WordPress vs. WP Engine: The 2024 Feud Explained

The ongoing WordPress vs. WP Engine feud has created a buzz in the website-building community, especially for small and medium business owners. WordPress offers unmatched flexibility and a vast library of plugins and themes, making it a go-to choice for businesses of all sizes. Meanwhile, WP Engine takes the hassle out of hosting by optimizing performance, security and support.

However, tensions have risen as WP Engine turned off its revision system as part of cost reduction strategies. Likewise, expanding their premium services has sparked debates about the commercialization of WordPress’s open-source ethos. Understanding this conflict is critical for business owners building or maintaining a website. It could influence future costs, features and support when choosing the right platform.

The History of WordPress and WP Engine

WordPress — the world’s leading open-source content management system (CMS) — has long been celebrated for its flexibility and the freedom it offers its users. As an open-source platform, all related software on WordPress.org — including the Plugins Directory and the Themes Directory — is distributed under a General Public License. 

This means anyone can use, modify and share these tools, fostering a collaborative ecosystem where developers and users contribute to the platform’s growth. WordPress provides the foundation for small and medium business owners to build websites tailored to their needs.

On the other hand, WP Engine entered the scene as a managed hosting service designed to simplify the WordPress experience. It quickly became a go-to solution for businesses wanting the power of WordPress without the technical hassle.

For years, WordPress and WP Engine have enjoyed a close partnership. The latter supported the open-source model while delivering a polished, user-friendly hosting service for WordPress users. This alignment allowed both platforms to grow, benefiting businesses that relied on WP Engine’s managed services while enjoying WordPress’s customization.

However, as WP Engine expanded its business, friction began to surface between them. Its move into new markets and services — including premium plugins and optimization tools — blurred the lines between WordPress’s open-source ideals and WP Engine’s commercial interests. Conflicting business goals, competition over market share and differing visions contributed to the feud.

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Why the Feud Began

One point of contention in the WordPress vs. WP Engine feud revolves around the latter’s decision to turn off its revision system as part of its cost-saving strategies. Storing the history of changes in the database can be expensive, and WP Engine opted to turn off this feature to reduce costs for the company and its users.

However, this move did not sit well with WordPress, which strongly emphasizes protecting content and ensuring transparency for its users. It believes in maintaining a detailed history so users can see every edit and change that led to the final version of a post. This aligns with its open-source values of content preservation and user control.

A post by WordPress CEO Matt Mullenweg further highlighted this topic — where he reiterated that WP Engine is not WordPress — drawing a clear distinction between the open-source platform and WP Engine’s commercial approach. In his post, Mullenweg emphasizes the importance of safeguarding content and providing users with users with access to their post history.

WordPress champions these features, but WP Engine has deprioritized them to cut operational costs. This clash has deepened the divide between the two, as WordPress continues to advocate for its open-source principles while WP Engine focuses on profitability and streamlined services.

The Current State of the WordPress vs. WP Engine Feud

Tensions have been rising within the WordPress developer community regarding WP Engine’s services, particularly its growing focus on commercializing aspects of the WordPress ecosystem. Many developers have voiced concerns about its approach, feeling it strays from WordPress’s open-source philosophy by prioritizing profit over the community’s values.

In response, WP Engine has defended its actions, arguing that it focuses on enhancing the user experience by providing value-added services like improved performance, security and dedicated support. The company justifies its premium costs as necessary to maintain these higher standards, positioning itself as a superior solution for businesses that want a streamlined WordPress experience without managing the technical backend.

The conflict escalated when WordPress banned WP Engine from accessing its software and servers for free. It claimed that WP Engine now needs a trademark license to use the WordPress name commercially. This move was a significant blow to WP Engine, which had long relied on its close association with WordPress to build customer trust.

In retaliation, WP Engine sent WordPress CEO Mullenwag a cease-and-desist order, demanding that he retract his comments and stop making public statements against the company. This legal move has only deepened the divide between the two entities, drawing more attention to the feud.

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What This Means for SMB Owners

The ongoing feud between WordPress and WP Engine has created a challenging decision-making process for small and medium business owners seeking reliable website hosting. With around 455 million sites using WordPress and more added daily, businesses must weigh their options carefully. Self-hosted WordPress offers unmatched flexibility and lower costs but requires more technical knowledge and hands-on management.

On the other hand, WP Engine’s managed hosting simplifies things by handling performance, security and support, although it comes with a higher price tag. SMB owners must evaluate what’s more important — complete control with a self-hosted solution or convenience and support with WP Engine’s services.

However, the ongoing conflict introduces risks that SMB owners should consider. The WordPress vs. WP Engine feud could lead to disruptions in support, potential delays in development updates or changes in future pricing as they continue to clash. Businesses relying on WP Engine’s managed hosting may face uncertainties, while those using self-hosted WordPress must be ready to manage their sites independently.

What Lies Ahead for WordPress and WP Engine

Speculation around the potential resolution of the feud between WordPress and WP Engine points to two possible outcomes: cooperation or continued competition. Some believe negotiations could resolve the conflict, where both parties find common ground that allows WP Engine to continue offering managed services while respecting WordPress’s open-source principles.

However, continued competition seems more likely, with both companies vying for dominance in the WordPress hosting space. If this rivalry persists, WordPress might push for stricter guidelines around the use of its open-source platform, potentially requiring third-party hosting providers to acquire licenses or adhere to new restrictions.

SMB owners should keep an eye on several key developments as the feud unfolds. New competitors and alternative hosting solutions are already entering the market, with several hosting providers creating specials and promotions aimed at WP Engine customers looking to migrate.

As this feud shapes the future of WordPress hosting, businesses can expect a shift toward more diversified hosting options and fragmentation of services as companies like WP Engine seek to differentiate themselves. Staying informed and adaptable will be crucial amid these changes and ensuring their websites remain secure, scalable and cost-effective.

Navigating the WordPress Word Engine Drama

SMB owners should carefully weigh the benefits of WordPress’s flexibility against WP Engine’s managed convenience, considering cost, ease of use and long-term support. Staying informed about ongoing changes in the hosting landscape will help them make the best decision for their business’s needs and future growth.