You put real thought into your pricing.

You factored in your costs, researched competitors, and picked a rate that works for your business. Yet every time a customer buys, your payment gateway takes a slice of your earnings.

Over time, those extra fees eat into your profit margins.

Raising prices rarely goes over well with customers, but fee recovery lets you protect your margins without changing your advertised prices. It’s a smart way to show buyers you’re being upfront about your transaction costs, rather than just padding your profits.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to set up fee recovery so your store stays profitable, compliant, and completely transparent.

Why I Pass Payment Processing Fees to Customers

Passing payment processing fees to your customers adds a small percentage or fixed amount to the checkout total. This helps to protect your profit margins. For example, if you list an item for $50, you might charge $51.80 at checkout so you get the full $50 after the payment gateway deducts its fee.

Here’s why applying processing fees makes financial sense for online businesses:

• Realized Pricing: Instead of absorbing processing fees, the checkout total adjusts to cover them automatically. If you list an item for $10, you’ll receive exactly $10 in your account.
• Margin Protection on Low-Dollar Sales: Flat fees (like Stripe’s $0.30 per sale) hit low-cost items hardest. On a $5 download, Stripe’s $0.30 fee immediately wipes out 6% of your revenue. Passing that fee to the customer protects your margins.
• Transparent Breakdowns: By showing the subtotal, fee, and grand total as separate lines at checkout, you keep things clear for your customers.
• Giving Buyers a Choice: You can let customers choose whether to cover the fee. Offering an opt-in box builds trust and lets supportive customers cover the cost, without risking cart abandonment from buyers who don’t want to pay extra.
• Accurate Payment Rules: Set specific fees for each payment type rather than charging a flat rate. Applying credit card rates to bank transfers overcharges your customer, which is unfair and may even break local surcharge laws.

Step 1: Check Whether Surcharging Is Legal Where You Sell

Before changing your checkout settings, it’s important to check the laws where your business operates. Adding an extra fee for card payments is known as surcharging, and the rules vary depending on where you and your customers are located.

Some regions restrict how much you can charge, while others ban credit card surcharges completely.

In the United States, surcharging rules are strictly regulated. You can only pass transaction fees to customers paying with a credit card, and major card networks cap these surcharges at 3%. Federal law and card network rules strictly prohibit adding surcharges to debit or prepaid cards, even if a buyer chooses to process their debit card as ‘credit’ at checkout.

Several states add further restrictions, including fee caps and outright bans.

When you sell to customers outside the US, the rules change significantly. For example, Canada allows credit card surcharges up to 2.4%, except in Quebec, where they are banned.

If you plan to pass payment processing fees to your customers, make sure you check the laws that apply to your business.

If card surcharges are restricted or banned where you operate, you can use a discount model instead to achieve a similar financial result. For example, you can set your base price slightly higher to cover processing costs, then offer a discount for lower-cost payment methods like cash, debit, or bank transfers.

Step 2: Install and Activate WP Simple Pay Pro

With the legal requirements covered, it’s time to install a payment plugin. For this, we’ll use WP Simple Pay because it has fee recovery built-in, so it’s very straightforward.

Although there’s a free version of WP Simple Pay, you’ll need a Personal license ($49.50) to set up fee recovery for credit fees. If you upgrade to a Plus license ($99.50) or higher, you’ll also be able to recover fees on other methods such as bank transfers.

After purchasing a license, download the plugin and install it on your site. If you haven’t done this before, our guide on how to install and activate a plugin walks you through the entire process.

Once activated, go to WP Simple Pay » Settings in your WordPress dashboard.

Here, paste your license key into the License Key field and click Activate.

You can find this key in your WP Simple Pay account, or in your purchase confirmation email.

Step 3: Connect WP Simple Pay to Your Stripe Account

Next, you need to connect WP Simple Pay to your Stripe account so the plugin can process payments.

In your WordPress dashboard, go to WP Simple Pay » Settings » Stripe » Account. Then, click the ‘Connect with Stripe’ button

This redirects you to the official Stripe website where you can log in and approve the connection.

WP Simple Pay uses Stripe Connect, which is Stripe’s official authorization system. This protects your account by never saving your login credentials or secret keys in WordPress.

Once you approve the connection, Stripe will automatically take you back to your WordPress dashboard.

At this point, you might see a warning stating that your site doesn’t have SSL enabled. An SSL certificate encrypts the connection between your server and your visitors, securing sensitive payment details and building customer trust.

If you don’t already have one, then our guide on how to install an SSL certificate walks you through the process.

Step 4: Create Your Payment Form and Set Your Price

Now that Stripe is connected, you can build the form your customers will use at checkout.

To do this, go to WP Simple Pay » Add New Payment Form.

WP Simple Pay’s template library includes pre-made layouts for one-time payments, donations, and recurring subscriptions.

I recommend starting with the simple Payment Form template, as configuring fee recovery is much easier on a basic layout. Simply hover over this template and then click Use Template when it appears.

On the General tab, type in a clear title for your form. Keep in mind that your customers will see this title on the checkout page, so use something helpful like ‘Annual Membership’ or ‘Design Consultation’ rather than internal shorthand or project codes.

Next, click the Payment tab and enter your base price. This amount represents your net payout, which is the exact figure you want to receive after fees are deducted.

WP Simple Pay uses this base price to calculate the additional processing charge automatically.

You can also use this tab to choose between a one-time payment or a recurring subscription, depending on how you sell your products or services.

Step 5: Turn On Fee Recovery for Your Payment Method

With your base price set, you can turn on the fee recovery setting. On the Payment tab, scroll to the Payment Methods section and click Configure next to the payment option you want to adjust.

In the popup that appears, check the box under ‘Fee Recovery.’

This opens fields where you can enter a percentage and a fixed amount. These options match how payment gateways structure their transaction fees. You must fill out both fields for fee recovery to calculate properly.

You can also set a maximum fee cap if you want to limit the total charge on larger transactions.

Because you configure these options per payment method, you can apply fees to credit cards while keeping bank transfers fee-free.

Keep in mind that WP Simple Pay does not allow fee recovery and discount codes on the same form. The moment you turn on fee recovery, the plugin removes the coupon code box from your form and displays a short notice explaining the change.

Your discount codes are still saved in your settings, but this specific form cannot process both options at once. If offering discount codes is essential for this product, I recommend adding the processing fee directly to your base price instead.

Once you’re happy with these settings, click ‘Update’ to store your changes.

Step 6: Let Customers Choose Whether to Cover the Fee

At this point, WP Simple Pay applies the fee automatically. However, you can choose whether to make it mandatory or optional.

Making the fee optional works well for donation forms, non-profit sites, and member communities where building goodwill matters. Customers who want to support your business will often opt into paying this additional fee.

Meanwhile, the mandatory approach works best for business-to-business services, invoicing, and high-value digital products. In these industries, clients already expect vendors to list transaction fees as standard line items on their final bill.

To make the fee optional, click the ‘Form Fields’ tab. Then, open the ‘Form Fields’ dropdown and choose ‘Fee Recovery Toggle.’

After that, click ‘Add Field.’

Adding this field places a clear checkbox on your checkout page. The total amount updates dynamically as the customer checks or unchecks the box. This gives your customers full control over whether they want to cover the processing fee.

Step 7: Show the Fee Breakdown on Your Form

Whichever approach you choose, your customers need to see exactly what they are paying for. On the Form Fields tab, open the dropdown menu, select Amount Breakdown, and click Add Field.

This splits your checkout total into clear, individual line items displaying the subtotal, a separate line for the processing fee, and the final total amount due.

Showing this breakdown is more than just good customer service. Card network rules require you to disclose any surcharges before purchase and present them as separate line items on the receipt. Adding this breakdown keeps your checkout transparent and compliant with those requirements.

After adding these extra fields, you can rearrange where they appear in the payment form using drag and drop.

Step 8: Publish the Form and Test It in Stripe Test Mode

The final step is making your form live. Simply click the ‘Publish’ button and copy the shortcode that WP Simple Pay generates.

Then, go to the WordPress page or post where you want to display your payment form.

In the WordPress editor, click the ‘+’ icon and start typing ‘WP Simple Pay’ into the search bar.

When the right block appears, click to add it to the page or post.

Inside the block, open the dropdown menu and select the form you just created.

Finally, click Publish or Update on your page to make it live. After that, simply visit your site to see the form in action.

Frequently Asked Questions About Passing Payment Processing Fees

Adding payment processing fees to your checkout can raise questions about compliance, technical compatibility, and customer trust. Here are answers to the most common questions website owners ask about setting up fee recovery in WordPress.

Is it legal to pass payment processing fees to customers?

In many places, it is legal to pass payment processing fees to customers. However, the legality depends on your location, your customer’s location, and the specific payment method used.

Before enabling fee recovery, spend a few minutes checking your local laws, state regulations, and your payment processor’s terms to ensure your store remains fully compliant.

Do I have to tell customers about the extra fee?

Yes, because credit card networks set strict rules for surcharges. You must clearly reveal the extra fee before the buyer checks out, show it separately on the receipt, and give your customers a chance to change their payment option once they see the added cost.

Being clear and upfront with your audience is also better for conversions. An unexplained price increase at checkout looks like a hidden charge and drives potential buyers away. It is far better to present customers with a clear, itemized receipt so they understand every line item before completing their purchase.

Why can’t I turn on fee recovery for my form?

Two common issues usually cause this problem, and they’re all easy to fix.

The most common culprit is a missing number in your fee settings. Make sure you fill out both the percentage box and the fixed amount box, as WP Simple Pay needs both numbers to calculate the additional fees.

The second cause is a conflict with promotional discounts. WP Simple Pay doesn’t allow fee recovery and discount codes on the same form. When you turn fee recovery on, the plugin automatically removes the coupon field and displays a notice explaining that the two features are incompatible.

Does WP Simple Pay charge its own fee on top of Stripe’s?

No, throughout this guide we used the premium version of WP Simple Pay, which does not charge any additional transaction fees. The only transaction fee you’ll pay is directly to Stripe.

If you want to try the core plugin before you buy, then just be aware that the lite version of WP Simple Pay does add a 3% charge on top of Stripe’s standard rates.

Are there alternatives to passing these fees on?

Yes, and alternative strategies may actually work better for some websites.

The simplest approach is to build processing costs directly into your listed prices. For example, you could increase a $50 product to $52 without ever mentioning additional fees.

This is often the best choice if your sales forms require promotional discount codes or automated tax calculations.

Another option is to use a payment method discount model. Instead of adding an extra charge for credit cards, you can set your base price slightly higher and offer a small discount to customers who pay using lower-cost options like direct bank transfers or ACH.

Rewarding customers for choosing cheaper payment methods creates a positive buying experience while also lowering your overall transaction costs.

Start Keeping the Full Amount You Charge

If you’ve been following along with this guide, you can now pass payment processing fees to your customers. You’ve also updated the checkout process to fully disclose and itemize these additional fees.

To continue improving and growing your online store, check out our beginner-friendly video courses.

These step-by-step tutorials walk you through everything from essential website management, right through to handling digital downloads and configuring essential eCommerce plugins like WooCommerce:

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Every day, online stores lose buyers at the exact moment they’re ready to purchase.

A customer finds an item they like, clicks the ‘Buy’ button, and is redirected to a separate cart page. That sudden jump breaks their shopping momentum and often leads to abandoned carts.

A side cart solves this problem by sliding out smoothly from the edge of the screen. Shoppers can review items, adjust the quantities, and head straight to checkout when they’re ready.

The best cart plugins go even further by adding free shipping progress bars, targeted product recommendations, and rewards that motivate customers to spend even more.

In this guide, I’ll break down the top WooCommerce side cart plugins so you can weigh their strengths, weaknesses, and pricing to find the perfect fit for your online store.

How I Evaluated the Best WooCommerce Side Cart Plugins

While most side cart plugins look similar at first glance, there are often significant differences under the hood. These differences become clear when you compare what features are included for free, how easily you can offer upsells, and how much it costs to unlock additional features.

To help you choose the right tool for your store, I tested each plugin against the following criteria:

• Free Side Cart Features: I compared the features available on free plans against those locked behind a paywall. Choosing a free plugin only makes sense if it handles all your requirements out of the box.
• In-Cart Upsell Options: Upsells encourage shoppers to buy higher-tier products, while cross-sells suggest related add-ons. I tested whether each plugin supports these recommendations directly inside the cart drawer and how easily you can target specific products with relevant offers.
• Order Value Incentives: Free shipping progress bars, free gifts, and spending thresholds give shoppers a reason to add more items to their cart. I reviewed which plugins offer these sales-boosting features and whether they’re included for free.
• Checkout Shortcuts: Fewer checkout steps typically mean higher conversion rates for your store. With that in mind, I tested which plugins let users apply coupon codes and pay instantly with Apple Pay or Google Pay right inside the side drawer.
• Side Cart Design Control: A well-designed cart matches your store’s branding and fits naturally into your layout. I tested each plugin’s styling options, including custom colors, icon designs, drawer positioning, and page-level display rules.
• Side Cart Value for Money: I compared pricing structures against the actual value each plan provides. Budget plugins quickly get expensive if you need add-ons for simple features, whereas high-end plugin bundles are only worth the investment if you plan to use their entire feature set.

Why Trust WP101?

At WP101, our goal is to help you build a WordPress site that works for your business. We test every plugin thoroughly before sharing our recommendations, saving you from trial and error so you can confidently pick the right tool for your shop.

If you want to go beyond plugin lists, our video courses guide you step by step:

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1. FunnelKit Cart – Best for Unlocking Free Gifts and Tiered Discounts in the Cart

FunnelKit Cart is a sliding side cart for WooCommerce. The free version works great as a standalone cart, while FunnelKit Cart Pro unlocks smart features like reward bars, free gifts, and targeted upsells to help boost your average order value.

My Experience

I put FunnelKit Cart to the test on a fresh demo store. My mission was simple: remove friction at checkout and increase basket size by nudging customers toward free shipping and rewarding big spenders with a free bonus item.

The free version impressed me right away. It allows shoppers to update quantities, remove items, apply coupon codes, and select product variations directly inside the sliding cart. For budget conscious stores, FunnelKit Core provides essential functionality without you hitting a paywall.

However, upgrading to the premium plugin unlocks powerful conversion features. I configured milestone rewards to show shoppers how close they were to qualifying for free shipping and extra gifts. This turns the cart experience into an interactive progress tracker that encourages shoppers to spend more.

That said, pay close attention to the pricing tiers. While the Basic plan costs $99.50 per year, it doesn’t include advanced cart features. You need the Plus plan ($149.50) or higher to access powerful tools like in-cart upsells and milestone rewards.

If you’re looking for a lower-cost alternative without additional tools, you may want to check out Side Cart WooCommerce instead.

Pros of FunnelKit Cart

Provides a complete slide-in cart that lets shoppers edit quantities and apply coupons.

Allows customers to modify product variations inside the cart without returning to individual product pages.

Highlights strike-through pricing and total savings on discounted items.

Unlocks rewards like tiered discounts, free gifts, or free shipping as cart totals rise.

Triggers targeted upsells and cross-sells related directly to items in the cart.

Provides a progress bar for free shipping and detailed cart analytics.

Cons of FunnelKit Cart

Advanced features like upsells and rewards require the Plus plan ($179.50 per year) or higher.

Pricing: Annual plans start at $99.50 per year. Accessing in-cart upsells, milestone rewards, and the free shipping bar requires the Plus plan ($179.50 per year) or higher. Alternatively, you can download the lite FunnelKit Cart plugin from WordPress.org, without spending a cent.

Why I Recommend FunnelKit Cart: If you want to boost your average order value, FunnelKit Cart is one of the best tools for the job. It makes it easy to motivate shoppers with free gifts, progress bars, and tiered discounts. Best of all, you can start with the free version to test how it works on your site before deciding whether to upgrade.

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2. Merchant – Best Side Cart Inside an All-in-One Store Toolkit

Merchant is an all-in-one WooCommerce plugin that bundles more than 45 store features into one dashboard.

It includes a side cart with built-in upsells, plus a free shipping bar, a cart timer, and a sticky add-to-cart button, so you can build your whole cart experience in one place.

My Experience

To test Merchant, I set up a fictional candle shop. The owner wanted shoppers who added a candle to see matching wick trimmers and candle snuffers right away, without cluttering the product page.

Upon activation, I enabled the Side Cart module under Reduce Cart Abandonment and chose to slide the cart in from the right.

Adding a candle from the shop page opened the cart right away. I also turned on the floating cart icon, which kept the item count visible while I browsed.

For me, the standout feature was custom upsells. Instead of relying only on related products, I told Merchant to show the wick trimmer whenever anything from the Candles category was in the cart. For a small shop owner, this means every upsell matches what the customer just picked, which feels helpful instead of pushy.

I also liked the cart savings line, which reminds shoppers how much they saved right before checking out.

However, the side cart is exclusive to Merchant Pro. If you just install the free version from WordPress.org, you will see the Side Cart module listed, but its button reads Activate Merchant Pro and no cart appears on your store.

Because Merchant is an all-in-one solution, it can also feel like overkill if you just want a basic shopping cart. If all you need is a free slide-out cart, lightweight plugins like Fast Cart or the free version of FunnelKit Cart are much easier places to start.

Pros of Merchant

• Bundles the side cart with a free shipping bar, cart timer, and sticky add-to-cart button.
• Lets you target upsells at a specific product or category, so suggestions match what the shopper just added.
• Shows strikethrough prices and a cart savings total, which means shoppers see their savings right before paying.
• Adds a floating mini cart icon with five icon styles.
• Lets you display the side cart on desktop, mobile, or both.
• Includes 16 free modules in the free core version, so you can test the dashboard before upgrading.

Cons of Merchant

• The side cart is a Pro-only module.
• Navigating 45+ modules can feel overwhelming if you just want to add a side cart.

Pricing: Plans start at $79 per year for a single site. The Professional plan costs $159 per year for 10 sites, and the Agency plan costs $319 per year for 100 sites. If you want to try before you buy, then you can also download the free version of Merchant from WordPress.org.

Why I Recommend Merchant: This is a great choice if you want a side cart plus a full set of checkout tools without cluttering your site with multiple plugins.

If you’re looking to add features like a free shipping bar, countdown timer, or sticky add-to-cart button, Merchant gives you everything you need in one convenient package.

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3. Side Cart WooCommerce – Best Budget Side Cart With Save for Later

Side Cart WooCommerce is one of the most widely used side cart plugins on WordPress.org, with over 80,000 active installations. It’s a strong pick for budget conscious stores because its premium version adds save for later functionality, express checkout options, and in-cart upsells for $29/year (for 1 site).

My Experience

To test Side Cart WooCommerce, I built a mobile-first store.

Mobile shoppers tend to add multiple items throughout their visit and fine-tune their selection right before checking out, so I wanted to see how Side Cart WooCommerce handled this scenario.

The free version covers all the essentials well. Products update seamlessly without page reloads, and the drawer displays subtotals alongside sale savings. Because tax, shipping, and final total calculations are reserved for the premium tier, the free drawer displays a brief notice explaining these will be calculated during final checkout.

I also appreciated the included basket shortcode, which made it easy to place the cart icon directly in my store’s header.

If you sell higher-ticket products, the Save for Later is a huge win. It lets customers buy what they need now, while saving everything else for next time. This means you don’t miss out on future orders.

Express checkout integration for Google Pay, Apple Pay, PayPal, and Amazon Pay allows shoppers to complete purchases in just a few taps directly from the cart. This provides a frictionless mobile experience.

However, I did find the styling controls somewhat limited in the free tier, so you may struggle to perfectly match your brand. In addition, the coupon field is only available in the premium upgrade, so the free plugin isn’t ideal if you want to offer discount codes.

Pros of Side Cart WooCommerce

• Starts at $29/year for the premium version, making it the most affordable premium option on this list
• Includes a save for later feature in the premium tier so shoppers can bookmark items instead of deleting them.
• Supports Google Pay, Apple Pay, PayPal, and Amazon Pay inside the cart, so customers can pay without completing the full checkout form.
• Keeps working after your license expires, so you only lose updates if you stop renewing.

Cons of Side Cart WooCommerce

Coupon fields, tax, shipping, and final total displays are locked behind the premium plan.

Around 30 custom styling settings are restricted in the free tier, so you may struggle to match your eCommerce theme without upgrading.

Pricing: Premium plans begin at $29 per year for a single site, unlocking save for later, coupon inputs, express checkout buttons, and upsell modules. If you run multiple sites, then you get a 5-site lincense for $89 per year, or an unlimited site plan for $139 per year.

