WooCommerce is a free, open-source eCommerce plugin for WordPress that turns an ordinary website into a full online store. It adds products, a shopping cart, checkout, payments, shipping, taxes and order management on top of WordPress, so you can sell physical goods, digital downloads, subscriptions, bookings and more without paying a monthly platform fee.
Quick answer: what is WooCommerce?
WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin that adds online-store features to your site. The plugin is free, you own your data, and you extend it with themes and extensions. You pay for hosting, a domain, optional paid extensions and your payment processor’s fees.
Key takeaways
- WooCommerce is free, but a real store still needs hosting, a domain, an SSL certificate and (usually) a few paid extensions.
- It is a plugin, not a replacement for WordPress. WordPress runs the site; WooCommerce adds the shop.
- Payments, shipping and subscriptions are modular. You pick gateways, shipping methods and extensions that fit your business.
- WooCommerce vs Shopify: WooCommerce gives more control and lower platform costs; Shopify is faster to launch and fully hosted.
What is WooCommerce?
WooCommerce is the most popular eCommerce plugin for WordPress. It launched in 2011 and was acquired by Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, in 2015. You install it like any other plugin from the WordPress plugin directory, run a short setup wizard, and your site gains the core tools of an online shop.
Because it is open source, the code is public and anyone can extend it. That is why there are thousands of themes, extensions and developers built around it. The official site, WooCommerce.com, hosts the extension marketplace and documentation. For current adoption numbers, BuiltWith’s WooCommerce usage statistics are a useful neutral reference.
If you are new to the foundation it runs on, read our guide on what is WordPress first, or see how it stacks up in our eCommerce platforms comparison.
What is WooCommerce used for?
WooCommerce is used to sell products and services online from a WordPress website. If you are still getting familiar with the basics of selling online, our explainer on what an e-commerce business is covers the models. Here is what store owners commonly build with it:
Physical products
Clothing, gadgets, furniture and food, with stock tracking, variations (size, colour) and shipping rules.
Digital downloads
Ebooks, software, themes, music and templates delivered through secure download links.
Subscriptions & memberships
Recurring boxes, SaaS-style plans and paid content, using a subscriptions extension.
Bookings & courses
Appointments, rentals and classes. See our WooCommerce course booking guide.
Affiliate products
List items that send shoppers to another store, and earn a commission.
Wholesale & dropshipping
Tiered pricing and supplier-fulfilled orders. Browse wholesale WooCommerce themes and dropshipping themes.
Want proof of what is possible? See real stores in our roundups of WooCommerce website examples and successful WooCommerce sites.
How does WooCommerce work?
WooCommerce works by adding eCommerce data and screens to WordPress. Products, orders and coupons are stored in your WordPress database, and WooCommerce creates the key store pages (Shop, Cart, Checkout and My Account) that your theme then styles. When a visitor buys something, the following happens:
- The shopper browses a product page created from your product data (title, price, images, variations).
- The cart calculates quantities, discounts and totals.
- At checkout WooCommerce collects billing and shipping details, applies tax rules and offers the shipping methods available for that address.
- A payment gateway such as WooPayments, Stripe or PayPal charges the customer.
- WooCommerce creates the order, reduces stock, and emails the customer and you.
- You fulfil the order, mark it complete and the customer is notified.
Behind the scenes, WooCommerce exposes hooks and filters and shortcodes so developers can change almost anything, and a REST API so other tools (like shipping or accounting software) can read and write orders. Developers can explore the WooCommerce developer resources for details.
What is the difference between WordPress and WooCommerce?
WordPress is a content management system (CMS) for building websites. WooCommerce is a plugin that runs inside WordPress and adds eCommerce. You cannot run WooCommerce without WordPress, but you can run WordPress without WooCommerce.
| Feature | WordPress | WooCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Website and content management system | eCommerce plugin for WordPress |
| Main purpose | Blogs, business sites, portfolios, news | Selling products and services online |
| Core features | Pages, posts, media, users, themes, plugins | Products, cart, checkout, orders, coupons, shipping, tax |
| Works on its own? | Yes | No, requires WordPress |
| Cost | Free software | Free plugin |
| Typical add-ons | SEO, caching, security plugins | Payment, shipping, subscription and booking extensions |
New to building the site itself? Follow our walkthrough to create a WordPress website before adding the shop.
How does WooCommerce payment work?
WooCommerce does not process cards itself. It connects to payment gateways, which securely collect card details, charge the customer and send the money (minus fees) to your bank account. WooCommerce stores the order and payment status, not the card number.
