The Subscriptions feature allows you to sell products with recurring payments in your WooCommerce store. Create subscription-based products that automatically charge customers on a regular schedule—whether weekly, monthly, or yearly. Customers can manage their subscriptions from their My Account page, including pausing, resuming, or canceling their plans.
Key Capabilities
- Recurring Payments: Automatically charge customers on a schedule (daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly)
- Sign-Up Fees: Charge a one-time fee when customers first subscribe
- Free Trials (Pro): Offer trial periods before the first payment
- Subscription Switching: Allow customers to upgrade or downgrade their plans
- Customer Self-Service: Customers can pause, cancel, or reactivate from their account
- Automatic Renewals: Works with payment gateways that support tokenization (Stripe, PayPal)
Getting Started: Creating a Subscription Product #
Follow these steps to create a subscription product from your WordPress admin:
Step 1: Create a New Product
- Go to Products → Add New in your WordPress dashboard
- Enter a Product Name (e.g., “Monthly Premium Plan”)
- Add a Product Description and Short Description
Step 2: Select Subscription Product Type
- In the Product data dropdown, select Subscription (or Variable Subscription for products with variations)
- You’ll see a new Subscription tab appear in the product data section
Step 3: Configure Subscription Settings
Click on the Subscription tab to configure:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Subscription Price | The recurring amount charged each billing cycle |
| Billing Interval | How often to charge (every 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 periods) |
| Billing Period | The unit of time: day(s), week(s), month(s), or year(s) |
| Subscription Length | Number of billing cycles before the subscription ends (or leave as “Never expire”) |
| Sign-up Fee | Optional one-time fee charged at checkout |
Example Configuration:
- Price: $29.99 every 1 month = Monthly subscription at $29.99/month
- Price: $9.99 every 2 weeks = Bi-weekly subscription at $9.99
- Price: $99.99 every 1 year with $50 sign-up fee = Annual plan with setup fee
Step 4: Configure Shipping (Optional)
If you’re shipping physical products:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| One-time Shipping | Only charge shipping at the start of the subscription |
| Shipping Frequency | Override shipping schedule (e.g., every 2nd renewal) |
Step 5: Publish Your Product
Click Publish to make your subscription product live on your store.
General Tab #
Configure core subscription behavior settings.
General Settings
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Mixed Checkout | Allow subscription and non-subscription products in the same cart | Off |
| Allow Quantity Selection | Show quantity field on subscription products (hidden by default) | Off |
Subscription Switching
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Allow Plan Switching | Customers can upgrade or downgrade their subscription | On |
| Prorate Switching | How to handle payments when switching plans | Prorate payments |
Proration options:
- Prorate payments: Credit remaining value of current plan toward new plan
- No proration: Charge full price immediately for new plan
- Prorate virtual products only: Only prorate non-physical products
Synchronize Renewals (Pro)
Align all subscription renewals to a specific day of the month. This is useful for:
- Simplifying billing operations
- Processing all renewals on the same day
- Easier financial reporting
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Synchronization | Align all renewals to a specific day | Off |
| Synchronization Day | The day of the month (1st through 28th) | 1st |
Payment Methods
Subscriptions require a payment gateway that supports recurring payments or tokenization. Compatible gateways include:
- Stripe (Credit Card)
- PayPal
- WooCommerce Payments
Note: For gateways that don’t support automatic payments, customers will receive a renewal reminder email and will need to pay manually.
Customer Tab #
Configure how customers can manage their own subscriptions.
Customer Self-Service
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Allow Subscription Pause | Customers can temporarily pause their subscription | On |
| Maximum Suspensions | Maximum times a customer can pause (0 = unlimited) | 3 |
| Allow Subscription Cancellation | Customers can cancel their subscription themselves | On |
Customers manage their subscriptions from My Account → Subscriptions on the frontend.
Early Renewal (Pro)
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Allow Early Renewal | Customers can renew before the scheduled date | On |
| Early Renewal Period | Days before renewal that early renewal is available | 7 days |
Customer Management Capabilities
When Pro is active, customers have access to additional management features:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| View Subscription Details | See status, next payment date, and billing history |
| Update Payment Method | Change the payment method used for renewals |
| Manual Renewal | Pay for renewals manually from their account |
| Resume Subscription | Reactivate paused subscriptions |
Renewals Tab #
Configure automatic renewal processing and failed payment handling.
Failed Payment Handling (Pro)
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Failed Payment Action | What happens when a renewal payment fails | Put subscription on hold |
| Retry Failed Payments | Automatically retry failed payments | On |
| Retry Interval | Days between retry attempts | 3 days |
| Maximum Retries | Maximum number of retry attempts | 3 |
Failed Payment Action options:
- Put subscription on hold: Pause until payment is resolved
- Cancel subscription: End the subscription immediately
- Do nothing: Leave active and continue retrying
Force Renewal Button (Pro)
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Renew Now Button | Show a “Renew Now” button for active subscriptions | Off |
This allows customers to trigger an immediate renewal from their account.
