WordPress powers websites belonging to individuals, businesses and organisations around the world. But who actually owns the software behind those websites?
The answer is not a single person or company.
The WordPress software is an open-source project with copyright held by its contributors. The WordPress Foundation owns the WordPress trademarks, while Automattic owns and operates WordPress.com, a commercial hosting service built around the software.
These distinctions matter because owning a trademark, operating a hosting service and holding copyright in software are different things.
Let’s look at how WordPress is organised, what its open-source licence allows and what all this means for your own website.
Who owns WordPress? The short answer
There are three separate parts to the ownership question.
The software: WordPress is free, open-source software. Its contributors retain copyright in their contributions and make their code available under the GNU General Public License (GPL).
The name and logo: The WordPress Foundation owns the WordPress trademark and protects its use. Automattic holds an exclusive licence for commercial use of the trademark.
WordPress.com: Automattic owns and operates WordPress.com, a hosted service that uses WordPress software.
The open-source project also has its own leadership and contributor teams, which guide and carry out development.
So, while you can freely use WordPress software under its licence, that does not mean you own the WordPress trademark or the company behind WordPress.com.
Who created WordPress?
WordPress began in 2003 when Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little developed a new publishing platform from an existing open-source project called b2/cafelog.
They built on its code to create WordPress, which was initially focused on blogging.
Over time, contributors expanded the software with themes, plugins, improved content editing and other features. It developed into a content management system capable of running many types of websites.
WordPress did not become the exclusive property of a company simply because its co-founders started the project.
Its development continued as an open-source effort, with contributions from people working independently, volunteering their time or contributing through businesses and organisations.
The official WordPress history explains how the project evolved from its first release.
Who owns the WordPress software?
WordPress is released under the GNU General Public License, version 2 or later, usually shortened to GPLv2 or later.
The GPL is a software licence. It allows people to use WordPress without needing to buy a licence for the core software.
It also grants important rights to study the code, modify it and share copies, subject to the licence’s terms.
That does not mean the software has no copyright owner.
Contributors retain copyright in their code
WordPress’s Core Contributor Handbook states that contributors retain copyright in the code they contribute while releasing it under the GPL.
This means copyright and permission to use the code are not the same thing.
A contributor can retain copyright in their work while granting everyone the rights provided by the GPL.
WordPress also incorporates some third-party libraries, whose authors retain their own copyrights.
Rather than having one company that owns every part of the software, WordPress brings together code made available under compatible open-source licensing arrangements.
What does the GPL allow you to do?
WordPress describes four core freedoms provided by the GPL:
- Run the software for any purpose.
- Study how it works and change it.
- Share copies of the software.
- Share modified versions of the software.
These freedoms apply to individuals and businesses alike. You do not need special permission from Automattic or the WordPress Foundation simply to use WordPress for a commercial website.
The GPL also contains conditions, particularly when distributing software or modified versions. Those conditions matter if you develop or distribute WordPress-based software.
WordPress.org’s licence page explains its position on plugins, themes and derivative works. It also acknowledges a legal grey area over what qualifies as a derivative work, so it would be inaccurate to say that every theme or plugin automatically has identical licensing obligations in every circumstance.
For a website owner, the main point is straightforward: the GPL gives you broad freedoms to use WordPress, but you still need to respect the licences that apply to any other software, images or materials you use.
Who owns the WordPress name and logo?
The WordPress Foundation owns the WordPress trademark.
A trademark protects a name, logo or other identifying mark. It helps distinguish official WordPress-related projects and services from those provided by other organisations.
Trademark ownership is separate from copyright in the software.
Automattic originally held the WordPress trademark. In 2010, it transferred ownership to the newly established WordPress Foundation.
The Foundation’s role includes protecting the trademarks and supporting the long-term availability of open-source software.
What role does Automattic have in the trademark?
Under the Foundation’s trademark policy, Automattic holds an exclusive licence for commercial use of the WordPress trademark.
That means the Foundation’s ownership and Automattic’s commercial licensing rights coexist.
You can use WordPress software to run a business without needing to license the trademark. However, using the WordPress name or logo as part of your own product name, business name, domain or branding raises a different question.
For example, accurately stating that your business provides WordPress support is not the same as presenting your business as an official WordPress organisation.
The Foundation’s policy sets out its rules for using the name and logo. If you are creating a new brand or service around WordPress, check the current policy rather than assuming the GPL covers trademark use.
Who owns WordPress.com?
Automattic owns and operates WordPress.com.
WordPress.com is a hosted service. It combines WordPress software with hosting and other services, allowing people to create and manage a website without arranging a separate WordPress installation.
Automattic is a commercial company founded by WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg in 2005.