There’s also a free Side Cart WooCommerce plugin that covers the basics.

Why I Recommend Side Cart WooCommerce: This is a great fit for budget-conscious store owners who want handy features like save for later options and express checkout buttons without paying a high yearly fee.

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4. Fast Cart – Best Fully Free Side Cart With a Free Shipping Bar

Fast Cart is a lightweight side cart plugin for WooCommerce that is completely free, with no paid version. It stands out on this list because it delivers a free shipping progress bar and accessibility features at zero cost.

My Experience

To see how Fast Cart handles real shopper behavior, I created a demo environment aimed at raising average order values via a free shipping progress indicator.

The setup was fast and straightforward. The side cart opened smoothly regardless of whether the theme used Ajax add to cart buttons or standard page reloads. Ajax allows a web page to update content dynamically without reloading the entire page, and Fast Cart handles both configurations reliably.

Best of all, it offers a dynamic free shipping progress bar for free. This is a feature that many side cart plugins lock behind a paywall.

Going further, built-in keyboard navigation and screen reader labels make the cart accessible for customers using assistive technology. A handy dashboard widget also tracks how many times shoppers open the cart daily and over seven day periods, giving you quick insight into user engagement.

That said, Fast Cart does lack advanced features such as coupon inputs, in-cart upsells, or express payment buttons. If you need those options, then you may want to look for a premium alternative instead.

Pros of Fast Cart

Completely free with no paywalled features or upsell prompts.

Includes a free shipping progress bar that automatically syncs with your WooCommerce shipping rules.

Functions smoothly with both Ajax and standard non Ajax add to cart buttons.

Built with accessibility support including full keyboard navigation and screen reader tags.

Features an admin dashboard widget to monitor cart engagement over time.

Cons of Fast Cart

Smaller user base compared to established competitors, so I’d recommend testing this plugin on a staging site first.

Doesn’t include advanced cart features like coupon code fields, product upsells, or express wallet checkout buttons.

Pricing: You can download this plugin for free from the official WordPress repository. There’s no paid plan, so every feature is included in the free plugin.

Why I Recommend Fast Cart: If you want an accessible side cart that includes a free shipping progress bar without paying a subscription, Fast Cart is my top pick. It delivers essential sales tools in a straightforward, budget-friendly package.

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5. Side Popup Cart for WooCommerce – Best for Switching Between a Side Cart and a Popup Cart

Side Popup Cart for WooCommerce is a premium extension with a unique advantage. It is the only option on our list that lets you switch between a classic slide-out drawer and a centered popup window, so you can pick the exact layout that complements your site design.

My Experience

Finding the right cart layout usually comes down to what looks best on your site. I tried out Side Popup Cart in a live store to see how both layouts perform.

The plugin integrates seamlessly into WooCommerce, so configuring the settings was quick and easy. I started by customizing the side-sliding cart to match the store design and trigger instantly upon adding a product. Switching over to the centered popup layout was as simple as changing a single setting.

The page level controls turned out to be a major highlight. I disabled the cart entirely on landing pages where a sliding panel would interrupt the user journey, while keeping it active across standard shop pages. This ensures the cart provides quick access without distracting visitors on conversion-focused pages.

Going further, Side Popup Cart includes a customizable coupon field out of the box.

However, it’s important to consider your store objectives before committing to this premium plugin. If you want to increase order totals, this plugin doesn’t include conversion-focused features like free shipping bars or upsells.

There’s also no free version, so you can’t try before you buy.

Pros of Side Popup Cart for WooCommerce

Delivers two distinct cart styles in a single plugin, so you can quickly switch between side drawers and modal popups.

Allows you to hide the cart on specific landing pages or mobile devices.

Includes coupon code fields with custom button labels and styling options.

Features six widget positioning choices and full color customization to match your store’s branding.

Cons of Side Popup Cart for WooCommerce

No free version, so it requires an upfront purchase to test on your store.

Doesn’t include conversion features like order value rewards, free shipping bars, or product upsells.

Pricing: Available to purchase at $39 for a 1 year plan, or $78 for a 2 year plan.

Why I Recommend Side Popup Cart for WooCommerce: If you’re deciding between a sliding side cart and a centered popup, Side Popup Cart gives you both in one package. It works especially well for store owners who want to streamline their mobile experience or hide cart elements on targeted sales pages.

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Which Is the Best WooCommerce Side Cart Plugin for You?

There is no one-size-fits-all side cart for every WooCommerce store. The right choice ultimately depends on your budget and the specific features you need.

That said, I recommend FunnelKit Cart to most store owners. It lets you launch a completely functional sliding cart drawer for free, with the option to upgrade to a premium plan whenever you’re ready to add advanced features like progress bars or rewards.

If FunnelKit Cart isn’t quite right for you, here’s a few alternatives that I recommend for specific use cases:

• If you need a side cart plus a full suite of store customization tools, Merchant is a great choice. It includes a sliding cart alongside built-in features like free shipping bars, countdown timers, and sticky add-to-cart buttons.
• If you are looking for the most affordable premium option, Side Cart WooCommerce is an excellent choice. The paid version comes at a budget-friendly price point while adding helpful tools like express checkout buttons and a save-for-later feature.

FAQs About the Best WooCommerce Side Cart Plugins

What is a WooCommerce side cart?

A WooCommerce side cart is a panel that slides out from the edge of the screen when a shopper adds a product to their cart. It displays the items in their cart, the total price, and a direct checkout button. This allows customers to review their order without leaving their current page.

This is different from the default WooCommerce setup, which redirects shoppers to a separate cart page after adding a product. A side cart keeps customers in the shopping flow, making it easier for them to continue browsing and add more items before checking out.

Is there a free WooCommerce side cart plugin?

Yes, Fast Cart is completely free with no paid plan, and it includes a free shipping progress bar out of the box. The free versions of FunnelKit Cart and Side Cart WooCommerce also give you a working side cart at no cost.

Can I show upsells in a side cart for free?

No, none of the plugins on this list include in-cart upsells in their free versions. FunnelKit Cart, Merchant, and Side Cart WooCommerce all offer upsell features, but only in their paid tiers.

If you want to try in-cart upsells on a budget, Side Cart WooCommerce offers the lowest starting price.

For more ways to feature related products, take a look at my roundup of the best upsell and cross-sell plugins for WooCommerce.

Will a side cart slow down my WooCommerce store?

A side cart adds a small amount of extra code to your site, which can have a minor effect on loading speed. However, for most stores, your hosting provider, theme optimization, and overall plugin count have a much greater impact on performance.

If site speed is a top priority, pair your cart with reliable WooCommerce hosting and a WordPress speed plugin.

Do I still need the WooCommerce cart page if I use a side cart?

Yes, you should keep your WooCommerce cart page even after adding a side cart.

WooCommerce needs a dedicated cart page assigned in your settings to work properly. Instead of deleting it, keep the page published so default WooCommerce links continue to function without breaking.

Many side carts also include a ‘View Cart’ button that directs shoppers to that page. Keeping it active ensures those links always work, even if most of your customers end up skipping the standard page completely.

Why isn’t my side cart opening or updating when I add a product?

Caching plugins are one of the main reasons a side cart fails to open or shows old products. When a plugin saves an outdated copy of your page, the cart drawer cannot display live updates. To fix this, configure your caching plugin to exclude the cart, checkout, and session cookies, then clear your site cache.

If that does not resolve the issue, your theme might be using standard add to cart buttons that trigger a full page reload. Certain side cart plugins rely strictly on Ajax triggers to slide open, whereas options like Fast Cart handle both standard reloads and Ajax requests.

As a final troubleshooting step, temporarily deactivate other cart or checkout plugins one by one to isolate potential software conflicts.

Build a Smoother Checkout Flow With WordPress

Once your cart is in place, it is worth looking at the rest of your store as well.

My guide to the best WordPress eCommerce plugins covers the tools that help with payments, marketing, and more. You can also explore my top picks for eCommerce WordPress themes to give your store a fresh look.

If you would like step by step help setting up your store, WP101’s video courses walk you through WordPress from the ground up. You can start with a 7 day free trial and learn at your own pace, backed by a 14 day money back guarantee:

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You put in the work to get Google Analytics running, added a consent banner to comply with privacy laws, and regularly check your dashboard to monitor how your site is performing. You’ve done everything right.

So it’s frustrating to learn that a chunk of your traffic is missing from those reports.

If a visitor doesn’t click the ‘Accept’ button in your consent banner, standard Google Analytics ignores them completely.

Let’s fix that data gap. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have cookieless tracking running on your WordPress site, so you can keep measuring the visitors who never accept cookies, while fully respecting their choice.

Why I Track Visitors Without Cookies

With cookieless tracking, you can monitor the people who visit your website without adding a cookie to their device. Instead of tagging people with an ID it recognizes later, your analytics simply records the visit as a privacy-friendly, anonymous event.

Here’s the major reasons why cookieless tracking is becoming so popular: 

• No More Invisible Traffic: Privacy regulations often treat non-consent as a hard “no” when it comes to tracking. Cookieless tracking ensures those visits still count.
• Misleading comparisons: Cookie consent rates vary wildly by audience and traffic source. When you compare two pages, you might just be comparing who bothered to click ‘Accept.’ Anonymous logging gives you the complete picture.
• Zero Extra Cost: You can set up cookieless tracking using free plugins. 
• Future-Proof Analytics: As privacy laws tighten worldwide and browsers keep adding restrictions on cross site tracking, a setup built around consent is far less likely to break when the rules change again.

I also want to be straightforward about this method’s limitations. You’ll still need a banner, and anyone who clicks ‘Accept’ will still get cookies. The real win is that everyone else gets tracked anonymously instead of being completely excluded.

If you don’t want to display a consent banner, then you’ll need to replace Google Analytics with a different tool. To help you out, I’ve included some options in the FAQ.

Step 1: Connecting Google Analytics to Your WordPress Site

The first step is installing Google Analytics on your WordPress website. For that, I use MonsterInsights as it lets you connect Google Analytics to your site in just a few clicks without ever touching a line of code or editing theme files. 

There’s even a free, lite version of MonsterInsights that you can download from the official WordPress repository. Since it has everything you need to add cookieless tracking, I’ll be using the free version throughout this tutorial.

If you’ve never added a plugin before, our step-by-step guide on how to install and activate a plugin covers the whole process.

Upon activation, go to Insights » Settings and click the ‘Launch Setup Wizard’ button.

From there, just follow the onscreen prompts to connect MonsterInsights to your Google Analytics account.

When you arrive back in your dashboard, you should see a connected Website Profile and an active property ID. This means you’ve successfully connected WordPress to your Google Analytics account. 

Step 2: Installing WPConsent on Your Site

Now you’ve set up Google Analytics, the next step is adding the tool that enables cookieless tracking. For that, I use a privacy plugin called WPConsent because it enables Google Consent Mode by default and works seamlessly with MonsterInsights.

Once again, there’s a free version of WPConsent that includes everything you’ll need, so we’ll be using that throughout this tutorial.

You can install WPConsent the exact same way you installed MonsterInsights. Once activated, you’ll see a new WPConsent tab in your menu where you can manage your dashboard, banner design, scanner, and settings.

Step 3: Scanning Your Site for Cookies

Before you can manage your cookies effectively, WPConsent needs to scan your site to see what’s already running. The WPConsent plugin should run this scan during the onboarding process.

However, you can also trigger this scan manually by going to WPConsent » Scanner and clicking the ‘Scan Your Website’ button. 

The scan checks your pages against WPConsent’s database of known services so it can identify everything correctly. Once it finishes, it’ll display all the detected services and cookies in its ‘Scan Overview’ section.

Underneath, the Detailed Report groups everything into categories. You can click ‘View Cookies’ next to any service to see more information. 

Step 4: Switching On Google Consent Mode and Script Blocking

Now comes the setup that turns standard Google Analytics into cookieless Google Analytics. Google Consent Mode is a framework that passes your visitors’ privacy choices directly to Google. Google then automatically adjusts how Analytics behaves based on whether the visitor has accepted or declined cookies.

To set this up, go to WPConsent » Settings. 

Here, click to activate the ‘Consent Banner’ and ‘Script Blocking’ sliders. After that, make sure ‘Default Allow’ is disabled. 

Further down the same page, make sure that the ‘Google Consent Mode’ toggle is enabled.

Once everything is set up, click ‘Save Changes’ to store your settings.

Here is what happens behind the scenes: by default, your site tells Google that all tracking and personalization permissions are denied, and only essential security and site functionality are allowed. 

Because analytics storage is blocked, Google Analytics cannot place a tracking cookie in the visitor’s browser or recognize them on return visits, and instead sends an anonymous signal with no identifier attached. Google uses these signals to fill the gaps in your reporting.

However, if that visitor clicks ‘Accept’ on your banner, Google Analytics instantly switches back to its normal tracking behavior. With that said, let’s design our cookie consent banner.

Step 5: Designing and Publishing Your Cookie Banner

To build this banner, go to WPConsent » Banner Design. Under the Banner Layout section, you’ll find two layout choices.

The Long Banner stretches across the full width of the screen, with the option to display it at either the top or the bottom. I typically use a Long Banner on content sites because it’s impossible to miss. This encourages visitors to make a choice right away instead of scrolling past the banner.

The Floating Banner is a smaller box tucked into a corner of your screen. This is what I use on portfolio and photography sites where a full width bar would cut into the visual layout.

As you work, you can click the ‘Preview’ button to see how the consent banner will look to visitors. 

Once everything looks right, click the Save button to publish your banner.

You can now visit your site to see the banner in action. If it doesn’t show up right away, don’t worry. This is a common issue that’s almost always caused by page caching. Clearing your caching plugin or opening your site in a private browsing window usually makes the banner appear immediately.

Step 6: Proving That No Cookies Are Being Set

This is my favorite part, as you get to see your cookie controls in real time. WPConsent has a built-in tool to test whether Google Analytics cookies are being set. 

To run this test, go to WPConsent » Scanner and click the ‘Inspector’ tab.

Click the ‘Start Inspector’ button to begin.

The Inspector opens your live site and clears existing cookies so you can view it as if you’re a brand-new visitor.

First, check for a Discovery Mode notice at the top. If it says script blocking is disabled, Inspector won’t confirm if blocking works. If you see that, simply jump back to Step 4 and turn Script Blocking on.

Next, browse a few pages without accepting or denying the cookie banner.

You should see zero Google Analytics cookies listed, so make sure nothing starting with _ga appears in the table.

That proves your analytics is running cookielessly. Once you click ‘Accept’ on the banner, WPConsent updates your choice and allows Analytics to store its cookies as normal.

Keep in mind that the Inspector and the Scanner handle two different jobs. The Scanner checks your pages against a database of known services, while the Inspector watches cookies land in real time as you browse. That’s why their lists might look slightly different, and it’s completely normal.

And that’s it! Your Google Analytics now tracks visitors without setting cookies until they opt-in.

Frequently Asked Questions About WordPress Analytics Without Cookies

Switching to cookieless tracking often raises practical questions about compliance, data accuracy, and daily website management.

To help you set up your analytics with confidence, I’ve answered the most common questions about tracking WordPress visitors without using traditional cookies below.

Do I still need a cookie banner if my analytics do not use cookies?

Yes, with this setup you do. The banner captures your visitor’s choice, so Google Consent Mode knows whether to stay in cookieless mode or switch to full tracking.

If you remove the banner, your site will be stuck in cookieless tracking permanently. As a result, you’ll miss out on full analytics from users who would have gladly opted in.

For most site owners, keeping the banner while collecting anonymous data from non-consenting users gives you the best of both worlds.

Is tracking visitors without cookies actually GDPR compliant?

While no single tool guarantees total compliance on its own, this setup puts you in a very strong position. Because Google Analytics still sends data to external servers, you still need a privacy policy explaining what information you’re collecting from visitors. 

However, because this approach respects visitor preferences instead of trying to bypass them, it forms a solid foundation for GDPR compliance.

Will my analytics data be less accurate without cookies?

Your data becomes less detailed in one area, but vastly more complete overall.

You will lose cross-session history, which makes returning visitor metrics and complex conversion journeys less precise. However, you gain a much fuller picture of your total site activity.

Where accuracy really matters, pair this setup with Google Search Console for an independent view of your search traffic.

What exactly does WPConsent do, and do I really need it?

WPConsent does two key things: 

• It displays and records the consent choices your visitors make.
• It translates those choices into signals Google Analytics understands through Google Consent Mode.

By contrast, MonsterInsights alone can’t read or handle visitor consent, which means that WPConsent is a crucial part of this setup. 

Do I need the paid versions of these plugins?

No. You can complete every step in this tutorial using the free versions of WPConsent and MonsterInsights. 

If you’d rather use something else for consent, Complianz is a well established alternative. It generates region specific privacy documents alongside its banner and also supports Google Consent Mode.

To skip Google Analytics entirely, Burst Statistics keeps analytics in your own WordPress database with a cookieless mode you can switch on, WP Statistics reports anonymized visits without cookies at all, and Plausible is a paid hosted service that’s cookieless by design. 

Wrapping Up

If you’ve been following along, you now have WordPress analytics running without cookies, recording every visitor who lands on your site. This includes visitors who completely ignore your cookie consent banner.

Now you’ve set up tracking, the next step is making that data work for you.

Our video library shows you how to turn those insights into action, with practical guides on core WordPress setups, traffic-boosting plugins like All in One SEO, and everything else you need to grow your site.

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If shoppers can’t find the exact product they want in seconds, they’ll leave your store without spending a cent. 

A great WooCommerce product filter plugin fixes that problem immediately. Instead of forcing customers to dig through endless pages, it lets them filter products by things like price, size, color, brand, or stock status with just a few clicks. 

Over the years, I’ve tested dozens of filtering plugins across WooCommerce stores of every size. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the absolute best options available today, and break down what each tool does best so you can select the right plugin for your store.

How I Evaluated the Best WooCommerce Product Filter Plugins

Not every filter plugin is built for the same type of store. Some are designed for beginners who want a quick, simple setup, while others are built for developers managing massive product catalogs. 

With that in mind, I installed each plugin on a test store, built filters with it, and paid close attention to how it felt from both the store owner’s side and the shopper’s side. 

In more detail, here’s what I looked for:

• Ease of setup for beginners: A filter plugin is only useful if you can actually get it working. I looked for tools that let you build filters without touching code, because your time is better spent running your business rather than wrestling with complicated settings. 
• Speed on real catalogs: In my opinion, filters that lag or freeze do more harm than no filters at all. I paid attention to how each plugin handled larger catalogs, since a slow filter will almost certainly cost you sales. 
• AJAX filtering: AJAX is a technology that updates the product list without reloading the entire page. This creates a smooth, fast shopping experience that keeps customers engaged instead of waiting for pages to load.
• Filter types and display styles: Different products need different filters, such as color swatches for clothing or price sliders for electronics. I checked how many filter types each plugin offered, so you can match the filters to what you actually sell.
• Mobile experience: Since most shopping now happens on phones, I tested how each filter behaved on a small screen. A filter that works on desktop but breaks on mobile is only doing half its job for your customers.
• Value for the price: Finally, I weighed what each plugin costs against what it delivers. A higher price is only worth it if the plugin saves you time or earns you more sales in return.

Why Trust WP101?

At WP101, we’ve spent over 15 years teaching beginners how to use WordPress with total confidence.

For this guide, I set up hands-on test scenarios for every single plugin using real product catalogs, rather than relying on press releases or sales pages.

When a tool lagged under the weight of a large product catalog or fell short of expectations, I made sure to note it so you can make the best decision for your store.

If you’d like to dive deeper, WP101 offers step-by-step video courses that make managing your WooCommerce store feel simple, even if you’re just getting started.

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1. WPFilters – The Best No-Code Filter Builder for Most Stores

WPFilters takes the top spot on our list, and for good reason. It’s easily one of the most user-friendly product filter plugins available for WooCommerce today.

WPFilters combines a beginner-friendly, drag-and-drop builder with the kind of accurate, lightning-fast results usually reserved for complex developer tools.

My Experience With WPFilters

To test WPFilters, I set up a mock kitchenware shop with several hundred products across cookery, cutlery, small appliances, and kitchen gadgets. The goal was to test it from the perspective of a first-time store owner who wants clean, interactive filters without having to touch a single line of code.

After installing the plugin, I created my first filter set using native blocks directly inside the WordPress editor.

 Within ten minutes, I had price sliders, category selections, and material options live on my shop page without having to navigate endless admin settings.

For a new store owner, that ease of use means you can launch a polished store in an afternoon rather than spending a full weekend troubleshooting.

