WP Engine

WP Engine's main function is allowing businesses and organizations to build, host, and manage websites powered by WordPress.{{cite news |last1=Mark Randall |date=5 February 2018 |title=U-turn needed on skilled visas |url=https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/uturn-needed-on-skilled-visas-20180205-h0twfi.html |agency=Sydney Morning Herald}}{{Cite web |last=Lunden |first=Ingrid |date=2018-01-04 |title=WP Engine, a managed WordPress platform, raises $250M from Silver Lake |url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/04/wp-engine-a-managed-wordpress-platform-raises-250m-from-silver-lake/ |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}{{cite web |last1=Eric Blattberg |date=19 June 2014 |title=WP Engine's new product will keep your website chugging along during huge traffic spikes |url=https://venturebeat.com/business/wp-engines-new-product-will-keep-your-website-chugging-along-during-huge-traffic-spikes/ |publisher=Venture Beat}}

WP Engine was founded by Jason Cohen and Ben Metcalfe in 2010. Prior to founding WP Engine, Cohen was the founder of the software company SmartBear Software. In May 2013, WP Engine hired former Bazaarvoice COO Heather Brunner as its COO.{{Cite web |last=Yeung |first=Ken |date=2013-04-03 |title=WP Engine Hires Bazaarvoice's Heather Brunner As New COO |url=https://thenextweb.com/news/wp-engine-hints-at-potential-ipo-with-hiring-of-bazaarvoices-heather-brunner-as-its-coo |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=TNW {{!}} Insider |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Hosting Journalist |first=Editorial Team |date=2013-10-08 |title=Managed WordPress Hosting Provider WP Engine Appoints Heather Brunner as CEO |url=https://hostingjournalist.com/managed-wordpress-hosting-provider-wp-engine-appoints-heather-brunner-as-ceo/ |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=Hosting Journalist.com |language=en-US}} Brunner was eventually appointed the company's CEO in October 2013, with Cohen assuming the position of CTO. WP Engine hired Lee McClendon, formerly of SolarWinds, as its first Senior Vice President of Global Engineering in 2017.{{Cite web |date=2017-08-10 |title=Austin tech firm on fast growth track snags global engineering boss from SolarWinds |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2017/08/10/austin-tech-firm-on-fast-growth-track-snags-global.html |access-date=2024-03-21 |website=bizjournals.com}}

WP Engine expanded into Europe in 2016, establishing offices in Limerick, Ireland.{{Cite web |last=Kitson |first=Niall |date=2023-12-11 |title=WP Engine grows Irish presence with 20 new jobs |url=https://www.techcentral.ie/wp-engine-grows-irish-presence-with-20-new-jobs/ |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=TechCentral.ie |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Rabbitts |first=Nick |title=Further jobs boost for Limerick as WP Engine reveals vacancies |url=https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/home/1369436/further-jobs-boost-for-limerick-as-wp-engine-reveals-vacancies.html |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=www.limerickleader.ie |date=11 December 2023 |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=O'Dea |first=Blathnaid |date=2022-07-13 |title=WordPress tech company WP Engine is recruiting 20 staff in Limerick |url=https://www.siliconrepublic.com/jobs-news/wp-engine-jobs-limerick |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=Silicon Republic |language=en}} In 2019, the company expanded its offices into The Domain, a mixed-use development in Austin, Texas.{{Cite web |title=WP Engine joins parade of companies expanding on north side |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2019/05/28/wp-engine-joins-parade-of-companies-expanding-on.html |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=www.bizjournals.com}} In addition, WP Engine also expanded its offices into the Limerick city centre in 2023.{{Cite web |date=2020-03-26 |title=WP Engine to occupy prime office spot in Kirkland's Limerick city portfolio |url=https://www.independent.ie/business/irish/wp-engine-to-occupy-prime-office-spot-in-kirklands-limerick-city-portfolio/39076752.html |access-date=2024-03-21 |website=Irish Independent |language=en}}

In 2018, WP Engine sold majority of its stakes to Silver Lake for investing $250 million.{{cite news |last1=Alex Barinka |title=Silver Lake Takes $250 Million Stake in Startup WP Engine |url=https://bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-04/silver-lake-takes-250-million-stake-in-austin-startup-wp-engine |newspaper=Bloomberg |date=4 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113035949/https://bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-04/silver-lake-takes-250-million-stake-in-austin-startup-wp-engine |archive-date=13 November 2018}} At the time they had 75,000 customers.{{Cite web |title=WP Engine Gets $250 Million Funding from Silver Lake |url=https://www.itprotoday.com/it-management/wp-engine-gets-250-million-funding-from-silver-lake-3074d7eb-e71d-4528-acb5-a11482810d96 |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=www.itprotoday.com |language=en}}

In 2021, the company reorganized its business into three service lines: enterprise-size business, small to medium-size business and international business.