It develops and operates several products and services within the wider publishing and web ecosystem.
However, Automattic owning WordPress.com does not mean it is the sole owner of the open-source WordPress software.
Is WordPress.com the same as WordPress.org?
No.
WordPress.org is the website associated with the open-source WordPress project. It provides access to the software, documentation and community resources.
WordPress.com is Automattic’s hosting service built using WordPress.
Both involve WordPress, but they have different roles and operating arrangements.
If you are deciding whether to stay on WordPress.com or use a separate hosting provider, read our guide to moving from WordPress.com to self-hosted WordPress. It covers the practical differences without confusing hosting with software ownership.
Who develops and maintains WordPress?
WordPress is developed through an open-source project involving people from across its community.
Contributors work on the core software, test releases, report bugs, improve documentation, translate WordPress and help in other areas.
Some contribute as volunteers. Others contribute as part of their paid work for companies that use or provide WordPress-related services.
Who makes decisions about the project?
The WordPress project’s leadership team, led by co-founder Matt Mullenweg, guides core development and other project activities.
Its project organisation handbook explains the leadership structure and how contributors participate.
This is different from saying that the WordPress Foundation personally develops every release or that Automattic alone decides and builds every feature.
The Foundation has an important supporting role, particularly in protecting the trademarks and promoting access to open-source software.
It and its subsidiary, WordPress Community Support, also support community activities such as WordCamps and meetups.
The wider project relies on contributors, teams and organisations with different responsibilities.
Can anyone contribute?
You do not need to own WordPress, run a hosting company or work as a developer to participate.
People contribute by testing software, reporting issues, translating text, writing documentation, supporting other users and helping organise community activities.
Writing code is one way to contribute, but it is not the only one.
Using WordPress or contributing to its community does not, by itself, give someone ownership of the WordPress trademark or copyright in code they did not create.
What does WordPress ownership mean for your own website?
Owning a website and owning the software that powers it are different things.
If you run a WordPress website, several separate rights and arrangements may be involved.
Your website content
You generally retain the rights you hold in original content you create, such as your writing, photographs and illustrations.
Using WordPress does not automatically transfer those rights to Automattic, the WordPress Foundation or your hosting provider.
However, you may use images, fonts or other materials created by someone else. Your rights to those materials depend on their licences or permissions.
You should also check the terms of any publishing or hosting service you use.
Your domain name
A domain registration gives you rights to use a domain under your registration agreement, subject to renewal and the applicable rules.
It does not mean you permanently own the name in the same way that you might own a physical item.
Your domain registrar and hosting provider may be different companies. You can often change hosting without transferring your domain registration.
Your hosting account and website files
Your hosting provider supplies the environment in which your website runs.
Your ability to access files, databases, backups and server settings depends on your hosting arrangement and service terms.
The fact that WordPress is open-source does not guarantee that every hosting plan provides the same level of technical access.
Likewise, the company hosting your website does not automatically become the copyright owner of the content you created.
Your theme, plugins and other software
WordPress core is GPL-licensed, but a complete website may also use third-party themes, plugins, fonts, stock images and connected services.
Each can have its own licensing or contractual terms.
For example, a paid plugin subscription may cover updates or support. That commercial arrangement is separate from the rights granted by any applicable software licence.
If you change hosting providers or hand your website to another developer, check that you have the necessary access and licences for the components you need to keep using.
Can you use or modify WordPress for your business?
Yes. The GPL permits WordPress software to be used for commercial purposes.
You can build a business website, run an online shop, develop custom functionality or provide services using WordPress.
You can also examine and modify the WordPress code, subject to the GPL’s conditions.
You do not need to own WordPress’s trademarks to do these things.
The distinction becomes especially important when you distribute software or use WordPress branding.
If you distribute modified WordPress code or software that is legally a derivative of it, you need to comply with the relevant GPL requirements.
If you want to use the WordPress name or logo in the branding of a product, company or service, you need to consider the separate trademark policy.
For most website owners, this means you can build and run your site using WordPress without having to negotiate ownership of the software. You still need to manage your domain, hosting, content rights and any additional software licences appropriately.
So, who actually owns WordPress?
There is no single owner of everything called WordPress.
Contributors retain copyright in their contributions to the open-source software, which is released under the GPL. The WordPress Foundation owns the WordPress trademarks, and Automattic owns and operates the WordPress.com hosting service.
The software is developed through a project led by its leadership team and supported by contributors across the community.
For website owners, the practical takeaway is that you can use and adapt WordPress under its open-source licence without owning the software or its trademark. Your website content, domain, hosting and third-party tools each involve separate rights and responsibilities.
Understanding those distinctions gives you a clearer picture of what belongs to whom and what you are free to do with your WordPress website.