Auto-Suspend on Failed Payment (Pro)
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-Suspend Access | Immediately suspend customer access when payment fails | Off |
| Auto-Restore on Payment | Automatically restore access when payment succeeds | Off |
Admin Tab #
Configure backend management capabilities for store administrators.
Create Subscriptions Manually (Pro)
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Manual Creation | Allow admins to create subscriptions without customer checkout | Off |
This allows you to create subscriptions directly from the admin panel for special cases like:
- Phone orders
- Migrating existing subscribers
- Complimentary subscriptions
Delete Subscriptions
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Subscription Deletion | Allow admins to permanently delete subscriptions | On |
Edit Subscription Details (Pro)
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Subscription Editing | Edit renewal date, expiry, amount, and billing cycle | Off |
When enabled, administrators can modify:
- Next payment date
- End/expiry date
- Subscription total amount
- Billing period and interval
- Subscription status
Subscription Coupons (Pro)
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Subscription Coupons | Create coupons for sign-up fees or recurring payments | Off |
Create special coupons that apply to:
- Sign-up fees only
- First X number of payments
- All recurring payments
Admin Email Notifications (Pro)
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Expiring Subscription | Email admin when a subscription is about to expire |
| Cancelled Subscription | Email admin when a subscription is cancelled |
| Paused Subscription | Email admin when a customer pauses their subscription |
| Resumed Subscription | Email admin when a subscription is resumed |
| Payment Received | Email admin when a renewal payment is received |
Staging Mode (Pro)
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-Staging Mode | Automatically detect staging environments and disable renewals | Off |
Prevents accidental charges when testing on staging or development sites.
Emails Tab #
Subscription events trigger automatic email notifications to customers and administrators.
Email Types
| Recipient | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| New Subscription | Admin | Sent when a new subscription is created |
| Subscription Activated | Customer | Sent when subscription becomes active |
| Subscription Cancelled | Customer | Sent when a subscription is cancelled |
| Subscription Expired | Customer | Sent when subscription reaches its end date |
| Subscription On-Hold | Customer | Sent when subscription is put on hold |
| Renewal Reminder | Customer | Sent before automatic renewal occurs |
| Payment Failed | Customer | Sent when a renewal payment fails |
| Payment Retry | Customer | Sent when payment is being retried |
Email templates can be customized in WooCommerce → Settings → Emails.
Customization Tab #
Customize the appearance of subscription products on your store.
Style Presets
Choose from pre-designed templates:
| Template | Description |
|---|---|
| Modern | Clean and contemporary with purple accents |
| Minimal | Simple and elegant with dark tones |
| Bold | Eye-catching and vibrant with red accents |
| Custom | Full control over all styling options |
Button Styling
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Button Background Color | The subscribe button color | #7c3aed (Purple) |
| Button Text Color | The button text color | #ffffff (White) |
| Button Border Radius | Button corner roundness | 8px |
| Font Size | Button text size | 14px |
| Font Weight | Button text weight | 600 (Semi-bold) |
| Padding | Button inner spacing | 12px |
Price Display
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Price Color | Main price text color | #111827 |
| Price Font Size | Main price size | 24px |
| Period Color | Billing period text color (e.g., “/ month”) | #6b7280 |
| Period Font Size | Billing period text size | 14px |
Sign-Up Fee & Trial Display
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Sign-Up Fee Color | Sign-up fee text color | #6b7280 |
| Sign-Up Fee Font Size | Sign-up fee text size | 14px |
| Trial Color | Free trial text color | #6b7280 |
| Trial Font Size | Free trial text size | 14px |
Container Styling
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Background Color | Container background | #ffffff |
| Border Color | Container border color | #e5e7eb |
| Border Radius | Container corner roundness | 12px |
| Padding | Container inner spacing | 24px |
Button Text
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Button Text | Text shown on single product page | “Sign Up Now” |
| Add to Cart Text | Text shown on shop/archive pages | “Subscribe” |
Managing Subscriptions in WooCommerce Admin #
Viewing All Subscriptions
Navigate to WooCommerce → Subscriptions to view all subscriptions in your store.
The subscriptions list shows:
- Subscription ID
- Customer name and email
- Product name
- Status (Active, On-Hold, Cancelled, Expired, Pending)
- Billing period (e.g., “Every month”)
- Next payment date
- Total amount
You can filter subscriptions by:
- Status: Active, On-Hold, Cancelled, Expired, Pending
- Search: By subscription ID, customer name, or product name
Subscription Statuses
| Status | Description |
|---|---|
| Active | Subscription is running and payments are being processed |
| Pending | Waiting for initial payment to complete |
| On-Hold | Temporarily paused (by customer or admin) |
| Cancelled | Subscription has been cancelled |
| Expired | Subscription reached its end date |
| Pending-Cancel | Scheduled to cancel at end of current period |
Single Subscription View
Click on any subscription to view full details:
- Customer Information: Name, email, and link to customer profile
- Product Details: Subscription product with link to edit
- Billing Information: Amount, period, interval
- Important Dates: Start date, next payment, last payment, end date
- Payment Method: Gateway used for renewals
- Subscription History: Log of status changes and events
Available Actions
From the subscription detail page, administrators can:
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Activate | Reactivate a paused or on-hold subscription |
| Suspend | Put subscription on hold temporarily |
| Cancel | End the subscription |
| Reactivate | Restore a cancelled subscription |
| Edit Details (Pro) | Modify dates, amounts, and billing cycle |
Order Integration
When viewing an order that contains subscription products:
- A Subscriptions metabox appears on the order page
- Shows linked subscriptions with their current status
- Quick link to view full subscription details
If an order contains subscription products but subscriptions weren’t created (e.g., failed order), you can use Order Actions → Create subscriptions from order to manually create them.
