Many new interesting projects from WordPress folks this week, like Show FM podcasting platform, WPAcquire Marketplace, and Handoverdesk tool. Also, new plugin launches like krom Automation, InkPlayer, MotionKit, and more. Plus, the latest on Matt vs Automattic and WordPress core updates: 7.1.1 & 7.2 releases.
The WP Awards 2026 – Nominations phase is closed now, watch out for the voting phase – soon! Supported by WPManageNinja (Enter Fluent ecosystem that powers up over 1 million websites), & Infinite Uploads (Faster Sites, Lower Costs, and WordPress Media That Runs Itself). Also, by Crocoblock, WinRocket, and WPO365.
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What’s Buzzing in WordPress 💖
- Show FM + Podcasting Platform… two familiar names of the WordPress ecosystem, Nathan Wrigley and Dan Maby, are preparing to launch Show .fm platform for podcasting. Currently, they are looking for 100 founding members and the website has enough information to preview this service – promising to make podcasting workflow easy.
- WPAcquire + Marketplace… Çağdaş Dağ shared (Links X) about launching the WPAcquire platform to ‘Buy and sell WordPress businesses’. You can currently list your WordPress plugins for sale for free. Paid members can browse listings of items for sale and contact buyers directly – to begin the acquisition process.
- WP Shipyard + Themes… Austin Ginder shared (Links X) about launching WP Shipyard, which allows the website administrator to browse the website in a different installed theme while visitors, and everyone else who is logged in, keep seeing the live one. It should be handy for previewing a new theme without having to create full sandbox of the live website.
- Handoverdesk + Client Reports… ideal for WordPress care-plan freelancers, Handoverdesk turns copied WordPress Site Health Info into a client-ready handover or work-completion report. Paste an earlier export too, and it compares detectable WordPress, PHP, theme, and plugin changes. It requires no plugin installation, account, or website connection.
- Katapic + WooCommerce… Guido Di Pace shared about Katapic for WooCommerce store owners. It helps ecommerce teams work with product data, generate and improve product content with AI, and create PDF catalogs, with workflows relevant to WooCommerce merchants and agencies. Recent updates include a faster PDF Builder, additional AI models, and safeguards designed to reduce unsupported information in generated product content.
New WP Plugins: Krom, InkPlayer, & MotionKit
krom + Automation… the team at wpRigel has launched krom Automation, a visual workflow automation plugin for WordPress. You can connect any site event to any action on a drag-and-drop canvas, no code required. For example: New order sends a confirmation, updates a CRM, and alerts the team on Slack. It features 96+ triggers, 81+ actions, and 25 Pro integrations including WooCommerce, FluentCRM, ActiveCampaign, LearnDash, MemberPress, Gravity Forms, and more.
New InkPlayer + Video Embeds… Sumon Sarker shared about the newly launched InkPlayer, a new video and audio player for WordPress. It has features like: playlists, chapters, captions, and multi-language audio, email-capture overlays, VAST ads, and content gating by login, password or WooCommerce purchase. To use, paste a YouTube or Vimeo playlist URL, and it imports videos into library.
MotionKit + GSAP Animation… brought to notice is the MotionKit service which brings visual GSAP animation to WordPress websites. This makes it easy to create, preview, and publish advanced animations across popular page builders without writing code – featuring over 1000+ presets.
More Plugins: FunnelKode, Visual Edit, CataLord
FunnelKode + FluentCart Funnels… Esrat Sultana Popy shared newly released FunnelKode Funnel Builder Lite plugin in the repository. It adds a complete funnel-building layer on top of FluentCart so you can create structured, conversion-focused sales funnels entirely inside WordPress – without replacing or modifying how FluentCart handles products, pricing, checkout, or payments.
Visual Edit Lite… Filip Dvoran shared the Visual Edit Lite (GitHub), a free GPL plugin that adds click-to-edit visual editing to WordPress block themes. On a block theme it works inside the native Gutenberg editor and adds a floating inspector, responsive controls, and section tools. It is also the editing layer for sites converted from static HTML (Lovable, Bolt, v0 or hand-written pages): the client clicks and edits, and the markup stays 1:1 with the design.
CataLord Woo Catalog… Sam Amitsur has released the CataLord plugin, a WooCommerce catalog manager designed to remove the busywork from product management. It brings product editing, uncapped bulk workflows, and variant building into a faster, cleaner interface. The free plugin includes the single-product editor, full Variant Builder, extended Quick Edit, uncapped bulk edit and actions, uncapped CSV export, upsell and cross-sell editing, category/tag/brand management, and AI product descriptions.
Free Plugins: Analytics, Malware, & Multisite
DevDome for Analytics & Malware… the team at DevDome brought to attention two of their free WordPress plugins. DevDome Malware Scanner checks core files against WordPress Org checksums and scans plugins, themes, and uploads for backdoors and webshells, with nothing locked behind a paid plan. DevDome Analytics is a free cookieless analytics for WordPress that needs no consent banner and shows real human visitors separately from bots and AI crawlers.
