WordCamp Europe 2026: You asked, we answered

This year, WordCamp Europe (WCEU) brought more than 2,000 attendees from 81 countries to Kraków, making it one of the most internationally diverse editions of the event so far.

For us, it was our third year as sponsors and probably the best one yet.

We spent three full days in conversations with agencies, freelancers, and WordPress professionals. Some were already clients, others discovered Modular DS for the first time. Beyond the booth, it was a chance to catch up with partners and collaborators we work with closely, gather feedback, learn from what others are building, and share perspectives on where WordPress is heading. No surprise that AI took over most of the casual conversations at the event.

Our 3D-printed Modular DS infinity cubes were back, and once again, a crowd favorite. This year, we even added a special edition that got an extra round of excitement.

Questions from the WCEU booth

One thing the team noticed is that the people stopping by our booth this year had more context than in previous editions. We spent less time explaining what a WordPress site management tool is and more time getting into the specifics of how Modular DS works and how it compares to other solutions.

There were many agencies and professionals actively looking for a tool or evaluating alternatives, which made the quality of conversations higher.

Part of that is maybe WordCamp Europe growing and maturing as an event. Or part of it is that what we do is better understood than it was one or two years ago.

Either way, these were the questions and topics that came up more frequently across the three days.

How does Modular DS actually work?

The short version is that Modular DS is a cloud-based SaaS platform. You manage everything from a central dashboard, and your WordPress sites connect to it through a lightweight plugin called Modular Connector. No self-hosting or complex server setup is required.

From that dashboard, you can bulk manage and automate updates, backups, uptime monitoring, security, client reports, and more across all your sites, without having to log in to each one individually.

How does Modular DS compare to other WordPress site management tools?

This was a common question from people currently using other established tools. A few things in those conversations that are worth highlighting:

• Smart update automation. Most maintenance tools let you schedule updates and let them run. Modular DS goes further and allows you to define conditional rules that determine not just how and when updates run, but under what circumstances. For example, you can configure quick or safe updates to trigger only for minor releases, only when the risk score from our Update Copilot is below a certain threshold, or immediately when a vulnerability is discovered, without waiting for the next scheduled window.
• Security built in. Modular DS includes features such as vulnerability detection, monthly malware scans, and administrator change alerts when suspicious activity happens in every plan, without needing separate plugins for each. Plus, it offers virtual patching and advanced hardening rule configuration through our Patch & Protect add-on (powered by Patchstack).
• Update history. Several people asked about this specifically. When a plugin update causes an issue, Modular DS logs it, even if the update was made directly in WordPress. You can see what was updated, when, and what changed, which makes troubleshooting significantly faster.
• Pre-maintenance reports. More on this below, but these came up in the context of differentiation too. It’s a feature that’s less common in other solutions and one that resonated a lot with agencies doing client maintenance work.
• Pricing model. Modular DS pricing is more cost-effective, particularly for professionals and agencies managing a larger number of WordPress sites. In addition, overages add more flexibility, rather than forcing you into a higher plan when you go one site over the limit. You can check the current plans on our pricing page.
• Active development and support. Our platform is updated regularly, with new features driven by user feedback. And when you need help, you get real (and friendly) people who understand WordPress maintenance.

For a more detailed comparison, you can check our Modular DS vs. ManageWP and Modular DS vs. MainWP pages, or browse our FAQs.

Where are backups stored? Is Modular DS GDPR-compliant?

By default, backups are stored on AWS servers located in the European Union, in compliance with GDPR.

Since version 3.0, when you sign up, Modular DS automatically detects your location and assigns a default data region accordingly, but this can be changed at any time from the organization settings. You can also configure individual backups to be stored in a specific region: USA, Europe, or Asia.

How do safe updates work in Modular DS?

Before running a safe update, Modular DS takes a file-level backup of the WordPress plugin or theme being updated, not the database, to avoid data loss on sites like e-commerce stores where orders could be affected.

It then captures a screenshot before and after the update and compares both to show you exactly what changed visually on the page. If something breaks, you can roll back immediately.

Does Modular DS offer migration support?

Yes, we do! We offer free migration support and help you set everything from day one: backups, monitoring settings, and everything else you need to get up and running.

If you’re evaluating a switch, that’s something worth knowing upfront. Just contact us through email or our support chat, and we’ll take care of everything.

What sparked most conversations

A few things stood out from the feedback across the team.

Pre-maintenance reports were one of the features that generated the most visible interest, especially among professionals doing client-facing maintenance work. The idea of generating a report that shows a potential client exactly what their site needs resonated immediately with anyone trying to sell or structure maintenance services.

A few agency founders we spoke with during Contributor Day said it best: the “scarier” the data in the report, the less a client hesitates. Being able to include specific security data, like vulnerabilities and critical errors, makes these reports one of the most effective tools for selling maintenance.

The smart updates and uptime monitoring also got strong reactions. Using the risk score from Update Copilot as a condition for safe automation stood out to many looking for more control over their update management. And some people who were used to other tools were also surprised by the level of detail our uptime monitor provides on response time and check logs.

Our overall impressions

As mentioned above, the overall nature of the feedback this year felt a bit different. The people who were familiar with our platform weren’t just asking for new features, but rather suggesting ways to improve specific parts or to consider edge cases we hadn’t thought of. That kind of input is exactly what helps us keep building in the right direction.

And something that came up more as a general impression: people valued that we’re actively working on Modular DS.

Several agencies that were looking for alternatives to their current setup mentioned that constant improvement was a factor in their decision-making. Being a small, focused team is a great advantage here, as we can move faster, respond to feedback, and iterate without the overhead of a larger organization.

If you want to see everything we’ve launched in the first half of the year, the full roundup is here: A look at everything we’ve shipped in six months.

Beyond the booth

Kraków was a great choice. We loved the city, the venue was spectacular, and the whole event organization was excellent. In many ways, this was one of the best WCEU editions we’ve attended as sponsors.

Our booth was on the second floor. The sponsor area being scattered across different floors meant foot traffic was slower to start, and many attendees didn’t realize there were sponsors on the upper floors. We heard the same from others near us. Things improved as the event went on, and for us, the quality of the conversations more than made up for it. If anything, our one suggestion for future events would be to give the full sponsor map more visibility across the venue, as that would help everyone.

That said, we’re fully aware it’s hard to make everyone happy, and we left Kraków with a great feeling overall.

A huge thank you to everyone who made WordCamp Europe 2026 possible. And to everyone who took the time to connect with us 💜

Can’t wait for Málaga next year!