But for that to happen, the process needs to be quick and effortless.

Shoppers expect the same level of convenience big brands get so right, a cart that doesn’t interrupt their shopping and a checkout that feels effortless.

That’s exactly what the Modern Cart plugin for WooCommerce delivers. By keeping the cart and checkout experience right where shoppers are, it removes friction, shortens the path to purchase, and keeps customers engaged.

The result? Higher conversions, fewer abandoned carts and a smoother shopping journey from start to finish.

In this guide, we’ll walk through what Modern Cart offers and how to set it up so you can create a cart experience your customers will actually enjoy.

Where the WooCommerce Cart Setup Falls Short?

The default WooCommerce cart doesn’t work well for modern shoppers.

When you add items to the cart, you’re redirected to the cart page or the existing page is refreshed, interrupting the browsing experience.

This interruption kills the momentum you’ve worked so hard to build.

Think about your own shopping habits. You’re browsing, maybe comparing a few options, adding things that interest you.

Then suddenly you’re on a completely different page. The excitement is gone and the shopping flow is broken.

Many people just… leave.

And the numbers back this up. Cart abandonment rates hover around 70-75% for most WooCommerce stores.

Source

While some abandonment is inevitable (about 48% of users are just browsing), the traditional cart setup makes things worse by creating unnecessary friction.

Mobile users struggle even more with this setup. Extra page loads can feel sluggish and the default cart page rarely looks great on smaller screens.

With mobile abandonment hitting 85%, this is a serious revenue problem.

The traditional cart also misses opportunities for additional sales. You might have related products configured, but there’s no elegant way to present them when customers are actively thinking about purchasing.

That’s money left on the table.

What is the Modern Cart Plugin for WooCommerce?

Modern Cart, developed by the CartFlows team, completely reimagines how your customers interact with their shopping cart.

Instead of redirecting them to a separate page, it creates a slide-out interface that appears instantly when products are added, even without refreshing the page.

Customers stay exactly where they are, maintaining their shopping momentum while accessing full cart functionality.

Modern Cart Starter (Free Version) Overview

The free version, called Modern Cart Starter, gives you the essential slide-out cart functionality at no cost.

Customers get a clean, modern interface that slides in from the side, showing their items, quantities, and totals.

They can adjust quantities, remove items, and check out without ever leaving their current page.

The free version also provides some basic customization options for colors and positioning, plus the ability to show or hide elements like subtotals and the WooCommerce coupon field in the cart.

For stores that want to upgrade from the jarring default cart experience, the free version provides substantial improvement.

Modern Cart Pro Features and Benefits

The Pro version (starting at $69 annually for up to 10 sites) builds on that foundation with features designed to increase both conversion rates and average order values.

Product recommendations appear directly in the cart, suggesting relevant upsells or cross-sells based on what customers have already added.

This turns the cart from a simple checkout tool into an active sales engine.

The pro version also offers the WooCommerce free shipping progress bar, particularly effective for additional purchases.

When customers see they’re just $5 away from free shipping, they often add another item to qualify. This psychological trigger taps into people’s desire to maximize value, leading to higher order totals.

You get some advanced customization options in the Pro version that let you modify colors, fonts, button styles, and even the cart slide-out animation speed.

How Modern Cart Improves Your Store

Modern Cart helps fix one of the biggest causes of cart abandonment by reducing friction.

It works to eliminate page redirects and refreshes so customers stay in position while managing their cart. This continuity removes a major psychological barrier to completing purchases.

The Modern Cart plugin for WooCommerce also addresses specific abandonment triggers.

Unexpected shipping costs often cause people to leave, but the progress bar makes these costs transparent while motivating customers to reach free shipping thresholds.

Adding coupons also becomes easier with a prominent field right in the cart interface.

For mobile users, where abandonment rates reach 85%, the slide-out design feels natural and responsive.

Touch interactions work smoothly, and the cart doesn’t overwhelm small screens like a full cart page might.

How Slide-Out Carts Improve User Experience

The slide-out design solves fundamental UX problems of traditional cart pages. The most important improvement is contextual continuity.

With slide-outs, customers maintain their place in their shopping journey while still being able to access the cart.

Instant access to cart information also helps customers make better decisions.

Instead of wondering what they’ve added or forgetting about items in their cart, the slide-out interface keeps selections visible and easily accessible.

This transparency can reduce anxiety and decision paralysis.

For stores with large catalogs, the slide-out cart becomes especially valuable as customers can add items from different categories without losing track of their selections.

The persistent cart icon shows current item counts, providing reassurance and motivation to continue shopping.

Mobile Shopping and Modern Cart Design

Mobile commerce continues growing, with more customers shopping on phones and tablets than ever before.

The slide-out cart design feels native to mobile interfaces, similar to how many mobile apps handle secondary panels and overlays.

Touch interactions feel natural and responsive. Customers can swipe the cart open, tap to adjust quantities, and scroll through items without the pinch-and-zoom gymnastics often required on full cart pages.

You also have improved performance since there’s no page redirect or refresh.

The Impact on Average Order Value and Conversions

ModernCart’s built-in upselling features directly impact average order values.

Product recommendations appear at the perfect moment, when customers are already in a purchasing mindset and actively managing their cart.

These suggestions feel helpful because they’re relevant to items already selected.

The free shipping progress bar creates powerful purchasing incentives.

When customers see they need a small additional purchase to qualify for free shipping, they often browse for addon items.

This way, you’re providing clear value that benefits both the customer (free shipping) and the store (higher order values).

Every eliminated click, every removed redirect, and every streamlined interaction increases the likelihood that browsing becomes buying.

How To Set Up Modern Cart and Start Selling Smarter

If you think Modern Cart is exactly what your store needs, here’s how to set it up.

Prerequisites

• WordPress 5.0 or higher
• WooCommerce 4.0 or higher
• PHP 7.4 or later

Most modern hosting environments handle these requirements easily.

Modern Cart is fully compatible with page builders like Elementor, Gutenberg and others. If you’re using specialized cart or checkout plugins, you may want to disable them to avoid functionality conflicts.

Also ensure basic WooCommerce settings are configured before installation, as Modern Cart relies on your existing WooCommerce configuration for core functionality.

This includes shipping zones, payment methods, and tax settings.

How To Install Modern Cart on WordPress

If you’ve installed a WordPress plugin before, installing Modern Cart will be easy.

To use the free version, search for “Modern Cart Starter” in your WordPress admin under Plugins > Add New.

Click Install and Activate to get started.

If you already have the Pro version, download the zip file from your CartFlows Store Account.

Upload the Pro plugin zip file through Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin in your WordPress dashboard and activate the license.

After activation, go to WooCommerce > Modern Cart in your WordPress dashboard.

This opens the configuration panel where you can customize settings and activate features.

How To Configure Basic Settings for Modern Cart

The General settings tab controls the plugin’s core behavior. Enable Modern Cart site-wide or limit it to WooCommerce pages only.

Most stores benefit from site-wide activation, but complex site structures might prefer limiting it to shopping areas.

Choose your cart style from the available options.

Style One offers clean minimalism, while Style Two provides more visual elements and product details.

Test the 6 styles with your theme and branding to see which works best.

Once done, configure the free shipping bar if you offer shipping thresholds.

The shipping threshold settings will need to be configured from the WooCommerce settings.

We have a nifty little guide to help you through the enabling free shipping thresholds.

How To Enable the Slide-Out Cart Interface for WooCommerce

The Modern Cart slide-out cart activates automatically with no additional settings.

The WooCommerce sticky cart icon appears in your site’s corner (position is customizable), displaying current item counts and providing cart access.

Test functionality by adding products from different pages. The cart should slide out smoothly, displaying all items with clear product information.

Customers should be able to adjust quantities, remove items, and apply coupon codes directly within the interface.

Mobile testing is particularly important. View your store on various devices to ensure cart interactions feel natural and responsive.

The cart should be easily accessible without interfering with normal browsing behavior.

Modern Cart Free vs Pro Comparison

If you’re considering Modern Cart and wondering what’s available in Modern Cart free vs Pro, this table should help you make the decision.

Feature	Modern Cart Starter (Free)	Modern Cart Pro
Pricing	Free	$69/year (10 sites) or $199 annual (30 sites)
Slide-out Cart
Cart customization	Limited colors & positioning	Full brand customization
Coupon Field
Free Shipping Progress Bar
Mobile Optimization	Responsive	Enhanced mobile features
Product Recommendations
Advanced Styling Options
Text label customization	Limited	Complete control
Cart icon customization	Basic	Full styling control
Premium Support

Cart Icon Positioning and Styling

Icon positioning in the free version offers bottom-right or bottom-left placement options.

You can also hide the icon entirely if you prefer triggering the cart through other methods, like menu integration.

The Pro version offers more positioning options and comprehensive styling controls, including icon size, colors, hover effects, and even custom images.

If you want to use your own cart icon design, the Pro version makes this simple.

Both versions ensure the cart icon doesn’t interfere with other site elements like chat widgets or accessibility features.

Icon positioning respects your theme’s layout and can be adjusted if conflicts arise.

Slide-Out Cart

The free version provides solid slide-out cart functionality covering most stores’ basic needs. You get item display with images and prices, quantity controls, and basic styling options.

The Pro version focuses on advanced WooCommerce cart customization and optimization features.

Additional styling controls let you fine-tune colors, fonts, and spacing for perfect brand matching.

Both versions maintain the core benefit of keeping customers on their current page while accessing cart functionality.

Styling Options

Both Modern Cart Starter and Modern Cart Pro offer styling controls. The free version lets you adjust basic colors and text snippets, which should cover most stores’ needs.

The Pro version expands these options with advanced color controls, typography options, spacing adjustments, and the ability to fine-tune elements to perfectly match your brand aesthetic.

Coupon Field

Both versions include coupon functionality, letting customers apply discount codes directly in the cart interface.

The free version provides a standard coupon field that works seamlessly with WooCommerce’s coupon system.

Pro users get additional coupon field styling options.

You can customize WooCommerce cart placeholder text, button labels and error messages to match the store’s communication style.

Free Shipping Progress Bar Configuration

The progress bar appears in both versions, but with different customization levels. The free version lets you enable or disable the bar and set your threshold.

Messaging uses default text that works for most stores, but can’t be customized.

Pro version users get full control over progress bar messaging, colors, and behavior.

You can create custom text matching your brand voice, adjust colors to fit your design, and even set different thresholds for different customer groups.

Configuration happens through WooCommerce shipping settings combined with Modern Cart’s interface controls.

Set up your free shipping zones in WooCommerce first, then customize how Modern Cart displays progress toward those thresholds.

Product Recommendations

This is where the Pro version really shines. WooCommerce product recommendations transform your cart from a simple checkout tool into an active sales engine.

You can display upsells, cross-sells, or custom product suggestions right in the cart interface.

These recommendations appear when customers are already in a purchasing mindset, making them highly effective for increasing average order values.

The free version doesn’t include this revenue-boosting feature.

Text Labels and Branding Customization

Text customization in the free version covers basic elements like button labels and section headings.

You can change “Checkout” to “Complete Purchase” or similar modifications, but options are limited.

Pro version text customization extends to virtually every text element in the cart interface.

Product labels, quantity selectors, progress bar messaging, empty cart text, and all interactive elements can match your brand’s communication style.

This level of customization helps maintain brand consistency throughout the customer journey.

Whether your store uses playful, casual language or formal luxury communication, you can refine all text accordingly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Make Your Cart Work for You

Modern Cart clears up the messy parts that stop customers from completing their order.

With the slide-out interface, smart recommendations, and easy checkout, you’re making your WooCommerce store somewhere people actually enjoy shopping.

So, why settle for the default setup that leaves money on the table?

Upgrade to Modern Cart, watch your abandoned carts drop, and see your sales take off!

Get started now and see the difference show up right from your first customer.

That’s approximately $260 billion annually lost to cart abandonment, representing one of the largest untapped revenue opportunities in eCommerce.

If you’d rather capture this untapped revenue than watch it drain, you’re in the right place.

We’ll show you some WooCommerce cart abandonment recovery strategies and systems that automatically recover these lost sales.

What Is Cart Abandonment?

Shopping cart abandonment is what happens when visitors add products to their shopping cart but leave before completing the purchase.

WooCommerce captures some data about these partially completed transactions, creating opportunities to re-engage prospects who’ve already shown purchase intent.

The numbers behind shopping cart abandonment reveal both the challenge and the opportunity here:

• Average abandonment rate sits at 70.19% across all industries, meaning most visitors leave without buying.
• Luxury goods see abandonment rates of 81.68%, the highest among all retail categories.
• Home and furniture stores experience 78.65% abandonment, likely due to them being high-consideration purchases.
• Global lost revenue reaches $260 billion annually, representing massive untapped potential.
• Average abandoned cart value equals $88, showing substantial per-customer opportunity.
• Recovery rates of 10-30% are achievable with proper email sequences and follow-up strategies.

We’ve sourced the above stats from the Baymard Institute.

These numbers demonstrate both the magnitude of the problem and the enormous potential for revenue recovery.

What is Cart Abandonment Recovery?

Cart abandonment recovery includes the strategies, tools, and tactics you use to re-engage customers who didn’t complete their purchase.

Instead of writing them off as lost sales, recovery systems let you reconnect with interested buyers through targeted emails, personalized offers and strategic timing.

Why Customers Abandon Their Cart

Here are the top 6 reasons why customers abandon carts at checkout according to that same Baymard Institute study.

1. Unexpected Costs at Checkout – 48%

Nearly half of all those who abandon carts cite unexpected costs as their primary reason for leaving. Shipping fees, taxes, handling charges, and additional fees that appear during checkout create sticker shock that drives away even committed buyers.

Customers expect transparency throughout their shopping journey, and surprise costs at the final step violate that trust.

Quick fix: Display shipping costs early on, offer free shipping thresholds, or build delivery costs into product pricing to avoid surprises.

2. Mandatory Account Creation – 26%

26% of shoppers abandon carts when forced to create accounts. Account creation adds friction to the buying process, especially for first-time customers who want to test your products and service quality before committing to ongoing relationships.

Quick fix: Add guest checkout to remove the account creation barrier while still capturing customer information for future marketing efforts.

You can encourage account creation with a checkbox so customers can choose to create the account or not as they prefer.

3. Slow Delivery – 21%

Amazon has raised customer expectations with their one day delivery. So when a customer visits your store and sees 5-day delivery, they may go elsewhere because they think that’s too long.

Quick fix: Add free or paid express shipping. Depending on your margins, you could absorb the express shipping charges at least within certain regions, or ask customers to pay an additional fee.

4. Security and Trust Concerns – 25%

Security worries affect 25% of potential customers, particularly those shopping with unfamiliar brands or websites that lack trust signals.

Customers need confidence that their payment information, personal data and purchase details remain secure throughout the transaction.

Quick fix: Building trust requires displaying security badges, SSL certificates, customer reviews, money-back guarantees and clear privacy policies.

Professional website design, error-free checkout processes, and recognizable payment methods also contribute to customer confidence.

5. Complicated Checkout Process – 22%

Complex checkout flows frustrate 22% of customers who expect streamlined, intuitive purchasing experiences.

Multi-page checkouts, confusing navigation, required fields that seem unnecessary, and unclear progress indicators create friction that drives away potential buyers.

Quick fix: Successful stores optimize their checkout processes by reducing form fields, implementing single-page checkouts, providing clear progress indicators and eliminating unnecessary steps that don’t directly contribute to a purchase.

6. Technical Issues and Performance Problems – 18%

Website performance problems, payment processing errors, mobile compatibility issues, and system crashes cause approximately 18% of cart abandonments.

Customers have little patience for technical difficulties, especially when they’re ready to complete purchases and move on with their day.

Quick fix: Regular website maintenance, mobile optimization, payment gateway testing, and performance monitoring help prevent technical barriers that interfere with successful transactions.

Abandoned Cart Recovery Strategies That Really Work

The most successful abandoned cart recovery strategies combine immediate fixes with long-term improvements that reduce abandonment rates over time.

1. Optimize the Checkout Experience

An optimized checkout process reduces initial abandonment while making recovery emails more effective when customers return to complete their purchases.

There are multiple ways to optimize your checkout experience:

• Creating single-page checkouts to eliminate navigation confusion and reduce the steps between cart and completion.
• Enabling guest checkout options to remove barriers. Multiple payment methods accommodate different customer preferences.
• Building mobile-responsive designs that ensure smooth experiences across all devices.
• Auto-filled shipping and billing information to speed up repeat purchases.

You can also display progress completion bars and clear error messages so users are not left confused when they are absolutely ready to make the purchase.

2. Implement Exit-Intent Popups

Sometimes a user needs a little push like a discount or free shipping to make the purchase. But capturing the user at the right time is what matters the most.

Exit-intent technology detects when visitors move their cursors toward the browser’s close button or back arrow, triggering last-chance offers before they leave your site.

