This difference is seen as a mismatch, as both companies have comparable size and profits, but the return for the open source project is very unequal.
Additionally, Mullenweg criticized WP Engine’s practice of disabling WordPress’ content revisions feature on its hosting plans. In WordPress, every change made to a page or post is recorded, allowing users to revert changes if they make a mistake.
WP Engine, however, disables this default functionality to reduce storage costs, which Mullenweg said compromises the integrity of users’ content. This practice was called a violation of WordPress’s core commitment to its users: to protect the content they create and publish.
Another point raised by Mullenweg is the role of WP Engine’s investors, especially Silver Lake, a private equity firm with over $100 billion in assets under management . For Mullenweg, the presence of large bc data investors focused exclusively on financial returns is one of the factors that undermines WP Engine’s contribution to WordPress.
After receiving a large investment from Silver Lake in 2018, worth 250 million dollars , WP Engine's strategy became even more profit-oriented, leaving aside the philosophy of open source and community contribution that underpins WordPress.
Mullenweg believes that by prioritizing profits over quality and contributions to the WordPress project, WP Engine is “hollowing out” the community and undermining the future of the platform.
In his statement, Mullenweg urged WordPress users to reconsider their choices of hosting providers, suggesting they opt for companies that are more aligned with the values of the open source community, such as Bluehost, Pressable, and Hostinger, which contribute more significantly to the WordPress project.
These providers offer full WordPress functionality, including the ability to perform unlimited content revisions. They are also committed to the security and performance of the sites they host, without compromising the features that make WordPress such an attractive platform for businesses of all sizes.