My favorite part about WPFilters is how easy it makes sharing specific search results. For example, if you filter your shop to show only “non-stick cookware under $50,” the plugin automatically creates a unique website link for that exact page.

For your store, that means you can drive ad campaigns or email subscribers straight to pre-filtered product results, removing friction and helping customers buy faster.

There are a few trade-offs to keep in mind. WPFilters is a relatively recent release, which means fewer community tutorials exist compared to legacy options like YITH. There’s also no free version, so you can’t try before you buy. 

Pros of WPFilters:

Build advanced filters using intuitive drag-and-drop blocks without writing code or pasting shortcodes.

Allows you to filter blog posts, WooCommerce products, and custom content using a single plugin.

Uses the SearchWP engine to show fast, accurate results every time.

Generates unique URLs for specific search results so you can send customers straight to pre-filtered pages.

Works directly inside the standard WordPress editor, so there’s no new interface to learn.

Cons of WPFilters:

No free trial or free plugin to test out before buying.

Because it’s a newer plugin, you’ll find fewer online tutorials and forum posts if you need help.

Pricing: The Standard plan costs $49 per year for a single site, making it ideal if you’re managing just one store. If you run multiple websites, the Pro plan is $99 per year and covers up to 3 sites. For larger agencies or stores needing advanced capabilities, the All Access Bundle ($399/year) includes both WPFilters and SearchWP.

Why I Recommend WPFilters: This is my top recommendation for store owners who want modern filtering without a steep technical learning curve. 

It’s ideal for small businesses and creators who just need a quick setup and simple link sharing for their marketing campaigns. If you want a clean, professional filter system up and running on your site in just a few minutes, this is your best option. 

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2. YITH WooCommerce Ajax Product Filter – The Best Free Starting Point for Style-Heavy Stores

YITH WooCommerce Ajax Product Filter is a long-standing tool from YITH, one of the most established names in the WooCommerce community.

It earns a top spot on our list because it offers an incredible range of display styles, like color swatches and image buttons, alongside a genuinely useful free version.

My Experience With YITH WooCommerce Ajax Product Filter

To test this plugin, I set up a mock t-shirt boutique featuring products across a huge range of colors and sizes. The goal was to test it from the perspective of an apparel store owner who wants custom visual filters that match their WooCommerce theme, rather than basic text checkboxes.

Starting with the free version, I had size and price filters running quickly using standard widget settings. When I switched to the premium version to test visual elements, I added color swatches that allowed buyers to click directly on a color block instead of reading a text list. 

For an online fashion shop, visual filters like this match how customers naturally browse, keeping them engaged and moving towards checkout.

What really sets YITH apart is how it lets you customize the search experience for different parts of your catalog. Instead of forcing a generic sidebar onto every page, you can build custom filter groups matched specifically to what you’re selling. For example, you might show size and color options in your apparel section, and then use material and brand filters for accessories.

Keep in mind that YITH can slow down if you’re running a massive store. When I tested it with a much larger catalog, the load times increased. If you manage thousands of products, I’ve found that performance-focused tools like Barn2 or FacetWP tend to handle that database weight better. 

Pros of YITH WooCommerce Ajax Product Filter:

Genuinely useful free version available from WordPress.org.

Includes color swatch and image filters, so shoppers can browse visually instead of reading plain text lists.

Create as many custom filter layouts as you need to match different product categories.

Automatically hides empty choices so customers only click options that show actual products.

Features a built-in mobile menu that keeps your shop easy to navigate on smartphones.

Cons of YITH WooCommerce Ajax Product Filter:

Can slow down or strain your database on very large product catalogs.

Support response times for the free plugin can be slow if you run into technical issues.

Pricing: You can download the lite version of YITH for free from WordPress.org. Alternatively, the premium version costs around $89.99 per year, which unlocks color swatches, image filters, and modern horizontal layouts.

Why I Recommend YITH WooCommerce Ajax Product Filter: This is my top recommendation for store owners who want visual, style-heavy filters on a budget. It is ideal for clothing, jewelry, and home decor shops with small to medium catalogs.

If you want an affordable way to make your store look great, this plugin is a fantastic starting point.

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3. FacetWP – The Best Filter for Large, Complex Catalogs

FacetWP is a premium filtering plugin built specifically for large catalogs and content-heavy sites. Rather than slowing down your site with complex database queries, it uses a dedicated indexing system to keep search results fast and accurate. 

My Experience With FacetWP

To test FacetWP, I built a mock online bookstore with hundreds of titles that shoppers might filter by genre, author, format, and price. My goal was to test it from the perspective of a store owner whose old filter plugin had become painfully slow as their catalog expanded.

The initial setup took a bit longer compared to simpler plugins because FacetWP has to build a dedicated index table for all your products. However, once that initial indexing is finished, filtering becomes virtually instant, even across hundreds or thousands of products. 

For a large store, that speed means your customers keep browsing instead of abandoning a page that takes too long to load.

However, FacetWP is noticeably more technical to set up than most plugins. If you’re a complete beginner, expect a bit of a learning curve to get everything configured correctly.

Store owners looking for the absolute easiest, zero-code setup will likely prefer an option like WPFilters. However, if you have a massive product catalog and need raw speed and power, FacetWP’s performance makes the extra setup time well worth it.

Pros of FacetWP:

Uses a dedicated index table to keep filtering lightning-fast on huge product catalogs. 

Automatically hides empty choices so shoppers never see a blank results page. 

Filters blog posts, WooCommerce products, and custom post types using a single plugin. 

Written with clean, developer-friendly code that keeps your site fast. 

Entry plan covers up to three websites, giving you extra value if you manage multiple stores.

Cons of FacetWP:

Requires more setup time and technical familiarity than drag-and-drop options. 

No free version available, although there is a limited free trial. 

Strict no-refund policy, so you will want to test the trial version thoroughly before buying.

Pricing: The Standard plan starts at $99 per year and covers up to 3 sites, making FacetWP a solid option for multi-site owners. Alternatively, the Professional plan costs $249 per year for up to 20 sites.

Why I Recommend FacetWP: This is my top recommendation for large or complex stores where you cannot compromise on speed and accuracy. It is ideal for growing businesses, developers, and anyone whose store has outgrown simpler plugins.

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4. JetSmartFilters – The Best Filter for Page Builder Users

JetSmartFilters is a product filter plugin designed specifically for store owners who use page builders. Rather than forcing you to work inside a separate admin panel, it transforms every filter into a drag-and-drop element inside Elementor, Bricks, Divi, or the WordPress block editor. 

My Experience With JetSmartFilters

This time, I built a mock store designed entirely inside Elementor. Because the filters function as native builder widgets, I was able to drag price sliders and category checkboxes directly onto my custom product grid. Everything instantly matched my store’s fonts, colors, and layout without needing custom code or CSS adjustments. 

For anyone who designs with a page builder, this means your filters look like a natural part of your store rather than a bolted-on addition.

However, during testing I noticed that AJAX filtering can lag slightly on pages loading very large product grids. If you’re using a basic, standard theme or running a massive catalog with thousands of items, a standalone plugin like WPFilters or Barn2 will likely give you better performance out of the box.

Pros of JetSmartFilters:

Integrates directly into Elementor, Divi, Bricks, and the WordPress block editor.

Offers over a dozen filter types, including visual swatch and alphabet choices.

Uses AJAX updating so customers see filtered products without waiting for full page reloads. 

Generates shareable filter URLs so you can send customers straight to pre-filtered pages. 

Cons of JetSmartFilters:

AJAX updates can experience minor slowdowns on complex or script-heavy product pages.

No free version available to test before purchasing.

Pricing: Plans start at $75 per year for a single site license. Alternatively, you can purchase an Unlimited plan for $169 per year and use JetSmartFilters on as a many websites as you want. 

Why I Recommend JetSmartFilters: This is my top recommendation for store owners who design their websites with Elementor, Divi, or Bricks. It is ideal for visual builders who want complete control over how their filter layouts look without having to write any custom code.

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5. Barn2 WooCommerce Product Filters – The Best Filter for Huge Catalogs on a Budget

Barn2 WooCommerce Product Filters is a premium filter plugin built around a powerful indexing system designed for large e-commerce stores. It earns a spot on our list because it combines a wide range of filter types with the speed and efficiency needed to handle catalogs of 10,000 products or more.

My Experience With Barn2 WooCommerce Product Filters

To really push Barn2 to its limits, I built a massive, mock automotive catalog with hundreds of individual parts. Auto parts sites are notorious for breaking standard search tools, since shoppers aren’t just searching for a product. Instead, they’re stacking precise filters for year, make, model, and category all at once.

Instead of buckling under those complex queries, Barn2 stays lightning-fast by generating its own dedicated index table. Once the plugin finished its initial scan of my catalog, it completely bypassed sluggish WordPress database searches. I could stack as many filters as I wanted, and the exact parts I was looking for appeared instantly.

What truly sets Barn2 apart from basic tools is how it handles dependent filters. When I selected a specific car manufacturer, the model filter automatically updated to display only models made by that brand. This completely removed the frustration of zero-result searches. 

However, there’s no free version of Barn2, which may be a deal-breaker if you prefer to try before you buy. 

Pros of Barn2 WooCommerce Product Filters:

Uses automatic indexing to keep filtering fast on catalogs spanning thousands of items. 

Offers 11 filter types including attribute, rating, custom fields, and custom taxonomy. 

Dependent filters automatically update based on a customer’s previous selection, so they never see dead-end options.

Includes a responsive slide-out panel to keep mobile screens clean. 

Lifetime licenses are available if you prefer to avoid annual subscription renewals. 

Cons of Barn2 WooCommerce Product Filters:

No free version available to test before buying. 

Focuses only on filtering, requiring a separate plugin if you want order-form table layouts. 

Pricing: The standard plan starts at $79 per year for a single site. Alternatively, you can cover up to 5 sites for $129 per year or 50 sites for $229 per year. Finally, lifetime licenses start at $329. 

Why I Recommend Barn2 WooCommerce Product Filters: This is an easy choice if you run a large online store and need fast, high-performance filtering without paying enterprise-level prices. It’s built specifically for shops selling thousands of products that rely on smart, step-by-step filters to help customers pinpoint the exact item they need. 

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6. Filter Everything – The Best Free WooCommerce Filter Plugin

Filter Everything is the best free filter plugin available for WordPress and WooCommerce. It earns a well-deserved spot on our list by delivering a surprisingly powerful set of features completely free of charge, including over 25 filter options.

My Experience With Filter Everything

To see what the free version could actually do, I built a mock craft supply store with a strict zero-dollar software budget. I approached it like a new seller who needs proper filters for yarn weight, fabric patterns, and tools, but can’t justify paying for premium plugins just yet.

Filter Everything delivered way more value than a typical free plugin. I was able to build instant AJAX filters for product categories, colors, price ranges, and customer ratings. This gave my demo store a polished, professional look without spending a single dollar.

I also appreciated how easily Filter Everything integrates with popular page builders like Elementor, Bricks, Oxygen and Beaver Builder right out of the box. 

For your store, that flexibility means Filter Everything fits right into whichever building tool you already use.

However, keep in mind that some of the most useful e-commerce features are only available in the premium upgrade. This includes smart filtering for out-of-stock and variable products. 

Pros of Filter Everything:

Genuinely useful free version lets you add real AJAX filters without spending a cent. 

Over 25 filter settings for fine-tuning your layouts. 

Works with major page builders like Elementor, Bricks, Oxygen, and Breakdance.

Filters posts and custom content too, so one free tool can cover your entire site. 

Supports multiple submission modes, so you can match filtering to how your shoppers like to browse.

Cons of Filter Everything:

You’ll need to upgrade to access the advanced SEO tools and smart filtering options.

Setting up complex custom fields can take extra configuration time.

Pricing: You can download the core Filter Everything plugin for free. Alternatively, you can upgrade to the premium version, with plans starting at $69/year for a single site license. 

Why I Recommend Filter Everything: This is a solid choice for anyone who needs powerful product filters on a zero-dollar budget. It is ideal for brand-new stores, hobby shops, and cautious owners who want to test filtering before making a financial investment.

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7. Premmerce Product Filter – The Best Filter for SEO-Focused Stores

Premmerce Product Filter is a WooCommerce filter plugin built specifically with search engine visibility in mind. It rounds out our list because it can convert filtered views into indexable pages. This means specific filter combinations can appear in Google search results and drive more visitors to your online store. 

My Experience With Premmerce Product Filter

To test Premmerce’s search potential, I set up a mock store focused entirely on capturing Google search traffic. 

With that in mind, Premmerce’s standout feature is its bulk SEO page generation. Rather than hiding search results behind temporary filters, Premmerce creates permanent, clean URLs complete with unique page titles and meta descriptions for specific filter combinations. 

As soon as I enabled it, my test filters automatically turned into real, search-ready web pages designed to rank on Google and attract high-intent buyers.

Performance also held up well thanks to built-in caching and deferred loading. This stores search results so your server doesn’t have to rebuild them with every search. 

However, configuring SEO page rules can feel technical for a complete beginner. If you simply want straightforward filters without an SEO focus, an option like WPFilters offers a much simpler starting point.

Pros of Premmerce Product Filter:

Bulk generates SEO-friendly pages for specific filter combinations. 

Uses built-in caching and deferred loading to protect page speed.

Automatically hides empty options so shoppers only see choices with inventory. 

Includes multiple filter display styles, including color swatches and image buttons. 

Cons of Premmerce Product Filter:

Key SEO generation features are only available in the premium plugin. 

The SEO page settings can feel technical for a first-time store owner, so there is a small learning curve.

Pricing: You can download the core Premmerce Product Filter plugin for free. The premium version starts at $69.99 per year for a single site, with lifetime options starting at $209.99. 

Why I Recommend Premmerce Product Filter: If you want to get more traffic from Google, Premmerce is one of the best WooCommerce plugins for the job. While most filtering tools only help customers browse your site, Premmerce actually helps new buyers find your store in the first place.

It’s the perfect choice for smart store owners who want to turn every product tag, size, and category into a Google-friendly page that brings in more sales. 

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The Verdict: Which WooCommerce Product Filter Plugin Should You Choose?

After testing all the top-rated product filter plugins, I can tell you there’s no single best option that’ll suit every site. 

The best choice will vary depending on your budget, catalog size, and how you built your WooCommerce store. That said, I recommend WPFilters for most online store owners. It lets you add professional, drag-and-drop filters to your site and create clean, shareable links, all without having to write a single line of code.

Here’s the other plugins that I recommend for specific use cases: 

• If you run a small, style-focused store and want to start for free, then choose YITH WooCommerce Ajax Product Filter. Its visual filters and free plan are perfect for small catalogues and stylish boutique stores. 
• If you have a large or complex catalog that needs to stay fast, I recommend FacetWP or Barn2 WooCommerce Product Filters. Both plugins use background indexing to process thousands of items without slowing down your site.
• If you built your store with a page builder like Elementor or Bricks, then pick JetSmartFilters. It integrates directly with your favorite builder so you can design custom filter layouts without touching a single line of code. 

Frequently Asked Questions About WooCommerce Product Filters

Do I really need a product filter plugin for WooCommerce?

If your store has more than two or three dozen items, the answer is almost certainly yes.

While core WooCommerce includes basic filter blocks, they are fairly basic and lack the flexibility modern shoppers expect. Without a dedicated filter plugin, browsing a growing catalog quickly becomes frustrating, and unhappy shoppers will jump to a competitor rather than click through pages of unfiltered products.

That said, a very small store with only a handful of products may not need filters yet. In that case, clear categories and a good WordPress search bar might be enough for now.

Will a product filter plugin slow down my website?

A well-coded filter plugin won’t slow down your site, but choosing the wrong type for your store’s size can cause performance issues. The difference comes down to how the plugin queries your database as your product catalog grows.

Tools like FacetWP and Barn2 use a dedicated indexing system, which acts as a pre-calculated map of your inventory. Instead of searching your entire WordPress database on every click, they read from this index to return filtered results almost straight away.

The risk of slowdown increases as your number of products grows. On a small store with a few dozen items, nearly any filter plugin will feel fast and responsive. 

However, if you manage hundreds or thousands of products, choosing an index-based plugin is essential to keep your pages loading quickly, protect server performance, and keep shoppers moving toward checkout.

What is AJAX filtering, and why does it matter?

AJAX is just the technology that lets a web page update without reloading the whole screen.

For product filters, this means that when a shopper checks a box for “blue” or “under 50 dollars,” the product grid changes right away while the header, sidebar, and rest of the page stay right where they are. 

This matters because waiting for a full page reload after every single selection feels slow and frustrating to modern shoppers. Instant results keep customers engaged and encourage them to explore different filter combinations.

Can I use a free product filter plugin, or do I need to pay?

You can absolutely start with a free plugin, and for many stores, a free tool is more than enough. 

Filter Everything offers the most generous free version available, with over 25 filter settings alongside support for major page builders. The free version of YITH WooCommerce Ajax Product Filter is another solid starting point, especially for smaller, style-focused shops.

The main reason to consider a paid plugin comes down to advanced features, marketing flexibility, and performance at scale. Upgrading to a paid tool typically unlocks key capabilities like bulk SEO page generation, specialized search indexing for massive catalogs, and priority support when you need quick technical help.

For most store owners, it makes sense to start with a flexible free plugin, learn what your shop actually needs, and then upgrade to a premium tool once your store outgrows it. 

Will product filters help my store show up in Google?

Filters can help your search visibility, but only if the plugin is purpose-built for search engine optimization.

Most standard filter plugins rely on AJAX reloads to update product grids without changing the page URL. While this creates a smooth experience for shoppers, it leaves search engines unable to see or index those filtered results.

What sets an SEO-focused plugin like Premmerce Product Filter apart is its ability to bulk-generate real, indexable URLs for popular search combinations, such as ‘red running shoes size 10.’

Instead of hiding filtered results behind a temporary script, Premmerce transforms those choices into distinct landing pages that Google can index and rank.

However, indexing filter pages requires careful management. Allowing search engines to index every possible filter combination can quickly create thousands of thin, low-value pages that hurt your site’s overall search authority.

Pairing a dedicated filter plugin with a tool like All in One SEO gives you full control over canonical tags and meta descriptions. This ensures you only index high-value, high-intent filter combinations that real customers are actively searching for. 

Final Thoughts on Choosing Your WooCommerce Product Filter Plugin

Adding a product filter plugin is a small change that pays off every single day.

When shoppers can narrow down options and find the exact item they want in seconds, your entire store becomes easier to navigate, and that directly translates into higher conversion rates.

As you optimize your store, remember that running a successful e-commerce business is an ongoing journey. If you want to build confidence with WooCommerce and WordPress as your shop expands, WP101 offers step-by-step video courses that walk you through every new task clearly and at your own pace:

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Getting a wall of five star reviews on TripAdvisor takes months of hard work and exceptional service. Yet, most people who arrive on your WordPress website will never see a single one of those reviews.

Embedding your TripAdvisor reviews in WordPress changes everything. It instantly makes your business look more professional, trustworthy, and ready to welcome new customers.

In this step by step guide, I will show you how to display your TripAdvisor reviews in a beautiful, interactive feed on your WordPress website. Even better, you can set this up in just a few minutes without writing a single line of code or paying for a TripAdvisor API key.

Why Embed TripAdvisor Reviews on Your WordPress Site?

Embedding TripAdvisor reviews on your WordPress site isn’t just about showing off nice feedback. It’s about building trust with your visitors the moment they land on your page. 

Instead of manually copying and pasting your favorite customer quotes, you can use a plugin that pulls all the reviews from your TripAdvisor page. 

The right plugin will fetch the complete feedback, including each review’s star rating, the reviewer’s name, and their profile picture. This creates an instantly recognizable TripAdvisor feed that proves your reviews are authentic and unedited.

If you’re running a business that has a public TripAdvisor listing, then there’s several reasons why it’s such a good idea to embed those reviews on your website:

• Instant Social Proof: People naturally trust reviews from independent sites more than promotional text on your page. Showing real, positive experiences from past customers helps first-time visitors trust your business. 
• More Time Spent on Your Site: When visitors can read your reviews right on the page, they’re more likely to stay and keep browsing rather than clicking away to TripAdvisor.  Keeping potential buyers on your site is a proven way to boost your conversion rates.
• Real, Search-Friendly Text: When your reviews load as genuine text rather than static images, search engines can easily read and index them. This keyword rich content can improve your WordPress SEO, especially if you pair it with a good SEO plugin. 

The great news is that you can easily embed TripAdvisor reviews in WordPress without having to write a single line of code.

