Jetpack

Yes, Jetpack works exclusively with self-hosted WordPress.org sites. You need a free WordPress.com account to connect Jetpack to your site—this creates a secure API link between your site and WordPress.com servers where processing happens. You cannot use Jetpack on WordPress.com hosted blogs (they have different security architecture). Self-hosted WordPress.org sites are exactly what Jetpack was designed to protect.

No, Jetpack's core plugin code is lightweight and doesn't significantly impact performance. Heavy tasks like malware scanning and backup processing happen on WordPress.com's servers, not your hosting, so your site stays fast. The free CDN for images actually improves performance by serving images from WordPress.com's global network. Some modules can be disabled if you want maximum performance, but generally Jetpack users report equal or improved site speed.

Akismet is Jetpack's bundled anti-spam filter protecting your comment sections and form submissions. It uses machine learning trained on billions of spam submissions to identify and block spam automatically. Legitimate comments/form responses reach your moderation queue while obvious spam is filtered. Akismet reduces manual moderation burden by 99%, saving hours of admin time. It's included with Jetpack Security and Complete plans.

Jetpack's WAF sits between visitors and your site, automatically blocking malicious traffic patterns and known exploits before reaching your server. It identifies and blocks common attack vectors like SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and brute force attempts. The WAF learns from your site's normal traffic patterns, reducing false positives. Protection happens transparently—legitimate visitors never notice while bad actors are blocked instantly.

Your site remains functional but loses paid features. Active backups and scans stop. You retain your 10GB of backed-up data for 90 days (downloadable during this period). Your site stays online—Jetpack doesn't delete your site when you cancel, only the premium protection features become unavailable. You can reactivate anytime. Jetpack offers a 14-day money-back guarantee on annual plans and 7-day guarantee on monthly plans if unsatisfied.