Source

Effective exit-intent campaigns offer:

• Modest discounts
• Free shipping
• Limited-time bonuses

These offers provide just enough incentive to complete the purchase immediately. Make sure not to show the popup to the same customer too many times as that just trains them to expect the exit intent discount!

3. Build Trust and Remove Friction

People need to trust your store to make the purchase. And if you don’t have a well known brand, building trust can be difficult.

So, what you need to do is start by adding trust elements across your store and product pages.

That could be by showing customer testimonials, money back guarantees, security badges, displaying your return policies clearly.

Source

All of these combined help contribute to the customer’s confidence.

You may also want to display additional costs and taxes upfront if possible. Include everything inside the pricing so that there are no surprise additions at checkout.

Also add relevant testimonials to the product pages if possible to build customer confidence.

WooCommerce Abandoned Cart Email Recovery

Email campaigns work because they reach customers in familiar environments where they regularly check messages and make decisions.

1. Email Cart Recovery Sequence

The most successful cart recovery campaigns are persistent, but not annoying.

You want to give customers a reason to come back and complete the checkout. Similar to the exit intent popup, people generally just need a nudge in the form of a free product or discount.

Here’s an example of a cart recovery email campaign from Rudy’s that we found interesting.

Source

There are a couple reasons why we think this works well.

First off, it’s personalized. The email lists the exact items from the cart and gives a link to directly check out.

Second, there’s a coupon code that offers free shipping. And the final touch is the mention that the “Free shipping is about to expire” right at the top of the email.

Rudy’s sends these emails twice, which is just enough time to try and win the customer back while also not annoying them to the point of unsubscribing.

If you don’t want to pay for a cart recovery plugin, pair a free abandoned cart recovery tool like CartFlows or Ottokit, a no-code automation platform.

CartFlows already has email follow ups. Ottokit lets you build more advanced automations like sending a short sequence of emails after a successful recovery recommending relevant products.

Top WooCommerce Cart Abandonment Recovery Plugins

Choosing the right abandoned cart recovery plugin depends on store size, budget, technical requirements and desired automation level.

Free Plugin Options

CartFlows Abandoned Cart Recovery: CartFlows provides abandoned cart recovery as part of their broader checkout optimization suite.

The plugin tracks cart abandonment, sends automated email sequences and provides recovery analytics within your WooCommerce dashboard.

The free version includes personalized email templates, customizable timing settings, and simple reporting features.

Setup requires minimal technical knowledge, making it accessible for small store owners who want to test cart recovery without upfront investment.

Abandoned Cart Lite for WooCommerce: Abandoned Cart Lite offers essential recovery features including automated email sequences, customizable templates, and basic reporting capabilities.

The plugin captures guest user data through email collection popups and tracks registered user behavior automatically.

The plugin includes unsubscribe management and GDPR compliance features that protect customer privacy while enabling recovery campaigns.

Premium Solutions

Omnisend Omnisend combines email marketing with cart recovery automation, offering multi-channel campaigns that include email, SMS, and push notifications.

The platform provides advanced segmentation, behavioral triggers, and comprehensive analytics that track revenue attribution across all touchpoints.

Pricing starts free for up to 250 contacts, then scales to $41.30 monthly for advanced features.

The platform integrates with major WooCommerce extensions and provides pre-built automation workflows that activate immediately after installation.

YITH WooCommerce Recover Abandoned Cart YITH provides comprehensive recovery tools including exit-intent popups, email automation, and advanced scheduling options.

The plugin offers extensive customization capabilities and integrates with other YITH extensions for complete store management.

Annual pricing starts at $89.99 with lifetime updates and support. YITH includes features like A/B testing, advanced reporting, and multi-language support for international stores.

Avoid These Common Cart Recovery Mistakes

If you don’t set them up carefully, cart recovery campaigns can do more harm than good, pushing customers away instead of bringing them back.

Bad Timing

Sending recovery emails too quickly makes you appear pushy and desperate. Waiting too long allows customer interest to fade completely.

You need to work to find the balance that works for your audience through systematic testing.

Going Overboard With Follow Ups

Bombarding customers with daily recovery emails creates annoyance that leads to unsubscribes and negative brand associations.

Respect customer preferences and provide easy opt-out mechanisms for recovery campaigns specifically. Three emails over 3-5 days works well for most stores. More emails rarely improve results.

Generic Content

Generic, one-size-fits-all recovery emails ignore customer preferences and behavior patterns.

Personalization and segmentation require more effort but deliver significantly better results than mass messaging.

Use customer names, reference products in their cart and tailor offers based on purchase history.

Technical Failures

Broken links, mobile formatting problems, and email delivery issues can all get in the way of successful recovery campaigns.

Regular testing and monitoring ensure your technical infrastructure supports your marketing goals.

Most customers check emails on phones, so make sure templates display correctly on all devices and buttons are large enough for touchscreens.

Cart Abandonment Recovery FAQs

What is WooCommerce cart abandonment recovery?

WooCommerce cart abandonment recovery refers to strategies and tools that automatically re-engage customers who added products to their cart but left without completing the purchase. Typical channels include email campaigns and targeted offers.

How long should I wait before sending recovery emails?

We recommend sending your first recovery email around 1-4 hours after cart abandonment while your brand remains fresh in the customer’s memory. Follow with additional emails at 24-hour and 72-hour intervals for optimal results.

What’s the ideal number of cart recovery emails to send?

We find 2-3 emails per abandoned cart works best. The first email should be a gentle reminder, the second can include incentives, and the third should create urgency without being pushy.

What’s the best timing for the first recovery email?

Send the first recovery email within 1-4 hours after cart abandonment. This timing captures customers while your products remain top-of-mind without appearing overly aggressive.

Do discount codes always improve recovery rates?

Discount codes can improve recovery rates but may train customers to abandon carts expecting offers. Use discounts strategically in second or third emails rather than initial reminders.

What’s the average revenue lift stores see after implementing cart recovery?

Most stores can see 10-15% revenue increases from cart recovery campaigns, with some experiencing up to 30% improvements as per CartFlows’ data. Much depends on the previous abandonment rate and campaign effectiveness of course.

Can I recover guest checkout abandoners?

Yes, but you need to capture email addresses before checkout completion through popup forms or email collection. Many plugins offer guest email capture specifically for recovery purposes.

Can I automate abandoned cart recovery without coding?

Yes, most WooCommerce cart recovery plugins provide point-and-click setup with pre-built email templates and automation workflows that require no coding knowledge.

Are abandoned cart recovery plugins GDPR-compliant?

Reputable plugins include GDPR compliance features like consent management and data deletion capabilities. Always verify compliance features before implementing any email collection or automation system.

Start Recovering Abandoned Carts Today!

Cart abandonment is the biggest challenge and the largest opportunity for WooCommerce store owners today. But to make use of this opportunity, you need to get started.

Pick a cart recovery plugin, set up the basics, and test it out for a few days. If you have steady sales, a cart recovery plugin would show you an almost immediate positive impact on your revenue.

If this sounds like something you want to try, give CartFlows a shot. It’s free and has all the features you’d need to get started with recovering your carts.

Get started with CartFlows Abandoned Cart Recovery today and see how you can reduce abandons with almost no effort!

But customers need faster checkout. They abandon carts. Search engines don’t list your products. And competitors can pull ahead with new features you don’t have.

WooCommerce extensions can help you give your customers all these features.

We have built hundreds of online stores in our time, and we’ve tested hundreds of plugins. Here are the 17 we would (and do) use ourselves.

These extensions consistently deliver results and turn basic WooCommerce stores into revenue machines!

What Are WooCommerce Extensions?

WooCommerce extensions are plugins made for e-commerce stores and extend what they can do.

Some add new payment options. Some improve checkout. Some automate emails or boost SEO. Others help with analytics.

They use the same principle as WordPress plugins:

• WordPress plugins can be general-purpose. They might add a form, a gallery, or a page builder to any WordPress site.
• WooCommerce extensions are built for stores. They work with products, carts, orders, taxes, customer data, and checkout flows.

How To Choose the Right WooCommerce Extensions

Instead of starting with “what extensions”, start with what you want to improve for your store this quarter.

Faster checkout? More repeat sales? Less manual work? The right extensions will help you achieve these goals.

We like to map each extension to a specific outcome with these two questions:

• Will it replace manual tasks or unlock revenue?
• Will it work well with our current setup?

If the answer is yes to both, it’s worth checking out.

When testing store extensions, we look for:

• Compatibility: Make sure the extension supports your version of WordPress, WooCommerce, and PHP. Check that it plays well with your theme and other key plugins.
• Support: Pick plugins with active developers and clear documentation. Look for recent updates and quick responses. Good support saves hours when something breaks!
• Security: Choose trusted developers and use extensions that have regular security updates and transparent changelogs. That’s especially important for e-commerce stores since we handle sensitive customer payment and identity data.
• Business goals: Tie each extension to a clear outcome. For example, you can add CartFlows to raise the average order value, MailPoet to grow repeat purchases, and Smush to improve load speed. If a plugin does not deliver a tangible result, skip it.

Extension Categories

To keep things manageable, we grouped extensions into seven categories:

1. Payments and checkout
2. Marketing conversion
3. SEO
4. Product management
5. Fulfillment
6. Customer experience
7. Analytics and reporting

Each has an important part to play in a store, and each is an area where WooCommerce falls a little short.

Payments and Checkout

A smooth payment and checkout experience is the lifeblood of any store.

1. CartFlows

CartFlows is designed to upgrade your standard WooCommerce checkout experience into an optimized sales funnel.

You can design multi-step checkout pages where you can customize each step, add order bumps, offer one‑click upsells, recommend products and give customers a great experience.

All those things should result in increased average order value and happier customers.

Why we like it:

• Templates for high‑converting checkout pages
• Order bumps on the checkout screen to lift average order value
• One‑click upsells and downsells after checkout
• Modern Cart adds a slide‑out cart, delivery estimates, and free shipping bars

When to choose it:

• You want more revenue from the same traffic
• You want to remove clutter from checkout pages
• You need flexible funnels for launches, bundles, or seasonal sales

2. Stripe Payment Gateway

Stripe is one of the largest payment gateways in the world. It supports many currencies and payment methods by default and has strong fraud extensions and great reliability.

If you sell internationally, Stripe is definitely one of the payment gateways we would recommend!

Why we like it:

• Broad country and currency coverage
• Support for digital wallets and local methods
• Subscriptions, recurring billing, and saved cards are well supported
• Developer‑friendly for advanced needs

When to choose it:

• You sell across borders or plan to expand
• You offer subscriptions or memberships
• You want maximum flexibility now and later

Limitations:

• Some advanced features may need technical setup
• You may manage some details inside the Stripe dashboard, rather than only in WooCommerce

3. Woo Payments

Woo Payments is designed by the company behind WooCommerce, so it’s compatible and as close to the native experience as possible.

With Woo Payments, you can manage payments and disputes without leaving your WordPress dashboard. And the tight integration keeps things simple for day-to-day operations.

Why we like it:

• Easy setup and native admin flow
• Works with popular wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay
• Solid for stores focused on the U.S., Canada, and other supported regions
• Clean reporting inside WooCommerce

When to choose it:

• You want a “works out of the box” option that feels native
• Your market is mostly in the list of supported countries
• You prefer to manage payouts and disputes inside the same dashboard

Limitations:

• Country availability is narrower than some global gateways
• If you sell across many regions, you may want a gateway with a broader reach

Marketing

Marketing is where your store begins to feel like a system, where you’ll capture attention, follow up with visitors and bring customers back time and again.

4. Facebook for WooCommerce

Considering so many social media channels are owned by Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, integrating your store with the Facebook Business Manager account is essential.

This WooCommerce extension helps you do that, syncs your product catalog and automatically adds a pixel for tracking.

Why we like it:

• Your product catalog stays in sync with the Shop and ads
• You can retarget visitors with the exact items they viewed
• You can build your audience from purchase data
• Automatic pixel installation and configuration

When to choose it:

• You run, or plan to run, Facebook or Instagram ads
• You want to use Facebook Shop features
• You need retargeting capabilities for social commerce
• You want to track conversions from social media traffic

Limitations:

• Dependent on Facebook’s policies and platform changes
• Privacy regulations may limit tracking effectiveness
• Requires an active Facebook Business Manager account for management

5. MailPoet

MailPoet is built into WordPress and has an intuitive editor and seamless WooCommerce integration.

It creates prebuilt segments based on purchase history and makes it easy to set up email sequences for welcome mails, post-purchase follow-ups and win-back campaigns.

Adding engaging and localize audio through AI dubbing can further personalize these campaigns and reach customers who prefer listening over reading.

Why we like it:

• Native WordPress integration with a familiar interface
• Prebuilt WooCommerce segments and triggers
• Simple abandoned cart reminders
• Automated welcome and post-purchase sequences

When to choose it:

• You want email marketing that feels native to WordPress
• You prefer simplicity over advanced features
• You’re starting with email marketing and need basic flows
• You want to manage everything from your WordPress dashboard

Limitations:

• Less advanced than dedicated email platforms
• Limited A/B testing capabilities
• Fewer third-party integrations than standalone email services

6. OttoKit

OttoKit provides advanced workflows with triggers, delays, and conditions. If you want your store to run more on autopilot while you focus on growth, this extension can help.

It offers deep WooCommerce actions like automatic coupon generation, points management, and customer tagging, making it perfect for complex automation needs.

Why we like it:

• Advanced workflows with complex triggers and conditions
• Deep WooCommerce integration with native actions
• SMS addons and extensive third-party integrations
• Powerful segmentation and customer lifecycle management

When to choose it:

• You need advanced automation beyond basic email sequences
• You want to create complex customer journey workflows
• You need SMS capabilities alongside email
• You’re ready to invest in sophisticated marketing automation

Limitations:

• Higher cost compared to basic email marketing extensions
• It can be overwhelming for stores with simple marketing needs

7. CartFlows Cart Abandonment

CartFlows Cart Abandonment captures shopper details early and follows up when a cart goes quiet. It’s one of the easiest ways to recover abandoned carts and delivers all the essential functionality we look for.

Why we like it:

• Captures email addresses early in the shopping process
• Customizable email templates with product images
• Integration with CartFlows checkout optimization
• Simple setup with proven email templates

When to choose it:

• You’re already using CartFlows for checkout optimization
• You want a straightforward cart abandonment solution
• You need basic recovery emails without complex automation
• You prefer integrated solutions over standalone tools

Limitations:

• Works best as part of the broader CartFlows ecosystem

SEO and Performance

49% of marketers say SEO provides the highest return on investment of all marketing channels. That’s why we decided to dedicate a section to plugins that help you improve SEO.

8. SureRank

SureRank focuses only on the essentials and avoids bloat while delivering solid SEO performance for websites and stores.

It helps you set titles for your blog posts, create meta descriptions, and social previews with a simple interface, and covers product schema and basic e-commerce SEO needs.

Why we like it:

• Clean, guided setup for core SEO elements
• Product, category, and brand metadata optimization
• Lightweight footprint to protect site speed
• e-commerce-focused features

When to choose it:

• You want a focused SEO extension that’s easy to use
• You prefer a simpler, faster path to strong SEO basics
• Site speed is a priority, and you want minimal bloat
• You’re new to SEO and want a guided setup

Limitations:

• Fewer advanced features than comprehensive SEO plugins
• It’s new, so there’s a smaller community and fewer tutorials right now

9. Rank Math SEO

Rank Math is one of our favorite SEO plugins because it offers strong WooCommerce support.

It offers a whole lot of SEO related features, including schema markup, structured data, image SEO, site maps, search console integration, local SEO, knowledge graphs, and so much more.

Why we like it:

• Feature-rich, even in the free version
• Flexible schema, redirections, and analytics integrations
• Good for users who like more control
• Built-in keyword tracking and analytics

When to choose it:

• You want a comprehensive SEO solution with proven results
• You need advanced schema markup for products and reviews
• You want detailed content optimization guidance
• You’re serious about long-term SEO growth

Limitations:

• So many options can be overwhelming for beginners
• Premium features require additional investment
• Can slow down the admin area
• Requires a learning curve to use effectively

10. Smush

Smush compresses all your images the moment you upload them and converts them into modern formats like WebP.

As images can impact page speed and stores use more images than other sites, this extension is essential.

Why we like it:

• Automatic compression on upload
• WebP conversion with fallbacks for older browsers
• Bulk optimization for existing images
• Keeps original images backed up for reprocessing

When to choose it:

• Your site has many product images, which slows load times
• You want automatic optimization without manual work
• Mobile performance is crucial for your store
• You need better Core Web Vitals scores for SEO

Limitations:

• The free version has monthly compression limits
• WebP conversion requires the premium version
• May need additional CDN for maximum performance benefits
• Backup storage can use a significant server space

Product Management

Presentation matters. You want people to see clear information, strong visuals and smart offers to help them decide faster and buy with confidence.

11. WooCommerce Product Add-Ons

If you sell clothing, shoes or accessories, you know they often come in different colors, sizes and configurations.

WooCommerce Product Add-Ons helps manage all that by offering variable product options so it’s easy for customers to find their perfect fit.