Step 1: Install and Activate Reviews Feed Pro

When it comes to embedding TripAdvisor reviews in WordPress, the tool I recommend is Smash Balloon’s Reviews Feed. This plugin lets you display reviews from any public TripAdvisor page on your site, without having to pay for an API key or deal with complicated settings. 

While there is a free version of Reviews Feed that you can download from WordPress.org, it only lets you show reviews from Google and Yelp. To display TripAdvisor reviews on your site, you will need the premium Reviews Feed Pro plugin and Elite plan ($149/year) or higher.

Once you’ve purchased the plugin, you can install and activate it on your site, just like any other plugin. If you haven’t installed a plugin before, our step-by-step guide on how to install and activate a plugin walks you through the entire process.

After activating the plugin, go to Reviews Feed » Settings in your WordPress dashboard and enter your license key to unlock the premium features. 

You can find this key in your Smash Balloon account dashboard or inside the email you received when you purchased the plugin. 

Step 2: Create Your TripAdvisor Reviews Feed

After entering your license key, you’re ready to build your first review feed.

To get started, go to Reviews Feed » All Feeds in your WordPress dashboard. Then, click the Add New button at the top of the screen to start the setup process.

This launches a guided setup wizard that walks you through connecting your account, step by step.

You can create as many separate feeds as you need for different pages or locations on your site, and each feed can be customized and managed independently.

If you have several different venues or businesses, then you can even connect multiple TripAdvisor pages and manage everything from the same plugin. 

Step 3: Connect Your TripAdvisor Page (No API Key Needed)

Now, it’s time to point the plugin towards your TripAdvisor listing. This may sound technical, but Smash Balloon makes it incredibly straightforward. 

On the setup screen, click the ‘Add Source’ button. 

You’ll see all the different platforms that Smash Balloon supports. 

Simply select TripAdvisor from the list and click Next.

This is the spot where I see people hesitate, because the next screen asks for a TripAdvisor API key. If you have no idea what that is, don’t worry, because you almost certainly don’t need one.

Reviews Feed Pro can connect to any public TripAdvisor page for you. Simply click the ‘Skip’ button to move on without it. 

If you do have an API key, then you can paste it here instead. Just keep in mind that TripAdvisor does not provide these for free. You will need to add billing details and purchase TripAdvisor’s Content API, which is why skipping this step is usually the best option.

Once you move past the API screen, the wizard will ask for your source details.

You can find this address by opening your business listing on TripAdvisor and copying the web address straight from your browser bar. Make sure you grab the main business page URL rather than a link to an individual review or photo page.

Paste the full URL of your TripAdvisor business page into the field provided and click Finish.

Step 4: Choose a Template for Your Feed

After connecting your source, the next step is choosing a template.

Smash Balloon comes with a range of professionally-designed templates, which control how your embedded feed looks and functions.

Here’s a quick overview, so you can choose the right template for you:

• Default: Displays a clean, balanced grid. This is a dependable choice if you are unsure which layout fits your project the best. 
• Simple Cards: Places each review inside a structured card, making it ideal for modern landing pages and homepages. 
• Masonry: Organizes reviews of varying lengths into a mosaic grid. This prevents awkward gaps when customer comments differ in length.
• Single Review: Highlights a single testimonial, making it ideal for landing page hero sections or sales pages.
• Showcase Carousel: Features one prominent review at a time that smoothly slides to the next. 
• Carousel: Displays multiple reviews side by side in a single compact sliding row.
• Grid Carousel: Scrolls through several rows of reviews at once. This works well if you want to display lots of customer quotes in a smaller area. 

It’s important to note that this choice isn’t permanent. You can change your template at any time inside the Smash Balloon editor. Just pick the option that best fits your goals right now and click Next.

Step 5: Customize Your TripAdvisor Feed

Smash Balloon will now display your review feed in its user-friendly editor. 

This is genuinely my favorite part, because you can make changes using the settings in the left-hand menu, and see exactly how the feed will look when placed on your site. There’s no guesswork involved, and it’s incredibly user-friendly. 

The first section I usually adjust is the ‘Layout’.

Inside it, you can switch between a ‘List’ that stacks reviews in a single column, a ‘Masonry’ grid with multiple columns, and a ‘Carousel’ that slides through them.

You can also choose how many reviews to display across mobile, tablet, and desktop screens. I recommend showing at least six to eight reviews so potential customers get a full picture of your positive feedback rather than just one or two quotes.

It’s worth exploring the other display options as well.

The Header section lets you show your total average star rating, add a direct Write a Review button, or hide the heading entirely. Displaying your overall star rating straight away is an easy way to build quick trust with new visitors.

Next, click the Review tab and select Post Style.

This setting controls whether each review sits inside its own clean card or displays as simple plain text.

Finally, open the Load More Button settings to customize your call to action. 

You can tweak the button text to say anything you want. 

Every setting in this editor is straightforward and simple to use. With that said, I recommend spending a few minutes clicking through the menus and trying different options until your review feed matches your website design perfectly.

Step 6: Filtering and Moderating your Reviews

Next, open the Settings tab to access the filtering options. This is where you decide exactly which reviews appear on your website.

Setting a minimum star rating filter is a great first step.

During my own setup, I chose to display only four and five star reviews. This instantly raised the overall quality of the feed and highlighted my best customer experiences.

You can also filter by specific keywords by typing into the ‘Only show reviews containing’ box. This lets you feature reviews that mention a popular service, menu item, or room type, while excluding reviews that are not relevant.

If you want complete control over your content, select the ‘Moderation’ settings.

You can then click the ‘Enable’ slider to activate this feature. 

Turning this on lets you manually approve or hide individual reviews before they ever go live on your pages.

Keep in mind that hiding a review inside Smash Balloon only removes it from your WordPress site. It never deletes or alters anything on your official TripAdvisor listing, so your public profile remains completely untouched.

Once your review feed looks exactly the way you want, click the Save button in the top right corner to lock in your design. Your custom TripAdvisor feed is now built and ready to add to your website.

Step 7: Embed Your TripAdvisor Feed in WordPress

Now comes the fun part where all your hard work pays off. Reviews Feed Pro gives you a couple of easy ways to place your feed. I will cover the two most common methods, starting with adding your feed directly to a page.

Adding Your Feed to a Page or Post

While you are still in the feed editor, click the Embed button in the top right corner. A popup menu will appear where you can select ‘Add to a Page.’

The popup will display a list of your existing WordPress pages. Select the page where you want your reviews to appear, such as your homepage or a dedicated testimonials page. Then, click the Add button.

WordPress will automatically open that page inside the block editor with your reviews feed already placed on the page.

To make the feed visible to your visitors, click the Update button.

Adding Your Feed Anywhere Else With a Shortcode

If you want to show your reviews in a sidebar or footer, then you can use a shortcode instead.

To get your unique shortcode, click the Embed button in the top right corner of the feed editor, then click Copy next to the shortcode box. Your shortcode will look something like [reviews_feed feed=1].

With your shortcode copied, head to your WordPress site and paste it into any Shortcode block or widget area, such as your sidebar, footer, or individual blog posts. As soon as you save your changes, your TripAdvisor reviews will appear live for visitors to see.

And that’s it. You’ve now successfully embedded your TripAdvisor reviews in WordPress.

Bonus: Show Your Google, Facebook, and Yelp Reviews Too

Once your TripAdvisor feed is up and running, you might realize your best customer feedback is scattered across several different platforms. The great thing about Reviews Feed is that it can gather all those reviews into one single display.

To add another platform, simply create a new feed and select a different source, such as Google, Yelp, or Facebook. You can even combine multiple sources into a single feed, creating a wall of reviews that showcases feedback from everywhere at once.

Displaying customer reviews is just one effective way to prove your business is trustworthy. If you found this tutorial helpful, you might also enjoy our guides on how to build trust with testimonials and reviews, or how to add live social proof notifications to your site.

Frequently Asked Questions About TripAdvisor Reviews in WordPress

I get a lot of questions whenever I set up a review feed for a client, so I have gathered the ones that come up most often. Below, you will find clear, straightforward answers covering API keys, plugin costs, troubleshooting feed display issues, and platform rules.

Do I need the TripAdvisor API to show reviews?

This is easily the biggest worry I hear from website owners, but no, you don’t need an API key. You can simply skip the API setup screen entirely and paste your public TripAdvisor page URL instead.

Behind the scenes, Reviews Feed Pro handles the connection to your public page for you. That means you can embed TripAdvisor reviews without having to apply for a developer account or configure technical API keys.

Can I embed TripAdvisor reviews in WordPress for free?

No, to display TripAdvisor reviews specifically, you’ll need the Elite plan ($149) or higher. 

If you’re on a tight budget, you still have some great options available. The free version of Reviews Feed lets you display your Google and Yelp reviews without spending a cent. 

You can also check out our guide to the best WordPress testimonial plugins for simple, free ways to display customer reviews you collect directly on your website.

My reviews feed isn’t displaying on the page. How do I fix it?

If your feed looks blank on your live website, do not worry. This is usually very easy to fix. 

The first thing to check is whether you updated the page after adding the Reviews Feed block, since unsaved changes are the most common cause.

Next, open your feed editor and make sure you clicked the Save button in the top right corner. If your feed is saved but still does not appear on your site, clear your cache. Clearing your cache refreshes your site, which should resolve the problem.

Does TripAdvisor have an API, and is embedding reviews allowed?

Yes, TripAdvisor offers an official Content API. However, it’s mainly designed for developers and requires a paid account. The good news is that you do not need an API key to display your TripAdvisor reviews using the method in this guide.

Embedding your TripAdvisor reviews on your website is completely allowed. As long as you display the reviews accurately and keep the TripAdvisor branding visible, you remain fully compliant with their guidelines. Because Reviews Feed Pro displays your customer feedback exactly as written, you can share your public reputation on your WordPress site with complete confidence.

Start Showing Off Your TripAdvisor Reviews

If you have been following along, you now have a TripAdvisor review feed running on your WordPress website. This simple addition is one of those quick upgrades that makes your business look much more professional and trustworthy.

Of course, displaying customer reviews is just one piece of building a high converting website. If you want to keep growing your digital skills, our comprehensive video library covers everything from core WordPress basics to advanced customizations, all explained using straightforward language:

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Staring at a blank screen the night before a big launch is a special kind of stress. 

The pressure is on, your subscribers are waiting, but the words aren’t coming. 

An AI email generator solves that problem instantly. By using artificial intelligence to analyze simple prompts or existing content, these tools can draft subject lines, promotional copy, and even entire email sequences in seconds.

To find the best options for WordPress site owners, I spent the past few months testing the leading platforms. In this post, I’m sharing all the tools that genuinely saved me time while delivering warm, natural-sounding email copy.

Why Use AI for Email Marketing?

Social media platforms come and go, and algorithms change overnight. But your email list is an audience you truly own.

That said, crafting better email copy directly protects and grows the most valuable asset in your business. 

However, coming up with fresh, engaging content every week takes serious time and effort. That’s why I recommend using artificial intelligence (AI) to generate those initial drafts and brainstorm ideas for future content.

In more detail, here’s why I now use AI as a starting point for all my newsletters and email marketing: 

• Consistency Beats Perfection: Most small business owners fall behind on email because it takes a long time to write messages from scratch. When a tool can hand you a solid first draft in seconds, you’ll be able to send more often, and sending consistently is what builds trust with your audience.
• Effortless Content Repurposing: Turn a single blog post, video, or podcast episode into multiple newsletter variations in seconds. AI takes care of the reformatting so you get far more value from every piece of content you create.
• Built-In Personalization at Scale: Writing custom offers or tailored follow-up sequences for different customer groups usually takes hours. AI speeds up segmentation by adapting tone, product recommendations, and calls to action for specific groups instantly. 
• Consistent Brand Voice Across Channels: If multiple people manage your site, customer support, or marketing, AI tools help maintain a uniform, on-brand tone across all your broadcast emails and automated sequences.
• Small Copy Changes Drive Real Revenue: A sharper subject line can be the difference between an email that gets opened and one that gets ignored. AI helps you test more angles in less time, so more of your messages actually get read.

Why Trust WP101?

At WP101, our mission is to help you build a successful online business, even if you have zero technical or design experience.

We put every AI email tool through hands-on, real-world testing so you can make an informed choice with absolute confidence, and find the right AI generator for your campaigns. 

Need help mastering the rest of your site?

Our beginner-friendly video courses break down WordPress step by step. Plus, you can try them completely risk-free with our 14-day money-back guarantee.

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The 7 Best AI Email Generators for WordPress Users

1. All in One SEO (AIOSEO) — The Best AI Email Generator for WordPress Users

All in One SEO is a popular WordPress optimization plugin that includes a built-in AI Assistant capable of generating content and email copy. If you already publish blog posts on WordPress, this is one of the fastest ways to turn that work directly into email copy.

For WordPress bloggers, AIOSEO is incredibly convenient. Instead of asking you to write complex prompts from scratch, All in One SEO can read a blog post you’ve already written and draft a newsletter version of it, complete with a subject line, preview text, and body copy, all inside the familiar WordPress block editor.

While testing out the tool, I opened a draft blog post inside the WordPress editor and launched the AI Assistant. I prompted it to turn the article into a promotional email summary, and it generated a punchy subject line, preview snippet, and body text in under a minute. 

Because everything happens right inside your dashboard, repurposing blog content into email marketing copy takes just a few clicks, with no tab switching required.

Pros of All in One SEO

Turns existing blog posts into ready-to-edit newsletter drafts without leaving WordPress

Lives directly inside the WordPress editor, so you don’t need to learn a new interface  

Doubles as an essential SEO toolkit

Generates subject lines, preview text, and social posts alongside body copy

Cons of All in One SEO

Standalone content generator, meaning you still need a separate email platform to actually send your messages

AI writing features run on an AI Credits system, which requires a paid plan or credit add-on

Primarily built for SEO and site optimization rather than full email marketing management

All in One SEO Pricing: You can download a lite version of AIOSEO and access essential AI tools. However, you’ll need a Basic plan ($49.50) or higher to access the AI Content Generator. You can also buy pay-as-you-go AI Credit bundles separately, starting at $9.99 for 10,000 credits. 

Why I Recommend All in One SEO: For WordPress site owners who write blog posts regularly, AIOSEO is the ultimate time-saver. By generating email copy directly from your existing content, AIOSEO promises to streamline your entire workflow, keeping your emails consistent without the extra effort. 

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2. Brevo — The Best All-Around Value for Beginners on a Budget

Brevo (formerly known as Sendinblue) is the email marketing tool I point budget conscious beginners toward first. It combines a genuinely useful free plan with a built-in AI content generator, so you can draft, design, and send your first email campaigns without spending a cent.

Even on its paid plans, Brevo charges based on how many emails you send each month, rather than the size of your subscriber list. This means you can store unlimited contacts completely free and only pay more as your sending volume grows. For a growing small business building an email list, that pricing model is a huge win.

The AI writer is available directly on the free plan. During testing, I prompted it to “Write a warm restock announcement for our best-selling sea salt candle, friendly and under 120 words.” 

Brevo generated a solid draft and subject line in seconds. While I needed to soften a few lines that felt slightly pushy, going from a blank screen to a sendable email in minutes for zero cost, is a massive time-saver.

Pros of Brevo

Forever free plan that includes Brevo’s ‘Aura’ AI assistant 

Bills by emails sent, not contacts stored, so you can grow your list at no additional cost

Official Brevo WordPress plugin makes integration straightforward 

Provides email, SMS, and simple contact management all in one place 

Cons of Brevo

The free plan limits you at 300 emails per day

The most advanced AI features are reserved for higher tiers

The interface has a lot of features, which can feel overwhelming for absolute beginners

Brevo Pricing: Brevo offers a forever free plan that includes its AI writing tools and lets you send up to 300 emails per day, which is very generous. Paid plans start at around $8.08 per month for the Starter tier, which removes the daily sending limit. 

Why I Recommend Brevo: If you’re just starting out and want to test an AI email generator without a big upfront bill, Brevo is the safest place to begin.

It includes genuinely useful AI writing tools on its free plan and uses a subscriber-friendly pricing model that scales with email volume. This means you’re never penalized for growing a large contact list.

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3. MailerLite — The Best Choice for Bloggers and Creators

MailerLite is the email marketing tool I recommend to bloggers and creators who want their emails to look clean and professional without a steep learning curve. Its design-focused editor is intuitive and easy to navigate, while the integrated AI writing assistant helps you draft engaging content in minutes.

The appeal here is simplicity. Where some platforms overwhelm you with options, MailerLite keeps the important buttons within easy reach, so a first-time sender can build a polished newsletter in an afternoon. 

When you’re feeling stuck, MailerLite’s AI writing assistant quickly generates subject lines and email copy to get you moving again. 

During testing, I used it to write a newsletter introduction and generate ideas for a fictional autumn launch. I selected a subject line that felt conversational rather than overly promotional, and the combination of clear copy and a clean layout made for an impressive, publication-ready email.

Pros of MailerLite

Clean, beginner friendly editor that produces polished emails 

Built-in AI writing assistant and subject line generator 

Includes landing pages, signup forms, and automation tools

Official MailerLite WordPress plugin makes connecting forms to your site simple

Cons of MailerLite

You’ll need to upgrade to the Comfort plan ($10.80/month) or higher to access the AI writing assistant

Free plan is limited to 250 subscribers 

MailerLite Pricing: MailerLite’s free plan is a great starting point, giving you space for 250 contacts and 2,500 sends per month. However, you’ll need to upgrade to Comfort ($10.80/month) or Power ($22.50/month) to access the AI writing assistant. 

Why I Recommend MailerLite: This is the platform I suggest whenever ease of use and clean design are top priorities. MailerLite balances a gentle learning curve with plenty of room to scale, while the built-in landing page builder lets you grow your subscriber list without needing extra third-party tools.

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4. Omnisend — The Best AI Email Generator for Online Stores

Omnisend is built specifically for people who sell products online, making it my top pick if you run a WooCommerce or Shopify store. Its AI writer understands that eCommerce emails need to drive sales, so the copy it drafts is naturally geared toward conversions rather than general news.

For me, the standout feature is how effortlessly Omnisend handles omnichannel messaging. It allows you to reach customers across email, SMS, and web push notifications within a single campaign. Even better, it uses separate AI generators to handle your subject lines, preview text, and main body copy, ensuring every part of your email is optimized for the inbox.

Because it connects directly to your store, Omnisend can automatically pull in product images and personalize messages based on customer behavior.

During testing, I connected a test WooCommerce store and used Omnisend’s AI Writer to build an abandoned cart sequence. The AI recognized the specific product a shopper left behind and generated a tailored reminder email naming that exact item.

I managed to set up that entire sequence in just a few minutes, making Omnisend a massive time saver for busy store owners.

Pros of Omnisend

AI writing features are available on the free plan 

Generates product-aware copy tailored specifically for online stores

Combines email, SMS, and web push notifications in a single dashboard

Cons of Omnisend

Best suited for online stores, making it overkill for standalone WordPress blogs or simple newsletters

The free plan limits you to 250 contacts and 500 emails per month 

You’ll need to upgrade to the Pro plan ($41.30/month) to send unlimited emails 

Omnisend Pricing: Omnisend offers a free plan supporting up to 250 contacts and 500 email sends per month with access to the AI subject line and email generator. Paid plans start at around $11.20 per month for the Standard tier, while the Pro tier ($41.30/month) lets you send unlimited emails.

Why I Recommend Omnisend: While general email tools can feel limiting for online stores, Omnisend is built specifically for eCommerce.

By combining sales-focused AI writing with deep WooCommerce integration, Omnisend allows you to trigger personalized product recommendations and recover lost sales without spending hours setting up complex automation routines.

It’s an essential tool for any shop owner looking to boost sales on autopilot.

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5. Constant Contact — The Best for Non-Technical Businesses and Nonprofits

Constant Contact is the email marketing platform I recommend when someone tells me they aren’t a technology person and just want something that works. Its built-in AI Content Generator is powered by the same technology behind ChatGPT, making it refreshingly simple to generate polished email drafts.

The entire Constant Contact platform is designed around clarity and hands-on support. You simply type in a short description and select a desired tone, and Constant Contact drafts a complete email. It can even automatically repurpose that email copy into a matching social media post to keep your marketing consistent across all channels.

While testing out the platform, I used Constant Contact to set up a promotional campaign for a fictional webinar. 

After entering a short prompt describing the event, the AI Content Generator produced a full email draft along with subject line ideas. I was able to reuse the announcement as a social media post with a single click, creating a send-ready campaign without touching any complex code or settings.

