WordPress Jetpack: What Is It and Is It Worth Installing?
We explain the modules, features, and pricing
Some of the many benefits of the self-hosted WordPress.org is its out-of-the-box features and its flexibility via plugins and themes.
Many chooseWordPress.org over WordPress.comfor increased access and control over a website. However, WordPress.com does come with some valuable featuresthat require a pluginto be used on WordPress.org. One of those is the WordPress Jetpack plugin.
What Is The WordPress Jetpack Plugin?
Jetpackis a suite of productivity, security, and optimization tools, developed by Automattic and used on all WordPress.com sites.
There is also a Jetpack plugin version for WordPress.org users who want the same features on a self-hosted website. Jetpack connects you to a WordPress.com account and gives you access to features you didn’t previously have.
Jetpack comes pre-installed with WordPress from many hosting companies. Users must first sign up for a WordPress.com account to gain access to all Jetpack features. Then activate the plugin on the self-hosted WordPress.org installation.
Is The WordPress Jetpack Plugin Free?
There are four pricing tiers for Jetpack. The lowest level is free and includes the core features of the Jetpack plugin.
Upgraded versionsprovide additional security and performance functions such as automated backups and spam filtering. They are:
There are three ways to install the free version of the WordPress Jetpack plugin.
Jetpack’s modules vary in functionality from important features such as backups and site stats to minor features such as Gravatar hovercards and post likes.
Jetpack Modules & Features
Jetpack includes a wide variety of modules to add various features to your site. Although all of them are activated by default, you can change the settings by navigating toJetpack>Settingsin your WordPress dashboard.
From there you can deactivate modules you don’t want to use or keep the default settings as is.
The free WordPress Jetpack plugin features include:
Free Jetpack users also get standard email support.
There are dozens of modules available from Jetpack. Some are free, and some require an upgrade for access. Below are the most popular and useful:
Security is the most critical feature of Jetpack.
WordPress.org offers many plugins to accomplish some of the above functions. However, Jetpack offers them all in one place.
Advantages Of Using Jetpack
Jetpack’s secret weapon is its ability to use fast and secure hosting from WordPress.com. It offloads the heavy work from your server to theirs. This results in reducing the number of tasks your site performs on your server and improves your website’s performance.
Because Jetpack’s core functionality is free, there is no need to spend a lot of money on other premium plugins. The WordPress Jetpack plugin is maintained and frequently updated. More features are continually being added to the plugin.
It is an excellent way to add more features and functionality to a standard WordPress experience quickly and easily using a single plugin without having to worry about coding.
Disadvantages Of The WordPress Jetpack Plugin
The massive number of different categories and modules offered with Jetpack can slow down your site. Do not enable all of them if you want your website running quickly.
There are many submenus and toggle switches. It could be cumbersome to find the modules you want to enable or disable. Professionals don’t all agree on whether Jetpack slows sites down or not. Some users find that it does slow down their site significantly.
The best solution is to enable only the features you need and disable those you don’t. Jetpack is a massive plugin, and it’s highly unlikely that you will need to use every feature. Keep in mind that the WordPress Jetpack plugin connects your website to your WordPress.com account. This is helpful in one respect as some of your content is pushed to the servers on WordPress.com.
On the other hand, some users believe there are security risks involved when connecting your account. If you have privacy concerns, Jetpack might not be your best solution.
Should You Install Jetpack On Your Website?
The answer is it depends. Do you need the functionality provided by Jetpack’s modules? How many will you use?
If you will only use a few of the modules, it makes more sense to use other plugins that serve the same purpose. This will avoid the extra bloat that comes with Jetpack.
The WordPress Jetpack plugin is an excellent all-in-one solution. Use it to speed up your site, enhance security, and add ways to connect with customers.
David has a background in small business and lives in Australia. He is a WordPress and Ubuntu Developer who enjoys design, CSS and tech tool integration.Read David’s Full Bio
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