In 2022, WP Engine announced that it was ending support for the website managing tool .htaccess.{{Cite web |last=Montti |first=Roger |date=2022-04-26 |title=WP Engine Ending Support for .htaccess |url=https://www.searchenginejournal.com/wp-engine-ending-htaccess-support/447383/ |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=Search Engine Journal |language=en}} WP Engine also announced the launch of Atlas, its headless WordPress solution, in the same year.{{Cite web |last=Dee |first=Katie |date=2022-04-12 |title=WP Engine announces innovations for its headless WordPress solution Atlas |url=https://sdtimes.com/atlas/wp-engine-announces-innovations-for-its-headless-wordpress-solution-atlas/ |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=SD Times |language=en-US}} The Atlas platform includes Atlas Blueprints, which provides developers with free website templates designed by professionals, and Atlas Sandbox, which allows users to create prototype headless WordPress projects. In March 2024, WP Engine Introduced AI-Powered Search for WordPress Sites.{{Cite web |last=Lawson |first=Loraine |date=2024-03-22 |title=WP Engine Introduces AI-Powered Search for WordPress Sites |url=https://thenewstack.io/wp-engine-introduces-ai-powered-search-for-wordpress-sites/ |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=The New Stack |language=en-US}}

WP Engine launched its platform on Microsoft Azure in 2022.{{Cite web |author1=Abigail Opiah |date=2022-11-17 |title=WP Engine extends its managed WordPress hosting solution on Microsoft Azure |url=https://www.techradar.com/news/wp-engine-extends-its-managed-wordpress-hosting-solution-on-microsoft-azure |access-date=2024-03-21 |website=TechRadar |language=en}}

WP Engine formed a partnership with digital agency Granite Digital to expand its presence in Ireland in 2023.{{Cite web |last=julia |date=2022-09-19 |title=Granite Digital forms €3.1m partnership WP Engine |url=https://www.techcentral.ie/granite-digital-forms-e3-1m-partnership-wp-engine/ |access-date=2024-03-21 |website=TechCentral.ie |language=en-GB}}

Annually, WP Engine holds WP Engine DE{CODE}, a developer conference centered around sharing technical knowledge with the WordPress community.{{Cite web |title=WP Engine DE{CODE}: the future is (headless) open source |url=https://www.computerweekly.com/blog/Open-Source-Insider/WP-Engine-DECODE-the-future-is-headless-open-source |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=www.computerweekly.com}}

In November 2017, it became the first WordPress solution to be certified in Amazon Web Services' Competency Program. In a 2023 study conducted by StatusGator, WP Engine was named one of the most reliable WordPress hosting providers based on downtime data.{{Cite web |author1=Abigail Opiah |date=2023-01-26 |title=Liquid Web and WP Engine branded the most reliable hosts as WordPress turns 20 |url=https://www.techradar.com/news/kinsta-and-liquid-web-branded-the-most-reliable-hosts-as-wordpress-turns-20 |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=TechRadar |language=en}} WP Engine has been ranked as one of the top 10 most popular hosting companies by several publications.{{Cite web |title=20 Biggest Web Hosting Companies in 2024 |url=https://diggitymarketing.com/web-hosting/biggest-companies/ |access-date=2024-10-06 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Best Web Hosting Services |url=https://www.pcmag.com/lists/best-web-hosting-services |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=PCMAG |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=WP Engine |url=https://6sense.com/tech/wordpress-hosting/wp-engine-market-share |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=6sense.com}}