AI Content Generator included on all paid plans 

Exceptionally beginner-friendly with strong customer support 

Can generate full email copy and quickly repurpose it for social media 

Build and place signup forms effortlessly using the official Constant Contact plugin

Cons of Constant Contact

No permanent free plan available (only a free trial) 

Pricing climbs steeply as your contact list grows ($77/month once you cross 500 contacts on the Premium plan)

  You’ll need to upgrade to the Standard plan ($24.50/month) to set up multi-step automation 

Constant Contact Pricing: Constant Contact does not offer a forever-free plan, but it provides a free trial so you can test the platform. You can start using the AI Content Generator on the Lite plan starting at $12/month for 500 contacts.

If you need multi-step automations and A/B testing, you’ll want to upgrade to the Standard plan at $35/month. 

Why I Recommend Constant Contact: If your priority is simplicity over advanced technical setups, Constant Contact is a solid choice. It pairs straightforward AI writing tools with dependable customer support, making it an approachable choice for beginners who want to send polished campaigns without feeling overwhelmed.

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6. ActiveCampaign — The Best for Growing Businesses That Need Automation

When simple email blasts are no longer enough, ActiveCampaign offers the advanced features growing businesses need. It combines an intelligent AI writing assistant with some of the most powerful, behavior-based marketing automation available, plus an integrated customer relationship management (CRM) system. 

Its AI features go well beyond drafting text. Inside the email builder, you can type a prompt and get three distinct copy variations at once, so you can choose the exact tone that fits your brand. ActiveCampaign can even generate entire email sequences based on user activity rather than just single messages. 

To try it out, I set up a targeted automation sequence for repeat buyers. Inside the email designer, I prompted the AI to write a thank-you offer for customers who had purchased more than once. 

The AI returned three polished options, making it easy to select a warm, conversational draft. Combining that AI-generated copy with an automated follow-up trigger created a hands-off customer retention workflow in just a few minutes.

Pros of ActiveCampaign

Generates three copy options per prompt and can build full multi-step email campaigns

Industry-leading visual automation builder for targeted, behavior-based emails

Built-in CRM system seamlessly connects customer data directly to your marketing workflows 

Official ActiveCampaign WordPress plugin and WooCommerce integration make setup straightforward

Cons of ActiveCampaign

No permanent free plan available (only a 14-day free trial)

You’ll need to upgrade to the Plus plan ($49) or higher to access the AI content generation features

Depth of features creates a steeper learning curve for absolute beginners

ActiveCampaign Pricing: ActiveCampaign does not have a permanent free plan, but it offers a 14-day free trial so you can test the platform without spending a cent. The entry-level Starter plan begins at $15/month for 1,000 contacts. However, you’ll need to upgrade to Plus ($49/month) or higher to unlock the AI content generation tools and unlimited automation actions. 

Why I Recommend ActiveCampaign: When your business outgrows basic email tools, ActiveCampaign is the logical next step. While its AI writing assistant is strong, ActiveCampaign’s true power comes from pairing that AI with advanced automation. This allows you to automatically deliver the right message to the right customer at the exact moment they’re most likely to convert.

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7. Copy.ai — The Best Dedicated AI Copywriting Tool

Copy.ai stands out from the other tools on this list because it doesn’t send emails directly. Instead, it’s a dedicated AI copywriting platform. Its primary job is to generate compelling, high-converting copy that you can easily paste into whichever email marketing software you use. 

Copy.ai comes with a massive library of pre-built marketing templates. From welcome sequences and abandoned cart reminders to catchy headline variations, the platform takes the guesswork out of prompting by asking a few simple questions about your product, target audience, and desired brand tone.

While testing out the platform, I used Copy.ai to brainstorm subject line options and body copy for a fictional product launch. After typing in a brief description of the offer, Copy.ai generated ten distinct subject line variations and a full email draft in seconds. 

Those extra headline variations make it simple to run effective A/B split tests in whatever email platform you use.

Pros of Copy.ai

Offers dozens of pre-built email marketing templates out of the box

Generates multiple copy variations simultaneously, making A/B testing fast and simple

Works seamlessly alongside any email provider or WordPress newsletter plugin

Considers your target audience and brand voice when generating messaging

Cons of Copy.ai

Standalone writing tool, meaning you still need a separate email platform to send your messages

No permanent free plan or trial available 

Copy.ai Pricing: Copy.ai offers a self-serve Chat plan starting at $29/month (or $24/month when billed annually). This includes up to 5 seats and unlimited words. If you’re a larger organization, then you can contact Copy.ai directly for a custom quote. 

Why I Recommend Copy.ai: If your current email platform works well but its writing assistant feels underwhelming, Copy.ai is a brilliant addition to your tech stack.

By focusing entirely on AI content generation, it provides fresh copy ideas, subject lines, and angles on demand. This helps you write high-converting emails without changing your sending provider.

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Which Is the Best AI Email Generator for You?

After testing all the top AI email generators, my honest take is that the right choice depends on your target audience, your goals, and the features that matter to you. 

That said, for most WordPress website owners, All in One SEO (AIOSEO) is a fantastic choice. It turns the blog posts you already write into polished email drafts without ever leaving your WordPress dashboard.

There’s also a few options that I’d recommend for specific situations: 

• If you want powerful AI sending without a big upfront cost, then Brevo is your best bet. It puts real AI writing and campaign sending on a genuinely free plan, making it perfect for startups on a tight budget.
• If you run an online store, then Omnisend is the clear winner. It writes with selling in mind, generates AI product recommendations, and connects deeply to WooCommerce to recover lost carts automatically.
• If you need advanced logic and long-term scaling, then ActiveCampaign is the tool to grow into. It pairs deep behavior-based automation with AI copy tools, giving you a powerful setup that evolves as your audience expands. 
• If you want to keep your existing sending provider but need better copy, then Copy.ai is the ideal dedicated writing partner. It generates dozens of high-converting headline variations and full email drafts that you can copy and paste into any platform.

FAQs About AI Email Generators

AI email tools are still new to a lot of small business owners, so it is natural to have questions before you trust one with your subscribers.

Here are the ones I hear most often, along with straightforward answers.

What is an AI email generator?

An AI email generator is a tool that uses natural language processing (NLP) and generative artificial intelligence to create emails. 

Rather than drafting every line manually, you typically provide a brief prompt, specify a target audience, or point the tool toward existing content like a blog post or product page. The AI then analyzes your instructions and generates a complete draft in seconds.

Are AI-generated emails any good?

Yes, modern AI email generators are surprisingly good, but their real value depends on how you use them.

AI tools have largely evolved beyond the robotic, overly formal phrasing of earlier generations.

Today, they are one of the most effective ways to cure writer’s block. In just a few seconds, AI can draft a complete campaign with multiple potential subject lines, clear body copy, and several calls to action to choose from. 

However, the best results come from treating AI as an 80/20 drafting partner rather than a fully hands-off replacement. Taking a minute to review, edit, and add your personal touch helps your emails sound authentic.

Do I need technical skills to use these tools?

No, you do not need technical skills or coding knowledge to use modern AI email generators. Most of these tools are specifically built for non-technical site owners, bloggers, and small business owners.

Tools like Constant Contact and MailerLite feature clean, intuitive drag-and-drop editors and guided AI interfaces that require zero technical expertise.

Plus, several tools offer official WordPress plugins. This means you can connect your account and embed signup forms on your site in just a few clicks, without touching a single line of code.

Can I use an AI email generator for free?

Yes, several email generators allow you to start for free, though what you get depends on whether the tool is an all-in-one email service or a standalone writing assistant:

• Brevo: Offers a permanent free plan supporting unlimited contacts and up to 300 emails per day with access to its built-in AI subject line and email drafting tools.
• Omnisend: Includes full access to its AI writing assistant on its free plan (up to 250 contacts and 500 emails/month).
• MailerLite: Offers a free plan for up to 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails per month. However, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid tier to access its AI writing assistant. 

Will AI-written emails land in spam?

No, AI-written emails do not automatically land in spam.

Mail providers like Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook do not use AI detectors to reject messages. Instead, modern spam filters judge your emails based on factors such as sender authentication, domain reputation, and subscriber engagement. 

Start Writing Better Emails Today

You no longer have to struggle to find the right words for your emails. Whether you want to repurpose your WordPress blog posts with All in One SEO or you’re ready for an all-in-one email platform with AI built right in, you should have no problems finding a tool that suits your budget and goals.

My advice is to pick one, start with its free plan or trial, and send a single email this week. This simple habit builds momentum, and consistency is what ultimately turns casual subscribers into loyal readers and customers. 

But writing great emails faster is just one part of building a successful WordPress business.

If you’re ready to keep growing, our complete video course library is here to help you take every next step with confidence:

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You did everything right. You saw the update notification in your dashboard and clicked it, because keeping your themes, plugins, and tools updated is best practice.

Then your website broke.

Whether you’re staring at a blank screen, a critical error message, or a ruined layout, that sinking feeling is completely understandable. The good news is that a broken update is easy to fix when you have the right safety net in place.

In this guide, you will learn how to ensure you always have a fresh backup available so you can roll back to a clean, working version of your website at any time.

You will also discover how to restore that backup in just a few clicks, including how to recover smoothly even in the worst case scenario where you’re locked out of your WordPress dashboard completely.

Why Restoring a Backup Is the Safest Way to Roll Back an Update

When an update breaks your website, it can be tempting to start disabling plugins randomly or deleting files over File Transfer Protocol (FTP). However, attempting to troubleshoot a live, broken website often turns a quick five minute fix into hours of unnecessary stress and guesswork.

Restoring a complete backup created right before you updated is by far the safest, fastest, and most reliable way to get a broken WordPress website back online. Instead of spending hours digging through server files or guessing which setting went wrong, a fresh restore instantly rewinds your site to its healthy, working state.

Here are the main reasons why restoring a backup is always my go-to solution: 

• One Undo Button for Your Whole Site: By restoring a backup, you roll back every part of your site at the same time. This includes WordPress core, your plugins, your WordPress theme, and your database. You don’t have to know which file or setting caused the issue because you’re returning your entire site to a moment when it was running perfectly.
• No Risky Manual File Changes: A guided restore tool removes the stress and danger of manual fixes. Instead of risking costly mistakes by editing plugin files or deleting FTP folders yourself, the right tool manages all the technical work for you. 
• It Works Even When You Are Locked Out: Severe updates can occasionally trigger critical errors that prevent you from reaching your WordPress dashboard. A good backup plugin lets you create disaster recovery points, so you can restore your entire site without needing access to the WordPress dashboard. 
• You Maintain Total Control Over Your Timing: By selecting your exact restore point, you can roll back to the precise moment before the update occurred. This lets you recover your site without losing your recent content or any layout changes.

Essentially, by creating a recent backup and restore point, you can turn a stressful website crash into a quick, simple fix. Instead of troubleshooting live errors while visitors are trying to view your site, you can simply rewind time and return your website to perfect working order in just a few clicks.

Step 1: Install and Activate Duplicator

Before you can roll back an update on your website, you’ll need to create a full backup of your WordPress files and database.

While there are many backup plugins available, I always recommend Duplicator. 

It is one of the most beginner-friendly backup tools on the market. It also allows you to bundle your entire site into a portable backup package with just a few clicks. If an update breaks your site, you can restore a fresh, exact copy in seconds.

There’s also a free version of Duplicator that you can download from the official WordPress repository. This is perfect if you want to create manual backups and explore how the plugin works. However, in this guide I’ll be using the premium plugin because its one-click restore and disaster recovery features allow you to rollback a WordPress update in minutes.

To get started, you will need to install and activate the Duplicator plugin on your WordPress website. If you’ve never installed a plugin before, then our step-by-step guide on how to install and activate a plugin walks you through the entire process. 

Upon activation, you’ll need your license key to unlock the premium tools. You can find this key inside your account on the Duplicator website, or in your purchase confirmation email.

After that, go to Duplicator Pro » Settings in your WordPress dashboard. Under the General settings tab, paste your key into the License Key field.

After pasting your key, click the Activate button to verify it. With that done, you can access all of Duplicator’s backup and restore tools.

Step 2: Create Your First Backup (Your Rollback Point)

Creating a fresh backup is the most crucial step in this process. It creates a clean restore point, giving you a reliable safety net if a website update breaks anything.

To start, go to Duplicator Pro » Backups in your WordPress dashboard. 

To start building a new backup, click the Add New button near the top of the screen. This opens a setup wizard where you can name your backup package and configure its settings. 

Duplicator automatically fills in the Backup Name Format field using your website title and the current date. However, you can replace this with a custom name simply by typing into the field. For example, I like to use something descriptive like ‘Before September Core Update.’

Choosing a clear name takes only a few extra seconds, but it makes scanning a long list of backups much easier during a website emergency.

By default, Duplicator configures a full site backup that includes all your core files, themes, WordPress plugins, uploads, and your complete database.

However, you can change what gets saved using the settings under ‘Presets’ or ‘Components.’

Once you’re happy with how everything is set up, click the ‘Next’ button at the bottom of the page. 

Duplicator will immediately scan your site to check your server environment, file sizes, and database settings for any potential issues. It’s completely normal to see a few mild ‘Notices’ in the scan results. As long as the overall scan status reads ‘Good,’ you can proceed safely.

Finally, click the Create Backup button to begin building your package.

The build process usually takes between a few seconds and a couple of minutes, depending on the size of your site. 

Once the build completes, your new package will appear at the top of your Duplicator Pro » Backups list, ready to protect your site whenever you need it. 

Step 3: Set a Disaster Recovery Point

This step is one of the best features inside Duplicator, and it’s a tool every WordPress site owner should know about. A disaster recovery point is a special backup you assign ahead of time so you can restore your website even if an update completely locks you out of your WordPress dashboard.

It’s important to set this up now while your site is running smoothly, rather than wait for a crisis.

To set a disaster recovery point, go to your list of backups on the Duplicator Pro » Backups page. Here, find the small house icon next to your most recent backup. 

The icon appears blue when a backup is eligible for disaster recovery, and it turns green once it is active.

Simply click the house icon to open a panel titled Disaster Recovery Available. This panel provides a quick overview explaining how the emergency restore system works behind the scenes.

After reading this information, click the Set Disaster Recovery button to make this package your primary emergency restore point.

Once enabled, Duplicator generates two important recovery assets that you should save in a secure location outside of your WordPress website:

The first is your recovery link, which is a unique URL that launches the restore process directly inside your web browser.

The second is the recovery launcher. This is a lightweight HTML file that you can download to your computer and open even if your entire website goes completely offline.

I usually copy the recovery link into my password manager and save the HTML launcher file to my desktop. That way, if an update ever breaks my website and prevents me from reaching the WordPress admin screen, I still have a way to recover my site.

Step 4: Restore Your Site After a Bad Update

Now we’ve reached the main goal of this entire guide. If a recent update breaks your site at any point, then you can fix it with just a few clicks. However, the next steps will vary depending on whether you can currently access your WordPress dashboard. 

Scenario A: You Can Still Access the WordPress Dashboard

If you can still access this area, then go to Duplicator Pro » Backups and find the most recent, clean backup. This is where choosing a clear, descriptive name really pays off, as you’ll be able to find this backup easily. 

Next to your chosen backup, click the ‘Restore’ button to begin the rollback.

Duplicator will display a confirmation screen with the exact steps it’s about to perform. This is important because restoring a backup overwrites your current website files and database, completely replacing the broken version of your site with a clean copy.

With that in mind, take a few moments to verify that you’ve selected the correct backup package. 

Once you’re ready, check the box next to: I have read and accept all terms & notices. Then, click the Restore Backup button to confirm.

Duplicator will then take over, unpacking your backup files and restoring your database to its previous state.

When the recovery wizard finishes, your website will be fully restored to its working condition, complete with the stable versions of your plugins, themes, and WordPress core. 

Scenario B: You Are Locked Out of Your Dashboard

Sometimes an update may break a site so severely that you see a blank screen or a critical error message when you try to access the login page. This is the nightmare scenario that your disaster recovery point was designed to solve.

In fact, since you set your disaster recovery point ahead of time, you don’t need access to your WordPress dashboard at all.

If you saved your Recovery Link, simply paste that URL into your browser address bar and press Enter to launch the restore process directly.

Alternatively, you can open the Recovery Launcher file you downloaded to your computer earlier. Because that small HTML file lives locally on your device, it works even if your main website is completely offline.

Both methods bypass the WordPress login screen entirely and bring you straight to the Duplicator Recovery Wizard.

From here, the wizard shows you how to restore your healthy backup. Simply follow the clear onscreen prompts, and Duplicator will unpack your files, overwrite the broken update, and restore your database automatically.

Bonus: Schedule Automatic Backups So You Always Have a Restore Point

To keep your site safe, you want to ensure a fresh backup exists before running any updates. 

Rather than trying to remember to build these backups manually, Duplicator can create them for you automatically on a set schedule. Enabling automatic backups gives you complete peace of mind, knowing you always have a fresh, healthy backup waiting whenever you encounter a problem. 

To set this up, go to Duplicator Pro »  Schedule Backups in your WordPress dashboard and click the Add New button.

From this setup screen, you can choose how often Duplicator creates a backup. You can set it to run daily, weekly, or monthly, and even send copies directly to cloud storage providers like Google Drive, Dropbox, or Amazon S3 for extra safety.

I recommend daily backups for online stores, membership sites, or busy blogs that publish content constantly. For most other websites, a weekly backup works great.

Frequently Asked Questions About Rolling Back a WordPress Update

The thought of your website breaking can feel daunting, but you are not alone. To help you feel more confident, I have gathered the most common questions I hear from readers about backups and updates.

Below you will find quick, straightforward answers about undoing updates, protecting your latest content, handling a locked dashboard, and what the free version of Duplicator can do.

How do I undo a WordPress update that broke my site?

The safest way to undo a broken update is to restore a complete backup created right before you installed the update. To do this, go to Duplicator Pro » Backups, find the backup package created prior to the update, and click the Restore button to roll your entire website back with a single click.

If you did not create a manual backup before updating, don’t panic. You still have options available:

• Check Your Web Host: Most quality WordPress hosting providers create automatic daily backups. Log into your hosting account dashboard or contact their support team to ask if they can restore your site to yesterday’s clean state.
• Use WordPress Recovery Mode: If a single plugin caused a critical error, WordPress often sends an emergency recovery link to your admin email address. Clicking that link lets you log in safely to deactivate the problematic plugin.

Once your website is back online, be sure to set up automatic backups with Duplicator so you are always protected in the future. 

Will I lose my content or images if I roll back?

When you restore a complete site backup, your website returns to its exact state at the time that specific backup was created. This means all posts, pages, comments, and media files created up to that point will remain perfectly safe. However, you will lose brand new posts or uploads published after that backup was saved. 

This is why setting up automated, scheduled backups is so helpful. Frequent backups ensure you’ll barely lose any content if you ever have to restore.

If you published new content right after updating and don’t want to lose those posts, consider using a plugin like WP Rollback. This tool only replaces the plugin files themselves, leaving your posts, pages, and database untouched.

What should I do if I am locked out of my WordPress dashboard?

If you set up a disaster recovery point, then you’ll have no problems recovering your site. Simply paste your saved Recovery Link into your browser address bar or open your local Recovery Launcher file.

The recovery wizard will launch immediately, and walk you through restoring a healthy backup without requiring you to access the login page at all.

Does the free version of Duplicator let me restore a backup?

The free, lite version of Duplicator has everything you need to backup your site. However, the automated one-click restore and disaster recovery features covered in this guide are exclusive to the premium version of Duplicator.

If you do install the free plugin, then restoring a backup involves a more technical process where you manually download your backup package, upload an installer file via FTP, and run the wizard through your browser.

Roll Back With Confidence

If you’ve been following along, you now have a complete, reliable safety system for your WordPress website. You know how to create fresh backups, restore your entire site with a single click, and recover smoothly even if you don’t have access to the WordPress dashboard.

If you want to continue building your site management skills, our comprehensive video library covers everything from fundamental WordPress security to step by step site maintenance, all explained in simple, straightforward language:

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People aren’t just typing keywords into traditional search engines anymore. Instead, they’re asking platforms like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Perplexity for personalized recommendations.

If your business isn’t showing up in those AI answers, you’re missing out on a ton of potential customers.

The problem is that traditional SEO tools only monitor standard search results. They can’t tell you if an AI assistant is recommending your business or sending customers straight to your competitors.

To help you fix this blind spot, I put the leading AI visibility tools to the test. I looked beyond the marketing promises, to see which platforms actually help you measure mentions, analyze cited sources, and suggest clear steps to optimize your site. 

