 from headwayapp.co. See their plans at headwayapp.co.
Where Headway wins
An honest list. If these matter to you, Headway is probably the right call.
Custom domains
Serve your changelog from changelog.yourapp.com on Pro. Shiplog hosts on shiplog.cc today, with custom domains on the roadmap.
Private changelogs
Pro can keep updates behind a private page or out of search engines entirely, useful for internal or beta products.
Scheduled publishing
Queue an update now and have it go live later. Handy for coordinated launches across timezones.
Team accounts
Several people can post under their own names. Shiplog is built for solo ownership of a changelog.
Integrations
Slack and Twitter connections push new updates where your team and customers already are.
Generous free tier
Unlimited changelogs, widget customization, and fully custom categories without paying anything.
Where Shiplog wins
Why indie developers pick Shiplog for changelogs
One-time pricing
Starter is $49 and Pro is $99, paid once. Headway Pro is $29 every month, which adds up to $348 every year.
Agent REST API
A scoped write API lets Claude Code, Cursor, Devin, or Windsurf draft changelog updates straight from your git history.
Open-source widget
The widget you embed is MIT-licensed and inspectable on GitHub, not a black box running in your app.
Read tracking
See which updates each user has actually opened, with read analytics included on Pro.
Multi-app dashboard
One dashboard for every app you ship, each with its own changelog. Built for indies running a portfolio.
Actively developed
New features ship every week. Follow along on our own public changelog, powered by Shiplog.
Moving from Headway to Shiplog
Four steps, mostly copy and paste. No migration tool exists on either side yet.
Create your app
Sign up free, create an app, and pick your changelog slug. It takes about a minute.
Move your entries
Headway has no export API, so paste entries over as markdown. Most changelogs copy across in one sitting.
Swap the widget
Replace the HW_config snippet with the Shiplog widget script and your app key.
Update links and cancel
Point your in-app links at the new changelog URL, then cancel Headway Pro whenever you are ready.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Headway cost?
Headway has a free plan and a Pro plan at $29 per month, which works out to $348 per year. No annual discount is listed on their pricing section.
Is there a free alternative to Headway?
Shiplog has a free plan covering one app with unlimited updates, a public changelog page, and the widget with read tracking. Starter ($49 once) and Pro ($99 once) are one-time payments, not subscriptions.
Does Headway have an API?
Headway documents a JavaScript API for configuring its widget, but no public API for creating or managing changelog entries. Shiplog Pro includes a scoped REST API designed for coding agents.
How hard is it to migrate from Headway?
Entries move over as markdown, so it is mostly copy and paste. There is no bulk export on either side, but most changelogs are small enough to move in under an hour.
Is Shiplog really a one-time payment?
Yes. Starter and Pro are lifetime purchases. Pay once and the features are yours for the life of the product.
When should I choose Headway instead?
If you need a custom domain, a private changelog, scheduled publishing, team accounts, or Slack and Twitter integrations today, Headway Pro covers those. Shiplog is the better fit if you want to own the tool outright and automate publishing through an API.
Changelogs you pay for once
and keep forever
Start free with one app, then upgrade to Starter or Pro with a single payment.