Jetpack Plugin Review: WordPress.com Features on Your Own Site (2026)

Did you know you can bring the best WordPress.com features to a self-hosted WordPress site with a single plugin? The Jetpack plugin from Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, adds stats, related posts, sharing buttons, forms, email subscriptions, downtime alerts and brute force protection to any WordPress.org install. We first tried it in 2012. Here’s what Jetpack offers in 2026, what’s free, and whether it’s worth installing.

Quick answer: Jetpack is a free all-in-one WordPress plugin from Automattic that adds WordPress.com features to self-hosted sites: site stats, related posts, sharing buttons, contact forms, email subscriptions, an image CDN, downtime monitoring and brute force protection. Backups, malware scanning, advanced search and some newsletter and social tools are paid add-ons. Turn on only the modules you need.

Why we tried the Jetpack plugin

At first I was wary. Jetpack bundled many features into one large plugin, and I worried about server load and site speed. But I had used the separate WordPress.com Stats plugin for years, and a banner in my dashboard kept nagging me to upgrade, because new versions of Stats were only available inside Jetpack. So I installed it, and was surprised by how many useful features came with it.

Back then, it was also tricky to switch modules off: they were all on by default, and I had to click “Learn more” before a “Deactivate” button appeared. Today the Jetpack dashboard has simple toggles for each feature.

Jetpack plugin features in 2026

Free features

• Site stats: a simple dashboard of views, top posts, referrers and search terms. This was the feature that got me to install Jetpack.
• Related posts: shows related articles under each post to keep readers browsing.
• Sharing buttons and likes: social sharing buttons below your posts (the old ShareDaddy plugin lives on here).
• Forms: add a contact or feedback form with a block, a good replacement for a separate contact form plugin.
• Subscriptions: readers can subscribe to new posts by email; this replaced my old Subscribe to Comments plugin.
• Image CDN: serves your images from Jetpack’s servers for faster loading.
• Downtime monitoring: emails you when your site goes down and when it’s back.
• Brute force protection: blocks repeated login attempts from known bad IPs.
• Extras: WP.me shortlinks, tiled galleries, sitemaps, infinite scroll, Markdown and LaTeX math in posts.

Paid add-ons

• VaultPress Backup: real-time backups with one-click restores. We used VaultPress for years; read our VaultPress backup review.
• Scan: malware scanning and a web application firewall.
• Boost, Search, VideoPress, Social and Newsletter tools: speed optimization, better site search, video hosting, auto-sharing to social networks and paid newsletters.

Jetpack says its core features are free for non-commercial sites and asks sites that make money to choose a paid plan. Check Jetpack.com for current plans.

Features that are gone

A few modules from the 2012 version have been retired or changed. The Spelling and Grammar checker, powered by After the Deadline, was removed from Jetpack years ago; use a browser extension such as Grammarly or the spell check built into your browser instead. Gravatar Hovercards and the old sidebar widgets have largely been replaced by blocks.

How to install Jetpack

1. In your dashboard go to Plugins > Add New, search for Jetpack, then install and activate it.
2. Connect it to a free WordPress.com account (needed for stats and other cloud features).
3. Open Jetpack > Settings and turn off any modules you won’t use.

Is Jetpack worth it?

Jetpack is convenient if you want several WordPress.com features from one trusted developer, and the free tier covers what most bloggers need. If you care about every millisecond of speed, you may prefer lightweight single-purpose plugins instead; see our list of must-have WordPress plugins. For dedicated uptime checks, compare the website uptime monitoring tools we’ve used.

FAQ

Is the Jetpack plugin free?

Yes, the core plugin is free, including stats, related posts, sharing, forms and basic security. Backups, scanning and some advanced tools are paid.

Does Jetpack slow down WordPress?

It can add some load. Enable only the modules you use, and test your site speed before and after.

Do I need a WordPress.com account for Jetpack?

Yes. Jetpack connects your site to a free WordPress.com account to power cloud features like stats and downtime monitoring.

Who makes Jetpack?

Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, WooCommerce and Akismet.