WooCommerce is brilliant out of the box. It’s like a blank counter with a till. To make it work to your needs, you start adding plugins. A few are lifesavers: payments, shipping, emails, maybe a caching tool to keep things fast.
Unfortunately, before you know it, you’ve installed thirty plugins. Now, your site loads like it’s underwater, and you can’t remember which one added that mystery banner on the checkout page.
Everyone falls into the plugin trap at least once. To keep that from happening, we’ve done some sorting for you, and found the best WooCommerce plugins that earn their keep. We’ve avoided gimmicks and ignored hype to find the tools that do what they promise and stay out of the way while you get on with business.
How to choose a WooCommerce plugin
WooCommerce’s flexibility is a blessing and a curse. Every plugin looks harmless until you’ve got twenty of them arguing in the background. And picking the right ones involves more than chasing features.
Start with age and upkeep. If a plugin hasn’t been updated in a year, it’s a fossil. WooCommerce and WordPress evolve fast with multiple small updates between each big release. A plugin that hasn’t been updated since before the last big release is outdated. And outdated code breaks quietly before it breaks loudly.
Then think weight. Good plugins are lightweight. They’re fast, minimal, and efficient. The bad ones come packed with scripts and features you’ll never use. Which slows everything down.
Check compatibility and support next. When something inevitably goes wrong, you’ll want a developer who still answers questions. A dormant support forum, or one where only other users are trying to help each other out, is a red flag.
And finally, be honest about need. Every plugin claims to make life easier. Together, they make it slower. If one tool does the job of three, pick that and walk away.
Pick the right plugins and your WooCommerce site stays quick and less likely to turn into a maintenance hobby.
Payment and checkout plugins
Best abandoned cart plugin for WooCommerce – CartFlows
CartFlows fixes one of WooCommerce’s biggest weak spots: the checkout. The default version looks like an invoice form from 2009. CartFlows rebuilds it into a clean, guided sequence that keeps buyers moving. You can add upsells, one-click offers, and timed messages that make customers feel nudged, not nagged. Just one of the reasons why it regularly tops lists for the best checkout plugin for WooCommerce.
The drag-and-drop editor is easy to learn, and the templates look modern without needing heavy design work. The free version is generous, but the Pro plan (from $299/year) adds A/B testing and abandoned-cart emails that bring people back. Funnels don’t build themselves, so you should expect a bit of setup time. But once live, it quietly lifts your conversion rate without you chasing it.
Pros
- Checkout flows that make sense
- Templates you can tweak in minutes
- Abandoned-cart tools baked into the Pro version
Cons
- Setup takes time
- Pro plan pricing climbs if you manage multiple sites
Pricing
Free version available. Pro starts at $299/year.
Best payment plugin for WooCommerce – WooPayments
WooPayments is the quiet workhorse of online shops. It handles cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay straight from your dashboard, so you’re not juggling logins or third-party accounts. Everything, from transactions to payouts and reports, sits where it belongs.
It’s free to install, though you’ll still pay per transaction. That’s the deal with convenience. Also, it’s not global, and it won’t impress accountants with detailed analytics. But if it supports the countries and currencies of your customers, it’s hard to fault. It’s one of the best payment plugins for WooCommerce if you want simple and local.
Pros
- Fully integrated with WooCommerce
- Clean dashboard reporting
- Works immediately after install
Cons
- Regional support is limited
- Light on advanced fraud or dispute tools
Pricing
Free to install; standard transaction fees apply.
Marketing and email
Best built-in email marketing plugin for WooCommerce – MailPoet
MailPoet lives inside WordPress, which means you can design and send campaigns without jumping between dashboards. It handles newsletters, post-purchase follow-ups, and abandoned-cart reminders, all without a third-party service. The drag-and-drop editor is clean, and the pre-built templates feel modern enough not to embarrass you.
The free plan covers up to 500 subscribers, which is generous for small shops. Once you go past that, pricing depends on list size. Deliverability is solid, but if you’re running high-volume campaigns, you’ll eventually want to connect to a dedicated SMTP service for extra reliability. For most WooCommerce users, though, it’s the simplest way to stay in touch without adding another login to your life.
Pros
- Runs entirely from your WordPress dashboard
- Handles newsletters and automated emails
- Free tier covers small lists comfortably
Cons
- Email deliverability can slip on large sends
- Pricing jumps quickly past the free limit
Pricing
Free for 500 subscribers; paid plans from $10/month.
Best wishlist plugin for WooCommerce – YITH WooCommerce Wishlist
Wishlists sound like fluff until you realise how often shoppers use them as a shopping list. YITH’s plugin adds that function without clogging your site. Visitors can save items for later, share their list, or check back when you run sales.
The free version covers the basics, and the premium tier ($99.99/year) adds marketing extras like wish-list analytics and promotional emails. It’s not revolutionary, but it’s quietly effective. The only real caution is performance. Every extra feature runs queries in the background, and too many can slow things down.
Pros
- Simple wishlist function that encourages return visits
- Shareable lists for social promotion
- Optional analytics in the Pro version
Cons
- Can add a little database load on larger sites
Pricing
Free version available; Premium from $99.99/year.
Best affiliate plugin for WooCommerce – AffiliateWP
AffiliateWP runs your referral network directly inside WordPress, so you don’t need an external platform. It tracks clicks, manages commissions, and automates payouts from your admin dashboard. You can invite influencers or loyal customers to join, generate referral links, and watch new traffic roll in.