Why we like it:

• Flexible customization options for any product type
• Dynamic pricing based on selected addons
• Support for text fields, file uploads, checkboxes, and dropdowns
• Integration with order management and invoicing

When to choose it:

• You sell customizable products like apparel, gifts, or services
• You need to charge extra for premium options or add-ons
• You want customers to upload files or add personal text
• You offer products with multiple configuration options

Limitations:

• Can complicate checkout if too many options are offered
• May require careful UX design to avoid overwhelming customers
• Premium pricing for advanced conditional logic features

12. YITH WooCommerce Zoom Magnifier

We buy with our eyes, especially online, so good quality images and the ability to get up close are essential.

YITH Zoom Magnifier is a WooCommerce extension you can install to let people zoom into your products, just like Amazon does, giving them better visibility and experience that they deserve.

Why we like it:

• Multiple zoom modes, including lens and inner zoom
• Mobile-friendly touch controls
• Customizable zoom intensity and lens size
• Lightweight and fast-loading

When to choose it:

• You sell products where details and texture matter
• Your product photos are high-quality and benefit from zoom
• You want to reduce returns due to unclear product images
• Customer feedback suggests they need better image viewing

Limitations:

• Only beneficial if you have high-resolution product images
• May not work well with all themes without customization
• It can be distracting if Zoom settings are too aggressive
• Additional load on mobile devices if not optimized properly

13. WooCommerce Variation Swatches

WooCommerce Variation Swatches allows you to show colors and designs as part of the drop-down menu. It’s a simple but very effective way of showing product options.

Rather than showing a simple text box or label, you can use color to give variations more of a visual impact to help decision-making.

Why we like it:

• Color swatches instead of confusing dropdown menus
• Image swatches that change the main product photo
• Custom labels and tooltips for better user experience
• Mobile-optimized touch-friendly controls

When to choose it:

• You sell products with color, size, or style variations
• Your current dropdown menus confuse customers
• You want a more professional appearance
• You have multiple product variations that benefit from visual selection

Limitations:

• Requires setup time to configure swatches for each product
• It can look cluttered if you have too many variations
• Premium features require additional investment

Customer Experience

Helpful support builds loyalty. Fast answers reduce refunds. Meet customers where they are with timely, contextual help.

14. LiveChat for WooCommerce

Every e-commerce store needs customer support. That is a non-negotiable. The only question is how you deliver it.

With LiveChat WooCommerce, you can offer real-time support on product and checkout pages with access to order history and customer context for faster resolution.

Why we like it:

• Real-time chat support during critical shopping moments
• Integration with WooCommerce customer and order data
• Mobile-friendly chat widget for all devices
• Automated greetings and proactive chat invitations

When to choose it:

• You can staff chat during peak shopping hours
• Customer questions often prevent sales completion
• You want to provide a premium, personalized support experience
• Your products benefit from real-time assistance and guidance

Limitations:

• Requires dedicated time to monitor and respond
• It can be expensive for small teams or businesses
• May overwhelm the support team if not properly managed
• Effectiveness depends on response time and staff training

15. WhatsApp Chat for WordPress

If all you want is for people to connect with you on WhatsApp, this WooCommerce extension is all you need.

WhatsApp Chat for WordPress is a simple plugin that gives you an option to create a simple chat button on the website that takes people to their WhatsApp.

Why we like it:

• Uses a messaging platform customers already know and use
• Perfect for mobile commerce and international customers
• Simple setup with customizable chat buttons
• Can include pre-filled messages for common inquiries

When to choose it:

• Your customers primarily use mobile devices for shopping
• You serve markets where WhatsApp is the preferred communication method
• You want to offer support through familiar channels
• You need a simple, cost-effective customer communication solution

Limitations:

• Requires managing conversations across multiple platforms
• Dependent on your WhatsApp availability and response time
• Limited to WhatsApp users only

16. WooCommerce Help Scout

Help Scout is a popular customer support company, and their WooCommerce extension is a useful tool if you are already in that ecosystem.

It helps turn customer emails into organized tickets with full context from orders, customer history and previous interaction so that you can answer customers from a single chat.

Why we like it:

• Organized ticket system with WooCommerce order integration
• Complete customer context, including purchase history
• Team collaboration tools and internal notes
• Automated workflows and response templates

When to choose it:

• You receive high volumes of support requests
• You need to track support conversations and resolution times
• Multiple team members handle customer support
• You want detailed analytics on support performance and customer satisfaction

Limitations:

• Monthly subscription costs for team members may be overkill for stores with minimal support requests
• Requires training the team on the new support workflow
• Set up time needed for proper integration and automation

Analytics and Reporting

What you measure improves. Analytics show where to focus, which campaigns to scale, and what to fix.

17. Google Analytics for WooCommerce

To grow a store and improve, you need to know what works and what doesn’t. Analytics is how you know.

Google Analytics for WooCommerce collates data so you can quickly see what sells, what works and what needs improvement. It’s about as easy as analytics gets.

Why we like it:

• Complete e-commerce tracking, including product performance
• Integration with Google Analytics 4 and Universal Analytics
• Tracks checkout behavior and abandonment points
• Measures advertising effectiveness and attribution

When to choose it:

• You want detailed insights into customer behavior and sales performance
• You run advertising campaigns and need attribution tracking
• You need to understand where customers drop off in your funnel
• You want to make data-driven decisions about your store

Limitations:

• Requires Google Analytics knowledge to interpret data effectively
• Setup can be complex for advanced e-commerce tracking
• Data sampling may occur for high-traffic sites
• Privacy regulations may limit tracking capabilities

Wrapping Up

WooCommerce extensions can transform your store, but don’t get lost in endless lists. Start with one problem, pick one plugin, and fix it.

Need a new payment gateway? Add the plugin, test it, move on. That’s how you grow your store, one simple step at a time.

Whatever extensions you choose, make sure to try CartFlows and Modern Cart.

Experience what it feels like to have a store matching the user experience of hugely successful enterprises like Amazon, Shopify and others!

FAQs

What’s the difference between a plugin and a WooCommerce extension?

Both plugins and WooCommerce extensions are add-ons for WordPress. A plugin can be general, like a contact form or a gallery. A WooCommerce extension is a plugin built for stores. It only makes sense when WooCommerce is active. These extensions talk to products, carts, orders, taxes, and checkout. That is why they feel native to e-commerce.

How many WooCommerce extensions are too many?

Focus on purpose and performance rather than numbers. If an extension doesn’t help with a clear goal, skip it. If two extensions overlap, keep the one that’s faster, simpler, and better supported. Watch your page speed and error logs. As a rule, a smaller set of well‑maintained extensions beats a large stack of niche extensions.

Are paid WooCommerce extensions worth it?

Often, yes. Paid extensions tend to ship better support, faster updates, and features that save time or unlock revenue. Free options are great for starting or simple needs. As orders grow, premium extensions usually pay for themselves through stability and automation. Look at the yearly cost against the revenue or time saved.

Sales funnels can help nurture visitors and guide them towards a purchase, without the hard sell.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to build a sales funnel using CartFlows, a fully customizable WordPress sales funnel builder.

First, What is a Sales Funnel?

A sales funnel is a visual representation of the customer journey. It maps out every step a potential buyer takes from first discovering your brand to making a purchase.

It’s called a “funnel” because it starts wide at the top with many prospects and narrows down as people move through each stage and keep dropping off.

This visual framework helps explain where prospects are in their buying process and how you can best interact with them.

Most customers would see your social media or read a blog post to become “aware” of your brand.

If the posts resonate, some of those aware customers will move to the interest stage. They may even visit your website.

Now, if a product on your website seems useful to them, they will start evaluating it. During the evaluation, they will need to decide (intent) if they want to purchase your products or not.

At the end, a few of the customers from the decision phase will take action and buy your product.

So, instead of hoping visitors to buy, a sales funnel systematically addresses their concerns, builds trust, and guides them toward a purchase.

The Psychology Behind Effective Sales Funnels

To make your sales funnel building process smoother, you need to understand what a good funnel is and why it actually works.

Reciprocity Turns WordPress Visitors Into Leads

When someone visits your WooCommerce store and you immediately offer them a free shipping guide or product comparison chart, they feel obligated to give you something back.

That “something” is usually their email address. Once you provide a valuable free resource, buyers feel inclined to return the favor.

This is why lead magnets work better than “Sign up for our newsletter” buttons on WordPress sites.

Social Proof Removes Buying Hesitation

When prospects see other people like them have bought and been happy, their anxiety about making the wrong choice disappears.

Now, customer perception of online reviews has changed.

For instance, in 2020, 79% of users said they trusted online reviews as much as personal recommendations. This number has fallen to 42% in 2025.

So, customers are smarter and will see through made-up reviews or biased review sets.

Scarcity Forces Immediate WordPress Store Decisions

People fear losing something more than they enjoy gaining it. This phenomenon is called loss aversion.

When your potential customers think they might miss out, they stop overthinking and take the leap.

A simple way to integrate scarcity when building a sales funnel is to add a countdown timer showing “Sale ends in 2 hours.”

This can encourage customers to purchase if they’re only waiting for a final nudge, that perfect “sometime later” when they will need the product and come back to buy it.

Authority Makes People Trust Your WordPress Store

When prospects see you as an expert, they trust your recommendations about what to buy. Companies with blogs generate 55% more website traffic than those without.

Write WordPress blog posts solving problems your products fix, then link to those products as solutions.

Consistency Gets Small Yeses Leading to Big Purchases

Prospects who agree to small commitments are more likely to make larger purchases. Progressive steps guide visitors toward buying decisions.

Start by asking them to download a free guide, then join your email list, watch a product demo, buy your lowest-priced item, and then upgrade to premium.

The 6 Essential Stages For Building a Sales Funnel

You need to understand the exact steps in a sales funnel to be able to build it

Here’s a quick overview:

Stage 1: Awareness – Where Your WordPress Sales Funnel Starts

This is where your WordPress sales funnel begins. When potential customers first hear about your brand and visit your WordPress store. But 79% of prospects drop off here.

You need compelling content that keeps your audience engaged.

WordPress blog posts work incredibly well at this stage. But anecdotal data suggests that referral traffic converts between 2% and 30% compared to the 1% average for general traffic.

So, focus on building trust before visitors enter your WordPress store.

Stage 2: Interest – Nurturing WordPress Store Prospects

Once prospects know about your WordPress store, they research your products and compare options.

More than 80% of buyers research online before purchasing, so be there with valuable information when they’re looking.

Email remains the most effective communication channel throughout your entire WordPress funnel. Set up email sequences that deliver helpful content rather than pushy sales messages.

Your goal is to stay top-of-mind while they evaluate options.

Stage 3: Evaluation – When WordPress Prospects Compare Options

Your store prospects are now comparing specific solutions. 75% of consumers expect personalized experiences so that generic content won’t work anymore.

Video increases middle-funnel conversion rates by 66%. Product demonstrations help prospects visualize your solution.

Customer testimonials increase conversions by 34% when placed strategically at this stage.

Stage 4: Decision – Overcoming Final WordPress Store Objections

Your prospects are addressing final objections before buying. 80% of sales require at least five follow-ups, but most WordPress businesses give up after one or two attempts.

39% of shoppers abandon their carts when they encounter unexpected charges.

Source

If you want to prevent these carts from being abandoned, it pays to be transparent about all costs.

Stage 5: Action – Converting WordPress Visitors to Customers

This phase is when prospects become customers in your WordPress store. Pages with single calls to action convert at 13.50% compared to pages with multiple competing options.

Source

Order bumps convert at 40% when done well. These small, complementary offers appear during WordPress checkout and significantly increase transaction values.

Stage 6: Retention – Building Long-term WordPress Store Value

Your sales funnel building doesn’t end when someone buys. You still need to work on upsells and renewals if you want to maximize revenue.

Set up WordPress email sequences that help customers get maximum value from their purchase and introduce related products.

How to Build a Sales Funnel on WordPress with CartFlows (Complete Guide)

CartFlows is the leading WordPress sales funnel plugin that eliminates complexity while providing enterprise-level functionality.

It integrates seamlessly with WordPress and WooCommerce, allowing you to build sophisticated funnels without monthly subscription fees or technical expertise.

How To Build a Sales Funnel: Prerequisites

Before you begin funnel building, make sure you have:

• WordPress website with admin access
• WooCommerce plugin installed and configured
• SSL certificate installed
• Basic understanding of your target customers

CartFlows works with all major WordPress page builders, including Spectra, Elementor, Divi, Beaver Builder, and Gutenberg.

This compatibility maintains your preferred design workflow while adding funnel functionality.

Steps for building a WordPress sales funnel:

Get CartFlows from the WordPress plugins dashboard. Install and activate the plugin.

Complete the setup wizard and pick your preferred page builder integration. You’ll also be asked to pick from the available funnel templates.

Choosing the Right WordPress Sales Funnel Template

CartFlows provides a growing library of free and premium templates designed for different WordPress business scenarios.

These templates incorporate proven conversion practices and tested design elements.

Step 1: Start Funnel Building With a CartFlows Template

Access CartFlows through your WordPress dashboard and select “Create New Funnel.”

Name your funnel descriptively (e.g., Summer Sale Funnel or Lead Magnet Funnel) and choose an appropriate template.

Step 2: Customize Your Funnel Structure

CartFlows imports all necessary pages automatically:

• Landing page (where prospects enter)
• Checkout page (where they buy)
• Thank-you page (post-purchase experience)
• Upsell/downsell pages (additional offers)

Step 3: Design Your Sales Funnel Pages

Customize each page by clicking the pencil icon to edit the page.

Update content, images, and design elements to match your WordPress brand while maintaining the underlying funnel logic.

Customizing Your WordPress Sales Funnel With Page Builders

CartFlows can be customized with most page builders, providing flexibility for WordPress businesses with existing design preferences.

Spectra + CartFlows Integration:

• Access specialized CartFlows widgets
• Display dynamic product information
• Add testimonial and conversion elements
• Maintain responsive design across devices

Sales Funnel Product Setup and Configuration

Product configuration in your WordPress sales funnel extends beyond basic WooCommerce functionality.

Create specific product variations for different funnel stages, set up automatic discounts, and configure conditional logic.

• Order bump configuration: Order bumps represent CartFlows’ most powerful features. They convert between 10% and 30% in well-designed WordPress funnels.
• Upsell and downsell setup: Configure secondary offers based on customer decisions. Upsells, similar to order bumps, can convert better than first-time sales. And it makes sense to implement these in your sales funnels.

Testing Your WordPress Sales Funnel Before Launch

CartFlows includes testing functionality, allowing you to preview your WordPress sales funnel before launching.

WordPress sales funnel testing checklist:

• [ ] All pages load correctly on desktop and mobile
• [ ] Payment processing works with test transactions
• [ ] Email sequences trigger properly
• [ ] Analytics tracking is configured
• [ ] All links and buttons function correctly

Testing mode simulates the complete customer experience, revealing potential issues before real customers encounter them so it’s well worth doing

Advanced WordPress Sales Funnel Features and Techniques

A/B Testing Your WordPress Sales Funnel

CartFlows Pro includes sophisticated A/B testing capabilities for data-driven WordPress funnel optimization.

What to A/B test in your WordPress sales funnel:

• Headlines and subheadings
• Call to action button colors and text
• Product images and descriptions
• Pricing presentations
• Page layouts and designs
• Checkout options for delivery – i.e. economy, expedited or 1-day-delivery

Focus testing on single elements rather than multiple simultaneous changes. Make one change, test, make another.

This approach provides clear insights into which changes drive improvements and which don’t.

Dynamic Offers and Personalization

Advanced WordPress sales funnel implementations leverage customer data for personalized offers.

Dynamic offers based on customer segments, purchase history, and behavioral triggers increase relevance and conversion rates.

WordPress sales funnel personalization options:

• Geographic targeting for currency and shipping
• Behavioral triggers based on page visits
• Customer segment-specific offers
• Previous purchase history recommendations

WordPress Sales Funnel Analytics and Performance Tracking

CartFlows provides comprehensive analytics revealing funnel performance at each stage.

Performance metrics include page views, conversion rates, average order values, and revenue per visitor.

Integration with Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel enables advanced tracking and remarketing capabilities for your WordPress sales funnel.

Mobile Optimization for WordPress Sales Funnels

CartFlows templates prioritize mobile responsiveness with automatic adaptation to different screen sizes.

You get:

• Responsive design templates
• Touch-friendly buttons and forms
• Fast load times
• Simplified navigation
• Mobile payment options

CartFlows vs Other WordPress Sales Funnel Builders

CartFlows isn’t the only WordPress sales funnel builder out there, but it definitely has some strengths compared to a lot of the competition.

CartFlows vs ClickFunnels for WordPress

CartFlows offers significant advantages for WordPress businesses compared to external solutions like ClickFunnels:

CartFlows allows you to export funnels and continue using them even after licenses expire. ClickFunnels requires ongoing monthly payments and hosts funnels on its servers.