In this guide, I’m breaking down the best AI visibility tools available today, explaining exactly who each tool is for, what it costs, and any areas where it falls short.

How I Evaluated the Best AI Visibility Tools

AI search is an exciting, fast-moving area. With that in mind, I focused on the factors that can help small business and website owners save time, avoid unnecessary costs, and start seeing the benefits of AI visibility straight away.

In more detail, here’s everything I looked for: 

• Beginner-friendly setup and reporting: In my opinion, many AI tools are clearly built for large enterprise teams. That’s why I focused on tools that a non-technical site owner can set up and understand without having to take a training course. After all, a simple tool you actually use will always get better results than a powerful one that sits untouched in your WordPress dashboard. 
• Clear, actionable data: The best platforms show you which prompts you’re losing, which competitors are winning, and which sources AI is citing. That level of detail tells you exactly where to focus your time and effort for the fastest results.
• Fair, transparent pricing: AI search tools can be significantly more expensive than traditional SEO platforms. I investigated the true starting price for each tool, checking for free trials, hidden add-on costs for extra engines, and prompt limits. My goal is to highlight budget-friendly options for growing sites, and not just expensive enterprise platforms. 
• A path to actually improve, not just measure: Tracking your mentions is just the first step. I gave extra weight to tools that actually help you fix and optimize your content based on those insights. For a busy website owner, an all-in-one platform that handles both tracking and optimization saves you time and keeps you from having to buy multiple subscriptions.

Why Trust WP101?

When you’re looking for AI visibility tools, it’s easy to end up with a system that is too expensive or unnecessarily complicated. In this guide, my main goal is to help you avoid those hidden technical challenges, save you money, and guide you away from enterprise platforms you don’t actually need.

That’s why I personally tested every tool on this list. I ran real tracking projects, set up trial accounts, and evaluated features to see which ones deliver the best results at a reasonable price. This hands-on experience allows me to give you straightforward, actionable advice on the best tools available today.

Keep in mind that dominating AI search starts with solid foundations. Our video library covers everything you need to master the WordPress fundamentals so you can build that strong foundation.

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1. AIOSEO (All in One SEO) — The Best Way to Get Your WordPress Site Found by AI

All in One SEO (AIOSEO) is a popular SEO plugin for WordPress.

It earns the first spot on this list for a slightly different reason than the others: while the rest of these tools help you measure your AI visibility, AIOSEO helps you actually earn it, straight from your WordPress dashboard.

My Experience With AIOSEO

To put this to the test, I created a demo shop for a small, handmade candle business. It’s exactly the kind of brand that would love for ChatGPT to recommend them when someone searches for “best soy candles for gifts.”

My goal was to make the site as readable as possible for AI assistants. After all, if an AI assistant can’t understand your site, it won’t recommend your products.

Setting up the plugin was refreshingly easy. I just followed the setup wizard, and within minutes, AIOSEO had created a clean sitemap and added structured data to my product pages. Think of structured data (also called schema markup) as background code that explains to search engines and AI assistants exactly what’s on the page. 

In my opinion, the real standout feature for AI visibility is AIOSEO’s LLMs.txt generator. With a couple of clicks, AIOSEO created an llms.txt file, which is essentially a map of your content written specifically in Markdown for AI crawlers to read quickly. 

For a non-technical shop owner, this means you can hand the AI assistants a clean, organized version of your site without ever touching a line of code.

Just keep in mind that AIOSEO is designed for optimization, not tracking. It helps prepare your site, but it won’t show you if ChatGPT actually starts recommending your brand.

To track whether those AI mentions are happening, you’ll want to pair AIOSEO with a dedicated AI monitoring tool like Otterly.ai or Peec AI.

Pros of AIOSEO

Improve your AI readiness without learning a separate platform or paying for another software subscription.

Generates llms.txt files automatically, giving AI crawlers a clean, fast map of your content with no coding required.

Adds proper schema and sitemaps so AI models and search engines can understand what each page represents.

Includes a guided setup wizard and straightforward recommendations so you always know exactly what to do next. 

Cons of AIOSEO

You’ll still need a dedicated tracking tool like Peec AI to monitor actual brand citations in AI answers.

Advanced answer-engine features and llms-full.txt tools are only available on higher-tier plans.

Pricing: If you want to try the core features, then you can download the lite version of AIOSEO directly from WordPress.org.

When you’re ready to upgrade, paid plans start at $49.50 per year. Just be aware that some of the more advanced features are locked behind higher-tier plans. For example, you’ll need a Pro license ($179.55) or higher to unlock llms-full.txt files and markdown settings.

Why I Recommend AIOSEO: This is the essential first step for any WordPress website owner who wants to be cited by AI. It handles the technical groundwork that makes your content readable to AI assistants, and it does it in straightforward language a beginner can follow. 

For a closer look at this popular SEO plugin, check out our full AIOSEO review.

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2. Peec AI — The Best Focused Tracker for Small Marketing Teams

Peec AI is a dedicated AI visibility platform that tracks how your brand appears across ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Perplexity.

It made my list because it does one job (brand tracking) in a way that’s actually easy for small teams to understand. Instead of cluttering your screen with complicated enterprise dashboards, Peec AI keeps everything clean, simple, and approachable.

My Experience With Peec AI

To test how this works for a local business, I set up a tracking project for a fictional coffee shop. Imagine you’re a local roaster, and you realize potential customers in your town are asking ChatGPT where to buy coffee, but it’s recommending rival shops instead of yours.

I wanted to know two things: whether the AI mentioned my brand at all, and who it recommended instead.

Straight away, I appreciated that Peec AI suggested realistic prompts based on what people actually search for in my category. Within a day of daily tracking, it showed me exactly which questions triggered a competitor mention and where my brand was missing entirely.

I was really impressed by Peec’s source intelligence feature. It showed me exactly where the AI was getting its recommendations. In this case, it was a handful of review sites and a popular Reddit thread. That meant I knew precisely where to focus my energy, in order to get mentioned.

For a small business owner, this turns a vague worry into a concrete to-do list.

However, Peec only tracks three AI engines on its standard plans. If you want to monitor additional models like Microsoft Copilot, then you’ll need to pay extra ($30 per month, per additional model). This adds to your costs, especially if you want to monitor a wide range of models. 

Pros of Peec AI

Keeps the dashboard clean and focused so prompts, competitors, and sources feel approachable for a beginner.

Suggests realistic prompts based on real search behavior.

Shows the exact sources the AI trusts so you know precisely where to focus your time and effort. 

Includes unlimited team members on every plan, so you never pay extra to add a colleague.

Cons of Peec AI

You’ll need to build your own content strategy or use a separate tool to turn Peec AI’s visibility insights into wins. 

Standard plans are limited to three AI engines, and adding more models costs extra each month.

Does not connect visibility gains directly to revenue, so proving the return on investment to your boss or clients will take a little extra manual reporting.

Pricing: Peec AI starts at $80 per month for the Starter plan, which covers 50 prompts and one project. When you’re ready to expand, the Pro plan ($205 per month) unlocks 150 prompts and a second project.

Why I Recommend Peec AI: This is my top pick for solo marketers or small teams who want a clear, no-nonsense view of their AI brand mentions without dealing with an enterprise learning curve. If your main question is simply “is the AI recommending me or my competitors?” Peec AI is the friendliest way to get a trustworthy answer.

Why I Recommend Peec AI: This is my top pick for solo marketers and small teams who want a simple view of their AI brand mentions without a steep learning curve.

If you just want to know whether AI tools are recommending your business or your competitors, Peec AI gives you a clear answer. 

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3. Otterly.ai — The Best Budget-Friendly Way to Start Tracking

Otterly.ai is an AI search monitoring tool that tracks your brand mentions and citations across a wide range of assistants, including ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews.

It offers one of the lowest entry prices of any serious tracker on the market. If you’re a small business that wants to explore AI tracking for the first time, Otterly.ai helps you get started without the high setup costs.

My Experience With Otterly.ai

After exploring the platform, I really appreciate that even the cheapest plan tracks major AI engines with daily updates. Otterly.ai gave me a quick breakdown of my average brand position alongside my share of voice,  which is the slice of AI mentions your brand owns compared to competitors. 

But what stood out to me was Otterly’s content audit feature. It checked whether AI crawlers could even read my posts and pages in the first place. It immediately flagged a few pages that the tools were struggling to read. Unblocking these pages gives you a quick win, and is the easiest way to improve your AI visibility.

That said, Otterly’s Lite plan ($29 per month) is capped at 15 prompts, which a growing business will quickly outgrow. Some of the newer or additional engines are also treated as paid add-ons rather than being included from the start, so read the plan details closely before deciding whether Otterly is right for you. 

Pros of Otterly.ai

Starts at the lowest price of any tracker on this list, making it the easiest paid tool to justify for a small business.

Covers four major core engines out of the box with options to add newer models as your business grows.

Includes a content audit that flags pages AI cannot read, giving you quick wins for better visibility.

Includes unlimited team members on every plan, so your whole team can log in without extra seat fees.

Cons of Otterly.ai

The entry plan is limited to 15 prompts, which will push growing businesses toward the pricier Standard tier ($189 per month). 

Newer or secondary engines like Gemini and Claude are only available as paid add-ons.

Reporting metrics are less detailed compared to high-end enterprise platforms.

Pricing: Otterly.ai starts at $29 per month for the Lite plan, which covers 15 prompts across  ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, and MS Copilot.

When you’re ready to scale, the Standard plan ($189 per month) unlocks 100 prompts, API access, and agent analytics. There’s also a free trial, so you can try Otterly without spending a cent.  

Why I Recommend Otterly.ai: This is the tool I’d recommend to a small business owner who wants to start tracking their AI visibility without a big financial commitment. It gives you a genuinely useful view across the major search engines at a price point that won’t scare off a first-timer. 

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4. Semrush AI Visibility — The Best Choice If You Already Use an SEO Suite

Semrush is one of the most popular all-in-one SEO platforms, and its AI Visibility Toolkit monitors how your brand appears in AI answers. 

This tool is a great fit if you already rely on Semrush for keyword research and rank tracking. It allows you to keep all your traditional search rankings and AI mentions in the same dashboard. 

My Experience With Semrush AI Visibility Toolkit

Since I was already comfortable with the Semrush user interface, getting started felt incredibly easy. Even better, the Visibility Score gave me a single metric to monitor. 

I was also really impressed by the competitor comparison feature. It showed me the specific prompts where rival companies were getting cited while my brand was completely missing. 

Knowing those exact content gaps helps you write new blog posts focused on the topics that will make the biggest difference to your AI visibility. If you’re a busy marketer handling multiple projects, having these insights right next to your keyword data also makes your daily workflow much smoother.

Despite being part of the Semrush toolkit, AI Visibility Toolkit is billed as a separate monthly add-on. That means the price can add up quickly if you need to track multiple domains or extra prompts, which is something you need to be aware of. 

If you don’t already use Semrush for traditional SEO, a focused standalone tool like Peec AI or Otterly.ai will likely give you better value when it comes to brand tracking.

Pros of Semrush

Combines traditional SEO and AI visibility in one familiar dashboard, so you don’t have to pay for a separate software tool.

Gives you a single AI Visibility Score that you can use to easily measure performance and share in reports. 

Highlights exact prompt gaps where competitors are currently outperforming you. 

Backed by Semrush’s massive data set, giving its competitor comparisons real depth.

Cons of Semrush

The AI Visibility Toolkit is an add-on on top of the core Semrush setup, so total monthly costs can run high.

Extra domains and additional prompt packages cost extra, which can cause the cost to climb even higher.

Includes far more features than a small business owner needs for simple brand tracking.

Pricing: The Semrush AI Visibility Toolkit starts at $99 per month, per domain. This includes 25 tracked prompts and core AI analysis reports. There’s also a range of add-ons covering things like extra reports ($10-$20/month), additional users ($45/month) and branded profiles ($90/month). 

Why I recommend AI Visibility Toolkit: This is the smart choice for marketers who already rely on Semrush for SEO and want all their AI metrics in one place. 

If you’re building a broader search strategy, Semrush’s AI Visibility Toolkit pairs naturally with the keyword research and rank tracking you already do every day. It gives you a complete, all in one view without forcing you to learn another separate platform.

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5. Writesonic — The Best All-in-One Tool to Track and Fix Your Visibility

Writesonic started out as a simple AI writer, but it has since grown into a complete AI search platform. 

In addition to tracking brand mentions, Writesonice also helps you write the content needed to boost your visibility. In fact, it’s the only option on this list that handles everything from finding your content gaps, right through to filling them.

In this way, Writesonic can replace two or three separate software subscriptions.

My Experience With Writesonic

This time, I pictured myself as a busy owner who has no time to juggle a brand tracker, a writing assistant, and an SEO auditor separately. I wanted to see if Writesonic could truly replace all three platforms and handle the full workload on its own.

To start, Writesonic tracks your brand across multiple search engines using real AI conversations rather than rough guesses. Once it discovers where your business is missing, its Action Center ranks your fixes based on potential impact. This is a huge help when you don’t know where to start.

The biggest highlight for me was watching Writesonic’s AI agents draft an updated web page automatically. It even included a targeted FAQ section designed to answer the exact questions AI search engines were looking for. 

Seeing Writesonic turn performance data into ready-to-publish content was truly impressive.

For a busy business owner, having Writesonic suggest and even draft the fix saves a ton of time. Crucially, it removes the delay between spotting a problem and actually fixing it. Best of all, Writesonic automatically re-checks your site a couple of weeks later so you can see if your updates produced real results.

Pros of Writesonic

Tracks your mentions and helps you fix them in one platform, so you don’t have to pay for multiple tools.

Covers a wide range of AI engines, providing a complete picture of your search presence.

Ranks your fixes by impact so you always know which task to tackle first.

Drafts improved content for you based on its findings.

Cons of Writesonic

While the AI-written drafts are a fine starting point, they still need a human edit to sound natural. 

You may end up paying for content creation features you don’t need if you only want simple brand tracking.

Pricing: Writesonic starts at $79 per month (billed annually) for the Starter plan. However, you’ll need the Growth plan ($399 per month) to unlock sentiment analysis and access to Writesonic’s Action Center. 

Why I Recommend Writesonic: This platform is ideal for growing businesses that want to monitor their AI presence and create content using the same platform. If you find yourself short on time to research and write, this tool can handle the entire process for you. 

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6. Scrunch AI — The Best Option for Agencies and Growing Teams

If you’re a larger team or agency, then Scrunch AI may be the perfect tool for you.

This AI visibility platform goes one step beyond pure tracking, by actively helping you improve how AI crawlers experience your site. This is valuable when you manage lots of different pages or multiple client sites.

My Experience With Scrunch AI

For this review, I approached Scrunch AI from the perspective of a growing agency running campaigns across multiple accounts. I wanted to see whether Scrunch AI could provide the level of scalability and reporting an agency actually needs. 

The setup process was a bit more involved than other tools on this list, but that makes sense for a platform built for professionals. 

Once it was up and running, Scrunch showed me exactly which AI bots visited the client’s site and flagged pages with technical errors. This is the exact depth of insight a serious agency team needs.

I was really impressed by the Agent Experience Platform feature. It serves a cleaned-up, AI-friendly version of each page so the assistants can read it more reliably. 

For an agency, being able to improve citation odds across hundreds of pages at once is a genuine advantage. Scrunch AI’s reporting was also clearly built to hand straight to a client, which is another major selling point. 

Just keep in mind that Scrunch AI starts at a much higher price point, and it’s a far more technical platform. It’s definitely overkill for a solo business owner with a single small site.

Pros of Scrunch AI

Goes beyond tracking to actively improve how AI crawlers read your site across many pages at once.

Shows a real-time feed of AI bot visits and crawl errors, providing an impressive level of technical detail. 

Includes competitor benchmarking by persona, geography, and industry for agency client setups.

Meets strict enterprise security standards with role-based access control and SAML SSO.

Cons of Scrunch AI

High starting price makes it difficult to justify for a single small website.

Business owners without a background in digital marketing might find the initial learning curve a little steep.

You’ll need to upgrade to a higher tier to get broad AI engine coverage.

Pricing: Scrunch AI starts at $250 per month for the Core plan (when billed annually), covering 125 unique prompts and tracking across ChatGPT, Google AIO, Copilot, and Perplexity.

Meanwhile, the Agency Core plan starts at $500 per month for 250 unique prompts, 3 brand workspaces, and 3 pitch workspaces. 

Why I Recommend Scrunch AI: This is the right tool for an agency or growing marketing team managing AI visibility for multiple clients or large websites. 

Its crawler tracking and technical page optimization go far beyond what entry-level tools can offer at scale. Just keep in mind that Scrunch AI’s advanced power comes with a higher price tag.

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7. HubSpot AI Search Grader — The Best Free Way to Check Where You Stand

The HubSpot AI Search Grader is a free diagnostic tool that shows you what ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini currently say about your brand.

In this way, HubSpot gives you a clear snapshot of your current starting point without charging you a cent. Running a quick check here answers your initial questions before you even commit to a paid platform.

My Experience With HubSpot AI Search Grader

HubSpot’s AI Search Grade is as straightforward as it gets. Within a minute of entering basic brand details, the grader returned a single score out of 100, broken down across sentiment, brand recognition, and share of voice. This let me see at a glance how AI search models view my brand.

I particularly appreciated how HubSpot explained my results using straightforward language. It clearly defined what my score actually meant and pointed out my biggest visibility gaps. Having complex data translated into simple terms makes it easy to take those next steps, even if you’re just getting started with AI.

Just keep in mind that this is a one-time snapshot, rather than continuous monitoring. HubSpot won’t alert you as your visibility changes day to day, and it runs on auto-generated prompts rather than custom queries. 

It’s also designed to introduce you to HubSpot’s broader marketing ecosystem. With that said, treat the AI Search Grader as a solid starting point, rather than a permanent tracking suite.

Pros of HubSpot AI Search Grader

Completely free with no credit card required.

Returns a clear score out of 100 that’s easy to understand and simple to share with your team.

Checks three major AI engines (ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini) in a single run.

Explains your results using straightforward language so you know exactly what your brand score means.

Cons of HubSpot AI Search Grader

Provides a one-time snapshot report rather than continuous daily or weekly tracking.

Does not allow you to track custom prompts or trace specific source citations.

Designed as a free lead-generation tool, so expect follow-up marketing from HubSpot.

Pricing: The HubSpot AI Search Grader is 100% free with unlimited single-pass diagnostic reports and zero hidden fees.

Why I Recommend HubSpot AI Search Grader: This is the perfect starting point if you’re curious about AI search but not quite ready to pay for software. It shows you how AI search engines see your brand in just a few minutes, helping you decide if a paid tracking tool is worth the investment.

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The Verdict: Which AI Visibility Tool Should You Choose?

The right tool for you will vary depending on your specific goals, budget, and level of technical expertise.

While there’s no single winner that works for every single website owner, here’s a quick guide to help you pick the best option for you: 

• If you run a WordPress site and want to get cited by AI, start with AIOSEO. It handles the technical groundwork that makes your content readable to AI assistants, including generating llms.txt files and schema markup. 
• If you want the most user-friendly tool for small teams, choose Peec AI. It tracks your brand mentions with minimal setup and no steep learning curve.
• If you’re on a tight budget, go with Otterly.ai. It offers basic tracking across major AI search engines for a low monthly cost.
• If you want one tool to both track and fix your visibility, pick Writesonic. It manages everything from finding visibility gaps, right through to publishing new content.

No matter which software you pick, keep in mind that AI visibility relies on a solid foundation. Always pair your tracker with a trusted SEO plugin and make sure you follow all the recommended SEO best practices.

Frequently Asked Questions About AI Visibility Tools

AI search engines are completely changing how people find businesses and information online. If you’re feeling daunted by this shift, then you’re not alone. 

The good news is that getting up to speed is much easier than it sounds. To help you out, I’ve collected the most frequently asked questions from beginners and provided clear, practical answers below.

What is an AI visibility tool, and how is it different from an SEO tool?

An AI visibility tool tracks how your brand appears inside answers generated from AI assistants like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity, and Microsoft Copilot.

It works by running realistic questions through these assistants and then recording whether they mention your business, how they describe your products, and which web pages they cite as sources.

While they sound similar, AI visibility tools and traditional SEO tools do two very different jobs:

• Traditional SEO tools measure where your web pages rank on search engine results pages for specific keywords. They focus on clicks, backlinks, search volume, and website traffic.
• AI visibility tools measure whether an AI assistant recommends your brand directly when a user asks for advice. They focus on brand mentions, citation sources, recommendation sentiment, and share of voice across various AI engines.