Pro Features (Product-Level) #
When editing a subscription product with Swift Commerce Pro, you’ll see additional sections:
Free Trial
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Trial Length | Number of trial periods (0 = no trial) |
| Trial Period | Time unit: day(s), week(s), month(s), year(s) |
| Require Payment Method | Require customers to enter payment details during trial |
Renewal & Expiration
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Renewal Reminder | Days before renewal to send reminder email |
| Grace Period | Days to allow payment after failed renewal |
| On Expiration | Action when subscription ends: Expire, Cancel, or Notify only |
Customer Controls (Product-Level)
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Allow Pause | Override global setting for this product |
| Allow Switching | Allow switching to/from this subscription |
| Purchase Limit | Limit purchases per customer (One per account, etc.) |
| Resubscribe Option | Allow cancelled subscribers to resubscribe |
Synchronization
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Sync to Day | Align renewals to specific day of week/month |
| Prorate First Payment | Calculate first payment based on remaining time |
How Subscriptions Work #
Purchase Flow
- Customer adds subscription product to cart
- At checkout, customer enters payment details
- Payment gateway stores payment token for future renewals
- Subscription is created with status “Pending” until payment clears
- Once payment confirms, subscription becomes “Active”
Renewal Process
- System checks for due renewals (typically via WP-Cron)
- For automatic renewals:
- Payment is charged using stored payment token
- If successful, next payment date is updated
- If failed, configured action is taken (suspend, cancel, retry)
- For manual renewals:
- Customer receives renewal reminder email
- Customer logs in and pays manually
- Subscription is extended upon payment
Customer My Account Experience
Customers can view and manage subscriptions from My Account → Subscriptions:
- View all their subscriptions
- See subscription status, next payment date, and amount
- Pause/resume their subscription (if enabled)
- Cancel their subscription (if enabled)
- Update payment method
- View billing history
Troubleshooting #
Common Issues
Subscriptions not being created from orders:
- Ensure the order status reaches “Processing” or “Completed”
- Check that the product type is “Subscription” or “Variable Subscription”
- Use the order action “Create subscriptions from order” to manually create
Automatic renewals not processing:
- Verify your payment gateway supports tokenization
- Check that WP-Cron is running properly
- Review the subscription’s payment method
Price not showing subscription format:
- Ensure the “_subscription_price” field is set
- Check that product type is “Subscription”
- Clear any caching plugins
Customer can’t see Subscriptions in My Account:
- Verify the subscriptions endpoint is properly registered
- Flush permalinks (Settings → Permalinks → Save)
- Check for theme conflicts with WooCommerce My Account
Best Practices #
- Set appropriate trial lengths: 7-14 day trials typically convert better than 30-day trials
- Use sign-up fees strategically: Cover acquisition costs while keeping recurring price competitive
- Enable customer self-service: Allowing pause/resume reduces cancellations
- Configure payment retries: Don’t lose subscribers to temporary card issues
- Send renewal reminders: 3-7 days before renewal gives customers time to update payment methods
- Use proration for switching: Makes upgrades more attractive to customers
- Test in staging first: Use staging mode to test without processing real payments
Feature Comparison #
| Feature | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription product type | ✓ | ✓ |
| Variable subscription products | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sign-up fees | ✓ | ✓ |
| Subscription length limits | ✓ | ✓ |
| Customer pause/resume | ✓ | ✓ |
| Customer cancellation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Plan switching | ✓ | ✓ |
| Payment proration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mixed checkout | ✓ | ✓ |
| One-time shipping | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shipping frequency override | ✓ | ✓ |
| Email notifications | ✓ | ✓ |
| Customization options | ✓ | ✓ |
| Admin subscription list | ✓ | ✓ |
| Delete subscriptions | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trials | — | ✓ |
| Synchronize renewals | — | ✓ |
| Failed payment retry | — | ✓ |
| Early renewal | — | ✓ |
| Admin manual creation | — | ✓ |
| Admin edit subscriptions | — | ✓ |
| Subscription coupons | — | ✓ |
| Admin email notifications | — | ✓ |
| Renewal reminders | — | ✓ |
| Grace period | — | ✓ |
| Expiration controls | — | ✓ |
| Staging mode | — | ✓ |
| Renew Now button | — | ✓ |
| Auto-suspend on failure | — | ✓ |