CartFlows integrates with anything that works with WooCommerce, extending compatibility to existing WordPress themes, plugins, and customizations.

CartFlows vs WPFunnels

CartFlows has achieved greater market penetration with over 223,242 users compared to the 8000+ installs of WPFunnels.

This wider adoption means CartFlows has been tried and tested across many more stores to ensure robustness.

CartFlows vs WPFunnels Comparison:

Sales Funnel Optimization Best Practices

Alright, you have your funnel ready, but like any marketing technique, you need to keep optimizing it as you learn more about your customers.

Your end goal should be to make your funnel smooth enough that it is never blocking a person from making a purchase.

Key WordPress Sales Funnel Metrics to Track

Monitor specific metrics revealing performance patterns and improvement opportunities in your WordPress sales funnel.

Top-performing companies achieve conversion rates of 5.31% or higher compared to the 2.35% average.

What to look for in your sales funnel performance:

• Stage-by-stage conversion rates
• Traffic source quality and conversion
• Average order value progression
• Customer lifetime value
• Mobile vs desktop performance

Track conversion rates at each WordPress sales funnel stage rather than only measuring final purchases.

This granular approach identifies specific bottlenecks where prospects exit prematurely.

Common WordPress Sales Funnel Mistakes to Avoid

• Mistake #1: Overly complex funnels: Rather than introducing multiple calls to action on a single page, keep a single next step that the user needs to take to avoid confusion.
• Mistake #2: Slow site performance: It’s a fact that every second added to your load time reduces the conversion percentage, or conversion rate. To avoid that, you need to make sure your sales funnel loads quickly.
• Mistake #3: Ignoring mobile users: Mobile traffic continues growing, and sales funnels must perform effectively across all devices and screen sizes.
• Mistake #4: Not testing different elements: A/B testing creates more personalized experiences by aligning funnel elements with audience preferences and reducing friction.

Start Building Your WordPress Sales Funnel Today

You now have everything needed to turn your WordPress store into one that systematically converts visitors into customers.

CartFlows eliminates the technical complexity while giving you the same powerful funnel-building capabilities used by successful businesses worldwide.

Download CartFlows today, choose a template that matches your business, and create the automated system that captures, nurtures, and converts visitors into loyal customers that stay long after their first purchase!

WordPress Sales Funnel Frequently Asked Questions

You could be putting in the work, running ads, creating content, driving traffic, but are still not seeing the sales you hoped for.

That’s often because one critical piece is missing: a proper sales funnel.

In this post, we’re going to share a clear, beginner-friendly sales funnel building checklist. We’ll then walk through using it to plan, build, and optimize each stage, step by step.

If you’re using WooCommerce, we’ll also show you how CartFlows can help anyone create a smooth, high-converting funnel quickly and easily.

Let’s break it all down together.

Want to build a funnel that converts? Download your free step-by-step WooCommerce Sales Funnel Checklist PDF now.

Sales Funnel Building Checklist

Before getting into design or tools, take a step back and map out the basics.

This is where effective funnel building starts.

1- Set Clear Funnel Goals

Every great funnel starts with a clear goal. Think of it like setting your GPS before a road trip. Without it, you’ll waste time and lose potential customers along the way.

• Choose one main goal for your funnel: Do you want to collect leads, make sales, or book appointments? Pick one and build everything around it. A focused goal keeps your funnel simple and effective.
• Understand who you’re trying to reach: Ask yourself, “Who is this for, and what are they struggling with?” Knowing audience pain points helps you craft offers that feel like the perfect solution.
• Pick an offer that matches your goal: For leads, maybe it’s a free guide. For sales, it could be a discounted product. Make sure your offer feels valuable and relevant.
• Use the right tools: Funnel building platforms like CartFlows offer readymade templates based on your goals, so you don’t have to start from scratch.

2- Plan Your Funnel Stages

Think of your funnel like a guided tour. You don’t ask someone to buy right away, you walk them through a journey.

Funnel building works best when you guide people step by step.

• Awareness (top of funnel): How will people find you? Awareness is where strangers become visitors. Use blog posts, social media, or ads to introduce your brand and spark interest. You’re just getting on their radar here.
• Interest/Consideration (middle): How will you keep people interested? Now they know you exist, give them a reason to stick around. Share helpful content like how-to guides, case studies, or free tools that show you understand their problems.
• Decision/Action (bottom): How will you get people to take action? This is where you ask for the sale. Use clear calls to action like “Buy Now” or “Book a Demo,” and sweeten the deal with discounts, free trials, or limited-time offers.

3- Choose a Funnel Type

Not every funnel fits every goal. The right type depends on what you’re offering and how you want people to engage.

Here’s a quick breakdown to help you choose the best fit for your funnel building:

• Lead generation funnel: Want to grow your email list? Offer something helpful for free, like a checklist, mini-course, or template, in exchange for their email. Great for coaches, bloggers, or anyone building a warm audience.
• Sales funnel (single or multi-step): Selling a product? This funnel walks people through key steps, landing page, checkout, upsell. It’s common in eCommerce and works well whether you’re selling one item or a bundle.
• Webinar or consultation funnel: Use this if you run live training or 1-on-1 calls. Visitors sign up for the event and, after delivering value, you pitch your product or service.
• Free trial or freemium funnel: It’s perfect for SaaS. Let people use your tool for free first. Once they see value, they’re more likely to upgrade.
• Application funnel: Ideal for high value offers or services. People apply, and you review them before booking a call or making an offer.
• Tripwire funnel: Start with a low cost, high value offer. Think $7 for a template pack. Then upsell with related products.

4- Create Your Lead Magnet (if applicable)

If your goal is to collect leads, you’ll need a reason for people to share their info. That’s where a lead magnet comes in.

It’s a free, useful resource that solves a small problem for your audience.

• Decide what to offer: Think about what your audience wants right now. A checklist, cheat sheet, discount, or short guide can work well if it feels instantly helpful.
• Build the actual asset: Keep it focused and valuable. A 2-page PDF that solves one pain point is often better than a 30-page eBook no one finishes.
• Design a simple opt-in page: Use a short, clear form. Explain what they’ll get and why it’s worth it.

This is where CartFlows can help with landing page templates built to convert.

5- Build Funnel Pages

Your funnel needs a few key pages to guide visitors smoothly from interest to purchase. Think of it like a mini journey where each step should feel natural and easy to follow.

• Landing page (first impressions count): This is where someone first sees your offer. Keep it simple, focused, and clear. One headline, one call to action, and no distractions. If you’re offering a free guide, make that the only focus.
• Sales page (build trust and interest): This is where you explain what you’re selling. Talk about the benefits, not just features. Add testimonials, answer common questions, and use a strong, clear CTA like “Buy Now” or “Start Free Trial.”
• Checkout page (make it friction-free): Keep forms short. Offer multiple payment options. Show trust signals like secure badges. A clean checkout experience can seriously reduce drop-offs.
• Upsell/Downsell pages (optional, but smart): After checkout, offer a relevant upgrade or bonus. Example: “Want the full bundle for 20% off?”
• Order confirmation page: Let the customer know their order went through. A simple “You’re all set!” goes a long way.
• Thank you page: Use this page to thank them, share next steps, or even offer a referral bonus.

6- Set Up Email Sequences

Email is a powerful part of funnel building. Once someone signs up or shows interest, your emails should guide them toward becoming a customer.

• Welcome email (immediately after signup): Introduce yourself. Let them know what to expect. It’s like greeting someone at the door.
• Nurture sequence (helpful, not pushy): Share tips, how-tos, or case studies. Show that you understand their problem and can help, even before you pitch anything.
• Sales sequence (offer with urgency): Make your offer clear. Add urgency with limited-time deals and include reviews so they trust you more.
• Abandoned cart emails (if you sell products): Someone added something to their cart but didn’t check out? Remind them. A gentle nudge or small discount often brings them back.

Tools like CartFlows can connect with your email platform and automate all of this behind the scenes.

7- Add Tracking and Analytics

Once your funnel is live, you need to know what’s working and what’s not. Tracking helps you spot bottlenecks and improve results over time.

• Install Google Analytics (GA4): This shows how people move through your funnel. Are they dropping off at checkout? Are they spending time on your landing page? GA4 helps you see the story behind the clicks.
• Set up conversion goals: Decide what success looks like. Is it a form submission? A product sale? Setting these up helps you measure real results.
• Add Facebook Pixel or ad tracking: If you’re running ads, this helps track how well they perform. You’ll know which ads are bringing in leads or sales.
• Use UTM parameters for link tracking: UTMs tell you where traffic is coming from, like whether a visitor came from your newsletter or a specific Instagram post.

CartFlows supports all these tools so you can keep everything connected.

8- Integrate Tools

To keep your funnel building smooth and automated, you’ll need a few key tools working together behind the scenes.

Here’s what to connect:

• Email marketing platform (like Mailchimp or ConvertKit): Handle follow-ups, welcome emails, and offers, all on autopilot.
• Payment gateway (like Stripe or PayPal): Makes it easy for people to pay you. Set it up right and checkout becomes seamless and secure.
• CRM or lead tracking tool: Helps you keep track of who signed up, who bought, and who needs a follow-up.
• Funnel builder (like CartFlows): Lets you create the whole journey, from landing page to checkout, without coding.
• Cart abandonment recovery: Someone left your checkout halfway? Use CartFlows to send an automatic reminder and win them back.

When everything connects, your funnel runs smoother, and you save time.

9- Test the Funnel

Before you hit publish, make sure your funnel actually works. Think of it like checking your storefront before opening the doors.

• Click every link and button: Make sure nothing’s broken. Each click should lead exactly where it’s supposed to.
• Go through the funnel like a customer: Start from the landing page and complete the full journey. Is anything confusing or missing?
• Check how it looks on mobile: A big chunk of your visitors will be using a phone. Make sure the layout, buttons, and forms work well on smaller screens.
• Test all automated emails: Sign up with a test email and confirm each message fires off at the right moment.

Tools like CartFlows make this easy by letting you preview your funnel in real time.

10- Launch and Promote

Your funnel is ready, now it’s time to send people to it. Think of this as flipping the sign from “closed” to “open.”

• Announce it everywhere: Email your list. Post on your socials. Add a banner or popup on your site. Let people know where to go and what to expect.
• Run ads if your budget allows: Paid traffic can give your funnel building a fast start. Even a small budget can help test what’s working.
• Watch performance daily (especially in week one): Check your analytics. Are people dropping off? Tweak early and often.

11- Optimize and Improve

Just launching your funnel isn’t the finish line. Funnel building is an ongoing process.

The real growth comes from tweaking what’s not working and doubling down on what is.

• Find out where people drop off: Use analytics to see where visitors exit. If many leave at checkout, something might need fixing.
• Test different messages, designs, or offers: Try changing your headline, product image, or call to action. Small tweaks can lead to big improvements.
• A/B test landing and checkout pages: Run side-by-side comparisons. See which version performs better, then make that your default.
• Keep in touch with leads: Share helpful content even after they subscribe or buy. It keeps your brand top of mind and brings people back.

CartFlows makes it easier to track, test, and optimize without needing to be a tech pro.

Build a WooCommerce Sales Funnel That Actually Converts

A strong funnel doesn’t happen by luck. It takes planning, the right tools, and a bit of fine-tuning as you go.

If you’ve followed this funnel building checklist, you now have the framework to guide visitors from “just looking” to “ready to buy.”

Keep testing. Watch where people drop off. Tweak your messaging or layout when needed.

And remember, even small improvements can lead to big results over time.

If you’re using WooCommerce, tools like CartFlows can help you build, test, and grow without needing to code a thing.

Ready to build a funnel that converts?

FAQs – Sales Funnel Building Checklist

To convert more browsers into buyers, you need more than just a good product.

You need a smooth, intentional sales journey. One that takes shoppers from “just looking” to “checkout complete.”

That’s where WordPress funnel builders come in.

We tested 9 of the best tools available, each designed to solve a specific problem in the customer journey.

In this post, you’ll learn what each one does, the friction it removes, and who it’s best suited for.

Quick Summary: Which Tool Fixes Your Problem?

• Checkout confuses customers: CartFlows replaces WooCommerce’s multi-page checkout
• Can’t see your funnel flow: CartFlows and WPFunnels shows everything as a visual flowchart
• Need email automation: FunnelKit Pro bundles CRM and marketing tools
• Have zero budget: The free version of CartFlows optimizes checkout at zero cost
• Only want post-purchase upsells: The one click upsell funnel does exactly that

What Problems Do Sales Funnels Solve?

WooCommerce does a pretty decent job of processing orders, but the defaults aren’t good enough anymore.

Customers expect Amazon-style checkout experiences that keep them in the shopping flow longer and encourage them to buy more.

Sales funnel builders help with that.

They create smooth paths from product pages to upsells to completed purchases. You also get additional features WooCommerce doesn’t have.

Free WordPress Funnel Builders

If you’re looking to increase sales and decrease abandonment rates, here are some tools that can help.

1. CartFlows (Free Version)

CartFlows replaces the standard WooCommerce checkout with something that actually works.

Instead of bouncing customers between multiple pages, everything happens in one place.

Fields are organized logically. Validation happens instantly. And you can track exactly where people abandon your checkout so you can begin optimizing the steps.

The free version is surprisingly complete. You get professional checkout layouts without spending a dime. Setup takes just 2-5 minutes if you use their templates.

Features:

• One-page checkout that reduces abandonment
• Tons of free funnel templates
• Multi-step option for long forms with progress tracking
• Custom thank-you pages instead of WooCommerce’s boring default
• Google address autocomplete to speed things up
• Facebook pixel tracking for your ads

Pros:

• Gets to work immediately after installation
• Keeps your existing payment and tax settings
• Works with any page builder
• No limits on transactions or revenue
• Great tutorials and documentation

Cons:

• No order bumps or one-click upsells in the free version
• Some of the best-performing templates are paid

Price: Free

Who should use it:

• Stores losing customers at checkout
• Anyone wanting to test if optimization helps their specific situation
• Shop owners who want solid features before paying for advanced tools

2. WPFunnels (Free Version)

WPFunnels is the only WordPress funnel builder with a visual canvas.

Instead of managing funnels through boring lists, you see your entire customer journey as a flowchart. You can spot problems immediately and fix them visually.

The interface makes the process of building funnels easy. Drag and drop to build, click to connect steps and see the whole flow at once.

Features:

• The visual canvas shows your funnel as connected steps
• Up to 3 complete funnels (each with unlimited steps)
• 8 different order bump styles that work in the free version
• Lead generation funnels without needing WooCommerce
• Conditional logic to show different offers
• Basic email automation (upgrade for advanced features)

Pros:

• The visual interface reveals flow problems instantly
• Built-in integration with learning management systems
• Templates designed for specific businesses

Cons:

• Limited to 3 funnels
• Much smaller template library than competitors
• Some features feel half-finished

Price: Free for 3 funnels

Who should use it:

• Course creators using WordPress LMS plugins
• Visual thinkers who need to see the big picture
• Small businesses that only need a few funnels
• Anyone frustrated with traditional funnel management

3. One-Click Upsell Funnel

This plugin does one thing really well, it enables you to offer post-purchase upsells.

Instead of trying to be everything to everyone, it focuses on showing relevant offers immediately after someone buys. That’s when people are most likely to say yes to additional products.

Setup is dead simple. Install and configure your offers to begin generating more revenue from existing customers.

Features:

• Smart upgrades that automatically offer premium versions of products
• Global rules that apply to entire product categories
• Full support for WooCommerce product variations
• Exit-intent popups for special offers
• Skip links so customers can decline gracefully
• Sandbox mode for testing without affecting real customers

Pros:

• Add upsells to any store in less than 30 minutes
• Global rules work across hundreds of products
• Works alongside other funnel builders
• Simple enough for non-technical users

Cons:

• Only handles upsells, not complete funnels
• Template designs look outdated compared to more modern plugins
• Customization requires basic HTML knowledge

Price: Free forever

Who should use it:

• Stores with working checkouts that just need upsells
• WooCommerce sites testing if upsells boost revenue
• Businesses using page builders for design but needing upsell logic
• Anyone preferring focused tools over complex all-in-one solutions

Paid WordPress Funnel Builders

If those free tools don’t have the features you need, perhaps these premium options will.

4. CartFlows Pro

CartFlows Pro adds the money-making features to CartFlows Free. We’re talking one-click upsells, order bumps, and split testing.

It’s the safest choice because thousands of stores already use it successfully to boost conversions and increase profit.

Features:

• One-click upsells without re-entering payment information
• A/B split testing with statistical confidence
• Visual canvas for mapping complex funnels
• Revenue analytics showing exactly what works
• WooCommerce subscription support
• Multiple checkout styles, including Shopify-inspired layouts

Pros:

• Stable funnel builder with 5+ years of development
• The support team knows WooCommerce inside and out
• Visual canvas adds modern building without losing reliability
• The Pro license covers 30 sites for great value

Cons:

• Support limited to email only
• Modern features like SMS need additional plugins

Price:

• Plus: $189/year (10 sites)
• Pro: $299/year (30 sites)

Who should use it:

• Established WooCommerce stores wanting proven stability
• Agencies managing multiple client sites
• Businesses with complex payment requirements
• Store owners who value extensive documentation and community support

5. WPFunnels Pro

WPFunnels Pro gives you advanced conditional logic, detailed analytics, and integrated email marketing.