Beardo Multisite User Export… BeardoTools has released their third free plugin to support those using WordPress multi-site. Beardo Multisite User Export allows you to export all users from the network, or filter by site and user roles all from one screen in your network admin. You can even determine which profile info to export in either CSV or XLS format.
Extended WordPress Buzz 🔥
- Matt vs Automattic… TechCrunch is reporting that Automattic’s board is out after a failed attempt to oust CEO Matt Mullenweg. Rae Morey over at The Repository covered more, “Matt Mullenweg Returns as Automattic CEO With ‘Full Support of the Board’ – But Who’s On It Remains Unclear”.
- Managed .com + Platform… Jamie Opalchuk shared (LinkedIn) about all new Managed .com platform for brands such as HostPapa, ColoCrossing, Hostopia, CloudBlue, and LogoMaker. Jamie added, “Managed .com is the platform for the brands that businesses run on in the AI era. For our customers and partners, nothing changes today: it’s the same brands and the same commitment, on a platform designed to serve each market on its own terms”.
- Gutenberg Visual Revisions… 24.0v update now has Visual revisions cover the post title. Also, a more adaptable Gallery block, with the ability to replace the default non-editable flex layout with a fully customizable grid. Plus, the Site Title block now supports fit-text, and nearly 100 icons have been redrawn from a mix of filled and outlined shapes, consistently stroke-based visual language.
- US & Canada Events in 2027… Karen Alma Arnold shared about the state of the WordPress community in the United States and Canada. “There has not been a WordCamp in the US this year outside the flagship. A few got started and were postponed, for reasons that are all understandable: a venue fell through, ticket sales were not there yet, an organizing team got stretched. There is appetite, though”.
- Indentifying WPCC Participants… Jonathan Desrosiers shared on the proposal of Indentifying Participants of The WordPress Campus Connect (WPCC) and WordPress Credits Programs through WordPress Org Profiles. It could be indicating participation on the profile and display individual mentors.
- WP Milestones… Yoast SEO has passed a huge one billion lifetime downloads milestone in the WordPress Plugin Directory. Syed Balkhi shared (Links X) about the WPVibe AI crossing the 30,000 installs in just one week after crossing the 20,000 mark, the last week.
- Photos Milestone… Uttkrista Chhetri shared (LinkedIn) about the WordPress Photos Directory crossing the 44,000 photos milestone, images are free, CC0-licensed, and submitted by real photographers around the world who just want to give back to the open web.
Core WordPress Updates & Buzz
WordPress 7.1.1 Maintenance and Security Release is now available. It is recommended to update your websites immediately, as this release features 17 bug fixes on Core, 19 bug fixes for the Block Editor, and 11 security fixes.
- Check the comprehensive, Roadmap to WordPress 7.2 release.
- Call for testing: Purple, 1st official WooCommerce block theme.
- Also, the call for testing the DataForm editor inspector feature.
- Chris Zarate on moving to a server-aware approach for collaboration.
- Maintenance of WP GitHub repo transferred to WP systems team.
- Explore WordPress Playground Terminal with new Dev Tools Dock.
New Updates: FluentAuth, WPForms, & PowerPack
FluentAuth + Big Update… 3.0v promises to be a major update to both the plugin’s security features and the way you manage them. Along with a fully redesigned admin panel and new website – it introduces passkeys, authenticator-app verification, a security checklist, expanded file monitoring, and recovery tools.
WPForms + New Dashboard… WPForms has introduced an all new Dashboard to see all your form activity in one screen. This new home inside WPForms is built around the information and actions that matter most to you. This feature is available in all plans, including WPForms Lite.
PowerPack + More Accessible… PowerPack Addons for Elementor just got more accessible with the recent update, which adds accessibility support across all PowerPack widgets. Visitors can use a range of accessibility options to adjust their browsing experience like Voice Commands, Text Modifications, Color Adjustments, Content Scaling, and better Keyboard Navigation.
Updates: Infinite Uploads, Thrive Leads, & VideoPress
Infinite Uploads + Working Files… 3.3.4v now recognizes plugin working files like logs, caches, import files, template files – leaves them on your server. However, your photos, videos, PDFs still go to the cloud and still get served from the CDN.
Thrive Leads + Rebuilt… the team at Thrive Themes has rebuilt Thrive Leads from the ground up, promising to get your opt-in forms live faster. It brings a new dashboard, new navigation, new design system, and guided flows.
VideoPress + Modernized… Devin Walker shared on the efforts being done to modernize all things VideoPress. The redesigned player of VideoPress from Jetpack, features the seek bar, which now sits above the control buttons, updated controls, new animations, and nicer settings and sharing menus.