Do I really need one of these tools for a small business?

If your potential customers use AI assistants to research products, services, or local businesses like yours, then the answer is most definitely yes.

Being left out of AI search answers means losing potential customers before they ever reach your website. By using an AI visibility tool, you can identify any opportunities or weak points early, so you don’t miss out on easy revenue.

That said, you don’t need to start with an expensive software subscription.

A free tool like the HubSpot AI Search Grader lets you run a quick diagnostic check to see where you stand at zero cost. After seeing your baseline score, you can decide whether it makes sense to upgrade to a paid AI visibility tool.

How much do AI visibility tools cost?

Prices in this category vary widely, ranging from completely free options all the way up to several hundred dollars a month depending on the specific features you need.

Free diagnostic tools like the HubSpot AI Search Grader provide a quick, one-time snapshot of your brand’s standing. Alternatively, if you want ongoing daily monitoring on a small budget, entry-level trackers like Otterly.ai start around $29 per month for a basic prompt list.

Mid-tier platforms built for small teams generally start between $80 and $95 per month for dedicated brand tracking and source intelligence. 

Finally, if you need a full all-in-one suite or agency platform, prices range from $100 to $250 per month and higher depending on the number of prompts, client projects, and AI engines you need to monitor.

Which AI engines should I be tracking?

When you start tracking your brand in AI search, you don’t need to monitor every platform right from the start. I recommend beginning with ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Perplexity. 

From there, you can easily expand to Google AI Overviews or Microsoft Copilot if you want to reach enterprise and desktop users.

Depending on your industry, you might want to consider adding specialized tools like Claude for long-form research or Grok for real-time social search.

Just keep in mind that most monitoring platforms charge extra for each engine you add. With that in mind, it’s a good idea to focus on the places your target audience are already spending the majority of their time.

Can I improve my AI visibility on my own, or do I need a tool?

You can absolutely improve your AI visibility on your own by publishing clear, authoritative content, earning mentions on trusted third-party websites, and ensuring your site is technically accessible to web crawlers.

Writing comprehensive, straightforward articles that answer real user questions is the true foundation of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). 

No software tool can replace high-quality information that people and AI assistants find useful. However, there are some WordPress plugins that can help streamline the technical setup, such as building an llms.txt file and setting up structured data.

That said, you’ll almost always need a tool to track your progress. Without a tracker, it is almost impossible to check hundreds of prompt variations across multiple AI models every single day.

How is this connected to regular SEO?

AI visibility and traditional SEO are closely linked because AI search engines don’t generate answers out of nowhere. Instead, they rely on existing content across the web to gather facts and recommend businesses.

Most AI platforms use a technology called Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). Before the AI writes a response, it performs a live search to pull up-to-date, authoritative information from top-ranking websites.

That said, if your website already has strong traditional SEO, AI tools are much more likely to find, read, and cite your pages.

However, it’s worth noting that AI systems don’t read entire articles. Instead, they extract direct, factual snippets to construct conversational answers. 

Content that uses clear headings, structured data, bulleted summaries, and direct answers is much easier for an AI crawler to understand. This gives your content the best chance of being cited in AI search results. 

Final Thoughts: Getting Ready for the Age of AI Search

You don’t need to master every tool in this article at the same time. The most important step right now is simply getting started. Pick one platform that helps you measure how often major AI search engines cite your brand, and use those initial insights to guide your next move.

If you’re just getting started with website optimization, our beginner-friendly video courses are the perfect next step. 

Whether you want to master the technical basics with our All in One SEO course or build a solid foundation for your site with our flagship WordPress 101 course, WP101 gives you simple, step-by-step guidance: 

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Roughly 70% of online shoppers who add an item to their cart leave without completing their purchase. If your store was a physical shop, that means seven out of ten people would be dropping their armful of products at the register and walking out the door.

The good news? With the right plugin, you can turn those abandoned carts into one of your store’s most reliable revenue streams.

By the end of this guide, you’ll have a complete cart recovery system that automatically tracks abandoned checkouts and sends personalized reminder emails, complete with a link that restores each shopper’s exact cart.

Why WooCommerce Cart Recovery Is Worth Setting Up

Before we open a single settings page, I want to explain why abandoned cart recovery has become one of my favorite ways to boost sales on any online store. Once you understand what these emails actually do, the setup feels minimal compared to the payoff.

Here are the reasons I set up cart recovery on every WooCommerce store I touch:

• You Recover Revenue You Already Earned: When a shopper adds a product to their cart, they have already decided they want it. Re-engaging that motivated buyer takes far less effort than convincing a brand-new visitor to make their first purchase.
• It Runs Completely on Autopilot: Once your automation is live, it works 24/7 without you needing to do anything else. A shopper can abandon a cart at 2am while you’re asleep, and they’ll still get a reminder, right on schedule. 
• The Reminders Feel Personal and Well-Timed: A good recovery email isn’t a generic newsletter blast. It greets the shopper by name, shows the exact items still waiting in their cart, and arrives when your store is still fresh in their mind. That kind of timing and personalization is something no human could do manually at scale. 
• A Gentle Discount Can Seal the Deal: Sometimes, a shopper may hesitate over a few dollars or the cost of shipping. In that case, including a coupon code in your cart recovery email can give that visitor the exact incentive they need to complete their order.
• You Finally See Why Shoppers Leave: Tools such as FunnelKit track every captured cart and sort it into recoverable, recovered, and lost. By regularly reviewing this data, you can spot and fix technical bugs or checkout hurdles before they impact your overall conversion rates.

Step 1: Install and Activate FunnelKit Automations

To get started, you’ll need the plugin that powers this entire abandoned cart system. I use FunnelKit Automations because it handles cart tracking and recovery emails directly from your WordPress dashboard. This keeps your store and customer data completely private.

There’s a premium version of FunnelKit Automations that includes powerful features to help your store grow, such as dynamic coupons and SMS reminders.

However, you can also download a completely free version of FunnelKit Automations from the WordPress repository. This includes live cart tracking and automated recovery emails, which is everything you need to follow along with this guide.

If you haven’t added a plugin to your site before, our guide on how to install and activate a plugin walks you through the entire process.

Step 2: Connect an Email Sending Service So Your Emails Actually Arrive

Before building your recovery campaigns, you need to ensure your abandoned cart emails will arrive safely in the shopper’s inbox. 

By default, WordPress attempts to send emails using basic server mail functions. This method is notoriously unreliable. Because many web hosts do not configure server mail properly, default WordPress emails often get delayed or sent straight to spam.

This deliverability issue is the single most common problem store owners encounter with cart recovery, and it has nothing to do with FunnelKit itself. 

The best way to fix this, is by connecting an SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) service. An SMTP service authenticates your messages using proper security protocols so inbox providers trust them.

For this, I recommend WP Mail SMTP. This free plugin connects seamlessly to popular email delivery services, including SendLayer, Brevo, and SMTP.com. It then reroutes all your website’s outgoing email through this secure, trusted delivery provider, which improves your email deliverability rates. 

There’s a premium version of WP Mail SMTP that adds features like advanced deliverability reporting, plus additional email providers. However, the free plugin is plenty for now. 

For the full walkthrough, our WP Mail SMTP course shows you how to connect a sending service properly. 

Step 3: Create a WooCommerce Coupon Code (Optional)

Before creating your cart recovery sequence, you may want to consider creating a discount code. Adding a coupon to your follow-up emails encourages customers to finish their order.

In this guide, we’ll be creating a sequence of three cart recovery emails, so you can add the coupon to the second or third email. You might even use multiple coupons to create tiered discounts that grow larger as subscribers move through the sequence.  

If you decide to offer a discount, you can create these coupons directly in WooCommerce. Head over to Marketing » Coupons in your dashboard and click ‘Add new coupon.’

First, type in the exact coupon code customers will need to enter at checkout. It’s best to use something clear and memorable, like COMEBACK10 or SAVE10.

After that, use the fields and dropdowns to configure your coupon. For example, you can set the discount type, the amount, and any usage limits or expiration dates.

In the following screenshot, I’m creating a ‘COMEBACK10’ coupon that gives the customer 10 percent off.

When you’re happy with how the coupon is set up, click Publish to make it live. You can repeat this process for any additional coupon codes you plan to use.

Be sure to make a note of the exact coupon you created, as you’ll need to paste it into your emails later in this guide.

Step 4: Enable Cart Tracking

With your email deliverability sorted, you can now set up FunnelKit to track abandoned carts. This feature captures a shopper’s email address and cart contents in real time, giving FunnelKit the information it needs to follow up automatically.

To activate tracking, go to FunnelKit Automations » Settings in your WordPress dashboard, then click the ‘Cart’ tab. 

Inside the Cart tab, check the following box: Enable to live capture buyer’s email and cart details. This activates the tracking system. 

Directly below the main toggle is the Wait Period field. This setting determines how many minutes of inactivity FunnelKit counts before marking the cart as abandoned and triggering your recovery workflow. 

By default, FunnelKit Automations waits for 15 minutes. This works well for most stores by filtering out customers who are simply taking a few minutes to browse. However, you can adjust this timeframe by typing a new number into the ‘Wait Period’ field.

FunnelKit captures a shopper’s email address in real time as soon as they type it into the checkout field. Because it saves this contact information instantly, you can automatically send recovery emails to customers who leave your site before completing their order.

However, if your store gets visitors from the European Union (EU), then you’ll need to let shoppers know you’re collecting this information. To do this, select the GDPR Consent tab and then check the consent notice option.

This helps you comply with local privacy laws. 

Once you’ve adjusted these settings, click the ‘Save’ button to store these changes. Your store is now actively tracking abandoned carts in the background.

Step 5: Create Your Abandoned Cart Automation

Now that cart tracking is active, it’s time to build the automated email sequence that handles your recovery follow-ups. This workflow controls who receives an email, when those messages are triggered, and their contents.

To begin, navigate to FunnelKit Automations » Automations and click the Create Automation button near the top of the screen.

This action opens FunnelKit’s library of pre-built recipes alongside an option to build a custom workflow from scratch.

To save time, select the pre-made Abandoned Cart Reminder recipe under the WooCommerce category. This free template automatically generates a complete three-email follow-up sequence.

To save time, I always start with this template. However, if you prefer to start with a blank slate you can select ‘Start from Scratch’ instead. 

When you click a recipe, FunnelKit will show a preview of the workflow layout. To load this workflow into your dashboard, click ‘Import Recipe.’

Next, enter a title for your workflow. This is just for your reference, so use something descriptive like ‘Abandoned Cart Recovery.’ 

After that, click ‘Create.’ 

Step 6: Set Up the ‘Cart Abandoned’ Trigger and Delay Block

Every automation starts with a trigger, which is simply the event that kicks the whole sequence into motion. For cart recovery, that event is a shopper abandoning their cart (the ‘Cart Abandoned’ trigger). 

This trigger tells FunnelKit to enroll shoppers when they abandon their cart for the specified wait period, which is 15 minutes by default. 

After the trigger, the next section is ‘Delay.’ It’s not a good idea to send an email the exact second a customer abandons their cart. 

Many shoppers simply step away temporarily or get briefly distracted, and will naturally return to their shopping cart a few minutes later. If you email the customer straight away, you risk annoying them and driving them away from your site. 

This Delay block is set to 30 minutes by default, but you may want to make this delay shorter or longer. 

To do this, click the block and then change the value in the ‘Delay for a specific period’ field. 

For this first message, I typically set the delay between 30 minutes and one hour. This timing ensures your store remains fresh in the customer’s mind without interrupting their active shopping session.

If you change this duration, then don’t forget to click the ‘Save’ button to store your settings. 

Step 7: Customize Your First Recovery Email

This is the core of your cart recovery workflow: the email that actually invites the shopper back. A good recovery email is short, friendly, and makes returning to the cart effortless.

To create this message, click on the ‘Send Email’ action block in your workflow.

You’ll now see the FunnelKit email editor. 

Because you’re using a template, the editor already contains a basic message that you can easily customize.

For the subject line, the recipe uses “Your cart is saved” followed by the {{cart_billing_first_name}} merge tag. 

When FunnelKit sends this email, it’ll automatically replace all merge tags with real values. In this case, that’s the customer’s first name. 

You can add more merge tags to your email by clicking any of the ‘Merge Tags’ buttons.

In the popup that appears, simply copy the merge tag you want to use. 

You can then paste it anywhere in the email including the subject line.

The single most important element is the link that rebuilds the cart. 

In the body text, the recipe includes a ‘Click here’ link that carries each shopper straight back to a checkout page with their original items already loaded.

You can customize this link, such as changing the anchor text or replacing it with an alternative element such as a call to action button. Just make sure you set the embedded link to http://{{cart_recovery_link}} 

Pro Tip: Don’t worry if the link appears empty during testing. FunnelKit only generates and displays cart data when you send the email to an actual, tracked shopper with items in their basket.

When you’re happy with how the email looks, click the ‘Save’ button. You now have a polished first recovery email set up and ready to go, which already puts you ahead of most stores. 

Step 9: Build Your Follow Up Emails

A single email may recover some carts, but a multi-step sequence is almost guaranteed to recover more. This is especially true if you include a discount code to build urgency and motivate hesitant buyers to finish the checkout process. 

FunnelKit’s abandoned cart recipe includes two follow-up emails that you can easily customize.

Scrolling down your workflow canvas, you’ll see a second ‘Delay’ block followed by a second ‘Send Email’ action. 

To customize the second email, click its Send Email block to open the editor.

You can update the subject line and body text or add merge tags using the exact same process we covered earlier. Instead of simply repeating the first email, I recommend trying a different angle. For example, you might highlight product benefits, reassure shoppers about your return policy, or answer common questions. 

If you created a coupon code earlier, this is a great place to introduce it. You can add a simple line such as “Use code COMEBACK10 at checkout for 10% off” directly above the cart recovery link.

As always, don’t forget to click ‘Save’ to store any changes you’ve made.

Next, scroll further down the workflow canvas to reach the third Delay and Send Email blocks.

Once again, you can change the delay, or customize the email. Just keep in mind that this is your last chance to recover the lost sale, so you may want to give the customer a final push by offering a slightly larger discount or a perk like free shipping.

Step 11: Activate and Test Your Automation

Every store owner wants to avoid emailing a customer who has already completed their order. Fortunately, FunnelKit handles this for you automatically. 

As soon as a shopper completes their purchase, FunnelKit cancels any remaining emails in the sequence and marks the cart as recovered. That said, once you’ve customized the final email, you’re ready to go live.

In the top-right corner of the automation builder, you will see a switch that currently reads Inactive. Simply click this Inactive switch so that it changes to Active.

Your cart recovery system is now officially live and watching for abandoned carts. However, I never trust an automation until I’ve tested it myself, and I recommend you do the same. 

To run a test, open your store in a private browser window, add a product to the cart, and begin the checkout process using an email address you can easily access.

As soon as you enter your email address and then abandon the checkout, FunnelKit should capture the cart. To verify the capture, go to FunnelKit Automations » Carts and look for your test cart in the recoverable list.

If it appears there, everything is set up correctly. 

It is as easy as that! You now have a fully automated WooCommerce cart recovery system quietly working in the background of your store.

Step 12: Track Your Recovered Carts

Once your automation is up and running, you’ll want to monitor the results. This is where you get to watch abandoned carts turn into real revenue.

To see the data, go to FunnelKit Automations » Carts. 

FunnelKit sorts the data into three tabs:

• Recoverable: Shows carts that have been abandoned and are currently moving through your email sequence.
• Recovered: Lists every abandoned cart your automation successfully converted into a purchase. 
• Lost: Shows carts that never converted despite your reminders.

I always closely monitor the Lost tab, as a high number of lost carts may point to a pricing or checkout issue that’s worth investigating. 

Frequently Asked Questions About WooCommerce Cart Recovery

Does WooCommerce track abandoned carts by default?

No, WooCommerce does not track abandoned carts by default. Because WooCommerce only records completed orders, unpurchased carts vanish without a trace. 

FunnelKit Automations fills this gap by capturing customer email addresses and cart contents during checkout, giving you the tracking data you need to follow up on those abandoned carts. 

How long before a cart is considered abandoned?

By default, FunnelKit waits 15 minutes after a shopper’s last activity before marking their cart as abandoned. This 15-minute window works well for most stores, as it’s long enough to avoid interrupting people who are still actively browsing.

If your store has an unusually long or short checkout flow, you can easily adjust this delay in FunnelKit’s Cart settings. Getting this timing right ensures you only send follow-up emails to shoppers who have genuinely left your site.

How many recovery emails should I send before stopping?

In my experience, three emails is the ideal number for most stores. Spacing your messages at one hour, 24 hours, and 48 hours should capture the bulk of recoverable sales without annoying your customers. 

Sending more than three emails often leads to higher unsubscribe rates and spam complaints rather than extra orders. However, if you’re just starting out then even a single well-written email will help you recover sales you would have otherwise lost entirely.

When should I offer a discount instead of just a reminder?

I recommend saving coupon codes for your second or third email rather than the initial message. Many shoppers will return to complete their order after the first email, so offering a coupon too early can hurt your profit margins unnecessarily.

Can I recover abandoned carts from guest checkouts?

Yes. FunnelKit captures a shopper’s email address as soon as they type it into the checkout field, even if they never create an account or complete the purchase. That means you can still recover guest shoppers (who likely make up a huge portion of your store traffic) via FunnelKit.

Why aren’t my recovery emails sending or landing in the inbox?

This is the most common issue store owners encounter, and it almost always comes down to email deliverability rather than a problem with FunnelKit itself.

When you rely on default WordPress mail settings, email providers will often block, delay, or send your messages straight to spam folders. The fix is to connect an SMTP service using a plugin like WP Mail SMTP, which authenticates your outgoing emails so inbox providers trust them.

Once you route your mail through a proper sending service, deliverability issues almost always disappear. 

Do I need the Pro version, or is the free FunnelKit enough?

You can create a complete WooCommerce cart recovery sequence using the free version of FunnelKit Automations. This includes live tracking, custom delays, and multi-step email workflows. 

You only need to upgrade to the premium plugin if you want to access advanced features like dynamic expiring coupon codes, SMS reminders, detailed conditional logic, and deeper analytics.

My advice is to start with the free version, prove that cart recovery brings in revenue for your store, and then upgrade only when those extra features justify the cost.

Start Recovering Lost Sales Today

You now have a complete cart recovery system running on your online store, turning abandoned carts into paying customers. In my experience, this is one of those quiet upgrades that keeps paying you back, long after you’ve set it up.

However, a recovery sequence is just one piece of running a successful WooCommerce store. If you want to keep growing, our comprehensive video library covers everything you need to build a successful online business: 

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Creating and selling a digital product sounds simple, until you actually sit down to do it.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or already have an ebook, a set of design templates, or a video course ready to share, turning your expertise into income comes with hidden hurdles. 

First, you’ll need to create, format, or structure the content itself. Then the technical challenges begin: choosing a payment gateway, delivering files securely, handling international tax rules, and building a checkout page that actually converts.

To help you decide, I spent the last few weeks testing the most popular platforms with real hands-on projects. Some are full ecosystems built to run your entire online business, while others are lightweight tools that do one job very well.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the best tools for creating and selling digital products, including where each one performs well and where it falls short. My goal is to help you pick the right fit for your situation, so you can spend less time managing software and more time making money. 

How I Evaluated the Best Tools to Sell Digital Products

I didn’t want to simply repeat the marketing claims from each product’s homepage. Instead, I created a specific test project for every single tool on this list and then worked through the real steps a beginner would face, from the initial setup all the way to a finished, sellable product.

As I tested, I focused heavily on the criteria that actually decide whether a platform is a good fit for a small business owner or creator. Here’s exactly what I looked at, and why each point matters to you:

• Ease of setup for beginners: A tool can have endless features, but if it takes a week to configure, it isn’t helping you. I actually timed how quickly I could go from a blank screen to a working product page, because your valuable time is much better spent creating and selling rather than wrestling with technical settings.
• Fees and pricing transparency: Some tools charge a flat subscription, others take a percentage of each sale, and some even do both. I looked closely at the true cost of selling on each platform so you can understand exactly how much of your revenue you actually get to keep.
• File delivery and security: Your ecommerce tool needs to safely deliver your product to paying customers, without letting those download links leak out to the rest of the web. I paid close attention to how each platform handles delivery and file protection, to ensure your digital assets remain secure after purchase. 
• Payment options: Everyone has a favorite way to pay online, whether that’s a credit card, PayPal, or a local regional option. I tested which payment gateways each tool supports, since every unsupported option is a potential lost customer.
• Room to grow: I considered whether each tool can handle more products, larger files, and new product types as your business expands. Choosing a scalable platform means you won’t need to migrate the moment your business gains traction. 
• Tax and compliance help: International sales come with confusing tax rules, especially in the European Union. I noted which tools handle this for you automatically, because manual tax bookkeeping is a job nobody enjoys.