The bundle with Mail Mint creates a complete marketing system that allows for automated emails and more.

It offers conditional logic building in the funnel builder, which helps you show different offers based on what someone bought before and even create personalized paths through your funnel automatically.

Features:

• Unlimited visual funnels with no restrictions
• Advanced conditional logic with unlimited rules
• Heat map analytics showing clicks and scrolling
• Dynamic offers based on purchase history
• A full email marketing platform included in the bundle
• Automatic course enrollment and content delivery

Pros:

• Visual canvas makes complex funnels manageable
• Bundle pricing beats funnel builder plus email service separately
• Analytics show complete customer journey
• Monthly feature updates based on user feedback

Cons:

• Per-site pricing gets expensive fast
• The visual builder slows down with complex funnels
• Support response can take up to 72 hours

Price:

• $97-$237/year depending on sites
• $239.99-$626.99/year with Mail Mint

Who should use it:

• Digital product sellers needing funnel plus email plus course delivery
• Visual thinkers building complex multi-path funnels
• Businesses wanting to eliminate monthly email marketing fees
• Coaches and consultants with sophisticated nurture sequences

7. FunnelKit Pro

FunnelKit Pro aims to replace your entire marketing stack. Built-in CRM, marketing automation, detailed analytics.

It’s like getting enterprise-level features at WordPress prices.

The feature set is honestly overwhelming. But if you’re ready to consolidate multiple tools, this could save you hundreds monthly while providing deeper integration.

Features:

• 16+ order bump conditions with complex rules
• Built-in CRM tracking every customer interaction
• Visual automation builder for multi-channel sequences
• Revenue attribution for every email and campaign
• One-click checkout for returning customers
• Advanced cart recovery via email, SMS, and web push

Pros:

• Replaces $200+ monthly in various SaaS tools
• Support provides strategy advice, not just tech help
• White-label options for agencies
• Optimized for high-traffic stores handling 1000+ orders daily

Cons:

• Overwhelming feature set requires significant learning
• Some features over-engineered for simple stores
• Initial setup can take days
• Resource intensive, requiring good hosting

Price:

• Basic: $129/year (1 site)
• Plus: $249/year (3 sites)
• Professional: $399/year (10 sites)
• Enterprise: $599/year (25 sites)

Who should use it:

• Businesses ready to consolidate their marketing stack
• Agencies needing white-label solutions
• Stores doing $50k+ monthly who can utilize advanced features
• Marketers wanting enterprise capabilities without enterprise pricing

8. SeedProd

SeedProd is primarily a landing page builder that includes basic funnel features. While not a true funnel builder, many people consider it because it creates beautiful pages quickly.

Great for coming soon pages and simple lead generation. But don’t expect real funnel functionality.

Features:

• 300+ professional templates for landing pages
• Coming soon and maintenance modes
• Complete theme builder for headers and footers
• Basic WooCommerce blocks (not optimized checkout)
• Custom domain mapping for landing pages
• Built-in access control and password protection

Pros:

• Fastest way to create beautiful landing pages
• Templates follow conversion best practices
• Excellent for pre-launch lead capture
• Page loads in under 2 seconds
• Zero coding knowledge required

Cons:

• No checkout optimization, upsell or order bump features
• Can’t create multi-step funnels
• No A/B testing for conversions

Price:

• Basic: $39.50/year (1 site)
• Plus: $99.50/year (3 sites)
• Pro: $199.50/year (5 sites)
• Elite: $239.60/year (unlimited sites)

Who should use it:

• Businesses needing beautiful coming soon pages
• Marketers creating standalone landing pages for ads
• Agencies building simple lead generation pages
• Anyone prioritizing design over funnel functionality

9. OptinMonster

OptinMonster specializes in reducing abandonment through exit-intent popups.

It captures emails from visitors who aren’t ready to buy yet using some incredibly sophisticated targeting rules.

This product isn’t a funnel builder. It’s a popup and lead capture tool. But it works alongside any funnel builder to recover abandoning visitors.

Features:

• Exit-intent technology detecting when visitors leave
• 700+ campaign templates from subtle to full-screen
• WooCommerce cart abandonment detection
• MonsterLinks converting any link to two-step opt-in
• Advanced segmentation by location, device, behavior
• Multi-step campaigns adapting based on answers

Pros:

• Most sophisticated targeting available in WordPress
• Proven to reduce abandonment by 10-35%
• Works with any WordPress setup
• A/B testing built into every campaign
• Integrates with 30+ email services

Cons:

• Expensive renewals jump dramatically after intro pricing
• Cannot create landing pages or checkout pages
• No funnel building or management features

Price:

• Basic: $84/year intro (renews at $348)
• Plus: $174/year intro (renews at $696)
• Pro: $414/year intro (renews at $1,656)
• Growth: $1,470/year (custom quote)

Who should use it:

• High-traffic sites where small improvements justify the cost
• Businesses using other funnel builders but needing better popups
• eCommerce stores focusing on cart abandonment recovery
• Sites with 10,000+ monthly visitors

Key Features To Look For

Not all funnel builders are created equal. Some focus on checkout optimization while others try to replace your entire marketing stack. Here’s what actually matters when choosing a tool.

Essential Features

These are the must-haves. Any funnel builder worth considering should include these basics:

• Visual funnel canvas: This is where you plan your customer journey. Instead of guessing how people move through your funnel, you see it as a flowchart. You can spot bottlenecks immediately and fix them before they cost sales.
• Checkout optimization: Your default WooCommerce checkout is probably losing customers. Custom checkout pages let you remove distractions, reorganize fields logically, and add trust elements. This alone can boost conversions by 15-25%.
• Order bumps: These are small checkbox offers that appear during checkout. “Add gift wrapping for $5?” That kind of thing. They’re incredibly effective because customers are already in buying mode. Good order bumps increase average order value by 20-30%.
• Upsells/Downsells: After someone buys, they’re most likely to buy again. Upsells offer premium versions or complementary products. Downsells offer cheaper alternatives if they decline the upsell. This is where the real money is made.
• A/B testing: Without testing, you’re just guessing what works. Good funnel builders let you test headlines, prices, layouts, and entire funnel sequences. Then they show you which version actually makes more money.
• Analytics: You need to know where people drop off in your funnel. Basic analytics show conversion rates for each step. Advanced analytics show revenue attribution so you know which elements actually drive profits.

Advanced Features

Advanced features separate good tools from great ones. You might not need all of them, but they’re worth considering:

• Email automation: Instead of using separate email software, some funnel builders include built-in automation. For greater flexibility, businesses often integrate dedicated email sequence software to run advanced campaigns, segment audiences, and increase funnel efficiency. This creates seamless experiences where funnel actions trigger specific email sequences. It’s more integrated but less flexible than dedicated email platforms.
• Multi-step checkout: For complex purchases, breaking checkout into steps with progress indicators reduces abandonment. People feel more committed as they progress through each step. Best for high-ticket items or complicated shipping scenarios.
• Conditional logic: This shows different content based on previous choices. “If a customer bought Product A, show Upsell B.” It makes funnels feel personalized without manual work. Essential for complex product catalogs or multiple customer types.
• CRM integration: Connects funnel data with customer management systems like HubSpot or Salesforce. Important for B2B businesses or stores with complex sales processes that extend beyond the initial purchase.
• Mobile optimization: Over 60% of traffic comes from phones so your funnels must work perfectly on mobile. This means responsive design, touch-friendly buttons, and fast load times. Non-negotiable in 2025.

Use Case Recommendations

Here’s a simple list of use-cases and what product might fit you best.

• Beginners: Start with WPFunnels Free or CartFlows Free. Both give you solid checkout optimization without overwhelming features. You can prove the concept works before investing money. WPFunnels is better if you’re visual. CartFlows is better if you want maximum stability.
• Small businesses: CartFlows fixes your biggest problem—customers abandoning their carts. It replaces WooCommerce’s broken multi-page checkout with a smooth, one-page experience that actually converts. The free version works immediately and doesn’t eat into your margins with monthly fees. WPFunnels is another option if you prefer visual funnel management, but CartFlows delivers proven results without the complexity.
• Agencies: CartFlows Pro or FunnelKit Pro are your best bets. CartFlows Pro has the best agency licensing with 30 sites for $269/year. FunnelKit Pro offers white-label options so you can brand it as your own solution. Both have the reliability you need for client work.
• Lead Generation Focus: OptinMonster or SeedProd depending on your needs. OptinMonster excels at capturing emails from existing traffic through sophisticated popups and exit-intent technology. SeedProd is better for creating beautiful standalone landing pages for ad campaigns.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• Choosing features over usability: The most feature-rich tool is worthless if you don’t actually use it. Pick based on what you’ll implement, not what’s possible.
• Ignoring mobile experience: As most traffic comes from phones, every funnel element must work perfectly on mobile. Test on real devices, not just browser tools.
• Making funnels too complex: Start simple. Checkout → thank you → one upsell. Add complexity only after proving the basics work for your audience.
• Forgetting email follow-up: Real profit comes from repeat customers. Every funnel needs post-purchase automation to maximize lifetime value.
• Tracking wrong metrics: Revenue per visitor matters more than conversion rate. Track complete customer value, not just initial purchases.

CartFlows Installation and Setup

Here’s how to get CartFlows running in under an hour. We’re using CartFlows as an example because it’s the most beginner-friendly option.

1. Install CartFlows

Download CartFlows from the WordPress repository or upload the zip file.

Activate it like any other plugin. You’ll see a new CartFlows menu in your WordPress dashboard.

2. Configure Basic Settings

Go to CartFlows > Settings. Connect your page builder (Elementor, Beaver Builder, or Gutenberg).

Set your default currency and basic styling preferences.

Don’t overthink this step since all the settings can be customized later. This is just to get your baseline setup ready.

3. Choose a Funnel Template

Click the Funnels tab and Create New Funnel.

You’ll be presented with the template library depending on what page builder you picked in the previous step.

Pick something close to your business model so you can work on the rest of the customization. You can preview the funnels and import the one you like best.

If you don’t already have WooCommerce installed, CartFlows will prompt you to install it before you import a template.

4. Customize Pages and Offers

Edit each page in your funnel using your page builder.

Change headlines, images, and copy to match your brand. Add your products to the checkout page. Keep it simple for your first funnel.

5. Set Up Payment Integration

CartFlows uses your existing WooCommerce payment settings so this won’t take long.

Make sure Stripe, PayPal, or your preferred gateway is configured in WooCommerce. Test with a small purchase to ensure everything works.

6. Configure Analytics

Add your Google Analytics code if you use it. Enable Facebook Pixel tracking if you run ads.

CartFlows has built-in analytics too, but external tracking gives you more data to work with.

7. Test Funnel Flow

Go through your entire funnel as a customer would. For Stripe, you can make test purchases using their demo credit card details.

Check that any confirmation and abandonment emails are sent correctly. Verify that thank you pages display properly.

Fix any issues before launching.

8. Launch and Monitor Performance

Make your funnel live by updating any links to point to your funnel.

Now, all that’s left to do is wait for your customers to go through the funnel, and for you to monitor how it all goes!

The whole process takes less than 30 minutes if you follow these steps. By the end you’ll have a conversion-optimized funnel that works to get more people to buy more of your products!

Our Recommendation

We’re naturally biased, but after using so many funnel builders, we can confidently say CartFlows takes the medal for being a great sales funnel builder for most WooCommerce stores..

It’s built specifically for WordPress, the free version actually works, and upgrading makes financial sense.

While WPFunnels offers better visuals and FunnelKit has more features, CartFlows delivers results without the complexity.

So, here are your next steps.

1. Download the free version of CartFlows
2. Run it for 30 days
3. Upgrade when you’re ready for more

And stop losing customers to bad checkout experiences. Your competitors are already using funnel builders to steal customers you should be keeping.

CartFlows levels the playing field without breaking the bank or overwhelming your team. The best time to optimize your funnel was six months ago. The second best time is right now.

FAQs – Best Sales Funnel Builders for WordPress

We’re operating in an environment where:

• 60% of Google searches result in zero-click experiences
• Voice commerce is projected to hit $80 billion
• AI referral traffic increased 123% between September 2024 and February 2025

The game has changed completely.

So what does this mean for you?

It means you have some work to do to keep your store visible in search, and it’s not just about rankings anymore.

When customers do find your store, the entire experience, from search to checkout, needs to work seamlessly.

Full shopping cart and funnel solutions like CartFlows are now essential for any serious eCommerce business.

That’s why we wrote this guide. To share tried and tested tips we use in our own stores to help you remain competitive in search during uncertain times.

Why SEO Still Matters in an AI World

Search engine optimization (SEO) isn’t dead, but it sure has changed!

Traditional SEO focused on rankings, traffic, and click-through rates. The assumption was simple: higher rankings meant more visibility, which translated to more sales.

That logic still holds, but it’s no longer the complete picture.

A big chunk of the online experience still begins with a search engine. But the definition of “search engine” is expanding.

We’re not just optimizing for Google anymore. We’re optimizing for ChatGPT, Perplexity, voice assistants, and whatever AI-powered search experience comes next.

Page speed, mobile optimization, quality content, and user experience signals still matter.

But there are also new considerations too:

• How will AI engines interpret your content?
• Can voice assistants understand your product descriptions?
• Will your brand be mentioned when AI systems provide shopping recommendations?

What we’re saying is, we’re not abandoning SEO. We’re only expanding our definition of what SEO means in 2025.

The world is now calling it AEO.

What Is AEO? (Answer Engine Optimization)

Answer engine optimization (AEO) is the next evolution of search strategy.

Instead of trying to “rank” at the top of existing search results with SEO, AEO is designed to help your content become the answer itself.

But there’s a caveat to this change. AI systems cite, reference, and recommend your content through AEO instead of driving traffic to your site.

Think about how this changes everything.

• Your site may appear in AI overviews, but since AI answers the question, people won’t click through.
• Generic blog posts on your site won’t be necessary since AI will answer those queries.
• People will be less inclined to read through the 3000-word blog posts you had on your site when AI can summarize them for them.

Basically, the way things were with SEO are not the same with AEO.

Now, if someone asks ChatGPT or Google AI for product recommendations, you want your brand mentioned in that response.

When voice assistants suggest where to buy something, you want to be the recommended source.

For AEO, we stop monitoring traffic and CTRs and start monitoring:

• Citation frequency in AI responses
• Brand mention sentiment across platforms
• Direct recommendation appearances
• Voice search capture rates

This requires a fundamental shift in content strategy. We’re moving from keyword-focused writing to conversational, question-answering content that provides immediate value without requiring a click.

AEO doesn’t replace SEO. It complements it. The most successful WooCommerce stores in 2025 will master both.

Is WooCommerce SEO-Friendly?

Out of the box, WooCommerce is reasonably SEO-friendly. But it’s far from optimized.

The platform handles basic requirements like clean URLs and meta tags, but creates specific challenges that standard WordPress sites don’t face.

For instance, WooCommerce extends WordPress with complex database structures.

But:

• Product variations create multiple URLs for similar content.
• Dynamic cart and checkout pages need special handling.

The platform generates massive numbers of URLs through filtering and pagination that can waste crawl budgets.

Source

But WooCommerce powers 5,685,371 eCommerce stores globally. If it wasn’t SEO-viable, those numbers wouldn’t exist!

So, WooCommerce SEO success depends heavily on proper configuration and the right supporting tools.

Where WooCommerce excels:

• Flexible URL structures
• Built-in sitemap generation
• Mobile-responsive themes
• Extensive plugin ecosystem
• Schema markup capabilities

Where it struggles:

• Product variation canonicalization
• Database query optimization
• Automatic duplicate content handling
• Advanced structured data implementation

WooCommerce provides a solid foundation. Success comes from understanding its limitations and implementing targeted solutions.

Key SEO + AEO Ranking Factors for WooCommerce Stores

The ranking “game,” as SEOs used to call it, has expanded beyond traditional signals. But some of the fundamentals are still just as important with AEO.

1. Product Schema and Structured Data

Product schema tells search engines and AI systems exactly what you’re selling, how much it costs, and what customers think about it.

Here are some of the essential schema properties:

• Name
• Image
• Offers (price and availability)
• Description
• Brand
• Aggregate ratings

For advanced stores, you can also add GTIN, MPN, and ISBN identifiers for enhanced product recognition.

Sites using schema markup receive higher click-through rates. More importantly for AEO, structured data helps AI engines understand and recommend your products accurately. If you haven’t implemented schema for your site, plugins such as Schema Pro, which automatically add relevant schema markup to your website pages and posts, can be useful.

2. FAQs and Conversational Content

AI systems love FAQ sections. They provide clear question and answer pairs that can be directly cited in responses.

