Automattic Planned To Target 10 Competitors With Royalty Fees, WP Engine Claims In New Filing
New court filings allege Automattic planned royalty demands for 10 WordPress hosting competitors and pressured payment processors.
Matilda
Automattic Planned To Target 10 Competitors With Royalty Fees, WP Engine Claims In New Filing
Automattic Royalty Fees Strategy Alleged in Unsealed Court Documents Newly unsealed legal filings have intensified the high-stakes dispute between WordPress hosting leader WP Engine and Automattic, the company founded by WordPress co-creator Matt Mullenweg. According to WP Engine’s third amended complaint, internal communications suggest Automattic devised a coordinated plan to demand royalty payments from at least ten competing WordPress hosting providers. The documents further allege Mullenweg personally contacted a major payment processor seeking termination of WP Engine’s services after litigation began. These claims strike at the heart of a volatile debate: How should commercial entities fairly support the open-source WordPress project they rely on? For the millions of businesses and creators using WordPress—the engine behind over 43% of global websites—these developments signal potential shifts in ecosystem dynamics, costs, and ethical expectations. Credit: Google From Bilateral Di…
