> It adds new blocks for features that users cannot access without upgrading. The WordPress.org theme directory has struggled with a similar issue, which Justin Tadlock characterized as “crippleware,” where certain features are locked away behind upsells.

I don’t think this is a fair comparison of what I was saying about crippleware themes and this feature in Jetpack.

I have no problem whatsoever with upselling. I wouldn’t classify this particular Jetpack feature being behind a paywall as crippleware. Jetpack is a fully-featured plugin where the majority of its features are not locked.

The crippleware issue I was talking about in regards to the theme directory has more to do with themes being little more than bare-bones designs with literally every useful feature hidden behind the paywall.

There is a huge distinction between having a value-add in the form of a paid add-on/upgrade and simply making a basic enough product to get into the theme directory just to market your pro version.