The WordPress Kickback Plot Thickens
Newly unsealed court filings reveal Automattic may have planned to demand royalty fees from multiple hosting providers — not just WP Engine. This follow-up to our “WordPress at a Crossroads” article explores the latest developments in the growing tension within the WordPress ecosystem.
A follow-up to our “WordPress at a Crossroads” article
Back in Part 5 of our WordPress series, we covered the public conflict between Automattic (makers of WordPress.com) and WP Engine — a major WordPress hosting provider. At the time, it looked like a heated dispute between two companies with competing visions for the WordPress ecosystem.
Now, new court documents suggest it wasn’t just about WP Engine. It may have been the start of something bigger — and far more concerning.
Automattic’s Alleged Royalty Strategy
According to newly unsealed court filings, Automattic allegedly planned to pursue trademark royalty fees from at least ten other hosting providers — not just WP Engine.
- The targeted fee? 8% of a host’s gross revenue
- The justification? WP Engine claims it was simply what they "could afford to pay"
- The targets? Still redacted — but the strategy appears wide-reaching
Read the full TechCrunch article ›
A Pattern of Pressure?
The filing also claims Automattic attempted to pressure Stripe — WP Engine’s payment processor — to shut down their account.
“This was not about protecting the WordPress brand. This was about controlling the ecosystem.”
What This Means for the WordPress Community
This isn’t just another business feud.
- It suggests a systematic plan to monetize the open-source WordPress brand
- It highlights growing fractures among major WordPress stakeholders
- It raises concerns about the long-term reliability of WordPress-based platforms
The open-source foundation that made WordPress powerful may be shifting toward something more commercial, more litigious — and more unpredictable.
Why We’re Watching
At Ingenious, we’ve built our own CMS — Infinitus — because we believe business owners deserve stability and transparency.
What’s unfolding in the WordPress world right now? It’s the opposite of that.
If your site is built on shifting rules, closed-door conflicts, and royalty threats, it may be time to ask: Is this still the right foundation for your business? Reach out today to have a chat.