How can the company that runs WordPress, afford to provide the software for free?
Here are a few ways Automattic, the company that runs WordPress (WP for short), makes money.
1) Paid plugins
Due to the free provision of WordPress, there are very many installations worldwide. To improve the websites, Automattic offers some paid plugins.
The most famous are:
- Jetpack
- Akismet
- Vaultpress
- Crowdsignal
Some of these plugins are free of charge in the basic version.
2) WordPress.com: Create a Free Website or Blog
WordPress Dot Com is an online service. Here, however, unlike WordPress Dot Org, is not self-hosted. But the company Automattic hosts the WP installation.
The service costs approximately 3 to 15 euros per month.
There is also a free service. However, Automattic places advertisements there, through which it in turn earns money.
3) Donations
WordPress also receives money through donations.
4) Sponsoring
Most of the big plugin vendors and theme creators sponsor events like WordCamp or make donations to WP.
Also many big hosting companies pay money to WP this way.
5) Difference Automattic and WordPress
Automattic is a company that makes profits and which also founded WordPress and the WordPress Foundation.
However, the WordPress Foundation is a non-profit organization. Donations can be made to this WordPress Foundation.
The WordPress Foundation ensures that the WordPress software is developed and distributed free of charge.
The transition of both Automattic and WordPress Foundation is not always clear, as they are actually the same company, but run under different objectives / company names.
Conclusion
The free WordPress, which you can get through WordPress Dot Org, is a non-profit and you can support it by donating. Or it gets support from WordPress theme makers, plugin companies or hosters.
Indirectly, WordPress Dot Org also receives support in that developers and companies provide free of charge developments such as plugins, etc..
Automattic receives money by providing paid plugins, via WordPress Dot Com.
Click here to go to WordPress.org
Sascha Thattil ist Blogger und Geschäftsführer bei YUHIRO. Wir bauen Entwicklerteams in Indien für Agenturen, IT Dienstleister und Softwareunternehmen auf.
