Self-hosted vs hosted WordPress MCP
Royal MCP vs WordPress.com MCP
WordPress.com runs a hosted MCP server for its paid plans and for Jetpack-connected sites. Here’s how it compares with Royal MCP, which runs on your own WordPress site.
| Numbers that decide it | Royal MCP | WordPress.com MCP |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free plugin $0 · Pro from $79/yr (1 site) | Included with WordPress.com paid plans ($4–$45/mo billed yearly) |
| Where it runs | On your WordPress site | Automattic’s hosted server; every call passes through it |
| Self-hosted WordPress | Install the plugin on any host | Needs Jetpack AI or Jetpack Complete and a WordPress.com account |
| WooCommerce | 29 free tools, 11 bulk tools in Pro | No WooCommerce tools |
| Divi + Elementor editing | 43 dedicated tools | None |
| SEO plugins | Yoast, Rank Math, AIOSEO, SEOPress | WordPress.com’s built-in SEO settings only |
| Undo | Undo tokens kept up to 7 days (Pro) | None; some deletes are permanent |
| Sign-in | OAuth 2.1 or an API key | OAuth 2.1, listed in Claude’s connector directory |
Data pulled: October 2026
WordPress.com’s MCP is built for sites on WordPress.com. Royal MCP is built for self-hosted WordPress, with WooCommerce, page-builder and SEO plugin tools and undo for up to 7 days.
AT A GLANCE
The Differences That Matter
$0
vs Paid plan
Starting price
Direct
vs Hosted
Data path
40
vs 0
WooCommerce tools
43
vs 0
Divi + Elementor tools
7 days
vs Trash only
Undo
Any host
vs WP.com or Jetpack
Where it works
HONEST FIT-MAP
When to Pick Which
Both ship real capability. Here's how to know which one fits your sites.
Pick WordPress.com MCP if...
Your site lives on WordPress.com
- Your site is on a paid WordPress.com plan and you want nothing to install
- You want a one-click connector in Claude’s directory
- You want the AI to handle your WordPress.com account too: domains, DNS, plans, Jetpack backups and security scans
- You want every write to wait for an explicit confirmation
Pick Royal MCP Pro if...
You run self-hosted WordPress sites
- Your sites run on any host, with no WordPress.com account or Jetpack plan required
- Your data goes straight between your site and your AI client, with no hosted server in between
- You run WooCommerce stores and need the AI to manage products, coupons, variations and bulk price changes (40 tools)
- Your sites are built in Divi or Elementor, or use Yoast, Rank Math, AIOSEO or SEOPress
- Every destructive change returns an undo token that stays valid for up to 7 days, and every write lands in an always-on audit log
CONNECTION
Connection & Hosting
| Item | Royal MCP | WordPress.com MCP |
|---|---|---|
| Where the MCP server runs | On your WordPress site | Automattic’s hosted endpoint, also for Jetpack sites |
| Works on any host | WordPress.com sites, or self-hosted sites with Jetpack AI or Jetpack Complete | |
| OAuth 2.1 with PKCE and dynamic client registration | Or an API key | |
| AI clients | Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor and other MCP clients | Claude (connector directory), Claude Code, ChatGPT, Codex, Cursor, VS Code |
| Where your content travels | Only between your site and your AI client | Through Automattic’s servers; WordPress.com says it is not used for training |
Data pulled: October 2026
SITE COVERAGE
Content & Site Management
| Capability | Royal MCP | WordPress.com MCP |
|---|---|---|
| Posts, pages, media, comments, categories, tags | ||
| Block-level edits | Insert, move, replace and update blocks | Section edits on posts and pages |
| Templates, navigation and global styles | Read templates and global styles; edit menus, widgets and custom CSS | Edit templates, template parts, navigation and global styles |
| Plugin install, activate and update | Not offered | Depends on plan |
| Users | Read | Invite, change role, remove |
| Backups, security scans and uptime | Through SiteVault, GuardPress, Wordfence and UpdraftPlus tools | Jetpack Backup, Scan and Monitor |
| Domains, DNS and billing | Not applicable |
Data pulled: October 2026
STORE, BUILDERS & SEO
Store, Page Builders & SEO
| Capability | Royal MCP | WordPress.com MCP |
|---|---|---|
| WooCommerce | 29 free tools, 11 bulk tools in Pro | Only as generic post content |
| Divi editing | 15 tools | |
| Elementor editing | 28 tools | |
| SEO plugins (Yoast, Rank Math, AIOSEO, SEOPress) | Built-in WordPress.com SEO settings only | |
| Other plugins (forms, security, backups, caching) |
Data pulled: October 2026
SAFETY LAYER
Safety Layer
| Capability | Royal MCP | WordPress.com MCP |
|---|---|---|
| Confirmation before writes | Dry run on bulk price and find-and-replace | Every write and delete needs an explicit confirmation |
| Undo | Tokens kept 72–168 hours on every destructive Pro tool | None; posts, pages and comments go to trash for 30 days, media, terms and classic menus are deleted permanently |
| Audit log | Every write, always on, hash-chained (Pro) | Site activity log |
| Read-only access | One switch for every AI client | Read-only option at sign-in, plus per-tool switches |
| Per-connection tool scoping | Custom Endpoint Profiles | Account-level switches apply to every connected client |
| Keep AI changes as drafts | Drafts-only mode | Not documented |
Data pulled: October 2026
PRICING
Pricing & Project
| Item | Royal MCP | WordPress.com MCP |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free plugin $0; Pro $79/yr (1 site), $249/yr (5 sites), $999/yr (100 sites) | WordPress.com Personal $4, Premium $8, Business $25, Commerce $45 a month, billed yearly |
| Self-hosted sites | Same plugin, same price | Jetpack Complete $24.95/mo for the first year, then $49.95/mo (billed yearly), or Jetpack AI |
| Who builds it | Royal Plugins | Automattic |
Data pulled: October 2026
Running self-hosted WordPress sites?
Royal MCP runs on your own site with any host, with WooCommerce, Divi, Elementor and SEO plugin tools. Try Royal MCP Free from WordPress.org, or start Pro at $79/yr.