Popular WooCommerce payment gateways
| Gateway | Best for | Typical fee (US cards) |
|---|---|---|
| WooPayments | Payments, payouts and disputes managed inside WooCommerce | About 2.9% + $0.30, no monthly fee (check current rates) |
| Stripe | Cards, wallets and many local payment methods | About 2.9% + $0.30 |
| PayPal | Customers who prefer paying with a PayPal balance | PayPal’s own fee schedule |
| Bank transfer, cheque, cash on delivery | Offline or manual payments | No gateway fee |
Fees change and vary by country, so always confirm on the gateway’s own pricing page. WooCommerce itself takes no cut of your sales. Make sure your store runs on HTTPS; here is how to install an SSL certificate, and keep it protected with our WordPress security checklist.
Want to speed up buying? A shorter checkout converts better. See WooCommerce one page checkout plugins.
How does WooCommerce shipping work?
WooCommerce shipping is built around shipping zones, shipping methods and optional shipping classes.
- Shipping zones are geographic regions (for example, your country, Europe, or the rest of the world).
- Shipping methods are the options inside each zone: flat rate, free shipping (optionally above a minimum order value) and local pickup.
- Shipping classes group products (for example, heavy or fragile items) so they can have different rates.
- Live carrier rates and labels come from extensions or services that connect to carriers such as UPS, FedEx, USPS or DHL.
At checkout, WooCommerce matches the customer’s address to a zone and shows only the methods available there. The customer picks one, the cost is added to the order, and you ship and mark it complete. Configure this at WooCommerce β Settings β Shipping.
How does ShipStation work with WooCommerce?
ShipStation is a shipping software service that sits between your store and your carriers. According to ShipStation’s own WooCommerce guide, orders sync into one dashboard, rules sort them, rates are compared, and tracking goes back to your store after the label is created.
Connect WooCommerce to ShipStation
- Create a ShipStation account and add a new store, choosing WooCommerce.
- Install the ShipStation plugin for WooCommerce on your site (ShipStation currently asks for version 4.9.1 or later).
- Enter your store URL and the WooCommerce REST API credentials requested.
- Choose which order statuses (for example, Processing) should be imported.
- Set automation rules, compare carrier rates, print labels, and let ShipStation push tracking details back to WooCommerce.
Because requirements are updated from time to time, check ShipStation’s current setup instructions before you connect. If you manage a lot of stock, pair this with our guide to WooCommerce inventory management.
How does WooCommerce subscriptions work?
The core WooCommerce plugin sells one-time purchases. To charge customers on a schedule you add the official WooCommerce Subscriptions extension (Woo lists it at roughly $279 per year at the time of writing, so confirm the current price).
- Products: you mark a product as a subscription and set the price, billing interval (for example, monthly), optional sign-up fee and free trial.
- Payments: the customer’s payment method is stored by the gateway, and renewal orders are charged automatically when your gateway supports recurring payments (WooPayments and Stripe do).
- Customer control: shoppers can view, pause, switch or cancel from the My Account page.
- Store owner control: you can edit subscriptions, handle failed payments and see recurring revenue.
Key features, pros and cons of WooCommerce
Pros
- Free core plugin and no platform transaction fee
- Full ownership of data and design
- Huge library of themes and extensions
- Excellent SEO via WordPress, plus blogging built in
- Sells almost any product type
Cons
- You manage hosting, updates, backups and security
- Costs add up with paid extensions
- Slower sites without good hosting and caching
- Steeper learning curve than hosted builders
Most stores improve results with the right add-ons. Start with our list of essential plugins for WooCommerce, then look at product filters, product search and variation swatches. For layout, see WooCommerce product tables and product slider plugins.
How much does WooCommerce cost?
The plugin costs nothing, but a live store has running costs. WooCommerce’s own pricing page describes a $0 platform fee, extensions at roughly $29 to $299 per year each, and card processing around 2.5% to 2.9% plus 30 cents with WooPayments.
| Cost | Typical range | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| WooCommerce plugin | $0 | Yes |
| Domain name | About $10 to $20 per year | Yes |
| Hosting | From a few dollars per month for small stores to a few hundred for large ones | Yes |
| SSL certificate | Free with most hosts | Yes |
| Theme | Free or about $20 to $100+ per year | Optional |
| Extensions (subscriptions, bookings, shipping) | About $29 to $299 per year each | Optional |
| Payment processing | About 2.5% to 2.9% + $0.30 per sale | Per sale |
Good hosting matters most for speed. See our picks for the fastest WooCommerce hosting, and start on a budget with the best free WooCommerce themes or a simple WooCommerce theme.