During the week preceding September 22, 2024, Matt Mullenweg—founder of WordPress.com—began speaking negatively about rival WP Engine. Mullenweg gave a speech at WordCamp US 2024 that argued that WP Engine had made meager contributions to WordPress compared to Automattic, criticized WP Engine's significant ties to private equity, and called for a boycott, sparking internet controversy.{{Citation |last=Sawers |first=Paul |title=Matt Mullenweg calls WP Engine a 'cancer to WordPress' and urges community to switch providers |date=2024-09-22 |work=TechCrunch |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/22/matt-mullenweg-calls-wp-engine-a-cancer-to-wordpress-and-urges-community-to-switch-providers/ |access-date=2024-09-24 |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-10-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241001215144/https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/22/matt-mullenweg-calls-wp-engine-a-cancer-to-wordpress-and-urges-community-to-switch-providers/ |url-status=live }} In response, WP Engine issued a cease and desist against what it characterized as defamation and extortion, attributing his attacks to WP Engine's refusal to pay Automattic "a significant percentage of its gross revenues – tens of millions of dollars in fact – on an ongoing basis" for what it claimed were necessary trademark licensing fees (later clarified as 8% of all revenue, payable in gross or in salaries for its own employees working under WordPress.org's direction, combined with a clause that would've prohibited forking{{Citation |last=Mehta |first=Ivan |title=WP Engine sues WordPress co-creator Mullenweg and Automattic, alleging abuse of power |date=2024-10-03 |work=TechCrunch |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/10/02/wp-engine-sues-automattic-and-wordpress-co-founder-matt-mullenweg/ |access-date=2024-10-04 |language=en-US}}) for the "WordPress" name.{{Citation |last=Mehta |first=Ivan |title=WP Engine sends cease-and-desist letter to Automattic over Mullenweg's comments |date=2024-09-24 |work=TechCrunch |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/23/wp-engine-sends-cease-and-desist-letter-to-automattic-over-mullenwegs-comments/ |access-date=2024-09-24 |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-09-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240924065609/https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/23/wp-engine-sends-cease-and-desist-letter-to-automattic-over-mullenwegs-comments/ |url-status=live }} Automattic responded by sending its own cease and desist the next day, citing the trademark issue.{{Citation |last=Mehta |first=Ivan |title=Automattic sends WP Engine its own cease-and-desist over WordPress trademark infringement |date=2024-09-25 |work=TechCrunch |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/25/legal-ping-pong-in-the-wordpress-world-continues-automattic-now-sends-wp-engine-a-cease-and-desist-letter-alleging-trademark-infringement/ |access-date=2024-09-27 |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927045737/https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/25/legal-ping-pong-in-the-wordpress-world-continues-automattic-now-sends-wp-engine-a-cease-and-desist-letter-alleging-trademark-infringement/ |url-status=live }} On October 2, 2024, WP Engine sued Automattic and Mullenweg for extortion and abuse of power, which the defendants denied.

As a result of the dispute, WordPress.org blocked WP Engine and affiliates from accessing its servers—which include security updates, the plugin and theme repository, and more—on September 25, 2024. This was a day after its trademark policy was updated{{Citation |last=Mehta |first=Ivan |title=WordPress.org bans WP Engine, blocks it from accessing its resources |date=2024-09-26 |work=TechCrunch |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/25/wordpress-org-bans-wp-engine-blocks-it-from-accessing-its-resources/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240926054756/https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/25/wordpress-org-bans-wp-engine-blocks-it-from-accessing-its-resources/ |url-status=live }} to advise against usage of "WP" "in a way that confuses people", listing WP Engine as an example.{{Citation |last=Mehta |first=Ivan |title=The WordPress vs. WP Engine drama, explained |date=2024-09-26 |work=TechCrunch |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/26/wordpress-vs-wp-engine-drama-explained/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-10-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241001215146/https://techcrunch.com/2024/10/01/wordpress-vs-wp-engine-drama-explained/ |url-status=live }} Following backlash, access to WordPress.org was temporarily restored until October 1 to allow WP Engine to build its own mirror sites two days later,{{Citation |last=Mehta |first=Ivan |title=WordPress.org temporarily lifts its ban on WP Engine |date=2024-09-28 |work=TechCrunch |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/27/wordpress-org-temporarily-lifts-its-ban-on-wp-engine/ |access-date=2024-09-28 |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-09-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240928035014/https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/27/wordpress-org-temporarily-lifts-its-ban-on-wp-engine/ |url-status=live }}{{Citation |last=Mullenweg |first=Matt |title=WP Engine Reprieve |date=2024-09-27 |work=WordPress.org |url=https://wordpress.org/news/2024/09/wp-engine-reprieve/ |access-date=2024-09-28 |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927235252/https://wordpress.org/news/2024/09/wp-engine-reprieve/ |url-status=live }} which the company did. On the 12th, WordPress.org replaced the listing of WP Engine's Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) plugin on the WordPress.org plugin directory with a fork called "Secure Custom Fields" citing a guideline that empowers the foundation to "make changes to a plugin, without developer consent, in the interest of public safety".{{Cite web |last=Davis |first=Wes |date=2024-10-12 |title=WordPress.org's latest move involves taking control of a WP Engine plugin |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/12/24268637/wordpress-org-matt-mullenweg-acf-fork-secure-custom-fields-wp-engine |access-date=2024-10-13 |website=The Verge |language=en}}

On October 7, 2024, to align the company's stance, Mullenweg announced that 159 employees—8.4% of Automattic—had quit in exchange for a severance package of $30,000 or six months of salary, whichever is higher, with the condition that the resigned would not be able to return.{{Cite web |last=Council |first=Stephen |date=October 7, 2024 |title=After weeks of drama, SF tech CEO gives workers $30,000 to quit |url=https://www.sfgate.com/tech/article/automattic-workers-quit-matt-mullenweg-19816648.php}} The next week, another offer of nine months' salary was made in an attempt to placate those who could not quit for financial reasons,{{cite web | last=Cole | first=Samantha | title=Employees Describe an Environment of Paranoia and Fear Inside Automattic Over WordPress Chaos | website=404 Media | date=2024-10-17 | url=https://www.404media.co/automattic-buyout-offer-wordpress-matt-mullenweg/ | access-date=2024-10-18}} though with only four hours to respond and the added term of being excluded from the WordPress.org community.

