Automattic, the parent company behind WordPress, issued a cease-and-desist letter to WP Engine accusing the company of infringing on several of its trademarks, including ‘WordPress’ and ‘WooCommerce.’ Automattic alleges that WP Engine has unfairly profited off these trademarks, misleading consumers into believing a direct affiliation between the two companies.
The letter demands compensation for WP Engine’s profits generated through the use of these trademarks and threatens legal action if the matter is not resolved.
This follows a scathing public attack by Matt Mullenweg, CEO of Automattic, who last week labelled WP Engine a “cancer to WordPress,” accusing the company of profiteering off the open-source project while offering minimal contributions to the broader WordPress community, reports TechCrunch.
Mullenweg’s comments have ignited a firestorm. WP Engine responded in kind by accusing him of spearheading a smear campaign against the company, which it claims has already impacted its business operations.
In its cease-and-desist letter sent just days earlier, WP Engine defended its right to use the WordPress trademark under fair use laws. The hosting provider also revealed that Automattic had previously demanded a hefty share of its gross revenues—allegedly in the tens of millions of dollars—for continued use of WordPress-related trademarks.
When those demands weren’t met, WP Engine claims Mullenweg publicly attacked the company, disparaging it to employees, customers, and the broader tech community.
At the heart of the dispute lies the delicate relationship between WordPress and the businesses that have emerged around it. While WordPress is open source and freely available for anyone, companies like Automattic and WP Engine have built lucrative businesses by offering hosting services and technical expertise centred on the platform.
Adding fuel to the fire, WordPress Foundation updated its trademark policy page today, specifically calling out WP Engine. The foundation noted that while the abbreviation ‘WP’ is not protected by WordPress trademarks, the use of ‘WP’ in a way that confuses users — such as WP Engine, which many assume to mean ‘WordPress Engine’ — is misleading.
“The abbreviation “WP” is not covered by the WordPress trademarks, but please don’t use it in a way that confuses people,” said the WordPress Foundation. “For example, many people think WP Engine is “WordPress Engine” and officially associated with WordPress, which it’s not. They have never once even donated to the WordPress Foundation, despite making billions of revenue on top of WordPress.”
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