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Post: Automattic and Jetpack: The Evolution and Vision of WordPress.com’s Parent Company
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
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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.
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Expansion: Automattic quickly grew by acquiring Gravatar, Akismet, WooCommerce, and Tumblr, trying to create an ecosystem covering everything from blogging to online stores.
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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
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Automattic remains private, but venture funding has made it much more corporate.
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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
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While registrars like GoDaddy release domains within hours, WordPress.com often holds domains hostage for the full 5-day legal limit during transfers.
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They blame “registrar policy,” but many suspect it’s an intentional delay to slow down customer churn.
2. Email Deliverability Issues
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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.
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You are often forced to buy a separate premium email service to fix what should “just work.”
3. Jetpack: Bloated and Misleading
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Marketed as an “all-in-one” plugin, Jetpack forces users into unnecessary feature bundles (security, backups, speed, SEO) — often at high monthly fees.
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Jetpack slows down sites with too many scripts, resulting in poor Core Web Vitals scores and worse SEO rankings.
4. Limited Control
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If you host with WordPress.com, you don’t truly own your server environment.
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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:
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✅ Instant Domain Transfers: No 5-day hold games. They help migrate everything fast and free.
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✅ Built-in Email Reliability: Transactional emails work properly without forcing expensive add-ons.
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✅ Enterprise-Grade Speed: Average TTFB ~83ms — faster than Flywheel, Kinsta, Cloudways, or WP Engine.
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✅ All-Inclusive Pricing: SSL, WAF, Malware Protection, CDN — no hidden upsells.
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✅ No Renewal Price Hikes: Transparent pricing. What you pay now is what you pay later.
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✅ 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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About the Author: Bernard Aybout (Virii8)