But we also need conversational content that mirrors how real customers ask questions.

Instead of “What are the product dimensions?” try “Will this fit in my small apartment?”

Voice search optimization requires this shift. 41% of adults use voice search daily, and they speak differently than they type.

3. Page Speed and Mobile Performance

Core Web Vitals remain critical ranking factors, but their importance extends beyond SEO. A 1-second mobile speed optimization boosts conversions by up to 27%.

The targets are still the same:

• LCP (Largest Contentful Paint): Under 2.5 seconds
• INP (Interaction to Next Paint): Under 200 milliseconds
• CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift): Under 0.1

What’s new is the AEO angle. AI systems learn from data that Google (and other search engines) have collected when making recommendations.

Slow sites get filtered out of AI-generated shopping suggestions because search engines don’t show them either.

4. AI-Readability and Content Quality

AI engines evaluate content differently than traditional search algorithms.

They prioritize:

• Clarity and coherence
• Factual accuracy
• Comprehensive coverage
• Natural language patterns

Product descriptions that read naturally to humans also perform better with AI systems.

This creates a virtuous cycle where good content serves both traditional SEO and emerging AEO needs.

So that’s the background, now let’s get to the action!

15 Pro Tips to Make Your WooCommerce Store SEO + AI Friendly

Here are 15 WooCommerce store SEO and AI tips to help your products show up in search results and AI suggestions.

1. Write Product Descriptions That Answer Questions Before They’re Asked

Write descriptions that address customer concerns, use cases, and common questions. Use conversational language that mirrors how people actually talk about your products.

Instead of “100% cotton t-shirt, machine washable,” try “This comfortable everyday tee gets softer with every wash and won’t shrink in hot water.”

2. Structure Content for Featured Snippets

Featured snippets are your gateway to position zero.

Format content in 40-60 word blocks that directly answer specific questions. Use bullet points, numbered lists, and clear headings.

Think of it as conversation optimization.

For example, you could say: “How do I clean leather boots? Clean leather boots by wiping with a damp cloth, applying leather conditioner monthly, and storing in a cool, dry place. Avoid soaking or using harsh chemicals that can crack the leather.”

A free text summarizer can help you condense information into concise answers that increase your chances of ranking in snippets.

3. Implement Schema Markup on Every Product Page

Go beyond basic product schema. Include brand information, GTIN identifiers, detailed offers data, and review aggregations. Use the JSON-LD format for maximum compatibility.

4. Create FAQ Sections That Feel Conversational

The best FAQs don’t feel like FAQs at all. Write them in natural language. Address real customer concerns, not generic product information.

Instead of “What are the dimensions?” use “Will this coffee table fit in my small living room?” followed by practical space recommendations.

5. Optimize for Voice Search With Natural Language Patterns

Target conversational long-tail keywords. Optimize for “near me” searches if you have physical locations. Create content that answers voice queries directly.

For instance, target “where can I buy running shoes for flat feet near me” rather than just “running shoes flat feet.”

6. Build Topic Clusters Around Product Categories

Topical authority requires multiple pages supporting a topic collectively. If you want AI to identify your website as an authority on a topic, develop comprehensive content around your main product categories.

Link related products, guides, and educational content to build topical authority. Each additional piece strengthens the main page.

7. Use Customer Reviews as Structured Data Goldmines

Customer reviews are the most underutilized SEO asset in e-commerce.

Implement review schema markup using plugins like Schema Pro. Encourage detailed customer reviews that mention specific product features and use cases. These become valuable content for AI systems.

Authentic voices carry more weight than marketing copy ever will!

8. Optimize Category Pages for Discovery

Category pages are the foundation of your content strategy. Create unique category descriptions (minimum 200 words) and implement category-specific schema markup.

Use proper internal linking to distribute page authority.

For a “Kitchen Knives” category, you can write about knife selection, care tips, and cooking techniques rather than just listing products.

9. Create Comparison Content That Drives Decisions

Comparison content is great for both algorithms and customers.

Start with building product comparison pages that help customers choose between options. Include detailed feature comparisons, pros and cons, and clear recommendations.

Example: “MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro for Students” with specific use cases, price breakdowns, and honest recommendations for different budgets.

10. Implement Breadcrumbs That Tell Stories

Breadcrumbs are like narrative threads. They tell users where they are and what pages they jumped from to reach there.

Use breadcrumbs to show product relationships and site structure and also implement breadcrumb schema markup for enhanced search appearance.

11. Build Internal Linking Strategies That Mirror Customer Thinking

The most effective internal linking strategies think like customers, not like website owners.

Link products based on customer behavior, not just categories. Connect complementary products, alternatives, and upgrade paths naturally within content.

For instance, you can create an internal link from a camera not to other cameras, but to memory cards, cases, tripods, and photography guides based on what customers actually buy together.

12. Optimize for Mobile-First Indexing

Mobile-first isn’t a strategy anymore. Every website needs to be mobile-first. Ensure content parity between mobile and desktop versions.

Test touch-friendly navigation and button sizing. Prioritize mobile page speed optimization.

13. Create Content Worth Citing by AI Engines

The main problem with AI engines is that they don’t link. They cite your website as a source. That means you need to start creating content that’s citation-worthy.

Develop authoritative guides, detailed tutorials, and comprehensive product information that AI systems will want to reference and cite.

For instance, create definitive buying guides like “The Complete Guide to Choosing Running Shoes” with expert insights, comparison charts, and actionable advice.

14. Focus on Page Speed as a Conversion Factor

Target sub-2.5-second load times. Implement lazy loading for non-critical content. Optimize images with modern formats like WebP.

15. Add User-Generated Content for Authentic Authority Signals

Encourage customer photos, detailed reviews, and Q&A submissions. User-generated content provides fresh, authentic signals that both search engines and AI systems value.

The best content marketing doesn’t feel like marketing at all.

Best SEO and AEO Plugins for WooCommerce

Let’s look at some of the plugins that we recommend for optimizing your WooCommerce store for both search engines (SEO) and answer engine optimization (AEO).

These tools help ensure your products are discoverable, properly structured, and ready for rich results.

Essential SEO Plugins

SEO plugins form the foundation of your store’s visibility on search engines. They handle on-page SEO, schema markup, and technical optimization specific to WooCommerce.

1. Yoast SEO + WooCommerce SEO Addon

A long-standing favorite, Yoast SEO remains the gold standard for SEO on WordPress. When paired with the WooCommerce SEO addon, it becomes a powerful solution for large or complex stores.

Price: $99 (Yoast SEO Premium) + $79 (WooCommerce SEO) = $178 annually

Features:

• Full product schema support
• Global product identifiers (GTIN, ISBN, etc.)
• AI-powered content suggestions
• Breadcrumb and internal linking control
• SEO for product filters and variations

2. Rank Math SEO

If you’re looking for a modern SEO solution with exceptional value, Rank Math is an excellent choice. Even the free version comes equipped with some advanced WooCommerce features.

Price: Free / Pro: $59 annually (unlimited sites)

Features:

• Native WooCommerce SEO support
• Automatic schema markup
• Clean and intuitive interface
• Built-in SEO analysis and AI tools
• Multi-site and client-friendly setup

3. All in One SEO (AIOSEO)

If you want a straightforward, beginner-friendly solution with strong WooCommerce compatibility, AIOSEO is a dependable option that doesn’t require additional addons.

Price: $99.50 annually (unlimited sites)

Features:

• No need for separate WooCommerce addon
• Smart schema markup
• Rich snippets and video SEO support
• TruSEO page analysis
• Excellent customer support

AEO-Focused Tools

Beyond traditional SEO, AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) focuses on making your content easily accessible to voice search and AI-driven answers.

They help enhance structured data and improve how your store appears in featured snippets and search assistants.

1. Schema Pro

When detailed structured data is a priority, Schema Pro provides extensive schema types and custom implementation options.

It’s ideal for stores that rely on rich results and advanced data representation.

Price: $79 annually or $249 lifetime

Features:

• 20+ schema types, including product, review, and local business
• Visual schema builder
• Custom schema templates
• WooCommerce compatibility
• Integrates with major SEO plugins

2. Structured Content (JSON-LD) #wpsc

Minimalist execution meets maximum impact. This plugin understands that the best schema strategy is the one that actually gets implemented consistently.

Price: Free

Features:

• FAQ blocks with automatic JSON-LD schema generation
• Accordion-style displays optimized for user experience
• Enhanced visibility in featured snippets and voice results
• Universal compatibility with themes and page builders
• Zero-bloat approach focused on essential functionality

Performance and Security Optimization

The following tools enhance your WooCommerce store’s performance while ensuring compatibility and reliability.

1. WP Rocket

Known for ease of use and powerful results, WP Rocket is a premium caching plugin that works seamlessly with WooCommerce.

Price: Starts at $59 annually

Features:

• Advanced page caching with WooCommerce cart exclusions
• Intelligent JavaScript execution delay and optimization
• Database cleanup and optimization automation
• Lazy loading implementation across all media types
• One-click setup with intelligent default configurations

2. Perfmatters

If you prefer a lightweight tool that lets you fine-tune performance without overwhelming options, Perfmatters is a solid choice.

Price: Starts at $59.95 annually (3 sites)

Features:

• Granular script and style management across pages
• Advanced lazy loading and preloading configurations
• WooCommerce-specific performance optimization settings
• Clean interface focused on essential performance metrics
• Lightweight footprint that doesn’t compromise site speed

3. NitroPack

For an all-in-one optimization suite with built-in CDN and aggressive caching, NitroPack offers a robust solution especially suited for high-traffic stores.

Price: Starts at $7.00/month paid annually

Features:

• Built-in CDN with global caching and optimization
• Advanced minification for CSS, JavaScript, and HTML
• Intelligent image optimization with format conversion
• WooCommerce-aware caching that preserves functionality
• Performance monitoring and automatic optimization adjustments

How CartFlows + Modern Cart Enhance SEO + Conversions

Cart optimization directly impacts SEO performance.

Modern solutions like CartFlows create streamlined checkout experiences that reduce bounce rates and improve user experience signals.

These behavioral improvements translate to better search rankings.

SEO benefits:

• Custom checkout pages optimized for speed and conversion
• Reduced abandonment rates improving user experience signals
• Mobile-optimized funnel design
• AJAX cart updates reducing page reloads

Express checkout options further reduce friction and increase conversion rates.

Dynamic pricing updates happen without page refresh, improving user experience while maintaining fast page speeds.

The connection between conversion optimization and SEO has strengthened.

Search engines prioritize sites that provide excellent user experiences, making cart optimization a dual-purpose investment.

Enhance your customer journey with CartFlows

Measuring Success: Analytics for SEO + AEO

After implementing AEO and SEO, you need to measure the efforts for success.

Traditional SEO metrics:

• Organic traffic growth (month-over-month)
• Keyword ranking improvements
• Conversion rates from organic traffic
• Core Web Vitals performance

New AEO performance indicators:

• Featured snippet appearances
• Voice search traffic volume
• AI platform citations and mentions
• Brand mention sentiment analysis

Tools for tracking AI visibility:

Google Analytics 4 with eCommerce tracking provides comprehensive conversion data. Then, you add Search Console data to monitor technical performance and indexing status.

Brand monitoring tools like Ahrefs are highly important for AEO.

These help you track mentions across Google AI overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other AI platforms to understand your brand’s AI presence.

Common WooCommerce SEO Mistakes To Avoid

• Duplicate content: Variations often spawn near-identical URLs that dilute SEO. Prevent this by setting canonical tags on primary product pages, stripping unnecessary URL parameters, and consolidating similar listings in your sitemap.
• Thin, generic product pages: Copy paste manufacturer descriptions just won’t cut it. Aim for at least 200 words of unique copy per item, highlight features and benefits, use natural keywords, and include concise FAQs. Don’t forget to embed relevant JSON-LD schemas for reviews, pricing, and availability.
• Ignoring mobile UX: Responsive design is non-negotiable considering that there are 17+ billion mobile devices in the world. Use touch-friendly buttons, optimize images for smaller screens, and streamline your mobile checkout flow to reduce abandonment.
• Slow page load times: Every extra second of load time costs rankings and sales. Leverage browser caching, a CDN, image compression, and lazy loading. Regularly clean up your database (revisions, transients), and consider a lightweight WooCommerce-optimized theme.
• Missing structured data: Rich snippets drive clicks. Implement product schema (name, price, stock status, reviews) via JSON-LD so search engines and AI assistants can showcase your products.
• Neglecting voice search: Voice queries have exploded so you need to tailor content to natural-language, question-based long-tails. Integrate an FAQ section on product pages and ensure sub-second load times for seamless voice-assistant responses.

Conclusion

WooCommerce SEO in 2025 demands a broader perspective than ever before.

The stores that thrive won’t just rank well in traditional search results. They’ll become trusted sources that AI systems cite and recommend. They’ll capture voice commerce traffic and provide exceptional user experiences that convert browsers into buyers.

This transformation isn’t happening gradually. It’s accelerating rapidly.

The good news? The fundamentals still matter.

Quality content, technical excellence, and user-focused design remain the foundation of success. We’re building on proven principles, not replacing them.

The challenge lies in execution. But you have the knowledge required to nail the fundamentals for WooCommerce SEO!

Revolutionize your WooCommerce store with CartFlows!

WooCommerce SEO Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Get My WooCommerce Product to Show Up in Voice Search?

Focus on conversational content and question-based optimization. Include natural language in product descriptions. Implement FAQ schema markup. Target long-tail, conversational keywords that mirror how people speak.

Is Schema Markup Enough for AI SEO?

Schema markup is not sufficient alone. AI systems also evaluate content quality, user experience signals, and brand authority. Combine schema with high-quality content and strong user experience.

How Does CartFlows Help with WooCommerce SEO?

CartFlows improves user experience signals through optimized checkout flows. Reduced bounce rates, faster page speeds, and improved conversion rates all send positive signals to search engines.

What’s the Difference Between SEO and AEO for eCommerce?

SEO focuses on driving traffic through search rankings. AEO aims to have your content cited and recommended directly by AI systems. Both are important, but AEO represents the future of search optimization.

Which WooCommerce SEO Plugin Is Best for 2025?

It depends on your store size and budget. Rank Math offers the best value with extensive free features. Yoast provides the most comprehensive paid solution. AIOSEO delivers solid all-in-one functionality.

How Long Does It Take to See WooCommerce SEO Results?

Technical improvements show results in 1-3 months. Content-based improvements typically take 3-6 months. Competitive keyword rankings can take 6-12 months depending on market competition.

Can I Do WooCommerce SEO Without Technical Skills?

Modern SEO plugins handle most technical aspects automatically. Focus on content quality, product descriptions, and user experience. Consider hiring specialists for advanced technical optimization.

Stores with proper recommendation systems see 4.5x higher conversion rates and up to 31% increases in average order value.

This guide shows you exactly how to implement product recommendations for maximum revenue impact and 6 WooCommerce plugins that would help you set them up.

What Are WooCommerce Product Recommendations?

Product recommendation is a feature designed to show relevant, personalized product suggestions to store visitors.

Suggestions can boost sales, increase average order value (AOV), and enhance customer experience by helping shoppers discover items they’re likely to purchase.

By default, WooCommerce offers basic recommendations:

• Cross-sells: Shown only at the bottom of the cart page
• Upsells: Appear under the product description
• Related products: Automatically generated, with little control or targeting

The default feature is limited in terms of customization, targeting, placement, and performance tracking, which is why we look for alternatives.

Let’s look at the difference between the native product recommendations vs advanced plugin-based recommendations.

High-converting plugins allow you to place product suggestions on key pages:

• Product pages with “Frequently Bought Together” or “You May Also Like” sections
• Cart page showing dynamic cart-based cross-sells
• Checkout page as last-minute order bumps
• Thank you page and post-purchase upsells
• Purchase completion emails and cart abandonment reminders

Placement is strategically important. The right suggestion at the right time can double or triple engagement!

How Product Recommendations Help

While there isn’t much public data on large companies, we found this McKinsey 2013 report which has some useful information on recommendations.

It states that Amazon generates 35% of revenue through their recommendation engine and Netflix attributes 75% of viewer engagement to personalized suggestions.

For WooCommerce stores specifically, properly implemented recommendations typically see:

• 4.5x higher conversion rates compared to stores without recommendations
• 31% increase in average order value when customers engage with recommendations
• 288% higher engagement from prospects who interact with recommendations

The science and psychology behind product recommendations is also fascinating.

Google’s research on the “Messy Middle” of customer decision-making identified six cognitive biases that recommendations leverage.

They are:

1. Social proof (customers who bought this also bought)
2. Authority bias (expert recommendations)
3. Scarcity (limited stock alerts)
4. Anchoring effect (price comparisons)
5. Bandwagon effect (popular products)
6. Loss aversion (fear of missing out)

Essentially, if you’re not using recommendation plugins, you’re leaving serious money on the table.

The 6 Essential Woocommerce Recommendation Plugins You Need to Know

After testing dozens of options, these six plugins consistently deliver results.

