Automattic and Jetpack: The Evolution and Vision of WordPress.com’s Parent Company

By Bernard Aybout (Virii8) May 12, 2024

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Automattic, Jetpack, and the Truth: Why It’s Time for a Better Alternative Like Rocket.net

Introduction

Automattic — the parent company behind WordPress.com, Jetpack, WooCommerce, and more — built its reputation on the idea of democratizing publishing. Founded in 2005 by Matt Mullenweg, Automattic has expanded rapidly across blogging, e-commerce, web development, and content management.

But in 2025, many users are starting to realize that the original dream has shifted — and not always for the better. As Automattic grew into a tech giant, users of WordPress.com and Jetpack have reported increasing frustrations: domain transfer slowdowns, poor email deliverability, hidden upsells, and heavy-handed vendor lock-in.

The good news? You don’t have to settle. Today, platforms like Rocket.net are offering a true modern alternative: simple, fast, fully optimized WordPress hosting without the headaches.

The Real Story Behind Automattic and Jetpack

History and Evolution

Early Days: Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little created WordPress in 2003, leading to the launch of WordPress.com in 2005 to offer a “hosted WordPress” experience.
Expansion: Automattic quickly grew by acquiring Gravatar, Akismet, WooCommerce, and Tumblr, trying to create an ecosystem covering everything from blogging to online stores.
Big Funding: By 2014, Automattic raised $160 million in a Series C funding round, bringing in venture capital pressures — and shifting their focus increasingly toward profit.

Ownership and Corporate Structure

Automattic remains private, but venture funding has made it much more corporate.
They operate a distributed global workforce, allowing flexibility but also causing support delays and policy inconsistencies across their services.

Hidden Problems with WordPress.com, Jetpack, and Automattic

Despite the marketing spin, many users experience:

1. Domain Transfer Delays

While registrars like GoDaddy release domains within hours, WordPress.com often holds domains hostage for the full 5-day legal limit during transfers.
They blame “registrar policy,” but many suspect it’s an intentional delay to slow down customer churn.

2. Email Deliverability Issues

Shared hosting environments (like WordPress.com) mean your transactional and notification emails (like contact form replies, WooCommerce receipts, etc.) aren’t guaranteed to send or reach inboxes.
You are often forced to buy a separate premium email service to fix what should “just work.”

3. Jetpack: Bloated and Misleading

Marketed as an “all-in-one” plugin, Jetpack forces users into unnecessary feature bundles (security, backups, speed, SEO) — often at high monthly fees.
Jetpack slows down sites with too many scripts, resulting in poor Core Web Vitals scores and worse SEO rankings.

4. Limited Control

If you host with WordPress.com, you don’t truly own your server environment.
You’re locked into their platform, pricing, and restrictions (e.g., no access to full server-level settings, limited plugin freedom).

Rocket.net: The Modern, Honest Alternative 🚀

Unlike WordPress.com, Rocket.net offers real managed WordPress hosting designed for today’s creators, agencies, and businesses — without tricks or delays.

Why Rocket.net is Different:

✅ Instant Domain Transfers: No 5-day hold games. They help migrate everything fast and free.
✅ Built-in Email Reliability: Transactional emails work properly without forcing expensive add-ons.
✅ Enterprise-Grade Speed: Average TTFB ~83ms — faster than Flywheel, Kinsta, Cloudways, or WP Engine.
✅ All-Inclusive Pricing: SSL, WAF, Malware Protection, CDN — no hidden upsells.
✅ No Renewal Price Hikes: Transparent pricing. What you pay now is what you pay later.
✅ True Customer Support: 24/7 live support, instant real-human chat, and even CEO involvement if needed.

The Bottom Line

Automattic once stood for innovation and open publishing. Today, it’s a corporate machine with slow domain releases, email problems, and costly plugin upsells like Jetpack.

You deserve better, faster, and fairer hosting.

👉 If you’re tired of delays, broken promises, and upsells, switch to Rocket.net today. Experience real WordPress hosting built with users — not VCs — in mind.

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What is Jetpack for WordPress?

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