Updates: Universally, WPSubscription, & Toolset
Universally + Automatic Redirects… 1.0.9v introduces Automatic Language Redirects feature, which enables website visitors to automatically land on your website in the language that matches their browser. If a visitor switches to another language, or back to the website’s original language, Universally remembers that choice for 30 days.
WPSubscription + Plans & Retention Offers… 2.0v introduces reusable subscription plans with multi-duration options and savings badges directly on single product pages. Also, an interactive storefront buy box, automated cancellation flow with “before you go” retention discounts, exit surveys, direct-to-checkout URLs, and an all-new overview dashboard tracking upcoming renewals and MRR.
Toolset Suite + Many Updates… Ned Andonov shared about releasing updates for entire Toolset suite: the largest coordinated release since the Full Site Editing overhaul, shipping together with WPML 5.0. Also, added WPML 5.0 compatibility across every plugin, full support for the WordPress 7.1 block editor, Font Awesome 6, and the privacy-first rework of address autocomplete in Toolset Maps.
Quick Bits 👍
- Prepathon 2026 by Cloudways, featuring amazing speakers!
- 20i Hosting is celebrating 10 years milestone & innovation.
- MailerPress gets a brand new design, identity, & evolution.
- Elliot Sowersby shared (LinkedIn) the new look RelyWP site.
- Let’s Learn
- How to transfer Claude Design to WordPress, Beaver Builder AI.
- Find WordPress Problems with ChatGPT + WPVibe, by Imran Siddiq.
- People of WordPress
- Courtney on joining Pantheon, ‘ good docs, good company’.
- Erick Wambua & Huzaifa Al Mesbah are new Test Team Reps.
AI Things: Novamira, Patchstack, WPCharitable, Builderius
Novamira + Elementor Addons… 1.10.0v of Novamira has added specializations for eleven Elementor add-ons. These include: Dynamic Content for Elementor, JetElements, Ultimate Addons for Elementor, Happy Addons, Unlimited Elements for Elementor, Qi Addons for Elementor, Element Pack, HT Mega, PowerPack for Elementor, Piotnet Addons for Elementor, and Xpro Elementor Addons.
Patchstack + AI-Built Apps… Patchstack security services now go beyond WordPress and promise to protect your AI-Built Apps. It has open early access to Patchstack for Lovable, Replit, Base44, Claude Code, and other JS applications. It is free during the early access period, after which standard pricing applies.
WPCharitable + AI Assistant… WPCharitable has added Abilities API support which enables non-profits to manage donations, build campaigns, and more with ChatGPT, Claude, and more. Type one sentence into ChatGPT or Claude, and a real campaign appears inside Charitable’s own drag-and-drop builder.
Builderius + Sense AI… beta release of Builderius and Builderius Pro, with Sense AI rebuilt to enable you to use the AI Client you already have. This release also contains the largest set of bug fixes, including a fatal error that could take down WordPress admin.
More AI: Share with My Agent, Ayzeo GEO, & Elementor
Share with My Agent + WordPress… Share with My Agent is available for WordPress and WooCommerce users to help shoppers’ AI assistants understand products and their value to the shopper. It combines llms.txt, product JSON, an AI sitemap, Normal UI / Agents / Crawlers views, and a sharing widget. Assistants can inspect product details, price, availability, and purchase links; recommendations remain the assistant’s decision.
Ayzeo GEO + Runs Locally… 1.2.0v update makes an AI-readiness Site Audit to run locally, where no AI service or no account is needed. Also, one-toggle IndexNow submission to Bing, which is the index ChatGPT search runs on, a robots.txt policy for 18 AI crawlers, and llms.txt.
Elementor + MCP Beta… now open for Beta, Elementor MCP allows you to connect Elementor sites to Claude, Codex, Cursor, or others, so they can build pages, edit elements, and work with your design system as real, editable Elementor structure.
WordPress Security Statistics: Melapress Survey Results
The team at Melapress has published data revealing key WordPress security stats for 2026. “Security concern remains very high, averaging 7.85/10 on average. Incidents are common, with 67.7% of respondents reporting experiencing at least one security incident, and 45.5% having experienced two or more”.
“Only 27.9% reported having a breach recovery plan, while just 26.0% reported team security training. Website downtime was the most common impact of a security incident, affecting 68.4% of respondents who answered the impact question”.
Melapress builds professional-grade WordPress security & management plugins: WP Activity Log, Melapress Login Security, Melapress Role Editor, & WP 2FA.
FluentCart combines performance, flexibility, and control in one powerful WordPress eCommerce plugin. Easily sell physical or digital products, hybrid product listings, subscriptions, memberships, and more.
Universally allows you to easily translate your WordPress site into any language within minutes, so you can benefit from multilingual SEO & grow your traffic. It seamlessly integrates with popular SEO plugins, WooCommerce, and more.
WP Engine Newsroom: Designed specifically for media organizations publishing at scale, learn how WP Engine Newsroom simplifies publishing with fewer tools, connected workflows, and performance insights.
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