WooCommerce vs Shopify (Shopify vs WooCommerce)
Both platforms can run a serious store. The real question in the Shopify vs WooCommerce debate is whether you want a fully hosted tool that is quick to launch, or an open-source system you control. For a deeper look at Shopify itself, read what is Shopify and the biggest brands using it.
| Factor | WooCommerce | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | You choose and pay for it | Included |
| Software cost | Free plugin | Monthly plans (check Shopify pricing; core plans have recently been listed from about $39 per month billed monthly) |
| Transaction fees | None from WooCommerce; gateway fees only | Extra fee (listed around 0.6% to 2%) if you do not use Shopify Payments, plus card fees |
| Customization | Nearly unlimited (code, themes, plugins) | Strong via themes and apps, but within the platform |
| Ease of setup | Moderate | Easy |
| Subscriptions | Paid Woo Subscriptions extension | Via apps |
| Content and SEO | Full WordPress blogging and SEO control | Good, with a simpler blog |
| Maintenance | You (or your host) handle updates and security | Shopify handles it |
| Data ownership | You own everything | Held on Shopify’s platform |
Which should you choose?
- Choose WooCommerce if you already use WordPress, want content marketing and SEO control, need custom features, or want to avoid recurring platform fees.
- Choose Shopify if you want the quickest launch, prefer not to manage servers, and are happy to pay a monthly fee for convenience.
Still undecided? Compare more options in our guides to Shopify competitors, the best platform for SEO and WooCommerce Storefront alternatives. If you go with Shopify, browse the best free Shopify themes and most successful Shopify stores.
How to start a WooCommerce store
- Get hosting and a domain. Pick a host that supports WordPress and WooCommerce well.
- Install WordPress, then go to Plugins β Add New, search for WooCommerce, install and activate.
- Run the setup wizard. Enter store details, currency and the types of products you sell.
- Choose a theme. Try a free WooCommerce theme or a WooCommerce Elementor theme.
- Add products, set up payments, shipping zones and taxes.
- Add key extensions for the features you need, such as a side cart, bulk discounts or points and rewards.
- Test an order end to end, then launch and promote.
Also useful: how to build a WordPress store, bulk edit plugins for large catalogues, and custom fields in WooCommerce for extra product data.
Explore ready-made, WooCommerce-friendly designs from Athemeart, or browse the best selling WordPress themes.
Frequently asked questions about WooCommerce
What is WooCommerce?
WooCommerce is a free, open-source WordPress plugin that adds eCommerce features such as products, a cart, checkout, payments and shipping to a WordPress site.
How does WooCommerce work?
WooCommerce adds store pages and order management to WordPress. Customers browse products, add them to a cart and check out. A payment gateway charges them, WooCommerce records the order and updates stock, and you ship the goods.
What is the difference between WordPress and WooCommerce?
WordPress is the website platform (CMS). WooCommerce is a plugin for WordPress that adds online-store functionality. WooCommerce needs WordPress, but WordPress works without WooCommerce.
How does ShipStation work with WooCommerce?
You connect your WooCommerce store to ShipStation with its plugin and your store’s API credentials. Orders import into ShipStation, where you apply rules, compare carrier rates and print labels. Tracking numbers are then sent back to WooCommerce and the customer.
How does WooCommerce payment work?
WooCommerce passes the order total to a payment gateway such as WooPayments, Stripe or PayPal. The gateway charges the customer’s card and pays you out, minus its processing fee. WooCommerce does not take a percentage of your sales.
How does WooCommerce shipping work?
You create shipping zones, then add methods like flat rate, free shipping or local pickup to each zone. At checkout, customers see the methods that match their address. Extensions can add live carrier rates and label printing.
How does WooCommerce subscriptions work?
With the WooCommerce Subscriptions extension, you set a billing interval for a product. The customer’s payment method is saved with the gateway, renewal orders are created automatically, and customers can manage their plan from My Account.
What is WooCommerce used for?
It is used to sell physical products, digital downloads, subscriptions, memberships, bookings and affiliate items from a WordPress website.
WooCommerce vs Shopify: which is better?
WooCommerce is better for control, customization, content marketing and avoiding platform fees. Shopify is better for fast, fully hosted setup with less maintenance. The best choice depends on your skills, budget and growth plans.
Shopify vs WooCommerce: which is cheaper?
WooCommerce has a free core plugin, so costs come from hosting, extensions and payment fees. Shopify charges a monthly plan plus card fees, and extra fees if you use an outside gateway. For small stores the totals can be similar, so price out your own setup.
Is WooCommerce really free?
The plugin is free, but you still pay for hosting, a domain and any premium themes or extensions you choose.
Is WooCommerce good for SEO?
Yes. It runs on WordPress, works with major SEO plugins and gives you control over URLs, titles, meta descriptions and content. Rankings still depend on content quality and site speed. Our best platform for SEO guide goes deeper.
Conclusion
WooCommerce is a flexible, cost-effective way to build an online store on WordPress. It handles products, payments, shipping, ShipStation integrations and subscriptions through a modular system, and gives you full ownership of your store. If you want control, customization and strong SEO, WooCommerce is hard to beat. If you want the simplest hosted setup, Shopify is a strong alternative. Either way, start small, choose reliable hosting, and add features as your store grows.
