Connection to WordPress.com

Jetpack installs like any other WordPress plugin, and some hosting providers auto-install it alongside WordPress. Once installed, users are prompted to connect the plugin to WordPress.com, and anyone without an existing WordPress.com account is asked to create one during the connection process. Sites already hosted by WordPress.com have Jetpack and its features built in, so no separate installation is needed. Jetpack states that the heavy lifting runs on its cloud rather than on the user's own server.

  • Installs like a standard WordPress plugin
  • Connection to WordPress.com required after install
  • WordPress.com account created during connection if needed
  • Already included on WordPress.com-hosted sites

Sources: What is Jetpack for WordPress? What Does it Do? Is it Free?, Jetpack — Essential Security & Performance for WordPress

Feature parity between WordPress.org and WordPress.com

Jetpack was launched by Automattic to bring features from the hosted WordPress.com platform to self-hosted WordPress.org sites, described at launch as providing feature parity between the two. The stated aim is that site owners keep full control of their own hosting and code under the GPL while still using the cloud services of the hosted platform. The first release bundled eight of the most-requested WordPress.com features, including Hovercards, Stats, After the Deadline, a Twitter widget, shortcodes, shortlinks and sharing buttons. The Jetpack team has described its mission as continually bringing features currently only available on WordPress.com to the wider WordPress community.

  • Launched by Automattic
  • Bluehost, DreamHost, Go Daddy, HostGator, Media Temple and Network Solutions as launch partners
  • Eight WordPress.com features in the first bundle

Sources: Jetpack to the WP.com Cloud, Jetpack milestone reached: 100k downloads

Cloud-handled features

Several Jetpack features rely on WordPress.com infrastructure rather than the user's server. Email subscriptions, introduced in Jetpack 1.2, use WordPress.com servers to send and manage notification emails for new posts and for new comments on posts a reader has commented on. The Site Accelerator module (formerly Photon) caches and serves images uploaded to the site, with filters available to exclude individual images or whole pages. Jetpack Comments lets visitors identify themselves with an existing WordPress.com, Twitter or Facebook account instead of creating a new profile.

  • Email subscriptions delivered via WordPress.com servers
  • Subscriptions widget for the sidebar
  • Site Accelerator image caching and resizing
  • Comment sign-in via WordPress.com, Twitter or Facebook
  • Contact forms with Akismet anti-spam protection

Sources: How to use Email Subscriptions in Jetpack 1.2, Skip an Image with Site Accelerator (Formerly Photon), Jetpack Comments Now Available at a Launchpad Near You, Jetpack 1.3 Released: Contact Forms

Free and paid access

Jetpack has many free features and a free forever plan that requires no credit card. Advanced features such as backups, malware scanning and site search are part of the paid plans. Paid Jetpack Security tools add brute force attack protection, downtime monitoring, activity logging and secure authentication.

  • Free forever plan, no credit card required
  • Backups, malware scanning and site search on paid plans
  • Jetpack Security adds brute force protection and activity logging

Sources: What is Jetpack for WordPress? What Does it Do? Is it Free?, Jetpack — Essential Security & Performance for WordPress

Product Jetpack Akismet Anti-spam Jetpack plugin that stops comment and form spam.
Other Jetpack Boost Jetpack plugin that improves WordPress site speed and SEO.
Product Jetpack CRM Jetpack customer relationship management plugin built for entrepreneurs and small businesses.
Product Jetpack Protect Jetpack plugin that helps sites stay one step ahead of security threats.
Product Jetpack Search Jetpack plugin that helps site visitors find what they need.
Other Jetpack Social Jetpack plugin to write once and post everywhere across social networks.
Product Jetpack VaultPress Backup Jetpack plugin providing real-time backups and one-click restores for WordPress sites.
Product Jetpack VideoPress Jetpack plugin offering high-quality, ad-free video hosting for WordPress.
Product Contact Forms Jetpack feature added in version 1.3 for building contact forms in WordPress posts and pages.
Product Email Subscriptions Jetpack 1.2 feature letting blog readers subscribe by email to new posts and comments.
Software Jetpack app Free mobile app that lets users manage their WordPress site from iOS or Android.
Product Jetpack Comments Opt-in Jetpack comment form letting visitors comment using existing social networking accounts.
Product Jetpack Scan Jetpack security feature that finds and fixes security threats with a single click.
Other Jetpack Stats Jetpack feature for understanding your site's audience.
Technology Site Accelerator (Formerly Photon) Jetpack module that automatically caches and serves site images, resizing them on the fly.
Location San Francisco
Product Complete Every premium Jetpack tool for a faster, safer, smarter WordPress site.
Product Growth Understand what works and turn every post into more reach.
Topic Resources Jetpack's blog and resource hub covering WordPress security, performance, and growth.
Product Security Back up, protect, and recover your site automatically.
Company Automattic Company founded by Matt Mullenweg whose vision for WordPress led to Jetpack.
Service WordPress.com Hosted WordPress platform whose cloud features Jetpack brings to self-hosted WordPress sites.
jetpack wordpress plugin what is jetpack for wordpress wordpress security performance and growth tools is jetpack free jetpack ai content tools how to install jetpack plugin

Sources

  1. Jetpack — Essential Security & Performance for WordPress https://jetpack.com/ Verified 19 Sep 2026
  2. What is Jetpack for WordPress? What Does it Do? Is it Free? https://jetpack.com/about/ Verified 19 Sep 2026
  3. Resources – Jetpack https://jetpack.com/resources/ Verified 19 Sep 2026
  4. Skip an Image with Site Accelerator (Formerly Photon) https://jetpack.com/resources/skip-a-image-with-photon/ Verified 19 Sep 2026
  5. How to add a custom Open Graph image tag to your home page https://jetpack.com/resources/add-a-default-image-open-graph-tag-on-home-page/ Verified 19 Sep 2026
  6. How to use Photon to serve custom cropped Post thumbnails https://jetpack.com/resources/use-photon-to-serve-post-thumbnails-with-custom/ Verified 19 Sep 2026
  7. How to change the size of the thumbnails in the Top Posts widget https://jetpack.com/resources/custom-thumbnails-top-posts-widget/ Verified 19 Sep 2026
  8. Jetpack to the WP.com Cloud https://jetpack.com/resources/blast-off/ Verified 19 Sep 2026
  9. Jetpack milestone reached: 100k downloads https://jetpack.com/resources/jetpack-milestone-reached-100k-downloads/ Verified 19 Sep 2026
  10. How to use Email Subscriptions in Jetpack 1.2 https://jetpack.com/resources/how-to-use-email-subscriptions-in-jetpack-1-2/ Verified 19 Sep 2026
  11. Jetpack 1.3 Released: Contact Forms https://jetpack.com/resources/jetpack-1-3-released-contact-forms/ Verified 19 Sep 2026
  12. Jetpack Comments Now Available at a Launchpad Near You https://jetpack.com/resources/jetpack-comments-now-available/ Verified 19 Sep 2026

Last verified 19 Sep 2026. This entry is compiled from the public web pages listed above. Nothing here is stated that those pages do not, and each of them was read on the date shown.