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Every recommendation in this guide comes from that kind of real testing. If a tool frustrated me during setup or locked an important feature behind a pricey upgrade, I share that information upfront so you can choose the best tool for your site. 

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The 7 Best Tools to Sell Digital Products

1. Easy Digital Downloads – The Best All-Around Tool for Selling Digital Products on WordPress

Easy Digital Downloads (EDD) is a WordPress plugin built specifically for selling digital files like ebooks, software, music, and PDFs.

It’s the tool I personally reach for when I’m building a dedicated digital store on WordPress, because it does that job far better than general-purpose eCommerce plugins.

My Experience With Easy Digital Downloads

To put EDD through a realistic test, I built a fictional storefront for a self-published author who wanted to sell an ebook and an audiobook as a discounted bundle. My goal was to see how smoothly a creator could handle file delivery, product variations, and discount codes using a single tool. 

Because Easy Digital Downloads is built strictly for digital products, you won’t have to deal with complex shipping settings or physical inventory tracks. In fact, I had my first product uploaded and ready to sell in about fifteen minutes.

In my opinion, the stand-out feature is EDD’s secure file delivery system. When I made a test purchase, I instantly received an automatic download link that expired after a set time. For a creator whose income depends on digital files, that kind of built-in protection gives you real peace of mind.

However, it’s important to note that Easy Digital Downloads runs directly on your own WordPress site. That means you’ll need a live website and web hosting already set up. If you’re looking for a hosted platform that runs entirely for you without managing a WordPress site, a service like Payhip may be a better option. 

Pros of Easy Digital Downloads:

Built specifically for digital downloads, EDD keeps your dashboard simple by skipping physical shipping and inventory settings altogether.

Secure file delivery system uses expiring download links, protecting your paid files from being shared around for free.

Supports popular payment options like Stripe, PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay so your customers can pay using their preferred method. 

Detailed sales reports, so you’ll always know which items are your top performers and who your customers are.

Cons of Easy Digital Downloads:

Requires an existing WordPress website and hosting, which is more initial setup compared to a fully hosted service like Payhip.

You’lll need to upgrade to a higher-tier plan to access advanced tools such as recurring subscriptions and software licensing.

You’re responsible for managing your own site updates, backups, and security.

Pricing: If you want to try before you buy, you can download the free version of Easy Digital Downloads directly from the official WordPress repository. Meanwhile, paid plans start at $99.50 per year for a Personal license.

Why I Recommend Easy Digital Downloads: This is the absolute best choice for creators who want a dedicated digital store on their own WordPress website and complete ownership of their sales and customer data.

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2. WP Simple Pay – The Best Tool for Selling a Single Digital Product Fast

WP Simple Pay is a straightforward payment plugin that lets you accept credit card payments using simple, customizable Stripe payment forms.

It earns a top spot here because sometimes you don’t need a full-blown online store at all. You just need a quick, hassle-free way to charge for one specific item on your site.

My Experience With WP Simple Pay

For this test, I created a payment page for a yoga instructor selling a downloadable meditation guide. Rather than setting up an entire online store or complex shopping cart, she just needed a clean page where customers could pay and then access their file instantly. 

Tasks like this are WP Simple Pay’s specialty. Using its drag-and-drop form builder, I built a working payment form in under ten minutes without writing a single line of code.

WP Simple Pay even lets you generate dedicated payment pages, so I didn’t even need to build a custom WordPress page in order to display my form. Plus, WP Simple Pay connects directly to Stripe’s secure infrastructure, so you never have to worry about handling sensitive payment details. 

Just keep in mind that WP Simple Pay doesn’t manage automated file downloads. You’ll need to set up a post-purchase redirect page or confirmation email to deliver your file.

Pros of WP Simple Pay:

Publish a working payment form in minutes, so you can start charging for your digital product right away.

Connects securely with Stripe, keeping credit card data safe while providing a trusted checkout experience.

Dedicated payment pages give buyers a clean, distraction-free checkout without extra design work.

Free, lite version lets you accept basic card payments without a big upfront investment.

Cons of WP Simple Pay:

Doesn’t handle automatic file delivery.

Works strictly with Stripe. If your target audience prefers alternative payment gateways and methods, then EDD is a better option. 

Lacks store features like shopping carts or product catalogs.

Pricing: You can download the lite version of WP Simple Pay from WordPress.org, and test out the plugin without paying a cent. When you’re ready to upgrade, paid plans range from $49.50-$299.50. 

Why I Recommend WP Simple Pay: This is the ultimate tool for anyone who wants to sell a single digital product or service without setting up an entire online store.

If speed and simplicity are your top priorities, WP Simple Pay is the perfect plugin for you. 

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3. Beacon – The Best Tool for Creating Ebooks and Lead Magnets

Beacon is a specialized design tool that helps you create professional ebooks, workbooks, and lead magnets without needing any graphic design skills. 

Beacon earns its spot on this list because selling digital products starts long before the checkout process. You need a great product first, and Beacon makes designing polished leads and digital downloads simple.

My Experience With Beacon

To see how Beacon performs in a real-world scenario, I created a campaign for a nutritionist with a simple goal: grow her email list with a free meal-prep guide, then upsell those subscribers on a premium recipe collection. This freebie-to-paid funnel is one of the best ways for creators to turn traffic into revenue.

The design process in Beacon feels refreshingly easy. I picked a pre-designed template, customized the text and images using the drag-and-drop builder, and had a finished ebook ready in a few hours. It looked like it had been made by a professional designer, but required zero design skills.

That said, it’s important to remember that Beacon is strictly a design and lead-generation tool rather than a payment processor.

If you plan to sell your digital products rather than give them away, you’ll want to pair Beacon with a payment tool like Easy Digital Downloads or WP Simple Pay to manage the actual checkout process. 

Pros of Beacon:

Easy drag-and-drop editor lets you craft polished ebooks and workbooks without hiring an expensive designer.

Built-in lead capture forms turn your free downloads into powerful growth tools, making it easy to capture email subscribers.

Professional ready-made templates give you a clean starting point so you never have to stare at a blank page.

Offers a genuinely useful free plan so you can design your first lead magnet without spending a dime.

Cons of Beacon:

Handles content design and free lead delivery, but lacks built-in checkout features needed to accept paid orders directly.

Lower-tier plans limit your monthly lead collection and storage, which can feel restrictive as your email list grows. 

Pricing: Beacon’s free forever plan lets you create 1 new lead magnet every single month. If you want to create multiple lead magnets, then you’ll need to upgrade to the Lite plan ($19/month) or higher. 

Why I Recommend Beacon: If you struggle with design, Beacon is a game-changer. It takes the guesswork out of creating beautiful lead magnets and digital downloads, making it easy to build a subscriber list and start selling paid products without the stress. 

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4. Payhip – The Best All-in-One Hosted Platform for Beginners

Payhip is a hosted platform that lets you sell digital downloads, courses, memberships, and even physical products from a custom store it manages for you.

It stands out as the go-to solution for complete beginners who don’t have a website and want to start selling with as little technical setup as possible.

My Experience With Payhip

For my test run, I built a sample storefront selling Canva templates to buyers all over the world. Selling internationally can be tricky, so I wanted to see how easily Payhip handles cross-border sales.

Getting started was as straightforward as it gets. I signed up, used the intuitive store builder to customize a branded landing page without touching a single line of code, and had a digital template listed for international sale in under half an hour.

Because there was no separate website to configure first, Payhip eliminates the biggest technical barrier facing new sellers.

In my opinion, Payhip’s stand-out feature is its automatic EU/UK VAT tax calculation. It instantly calculates and applies the correct tax rates based on the buyer’s location, so you don’t have to wrestle with complicated spreadsheets.

Additionally, every plan provides access to all of Payhip’s features, so you’re never locked out of essential tools simply because you’re on a cheaper tier. 

However, keep in mind that Payhip’s free plan charges a 5% transaction fee on top of standard payment processing rates. As your sales grow, you’ll likely want to switch to a paid tier to avoid those transaction fees. 

Also, keep in mind that hosted site builders don’t offer the same level of design freedom as a custom WordPress site. If you need complete control over your store’s layout and functionality, a self-hosted setup with a plugin like Easy Digital Downloads is a better option. 

Pros of Payhip:

True free-forever plan allows you to launch your store with zero upfront costs and no existing website required.

Access every feature regardless of which plan you choose, so you won’t have to upgrade just to unlock essential tools.

Automatically calculates and remits European Union and UK digital sales tax, saving you hours of compliance headaches.

Flexible setup lets you sell directly on your hosted Payhip store.

Supports digital downloads, online courses, memberships, and physical items so you can expand your product lines over time.

Cons of Payhip:

Free plan charges a 5% transaction fee on every sale, eating into your profit margins as your sales grow.

Store builder is relatively basic, offering far less design customization compared to a WordPress website.  

Pricing: Payhip’s pricing structure scales directly with your store’s growth. You can start completely free with the Free Forever plan (which takes a 5% transaction fee per sale). As your store gains traction, you can upgrade to the Plus plan for $29/month to drop that fee to 2%, or choose the Pro plan at $99/month to remove Payhip’s transaction fees completely. 

Why I Recommend Payhip: This is the absolute best pick for a beginner who wants to start selling digital products today without the hassle of building or hosting a website first.

If an all-in-one platform that handles complicated global taxes for you sounds better than managing your own WordPress site, Payhip is exactly what you’re looking for. 

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5. Sellfy – The Best Platform for Selling Digital and Physical Products Together

Sellfy is an all-in-one hosted store platform built for creators selling a mix of digital downloads, physical goods, and print-on-demand merchandise. 

It’s my top pick if you want to sell more than just downloadable files, allowing you to manage multiple product types using the same platform. 

My Experience With Sellfy

For this test, I focused mostly on Sellfy’s built-in print-on-demand feature, which handles all the printing and shipping automatically whenever a sale comes in. It’s a completely hands-off way to offer physical merchandise without storing inventory in your home. 

I listed a digital beat pack and a print-on-demand t-shirt side by side without any confusion, which is exactly what a creator with a mixed catalog needs. In fact, I managed to launch a store in under an hour.

Another major benefit is that Sellfy charges zero platform fees on your sales. While many hosted platforms take a cut of every transaction, Sellfy lets you keep your revenue. You only pay standard credit card processing fees. For creators with steady sales, those savings add up significantly over time. 

However, it’s important to keep the trade-offs in mind. Sellfy doesn’t offer a permanent free plan, so you’ll need a paid subscription to keep selling after the 14 day free trial. 

Additionally, each plan comes with an annual sales cap. If you exceed that revenue limit, you’ll be pushed to upgrade to a higher tier or pay a small overage fee. It’s a good idea to factor this into your budget as your business expands.

Pros of Sellfy:

Zero platform fees mean Sellfy never takes a cut of your earnings on top of your subscription cost.

Allows you to sell digital products, physical items, and print-on-demand merch together in one clean shop.

Super simple setup lets non-technical creators launch a modern online store in under an hour.

Built-in email marketing and product upselling tools help you grow revenue without purchasing separate add-ons.

Cons of Sellfy:

No permanent free plan (only a 14-day trial), meaning you’ll need a paid subscription to keep your store open.

Annual sales caps on each tier force an upgrade or a 2% overage fee if you exceed your limit.

Store customization options are fairly basic compared to building a custom site on WordPress.

Pricing: While Sellfy doesn’t have a free plan, you can test the platform with a 14-day free trial. After that, paid plans start at $29 per month for the Starter plan. However, you’ll need to upgrade to the Business plan ($79 per month) to unlock cart recovery tools and built-in product upselling.

Why I Recommend Sellfy: This is the absolute best choice for creators who plan to sell physical merchandise or print-on-demand gear alongside their digital products.

If you want a single, tidy storefront for a mixed product catalog with zero platform fees, Sellfy fits that need perfectly.

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6. Podia – The Best All-in-One Platform for Courses, Downloads, and Community

Podia is an all-in-one platform that brings a website builder, digital storefront, email marketing tool, and community area into one subscription. It’s designed specifically for creators who want to manage their entire online business from a single dashboard instead of connecting multiple separate plugins.

My Experience With Podia

To test Podia’s versatility, I built a store for a photographer offering downloadable Lightroom presets, a video course, and a private feedback community. Setting up this mix allowed me to see how Podia manages completely different product formats in one account.

Getting up and running with Podia is completely painless. The onboarding guides you through building your page and adding products with zero extra plugins required. Even uploading huge course videos is effortless, thanks to Podia’s generous storage and unlimited asset uploads.

But Podia’s biggest advantage is how effortlessly everything connects behind the scenes. 

When a customer bought a preset pack, they were instantly enrolled in the email list and welcomed into the private community. Combining your store, email, and community into one platform eliminates the stress (and cost) of managing separate tools.

That versatility does come with a higher price tag. Podia’s entry-level pricing is steeper than dedicated checkout tools, making it a big upfront investment, especially if you’re just starting out.

Pros of Podia:

Consolidates your website, digital store, email marketing, and community space into a single platform.

Supports massive file uploads (up to 5GB per file), making it ideal for high-definition video course creators.

Smooth, frictionless customer experience allows buyers to access downloads without annoying extra steps or complicated account setups.

Higher-tier plans remove platform transaction fees entirely so you keep more of your earnings.

Cons of Podia:

Starting price is higher than many competitors, which can feel like a big upfront commitment for beginners.

The entry-level Mover plan ($42) charges a 5% transaction fee. 

Less customizable than a self-hosted WordPress site.

Pricing: Although Podia doesn’t offer a permanent free plan, you can explore the platform with a 30-day free trial. After that, plans start at  $42 per month (when billed annually). However, you’ll need to upgrade to the Shaker plan ($84 per month) to remove Podia’s 5% transaction fees.

Why I Recommend Podia: If you’re tired of juggling separate subscriptions for your website, email list, courses, and community, Podia simplifies everything. It gives you a clean, unified dashboard to build, market, and sell all your digital products. 

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7. Teachable – The Best Platform for Selling Online Courses

As one of the most established learning platforms on the market, Teachable takes the friction out of creating and selling online courses, 1-on-1 coaching, and digital downloads. 

Best of all, its course management tools are far more advanced than what you’ll find in standard eCommerce store builders, giving your students a true academy-style experience.

My Experience With Teachable

To see how Teachable copes under real-world pressure, I created a fictional course stacked with video lessons, interactive quizzes, and automated completion certificates. 

Building the curriculum felt like using software designed specifically for educators. I organized lessons into modules, added a quiz to test student understanding, and configured an automatic certificate for students who completed the course, all without running into a single technical roadblock.

In fact, my test course looked like a professional online academy, featuring clean video playback, student mobile app access, and automatic progress tracking. For a creator selling expertise, that polished presentation helps justify Teachable’s premium price point.

Pros of Teachable:

Delivers an exceptional classroom experience complete with quizzes, video player, and course completion certificates.

Built-in AI tools help you draft structured course outlines and sales copy in seconds.

Includes native student mobile apps (iOS and Android) so learners can access your content anywhere.

Built-in order bumps, upsells, and cart recovery features help increase your average order value.

Cons of Teachable:

The Starter plan ($29/month) charges a 7.5% transaction fee per sale. As your business grows, those transaction fees will start eating into your profits quickly. 

Digital downloads are a secondary feature, making Teachable overly complex if you only plan to sell simple downloadable files.

Pricing: Teachable offers a 7-day free trial to build and test your course. After that, paid plans start at $29 per month (when billed annually) for the Starter plan. Once your sales pick up, upgrading to the Builder plan ($69/month billed annually) quickly pays for itself by removing Teachable’s 7.5% transaction fee entirely.

Why I Recommend Teachable: If you’re looking to showcase your knowledge in a professional, student-friendly setting, Teachable is tough to beat. It makes your lessons look sleek and high-end, so it’s ideal for educators and coaches who are focused on delivering a top-tier learning experience.

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The Verdict: Which Tool Should You Choose?

The truth is, there isn’t a single ‘best’ tool for everyone when it comes to selling digital products. Ultimately, it comes down to what you’re selling, your overall goals, and your level of technical experience.

However, for most creators my top overall pick is Easy Digital Downloads. It gives you a dedicated digital storefront, complete ownership of your business and customer data, and zero platform transaction fees. 

I also recommend the following tools, for specific use cases: 

• If you just want to sell a single product, WP Simple Pay lets you publish a secure payment form in minutes without building a complex store.
• If you need to create the ebook or lead magnet first, Beacon has everything you need to design professional digital products and then use them to capture email subscribers.
• If you don’t have a website, Payhip provides a beginner-friendly all-in-one platform that even calculates digital sales tax rates for you.
• If you want to create and sell online courses, Teachable is my top pick. It provides specialized tools to help you create a polished classroom experience that feels premium.

Frequently Asked Questions About Selling Digital Products

If you’re getting ready to launch your first digital product, it’s completely normal to have a few questions. From figuring out transaction fees to choosing between a standalone platform and a WordPress plugin, the details can feel overwhelming. 

To help you get started with confidence, here’s straightforward answers to the questions I hear most often from first-time sellers.

What are the best digital products to sell online?

The most popular and profitable digital products include ebooks, online courses, design templates, stock photos, music and audio files, software, and printable planners. 

The best product to sell is one that solves a clear, specific problem for a targeted audience. Focused products are significantly easier to position and market compared to broad, general offerings.

If you aren’t sure where to start, look at the skills and knowledge you already have. A nutritionist can sell meal plans, a designer can sell templates, and a photographer can sell presets. Your existing expertise is often the fastest path to a product people will actually pay for.

Do I need a website to sell digital products?

No, you don’t strictly need your own website to get started. Hosted platforms like Payhip and Sellfy give you a ready-made store page, so you can start selling within an hour even if you’ve never built a website before.

That said, selling directly from your own WordPress website gives you far more control and keeps more profit in your pocket long term. Many creators launch on a hosted platform to test an idea, then migrate to WordPress using a plugin like Easy Digital Downloads once sales grow and they need more control over their brand experience.

How much does it cost to start selling digital products?

You can launch your store for free. Both Easy Digital Downloads and WP Simple Pay offer free plugins, and Payhip provides a free-forever plan. That means your only unavoidable upfront cost is the standard processing fee charged by Stripe or PayPal on each sale.

As you grow, you can upgrade to a plan that removes transaction fees or unlocks advanced features. The smartest strategy is to start with a free option, verify that people want your product, and then upgrade once your sales justify the expense.

How do I deliver a digital file to a customer safely?

The most secure approach is using a platform that delivers your product automatically via a time-limited download link. Tools like Easy Digital Downloads do this out of the box, sending buyers a secure link that expires after a set period to prevent unauthorized sharing.

If you’re using a simple checkout tool like WP Simple Pay that doesn’t include built-in file hosting, you can send downloads via automated follow-up emails or redirect buyers to a private thank-you page. Just be sure never to publish files at public URLs, or anyone with the link could download your product without paying.

Do I have to charge tax on digital products?

Yes. In many regions, digital products are subject to sales tax or Value-Added Tax (VAT).

Tax rates are typically determined by where your customer lives rather than where your business is based. For example, European Union rules require you to collect VAT based on the buyer’s location.

Fortunately, tools like Payhip automatically calculate regional taxes, while plugins like Easy Digital Downloads integrate with automated tax services to handle calculations for you.

Can I sell digital products and physical products from the same store?

Yes, and several tools on this list support hybrid stores out of the box. For example, Sellfy allows you to sell digital downloads, physical inventory, and print-on-demand merchandise all from a single storefront.

WordPress users can also pair Easy Digital Downloads with physical product plugins as their inventory expands. Selecting a platform that accommodates both digital and physical items from the start prevents the hassle of rebuilding your store later, so it pays to plan ahead.

Ready to Start Selling Your Digital Products?

Choosing your ecommerce tool is the exciting first step toward turning your knowledge, art, or expertise into a real income stream.

Remember that you can scale your store’s setup as your sales increase, so don’t feel pressured to get every detail perfect on day one. Simply choose the tool that fits your current needs, list your first product, and then refine your store as you grow.

If you’d like guidance as you build your store, WP101 is here to help. Our beginner-friendly video courses walk you through WordPress step by step. Sign up for a 7-day free trial to start building your store with confidence.

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