We’ll break down exactly what makes each one special, their real-world performance, and who should use them.

1. CartFlows – The Complete Sales Funnel Solution

Price: $189-$299/year.

Best for: Serious eCommerce businesses looking for comprehensive funnel optimization.

We can practically hear your eyes rolling, “Of course, they put their own product first.” But we’ll only share what could solve your struggle with increasing average order value.

You see, for product recommendations to work, you need a conversion-optimized WooCommerce checkout flow.

CartFlows gives you end-to-end optimization to make the most of WooCommerce product recommendations.

With 223,242+ active users and 4.8/5 stars, We had to add it as the #1 WooCommerce product recommendations plugin.

“Cartflows helps us with lifting our conversion rates. We’re able to test different customer journeys with ease. We highly recommend CartFlows to anyone looking to improve their conversion rates, sales, and overall visitor experiences” – ShopStyled on TrustPilot

Why CartFlows:

• Complete solution: Handles the entire customer journey from landing to thank you
• Cost advantage: Starts free. Upgrades cost $189 to $299/year or $999 one time cost
• WordPress ownership: Funnels hosted on your domain, not an external platform
• Integration ecosystem: 1,010+ app integrations via SureTriggers
• Proven results: Users consistently report 10-30% revenue increases

Important note: CartFlows works alongside recommendation plugins rather than replacing them.

Many stores combine CartFlows for checkout optimization with dedicated recommendation plugins for product suggestions.

2. Modern Cart – The Cart Experience Specialist

Price: $69-199 (lifetime option available).

Best for: Stores with cart abandonment and low customer engagement who need a modern shopping cart solution.

Modern Cart comes from the same team as CartFlows (Us – Brainstorm Force) but focuses specifically on cart optimization.

The floating cart interface creates a modern, distraction-free experience that reduces abandonment.

The free shipping progress bar is brilliant for encouraging higher order values. Customers see exactly how much more they need to spend for free shipping, often leading to additional purchases.

Product recommendations within the cart capture cross-sell opportunities at the perfect moment.

Key advantages:

• Lightweight performance (less than 0.1 seconds load time)
• Mobile-optimized for modern shopping behavior
• Easy one-click setup and configuration
• Works with any WordPress theme
• Part of the trusted CartFlows ecosystem

For the price ($69/year), it’s exceptional value for cart-specific improvements.

3. Woocommerce Product Recommendations (Official) – The Premium Powerhouse

Price: $99/year.

Best for: Perfect for store owners who want to use only WooCommerce official apps.

This is WooCommerce’s official recommendation solution, and it shows.

The machine learning algorithms analyze customer behavior patterns to automatically suggest relevant products with near-zero setup time.

What impressed us most is the 20+ strategic placement locations throughout your store – product pages, cart, checkout, thank you pages, even category pages.

The “Smart Amplifiers” feature lets you boost recommendations based on popularity, rating, conversion rate, and other advanced criteria.

For stores with large catalogs, the bulk recommendation creation using category and attribute filters saves hours of manual work.

Key features that matter:

• Automated “Frequently Bought Together” with lightweight algorithms
• “Complete the Look” feature for fashion/lifestyle stores
• Revenue analytics with filterable reports
• Seasonal pattern adaptation (algorithm learns holiday trends)
• No external API calls (everything processed locally for speed)

Users report significant AOV increases, though WooCommerce doesn’t publish specific numbers. Machine learning improves over time so you can expect better results after 2-3 months of data collection.

The catch: At $99/year, it’s the most expensive option.

Plus, it’s not optimized for block themes yet (support coming soon). If you’re on a tight budget or using a block theme, consider alternatives.

4. UpsellWP – The Conversion Optimization Specialist

Price: Free version available, Pro at $55/year.

Best for: Stores that want a plugin that just does upsells and nothing else.

UpsellWP has very comprehensive campaign types.

While many plugins focus on cross-sells, UpsellWP offers post-purchase upsells with countdown timers, “Double the Order” campaigns, next-order coupons, and thank you page recommendations.

Users consistently report up to 41% increases in AOV. The 10+ pre-built campaigns get you started immediately.

The “Frequently Bought Together” suggestions appear on product pages, while checkout order bumps capture last-minute purchases.

What sets it apart is the time-sensitive offers with urgency timers that create genuine purchasing pressure.

Standout features:

• Post-purchase upsells (customers already committed to buying)
• Smart product recommendations engine
• A/B testing for campaign optimization
• WPML compatibility for multilingual stores
• Works with WooCommerce Cart and Checkout blocks

User feedback highlights: “Great Plugin. Great Service” and “Fantastic Plugin & Outstanding Support!” appear repeatedly. Users praise the quick support response times and comprehensive feature set.

Pricing advantage: At $55/year, it delivers great functionality.

5. Advanced WooCommerce Product Recommendations (WebToffee)

Price: Free version available, Pro at $89/year.

Best for: Stores wanting customizable UI for their product recommendations.

WebToffee strikes an excellent balance between features and affordability.

The pre-built templates (related products, bestsellers, frequently bought together) get you started quickly.

Custom recommendations with advanced filtering let you create sophisticated rules.

Notable features:

• Unlimited custom recommendation types
• Smart targeting (recommend sale items to customers with qualifying cart values)
• Visual customization controls for colors and layout
• WPML compatible for international stores
• Works with block themes and Gutenberg

Performance data: Users in the WebToffee ecosystem (1.5+ million total) report strong satisfaction.

The company’s reputation for excellent support makes this a safe choice for stores needing reliable, well-supported recommendations.

6. YITH WooCommerce Frequently Bought Together – The Budget Option With Caveats

Price: Free version, premium pricing not disclosed.

Best for: Budget-conscious stores willing to accept limitations.

We used YITH because it seemed to come up a lot when we were looking for plugins to try.

From our testing, we noticed that it doesn’t give you the bells and whistles you’d need for recommending the best products.

But it works and if all you need is a way to recommend a few specific products, this product recommendation plugin might just work.

The free version is limited, and the recurring theme in a lot of the customer reviews was that YITH was “practically impossible to use” without upgrading. The 3.1/5 star rating on WordPress.org also tells the story.

With the free version you can only:

• Configure specific products to show up for each product in your store
• Change the title of the product recommendation section
• Customize the text and colors of the “Add to Cart” for these recommended products.

It does offer some good features like auto-recommending products based on tags and categories, add automatic discounts, and more in the premium versions.

If those features get the job done for you, this is going to be a great low-cost option for you to consider.

Our recommendation: Only consider YITH if budget is your primary concern and you thoroughly test on a staging site first.

Our Final Recommendations for Choosing the Best Plugin

WooCommerce Product Recommendations ($99/year) provides official WooCommerce support and future-proof development which could be a great add-on for most stores.

But most don’t include all.

If your store needs deeper funnel optimization, better upsell and cross sell flows, you need CartFlows.

It’s currently the most comprehensive solution and provides everything you need to optimize carts for more sales.

If you’re tired of layering solutions on top of the WooCommerce shopping cart experience, you need Modern Cart ($69/year).

It completely changes the look and feel of your WooCommerce store with smart product recommendations.

You get a modern-looking cart experience that’s fast, snappy, and built for conversion.

For WooCommerce stores on a budget, go with UpsellWP ($55/year).

It offers the best balance of features, price, and proven results. The comprehensive campaign types and excellent support make it ideal for stores wanting immediate revenue improvement.

Set Up Product Recommendations With CartFlows (3 Simple Steps)

After you’ve installed CartFlows Pro on your WooCommerce store, setting up product recommendations can increase average order value by 20-30%.

Step 1: Create Your Funnel and Configure Checkout

Let’s use a funnel template to build as it’s faster and easier while you’re learning how CartFlows works.

Navigate to CartFlows → Funnels → Create Funnel.

Choose one of the product sales funnel templates depending and then Import Flow.

Configure your checkout page by going to Checkout settings → Product and select your products.

Step 2: Add Revenue-Boosting Recommendation Features

Set up order bumps by adding a new step to your funnel.

Configure post-purchase upsells by adding an upsell step after your checkout page.

Select an upsell product that’s 1.5-3x the cart product price and enable one-click purchasing.

You can also choose to set up conditional redirects so “Yes” leads to a specific page and “No” leads to another page depending on how you’ve designed the funnel.

Step 3: Optimize and Scale Your Recommendations

You can also create category-specific upsell strategies for a little extra profit.

For example:

• Electronics stores could focus on warranties and accessories
• Fashion stores on complete-the-look recommendations
• Digital product stores on related courses or upgraded plans

Use CartFlows’ A/B testing to test different funnel variations and track conversion rates by funnel step, average order value increase, and abandonment rates.

Ensure mobile optimization by testing all steps on mobile devices, using Instant Checkout layout for mobile, and minimizing form fields.

Start simple with basic order bumps, then add complexity as you learn what works.

Limit recommendations to 3-5 options maximum to avoid overwhelming customers, and continuously optimize based on performance data rather than assumptions.

Strategic Product Recommendation Locations That Actually Convert

Here are the highest-converting locations based on performance data and user testing:

• Product pages (above the add to cart button): Most effective for cross-sells because customers are actively making decisions. Users report 2-3x higher engagement compared to sidebar placements.
• Cart page (header section): Better visibility than WooCommerce’s default bottom placement. Focus on complementary items based on cart contents, avoiding irrelevant suggestions that create noise.
• Checkout page: Order bumps and last-minute additions. Test placement timing carefully. Too early and it’s ignored, too late and it feels pushy.
• Thank you page: Post-purchase upsells work because customers have already made a purchase decision so it’s easier to make another. This is where CartFlows excels.
• Email campaigns: Personalized product recommendations in emails often show higher conversion than onsite recommendations. Amazon’s email recommendations have very high conversion rates according to their published data.

Common Implementation Mistakes to Avoid

Theme compatibility issues are the biggest source of problems.

Always test on a staging site first, and consider switching to the Storefront theme temporarily to verify plugin functionality.

• Caching conflicts cause recommendations to appear stale or identical for all users. Configure exclusions for dynamic recommendation areas, or use AJAX loading for personalized suggestions.
• Over-aggressive recommendations hurt more than help. Avoid recommending completely unrelated products or showing too many options (analysis paralysis).
• Ignoring mobile optimization is costly when 60%+ of traffic comes from mobile. Ensure recommendations display properly on small screens and load quickly.

Recommend the Best Products With CartFlows + Modern Cart

If you’re not using product recommendations, you’re already losing money. While you’re reading this, stores using product recommendations are seeing 20-35% more revenue.

Our suggestion?

Start with the WooCommerce official plugin or with CartFlows + Modern Cart if you want the full conversion optimization experience.

Both will pay for themselves in no time (depending on your store’s revenue potential) when set up correctly.

Your customers expect smart recommendations like Amazon has trained them for.

The only difference between your current revenue and significantly higher revenue is clicking “install” and spending an afternoon setting up your first order bump. So what are you waiting for?

They just vanish. No purchase, no goodbye, nothing.

It happens to all of us that run online stores.

If you’re wondering what’s going wrong between “add to cart” and “purchase complete”, you’re not alone.

But the solution isn’t one magic plugin (or maybe it is).

It helps to understand which plugins solve which problems and how they work together to create the seamless experience your customers crave.

The Components of a High Converting eCommerce Cart

If you start observing successful eCommerce stores, you’ll notice they share certain cart characteristics.

Here’s a distillation of the most important components:

• Instant visual feedback – When customers add items, they need immediate confirmation without page reloads or delays. That split second of uncertainty while pages load is enough to break the buying “flow”.
• Visible progress – Customers should be able to see their cart contents, item counts, and running totals at all times. When progress is visible, completion feels inevitable rather than optional.
• Effortless cart management – Adjusting quantities, removing items, or applying coupons should be fluid and effortless to not distract the customer.
• Smart revenue optimization – The best carts don’t just hold items, they actively increase order values through well-timed product recommendations and incentives like free shipping thresholds.
• Recovery systems – 76% of customers abandon their cart on average. High-converting stores have systems in place to bring back interested buyers who left mid-process.
• Mobile-first experience – With most traffic coming from mobile devices, cart functionality needs to work flawlessly on smaller screens without compromising features.

The WordPress shopping cart plugins we’ll walk you though, each handle different pieces of this conversion puzzle.

Some focus on one specific element, while others provide comprehensive solutions that address multiple components simultaneously.

All you need to do is figure out what problems or limitations your store currently has, and put the right plugins in place to give your customers the smoothest experience.

Best WooCommerce Cart Plugins for 2025

Here’s a quick look at the plugins we’ll be discussing in this post:

1. Modern Cart: The Focused Solution

Best for: Stores wanting immediate cart improvements without overwhelming complexity.

Modern Cart is a new premium WordPress shopping cart plugin from the CartFlows team.

These are the same developers behind some of the most successful conversion tools (like CartFlows, Cart Abandonment Recovery, and now Modern Cart).

Fortunately, in our experience, Modern Cart exceeded all expectations.

When your customers add items, instead of redirecting them to a separate cart page, a sleek floating cart slides into view.

Customers can:

• See what items they’ve added
• Adjust quantities
• Apply coupons
• Track their progress toward free shipping

You can also add smart product recommendations in the sidebar cart, further increasing the chances of conversion and increasing average order value.

To make the shopping experience more compelling, Modern Cart lets you show a persistent cart value in the menu bar.

This reminds customers there are products in the cart if they haven’t checked out yet.

Modern Cart has all the features you’d need to help customers stay in a shopping mindset instead of switching to checkout mode.

And the best part is, you can try without committing. Not in the traditional sense where you sign up, install the plugin and play around.

Just go to the Modern Cart homepage and hit the Try Modern Cart button.

Within a couple seconds, CartFlows will spin up a complete website with demo products, some demo data, and with Modern Cart installed.

You can test out all the features in this sandboxed environment before you even consider signing up.

Pros

• Free sandboxed environments to try the plugin in a live environment before you commit
• Complete floating cart system with instant loading
• Dynamic free shipping progress bars and coupon management
• Built-in cross-sells and upsell recommendations
• Full customization of labels, colors, and styling options
• Mobile responsive design that works across all devices

Cons

• Requires time investment to configure features properly
• May be overkill for stores with simple product catalogs

Pricing:

$69 annually or $199 one-time purchase

Verdict: If you want a cart solution that’s reliable, straightforward, and effective without overwhelming features Modern Cart is what you need.

2. CartFlows: The Complete Funnel Solution

Best for: Stores ready to replace their checkout experience with an experience designed to convert

CartFlows takes a different approach than the other plugins on this list.

Instead of just improving your cart, it replaces your entire checkout process with conversion-optimized sales funnels.

You get landing pages, checkout pages, thank you pages, upsell pages, and downsell pages all working together.

The plugin includes order bumps that let you offer related products right on the checkout page, plus unlimited upsells after purchase.

If you’re serious about maximizing revenue from every customer, CartFlows gives you the complete system to do it.

Pros:

• Complete sales funnel system, not just cart improvements
• Order bumps can increase purchase values immediately
• Unlimited upsells and downsells after checkout
• Works with any page builder you’re already using
• A/B split testing to optimize what works

Cons:

• Learning curve if you’re new to funnels
• Requires time investment to set up funnels properly but is fully hands-off once set

Pricing: CartFlows has a fully free plugin that provides all the basic functionality to build funnels.

For order bumps, and one-click upsells, you’ll need CartFlows Plus at $189/year.

If you need even more advanced features, CartFlows Pro offers A/B testing, analytics, conversion optimization funnel templates and more at $299/year.

Verdict: CartFlows delivers the features you need for a complete overhaul of your sales process.

Best for stores ready to think beyond just cart improvements and optimize their complete customer journey.

3. Ajax Add to Cart

Best for: Stores that need to just let customers add to cart without the page refresh.

Every time you add an item and the page reloads, there’s that momentary disorientation.

If that’s the only problem you have with WooCommerce, this plugin eliminates that experience completely.

Products are added to cart instantly. A slideout cart from the right gives your buyers a visual confirmation that the product has been added to their cart.

Customers stay exactly where they are, maintaining their shopping momentum.

Pros:

• Eliminates jarring page reloads when adding items
• Works with variable products and product variations
• Universal theme compatibility
• Completely free with no premium pressure

Cons:

• Only handles add-to-cart functionality
• Limited cart management features
• Limited customization options or styling controls
• No upsell, cross-sell, or revenue optimization features

Pricing: Completely free

Verdict: If all you need is the ability to let users add to cart without the WooCommerce refresh, this plugin solves your problem.

4. WooCommerce Menu Cart

Best for: Store owners who only want customers to see their cart progress in the menu bar.

Jeroen Sormani’s Menu Cart solves a single problem – cart visibility.

When customers can see what they’ve added or how much they’re spending, they’re more likely to continue with their purchase to get that feeling of finishing something.

With this plugin, you get a cart icon to your menu showing item counts and totals. Customers can hover over it to see their cart contents without going anywhere.

It’s a simple plugin that adds a simple but effective solution.