On December 10, 2024, a preliminary injunction was issued by judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín of the District Court for the Northern District of California stating that Automattic and Matt Mullenweg must cease blocking, disabling, and interfering with WP Engine and its associates’ access to WordPress.org.{{Cite web |last=Roth |first=Emma |date=2024-12-10 |title=WordPress parent company must stop blocking WP Engine, judge rules |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/12/10/24318350/automattic-restore-wp-engine-access-wordpress |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=The Verge |language=en}}

In February 2025, a class action lawsuit was filed by a WP Engine customer, accusing Automattic and Mullenweg of "deliberately abusing their power and control over the WordPress ecosystem to purposefully, deliberately, and repeatedly disrupt contracts", stating that the company's interference with WP Engine's operations caused disruptions in the maintenance and security of customer's own websites.{{Cite web |last=Belanger |first=Ashley |date=2025-02-26 |title=Automattic’s “nuclear war” over WordPress access sparks potential class action |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/02/automattic-shirked-duty-to-keep-wordpress-free-for-everyone-lawsuit-says/ |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Keller v. Automattic |url=https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Keller-v-Automattic-Complaint-2-21-25.pdf |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=cdn.arstechnica.com}}

• Studio Press (Theme Developer), June 2018{{cite news |last1=Jessica Stillman |date=6 December 2018 |title=5 Podcasts That Give You the Real Dirt on What It's Like to Be an Entrepreneur |url=https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/5-podcasts-that-give-you-real-dirt-on-what-its-like-to-be-an-entrepreneur.html |agency=INC.com}}
• Flywheel (Hosting Company), June 2019{{Cite web |title=M&A wrap: WP Engine, EZCorp, Mood Media open wallets |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2019/06/25/m-a-wrap-wp-engine-ezcorp-mood-media-open-wallets.html |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=www.bizjournals.com}}{{cite web |last1=Polina Marinova |date=25 June 2019 |title=Longtime Analyst Mark Mahaney: 'The Bar Is Higher In the Public Markets:' Term Sheet |url=https://fortune.com/2019/06/25/term-sheet-tuesday-june-25/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190806172527/https://fortune.com/2019/06/25/term-sheet-tuesday-june-25/ |archive-date=6 August 2019 |publisher=Fortune}}{{Cite web |date=2020-02-14 |title=WordPress local development tool 'Local' now works with WP Engine |url=https://www.coywolf.news/webdev/wordpress-local-development-wp-engine/ |website=coywolf.news}}
• Block Lab (Plugin), 2020{{Cite web |date=2020-05-01 |title=Block Lab Team Joins WP Engine, Looks to the Future of Block Building |url=https://wptavern.com/block-lab-team-joins-wp-engine-looks-to-the-future-of-block-building |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=WP Tavern |language=en-US}}
• Frost (WordPress Theme), 2021{{Cite web |date=2021-12-23 |title=WP Engine Acquires Brian Gardner's Frost, Opens It to the Public |url=https://wptavern.com/wp-engine-acquires-brian-gardners-frost-opens-it-to-the-public |access-date=2024-03-21 |website=WP Tavern |language=en-US}}
• Delicious Brains (Plugin Developer), June 2021{{Cite web |last=Montti |first=Roger |date=2022-06-03 |title=WP Engine Acquires Company Behind ACF, WP Migrate & Better Search and Replace |url=https://www.searchenginejournal.com/wp-engine-acquires-delicious-brains/452920/ |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=Search Engine Journal |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2022-06-02 |title=WP Engine Acquires 5 Plugins From Delicious Brains |url=https://wptavern.com/wp-engine-acquires-5-plugins-from-delicious-brains |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=WP Tavern |language=en-US}}
• NitroPack (IT Company), July 2024{{Cite web |last=Atanasova |first=Teodora |date=2024-07-18 |title=Bulgarian Company NitroPack Acquired by US WP Engine |url=https://therecursive.com/bulgarian-company-nitropack-acquired-by-us-wp-engine/ |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=TheRecursive.com |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Montti |first=Roger |date=2024-07-19 |title=WP Engine WordPress Hosting Acquires NitroPack |url=https://www.searchenginejournal.com/wp-engine-wordpress-hosting-acquires-nitropack/522532/ |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=Search Engine Journal |language=en}}

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