A legal confrontation between Automattic, the parent company of WordPress.com, and WP Engine, a major web hosting provider, has escalated into a highly public and complex battle over the use of WordPress trademarks, contributions to the WordPress.org open-source project, and the future of the broader WordPress ecosystem. This dispute, which began quietly but has since attracted widespread attention, highlights the growing tension between the open-source ethos of WordPress and the commercial realities that have emerged around the software, which powers nearly 40% of all websites globally.
Automattic, founded by Matt Mullenweg, one of the original creators of WordPress, claims that WP Engine has been profiting from the WordPress ecosystem without making sufficient contributions to its development. WordPress itself is open-source software, freely available for anyone to use, modify, and distribute. However, businesses like Automattic and WP Engine offer hosting and services built around the software, allowing users to deploy WordPress with greater ease. These services range from small-scale hosting plans to enterprise-level solutions, generating significant revenue for both companies.
The central issue in the conflict is Automattic’s demand that WP Engine either pay 8% of its monthly revenue as a royalty for the use of the WordPress trademark or commit to contributing an equivalent percentage of employee time toward developing the WordPress.org project. Automattic argues that WP Engine, which generates hundreds of millions in annual revenue, has been reaping the benefits of WordPress without adequately contributing back to the platform’s ongoing development. WP Engine, Automattic claims, is essentially free-riding on the efforts of the wider WordPress community while profiting from its brand association.
In response, WP Engine has maintained that its use of the WordPress trademark and the “WP” abbreviation is within fair use guidelines, asserting that it does not need a licensing agreement to continue its operations. WP Engine also contends that Automattic’s demands are an attempt to extract undue financial payments by exploiting its control over the WordPress trademark, which is technically owned by the WordPress Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by Mullenweg. According to WP Engine, the public dispute began only after the company refused to comply with Automattic’s demands for royalties or contributions.
Automattic, however, argues that WP Engine’s use of WordPress-related branding has caused confusion among users, leading many to believe that WP Engine is directly affiliated with WordPress.org or its nonprofit Foundation. This confusion, Automattic claims, has unfairly benefited WP Engine at the expense of other service providers in the ecosystem, many of whom contribute a far greater proportion of their resources back to the open-source project. Automattic points to the disparity in contributions as evidence of WP Engine’s lack of commitment, noting that while Automattic dedicates thousands of hours each week to WordPress.org development, WP Engine contributes far fewer resources.
In mid-September, tensions between the two companies came to a head when Mullenweg posted a scathing blog entry accusing WP Engine of undermining the principles of the WordPress community. He specifically criticized the company for disabling features like WordPress’ revision history tool, a core functionality that allows users to track changes to their content. According to Mullenweg, this decision was made to save money on hosting costs, sacrificing a key feature that many WordPress users rely on to safeguard their data. Mullenweg further attacked WP Engine’s business practices, describing the company as a “cancer” to WordPress, a label that drew immediate backlash from WP Engine.
WP Engine responded by sending a cease-and-desist letter to Automattic, accusing Mullenweg of libel, slander, and harassment. The company alleged that Mullenweg had embarked on a campaign to smear WP Engine’s reputation publicly and had threatened to cut off access to essential WordPress.org resources unless WP Engine complied with his demands. WP Engine claims that Mullenweg’s actions are motivated by greed and an attempt to monopolize control over the WordPress ecosystem by forcing competitors into paying Automattic hefty fees for trademark usage. WP Engine also accused Mullenweg of harassing its executives and board members through a series of threatening communications prior to his public statements.
Following WP Engine’s refusal to comply, Automattic blocked WP Engine from accessing WordPress.org’s servers, cutting off its ability to offer certain services, including the ability to fetch plugins and theme updates—features crucial to the security and functionality of websites using WP Engine’s services. This move affected thousands of WP Engine’s customers, causing widespread disruptions and leading to frustration among WordPress users who rely on the platform for their online presence. Many small websites were left without the ability to update critical plugins, exposing them to potential security risks.
WP Engine quickly implemented its own workaround to restore service to its customers, but the damage was already done. The WordPress community became deeply divided over the issue, with many developers and users expressing concern about Automattic’s power to unilaterally block access to WordPress resources. Some questioned whether this conflict could lead to similar actions against other hosting providers, potentially stifling competition in the WordPress ecosystem.
The controversy took a further turn in early October when WP Engine filed a lawsuit against Automattic and Mullenweg, accusing them of abuse of power, extortion, and violating the open-source principles that WordPress was built upon. The lawsuit alleges that Automattic’s control over the WordPress trademarks, which were transferred to the WordPress Foundation in 2010, was never truly independent, and that Mullenweg and Automattic have continued to exercise control over the trademarks for their own financial benefit. WP Engine is seeking damages and a ruling that its use of the WordPress trademark does not violate any laws.
Automattic has vigorously denied the allegations, calling WP Engine’s claims meritless and accusing the company of attempting to deceive the public about its role in the WordPress community. Automattic argues that its actions are intended to protect the integrity of WordPress and ensure that all companies using the platform contribute fairly to its development. Mullenweg has defended his company’s decision to block WP Engine from WordPress.org, stating that WP Engine’s refusal to negotiate a licensing agreement left him with no other option.
The legal battle between the two companies is now set to play out in court, with both sides digging in for what is likely to be a protracted fight. The dispute has raised broader questions about the future of WordPress and how open-source projects should be managed in an increasingly commercialized internet landscape. For many in the WordPress community, the case has highlighted the challenges of balancing the ideals of open-source development with the realities of running a profitable business.