Pros

• Always-visible cart status in navigation
• Flyout preview shows cart contents on hover
• Real-time updates when items are added
• Works with most navigation menu systems

Cons

• No cart management capabilities
• Limited to menu-based navigation only
• Basic functionality with minimal customization

Pricing: The base plugin is free. The pro version costs $29.

Verdict: Not flashy, but essential. With 200,000+ installations, it’s become standard for a reason. Visibility creates commitment.

5. WooCommerce Cart Abandonment Recovery

Best for: If your only problem is losing customers who showed genuine buying intent, install this one plugin.

Sometimes people genuinely need to leave and come back later. Life happens.

But stores that don’t follow up with customers who showed genuine buying intent, lose those customers.

WooCommerce Cart Abandonment Recovery by CartFlows operates in the background, automatically keeping track of customers that left midway through checkout.

The plugin then auto-activates the email sequences you’ve set to bring customers back without any manual work.

Pros:

• Automated email sequences for cart abandonment
• GDPR compliant with privacy features
• Professional email templates included
• Completely free with no premium pressure

Cons:

• Email-only recovery (no SMS or other channels)
• No real-time cart intervention features

Pricing: Completely free.

Verdict: This plugin is useful even if you have excellent conversions. It’s a lightweight addon to your eCommerce setup and any recovered cart is more profit for you.

6. FunnelKit Cart

Best for: Stores that need a fully functional WooCommerce shopping cart experience with more features.

If Modern Cart doesn’t fit your needs, FunnelKit Cart is a similar (but heavier) alternative.

It offers a sliding cart system with additional revenue features built in.

Similar to Modern Cart, when customers add items, FunnelKit Cart shows a sidebar cart that includes milestone-based rewards, cross-sell suggestions, and progress tracking toward goals like free shipping.

One of the things we like about this plugin is the gamification elements, where customers can unlock discounts or gifts by reaching spending thresholds.

Pros:

• Milestone-based reward system that encourages customers to buy more
• Customers can add recommended products without leaving the cart
• Clean, professional-looking sliding cart
• Works with popular payment methods

Cons:

• Costs $99/year for advanced features
• Takes time to set up rewards and milestones properly
• You need to understand customer psychology to use it effectively

Pricing: From $99 per year.

Verdict: The plugin delivers advanced cart features for stores ready to invest time and money in conversion optimization.

7. YITH WooCommerce Checkout Manager

Best for: Stores requiring custom checkout field collection and management

YITH WooCommerce Checkout Manager specifically handles checkout field customization.

You can add custom fields like text boxes, dropdowns, checkboxes, and date pickers to collect additional customer information during checkout.

The drag and drop interface lets you rearrange fields, and conditional logic can show or hide fields based on what customers select or what’s in their cart.

If you need to gather specific data beyond standard WooCommerce checkout fields, this covers that need.

Pros:

• Add as many custom fields as you want
• Easy drag and drop to rearrange fields
• Fields can appear or hide based on what customers do
• Customize how fields look and what error messages say

Cons:

• Only handles checkout fields
• Costs $69.99/year for all features

Pricing: From $69.99 per year.

Verdict: Does exactly what it promises for checkout field customization. If that’s your specific need, it handles it well, but won’t improve your overall cart experience.

The Success You’ve Been Working Toward

Three weeks after installing some of these plugins, your analytics will reflect something different.

Cart abandonment dropping. Average order values climbing. Customers actually completing purchases instead of vanishing.

Six months from now, you’ll likely be that store owner other people ask for advice. The one who figured out why customers were abandoning carts and actually fixed it.

And you’ll know better that customers were always ready to buy. They just needed you to make it easy.

That’s all you did. Made it easy for them.

Still figuring out what tool is best for you? Why not use one that has all the features (and more) packaged in a single plugin. Try Modern Cart completely risk-free for 14 days!

When 2PM asked 60+ store owners about their preferences, 80% of them chose Shopify as their shopping cart provider.

Shopify currently powers 5.6 million websites while WooCommerce powers 5.7 million websites globally.

So, shall we declare WooCommerce the democratically elected winner and move on?

Not so fast!

Each platform has a different philosophy that will make a big difference in how you operate your store.

WooCommerce vs. Shopify analysis cuts through the noise and helps you with a clear picture of what it means to pick between these two eCommerce heavyweights.

Shopify vs. WooCommerce: Understanding the Core Difference

Before diving into features and costs, you need to understand that WooCommerce and Shopify represent two completely different approaches to ecommerce.

The main difference comes down to ownership vs. convenience.

WooCommerce: You Own Everything

WooCommerce turns your existing WordPress website into a store. You own the platform, control your data, and pay no monthly fees unless you use premium addons.

Ownership means you can build exactly what your business needs.

You get:

• Direct code access
• Unlimited integrations
• Use any payment processor you like

Since you own everything, you’re also responsible for everything.

You need to handle:

• Hosting
• Security updates
• Maintenance

It’s more work upfront, but you get more out of it since everything belongs to you.

Shopify: Someone Else Handles Everything

Shopify takes the opposite approach. They take care of everything for you so you can focus on selling.

You don’t need to worry about:

• Hosting choices
• Security
• Technical headaches

You get professional store setup, managed hosting, automatic security updates, and 24/7 support – though many businesses also turn to a Shopify Agency for advanced customization and growth strategies.

The tradeoff is clear.

As your store grows and needs more features, your:

• Monthly bills keep growing
• You’re limited by what Shopify allows you to do

WooCommerce vs. Shopify: At a Glance

Here’s what actually matters for your business:

Understanding these core differences sets the stage for examining what each platform means for your business in practice.

1. Best Long-Term Cost Efficiency: WooCommerce

Monthly fees are just the starting point.

The total cost of ownership tells the real story, and the math changes dramatically once you factor in apps, transaction fees, and scaling requirements.

WooCommerce

• Core plugin: Free
• Quality hosting: $15-$200/month
• Optional premium extensions: $50-$300/year each
• Developer assistance: $50-$150/hour

The “free” platform requires investment in infrastructure and expertise. You’ll need quality managed hosting to prevent your store from slowing down.

Businesses can spend anywhere between $500-$5,000 per year for a professional WooCommerce setup.

Shopify

• Monthly apps: $100-$1,500+/month for growing stores
• Transaction fees: Get expensive fast
• Premium themes: $100-$500 one-time
• Gets more expensive as you grow

Shopify’s apparent simplicity masks accumulating costs.

Those convenient monthly apps create substantial recurring expenses, but the real shock comes from transaction fees.

Make $5,000/month in sales and you’ll pay about $175/month in transaction fees to Shopify.

At $25,000/month in sales, you’re looking at around $875/month.

Once you hit $500K annual revenue you’re paying about $1,200/month ($14,500/year) just in transaction fees.

Shopify’s transaction fees alone can cost more than running an entire WooCommerce store!

Score: WooCommerce (1) Shopify (0)

2. Best for a Quick Launch: Shopify

Setting up WooCommerce requires you to make strategic decisions about hosting, themes, plugins, and security.

Each choice shapes future capabilities and expenses.

WooCommerce Setup

• Hosting selection and configuration
• WordPress and plugin installation
• Theme customization and optimization
• Security hardening and backup systems

Setup takes anywhere from an afternoon to a couple of days, depending on your experience.

Each decision builds a foundation that evolves with your business rather than constraining it.

Shopify Setup

• Guided setup wizard (launch in hours)
• Pre-configured hosting and security
• Built-in payment processing
• Automatic updates and maintenance

Shopify eliminates decisions helping you to speed up launch.

The guided process creates functional stores within hours, valuable for market testing or for teams lacking technical resources.

The maintenance is a significant difference, though.

WooCommerce requires ongoing attention for updates, compatibility checks, and security monitoring.

You either need to know how to handle these things or have someone on the team who does.

Shopify handles maintenance automatically, though you pay for that convenience through monthly fees and platform limitations.

Score: WooCommerce (1) Shopify (1)

3. Best Store Customization: WooCommerce

The more control you have over setup, the more you can customize later.

WooCommerce Customization Advantages

WooCommerce offers unlimited creative freedom because the underlying CMS, WordPress, is exceptionally flexible.

• Unlimited theme modifications and custom development
• Custom checkout flows with sophisticated pricing logic
• Direct database and code access
• Any third-party integration possible
• Complete control over user experience

Shopify’s Structured Limitations

Shopify is a bit more complex in terms of customization due to its proprietary templating system.

• Theme-based customization with guardrails
• App-dependent functionality additions
• Advanced changes require Shopify Plus ($2,300+/month)
• Liquid templating learning curve for developers

Shopify provides structure instead of freedom.

The system prevents mistakes while also limiting creative possibilities, so what feels adequate today can become constraining tomorrow.

Score: It’s a tie (or dare we say, “It depends”)

4. Best Global Expansion: WooCommerce

Once you begin to get sales, it’s natural to want to expand to different regions and countries.

You need a platform that won’t put customization limitations when expanding internationally.

WooCommerce’s Global Approach

• No geographic restrictions
• Any payment processor in any country
• Unlimited currency and market combinations
• Complete control over international tax logic

WooCommerce treats the world as one market and supports any payment processor, any country, any currency combination.

The flexibility gives you true global commerce without platform gatekeeping.

Shopify’s Geographic Constraints

• Shopify Payments limited to specific countries
• Maximum 50 markets even on highest pricing tier
• Additional markets on lower plans cost $59/month for each market
• Multi-currency features require Shopify Payments

Shopify’s managed approach simplifies scaling but limits you.

Outside their supported markets, you lose the simplicity that you get when operating within the markets that Shopify supports.

Make sure you don’t want to expand beyond the supported countries before jumping on to Shopify.

For now, WooCommerce gets the points for being ready for anything.

Score: WooCommerce (2) Shopify (1)

5. Best B2B Features: WooCommerce

B2B commerce generally brings out a platform’s true capabilities.

It’s where you’ll get to see complex pricing, role-based access, subscription management, and many other features that other users don’t need.

WooCommerce’s B2B Strengths

WooCommerce handles B2B complexity naturally.

The subscription plugin supports sophisticated recurring billing scenarios that Shopify can’t match without requiring expensive plugins.

• WooCommerce Subscriptions with advanced billing rules
• Unlimited role-based pricing and custom workflows
• Membership systems and wholesale functionality
• Complex product configurations and booking systems

Shopify’s B2B Limitations

Shopify’s B2B capabilities feel like an afterthought.

• Basic subscription features without advanced pricing rules
• No role-based discounting on subscription orders
• Limited wholesale and membership capabilities
• Complex B2B scenarios require expensive workarounds

Role-based pricing, quantity breaks, custom billing cycles and other essential B2B features either don’t exist or require expensive third-party solutions.

Score: WooCommerce (3) Shopify (1)

6. Easiest Platform Migration: WooCommerce

It’s quite difficult to migrate between these two platforms as data migration involves much more than products and customers.

You have custom fields, reviews, SEO-optimized URLs, integrated systems and a whole lot more. All of which requires careful handling.

Shopify has a migration guide that uses a limited access migration app (which works only in specific regions right now).

However, Shopify can only import products from WooCommerce if they have a maximum of 3 options and require additional plugins to address using custom fields.

WooCommerce also has a migration guide which involves a Shopify to WooCommerce migration plugin.

The plugin works quite well (we wouldn’t go as far to say “flawlessly”).

Based on the reviews, even when things break, which is quite normal for complex implementations, the support is prompt and helps with the bugs.

Score: WooCommerce (4) Shopify (1)

7. Best Performance Management: Shopify

Since switching platforms later is so costly, performance differences become more significant.

WooCommerce Performance Variables

WooCommerce performance depends on your decisions.

• Hosting quality determines everything
• Plugin selection affects speed dramatically
• Optimization requires ongoing expertise
• Performance ceiling is higher with proper setup

Quality managed hosting delivers excellent results, but reaching peak performance requires knowledge and investment.

Shopify’s Managed Performance

Shopify eliminates performance variables entirely.

• Automatic scaling handles traffic spikes
• Consistent speed regardless of demand
• No optimization knowledge required
• Good performance ceiling without peak possibilities

The Shopify infrastructure maintains consistent performance even during Black Friday traffic surges without you having to do anything extra.

The managed approach removes performance optimization from your responsibility list.

Score: WooCommerce (4) Shopify (2)

8. Best Security Control: WooCommerce

When you manage your own performance, you also handle your own security.

WooCommerce puts you in control of security, which means you’re responsible for everything: WordPress updates, plugin security patches and hosting configurations.

WooCommerce Security Requirements

• WordPress and plugin update management
• Hosting security configuration
• SSL certificates and PCI compliance
• Backup and disaster recovery planning

Control appeals to security-conscious businesses that want control over their data and systems.

You choose hosting providers based on security standards, implement additional protections as needed, and respond to threats.

Shopify’s Managed Security

• Automatic updates and security patches
• Built-in PCI compliance
• Professional security monitoring included
• 99.99% uptime guarantee with security infrastructure

Shopify manages security centrally, providing better protection than self-management for businesses without security expertise.

The tradeoff remains though. You’re trusting someone else with your most critical business asset.

Score: WooCommerce (5) Shopify (2)

9. Best for Payment Processing: Both Win

A store isn’t a store without a way for customers to pay!

WooCommerce’s Payment Freedom

• No platform fees beyond gateway costs
• Any payment processor globally without restrictions
• Regional payment methods integrate seamlessly
• Complete control over payment optimization

WooCommerce imposes no restrictions on payment methods or providers. Use Stripe in the US, iDEAL in the Netherlands, Alipay in China.

The flexibility enables optimization for different markets without platform gatekeeping.

Shopify’s Integration Costs

• Shopify Payments works seamlessly where available
• 2% additional fee for third-party payment providers
• Geographic limitations constrain payment options

The hidden economics surface here. That 2% additional fee for using your preferred payment gateway instead of Shopify Payments can end up costing serious money.

Shopify works well if you serve specific major countries like the US, UK or Australia, because Shopify makes payments seamless in supported countries.

In other countries, your choices are more limited and fees are more expensive.

Score: WooCommerce (5) Shopify (2)

10. Best for SEO and Content Marketing: Both Win

Your platform choice shapes not just your store, but your entire marketing strategy.

WooCommerce Content Advantages

• Unlimited blogging and content creation within the same system
• Yoast SEO and advanced optimization tools
• Complete control over site architecture and URL structure
• Seamless integration between content and commerce

The WordPress ecosystem includes thousands of SEO and marketing plugins.

Advanced schema markup, sophisticated internal linking, custom content types – every SEO technique works because you’re building on the web’s most flexible foundation.

Shopify’s Platform Limitations

• Basic SEO features adequate for product-focused sites
• Blog functionality exists but feels secondary
• URL structure restrictions affect long-term SEO potential
• Content marketing requires workarounds or expensive apps

Shopify’s SEO capabilities work but feel constrained. Blog posts must include “/blogs/” in URLs, product collections require “/collections/”, and customization options are very limited.

These restrictions seem minor but compound over years.

Score: WooCommerce (6) Shopify (3) – It’s a draw

Businesses that view content as a strategic asset need the flexibility of WooCommerce. Those focused purely on product sales can succeed within Shopify’s constraints.

WooCommerce vs. Shopify: Industry-Specific Considerations

The platform differences can affect industries differently:

Fashion and apparel brands gravitate toward Shopify’s ecosystem and integrations.

The platform’s optimization for product photography, seasonal collections, and influencer marketing serves fashion retailers well.

Content publishers and educational businesses prefer WooCommerce’s seamless WordPress integration.

Course creators, membership sites, and content-heavy retailers need the blogging and content management capabilities that WooCommerce provides naturally.

B2B and wholesale businesses find WooCommerce’s pricing flexibility essential.

Complex pricing rules, role-based access, and custom order workflows require platform flexibility that Shopify doesn’t consistently provide.

International businesses must consider geographic restrictions carefully.

WooCommerce’s unlimited market access supports true global commerce, while Shopify’s limitations can constrain expansion plans.

Digital product sellers face different considerations on each platform.

WooCommerce’s subscription and membership plugins offer sophisticated solutions for complex digital commerce. Shopify’s digital product handling is simpler but less flexible.

WooCommerce vs. Shopify: The Decision Framework

These industry considerations lead to a simple decision framework based on your business realities:

(Here’s the full decision tree based on what we’ve covered in the article)

Here’s a simpler one

Choosing Your Ecommerce Future

We know which platform we prefer working with, but like any decision, your choice needs to be yours alone.

To make the decision easier:

• Choose WooCommerce if you have the tech skills or budget to hire help, want to save money long-term, need custom features, and plan to go big in the near future.
• Choose Shopify if you want to get selling fast, run a straightforward store, and want someone else to handle the boring parts.

If you pick WooCommerce, don’t forget to try out CartFlows.

It’s a WordPress plugin that can boost sales by 10-30% using one-click upsells and custom checkout pages.

With CartFlows, you get WooCommerce’s flexibility and conversion checkout flows that usually cost extra on other platforms.

It’s easy to use too!

WooCommerce vs. Shopify Frequently Asked Questions