WP Fusion Lite Removed from WordPress.com After Trademark Dispute

In a recent trademark dispute, Automattic has removed WP Fusion Lite from WordPress.com following a cease-and-desist letter issued by Jack Arturo, founder of Very Good Plugins LLC and creator of WP Fusion, a tool that connects WordPress sites to CRM and marketing automation platforms. The letter, sent on October 12, claimed unauthorized use of the WP Fusion trademark and demanded the plugin’s removal from WordPress.com, citing trademark infringement concerns and potential customer confusion.

At the heart of the conflict was WP Fusion’s trademark, registered in 2020, and concerns about how it was represented in the WordPress.com directory. Arturo emphasized that the presence of WP Fusion Lite in WordPress.com’s listings could create confusion, leading some users to believe it was affiliated with Automattic or WordPress.com. Arturo’s letter argued that these listings could mislead customers who had already purchased the Pro version of WP Fusion only to encounter the plugin on WordPress.com as part of its premium hosting options.

The letter demanded that Automattic immediately remove WP Fusion Lite from WordPress.com and refrain from using any trademarks similar to WP Fusion. Arturo warned that failure to comply would result in “all available legal remedies, including injunctive relief, damages, and attorney’s fees.”

Automattic responded on October 18, agreeing to remove WP Fusion Lite from WordPress.com, effectively disabling its availability and visibility to users on the platform. However, Automattic refuted the claim of trademark infringement, asserting that their use of the WP Fusion name qualified as nominative fair use, meaning it was used solely to identify the plugin without suggesting ownership or endorsement.

Despite Automattic’s disagreement with the infringement claim, the company expressed a desire to resolve the matter quickly and professionally, choosing to remove the plugin rather than pursue further legal discussion. Automattic noted that their approach to listing WordPress.org plugins on WordPress.com provided benefits to plugin authors by expanding exposure to WordPress.com’s 248 million registered users.

The WP Fusion case sheds light on broader concerns within the WordPress developer community about the distinction—or perceived lack thereof—between WordPress.org and WordPress.com. Developers have expressed concerns that WordPress.com’s private directory, which displays plugins hosted on WordPress.org, could confuse users and lead them to sign up for premium services on WordPress.com without understanding the relationship between the two platforms.

Moreover, there’s unease about WordPress.com plugin listings outperforming their WordPress.org counterparts in search engine rankings, potentially funneling users to WordPress.com. This has reportedly affected plugin developers whose users expect to access the free plugin without creating a WordPress.com account or paying for premium hosting. Arturo echoed these concerns, noting that WordPress.com’s listings led to confusion among his own Pro plugin customers.

Automattic’s compliance with the cease-and-desist letter has raised questions about how other plugin authors might respond to similar issues. Arturo noted that he has no objections to other platforms mirroring his plugins, with WordPress.com being a rare exception. He clarified that WP Fusion Pro does not require the free version to function and delivers updates to Pro users independently via Very Good Plugins’ servers.

While this dispute has now been resolved, it has sparked discussions about the influence and autonomy WordPress.com has in the WordPress ecosystem, especially regarding plugin visibility and developer control. The outcome of this case may encourage other plugin authors to evaluate their listings and seek similar actions if they feel their products’ branding and distribution are compromised. For now, WP Fusion Lite’s removal signals a potential shift in how plugin authors approach the complexities of platform representation, customer experience, and intellectual property on WordPress.com.