WordPress.com (Automattic)

WordPress.com is a hosting service for websites built on WordPress software. Matt Mullenweg started Automattic in 2005, and WordPress.com opened soon after. The open source WordPress project is separate and is run by the WordPress Foundation, though Mullenweg leads both.

Users sign up, choose a plan and publish a blog or a business site. The paid plans add custom domains, plugins and more storage. Themes and the block editor control how pages look. Because the code is open, sites can later move to other hosts.

Automattic owns several other brands. These include WooCommerce for online stores, Jetpack for security and backups, Tumblr, Day One and Pocket Casts. The company is known for having no central office, and its staff work from many countries. WordPress powers a large share of all websites on the internet. WordPress.com is a separate service from WordPress.org, where the free software can be downloaded and installed on any host. Disputes between Automattic and WP Engine in 2024 led to lawsuits and public debate about control of the project.