Setup is straightforward, and the reports are clear enough for non-marketers. The price tag (from $149/year) might sting smaller stores, but that’s quickly offset if it drives a few extra sales. The one warning is that affiliate marketing still needs human oversight. No plugin can vet every partner or write persuasive copy for them.
Pros
- Built-in affiliate management without third-party tools
- Clean reporting and automated payouts
- Reliable support and regular updates
Cons
- Not cheap for side projects
- Requires active management to stay effective
Pricing
From $149/year.
Best B2B plugin for WooCommerce – B2BKing
WooCommerce is built for retail, but B2BKing bends it toward trade without feeling bolted on. You get company accounts, tiered pricing, quote requests, VAT handling, and the kind of hidden catalogue rules wholesalers use. Sales reps can place orders for clients, and you can lock prices behind logins, so casual browsers see retail while partners see their negotiated rates. Serious B2B has many moving parts, so there is a learning curve. But once it’s configured, it runs quietly.
Pros
- Tiered pricing, quotes, and VAT rules that fit real wholesale
- Private catalogue and login-only pricing
Cons
- Setup takes time; best on a staging site first
Pricing
Premium only (typical licences start from $179/year).
Best booking plugin for WooCommerce – WooCommerce Bookings
Selling time is different to selling products. WooCommerce Bookings treats hours and dates like stock. Customers pick a slot, but you set rules for availability, buffers, cancellations, and group sizes. It works for salons, tutors, equipment hire; anything where the calendar is the inventory. Reports are basic but clear, and it plays nicely with payments and emails. The price tag is the sting, and setup needs care, but once live it feels native.
Pros
- True time-slot inventory with buffers and rules
- Works with existing checkout and emails
Cons
- Premium pricing; test thoroughly before launch
Pricing
From $249/year.
Best discount plugin for WooCommerce – Advanced Coupons
Default coupons are fine until you want “buy two, get one,” loyalty credits, or gift cards. Advanced Coupons adds those levers without turning marketing into a spreadsheet sport. Conditions are readable (“cart contains X,” “subtotal above Y”) and offers stack the way you’d expect. But conflicts can happen if you already run other price-changing plugins, so test your rules in isolation.
Pros
- BOGO, store credit, gift cards, cart conditions
- Clear logic; no code needed
Cons
- Rule conflicts if you juggle multiple discount tools
Pricing
Free core; Pro from $99/year.
Best dropshipping plugin for WooCommerce – AliDropship
AliDropship connects your shop to AliExpress. You can import products, sync stock, and push orders back to suppliers. It’s straightforward, and the one-time licence keeps costs predictable. Of course, with AliExpress, you trade control for convenience. Shipping times vary, and product quality varies more, so your brand work is in curation and customer service.
Pros
- Fast import from AliExpress, auto-ordering
- One-time licence instead of monthly subscription
Cons
- Quality and delivery times live with suppliers
Pricing
One-time $89 licence.
Best filter plugin for WooCommerce – Filter Everything
Large catalogues need filters that don’t wobble or confuse shoppers. Filter Everything adds fast, layered filters by attributes, price, taxonomy, and it respects SEO (clean URLs, index control). Which means you don’t need to worry about a duplicate content nightmare. Styling is plain but flexible because performance is the point.
Pros
- Fast layered filters; SEO-aware URLs
- Free version is genuinely useful
Cons
- Design polish depends on your theme
Pricing
Free; Pro $44, one-off.
SEO and performance
Best SEO plugin for WooCommerce – Rank Math SEO
Rank Math is the WordPress SEO plugin that behaves like it understands WooCommerce. It handles meta titles, descriptions, schema markup, and XML sitemaps out of the box, so your products don’t vanish into Google’s black hole. The setup wizard walks you through everything and explains what each option does. A rare benefit when most SEO tools usually assume you’re fluent in jargon.
The free version covers more ground than most competitors, and the Pro upgrade (from $96/year) adds local SEO, advanced analytics, and Google Trends integration. The only catch is restraint. Rank Math will happily give you fifty toggles to tweak; that doesn’t mean you should touch all of them.
Pros
- WooCommerce-aware SEO automation
- Clear setup wizard with plain-language tips
- Feature-rich free version
Cons
- Overwhelming number of settings if you let it be
Pricing
Free version available; Pro starts at $96/year.
Best cache plugin for WooCommerce – WP Rocket
WP Rocket is the plugin you install when you’ve had enough of slow load times and half-baked caching tools. It compresses, combines, and caches your pages with minimal setup, usually a single click. The difference is immediate: pages load faster, Core Web Vitals calm down, and Google’s PageSpeed warnings start to disappear.
Unlike many free caching plugins, WP Rocket works quietly in the background without constant handholding. It’s a premium product ($59/year) but often worth it for the time it saves. The only real caution: caching and ecommerce can clash. Test everything after activation to make sure your cart still behaves.
Pros
- Dramatically improves site load times
- Simple setup, no technical digging
- Includes database and image optimisation
Cons
- Paid only – no free version
- Needs testing to avoid cart conflicts
Pricing
From $59/year.
Best all-round plugin for WooCommerce site management – Jetpack
Jetpack is WordPress’s Swiss Army knife: security, backups, performance boosts, uptime monitoring, even a CDN for images. It’s developed by Automattic, the same team behind WordPress.com, so updates and support are dependable.
For WooCommerce users, the real win is convenience. You get multiple functions under one login, which helps keep plugin clutter down. The downside is weight. If you enable too many modules, you’ll feel it. The free tier includes a few basic features; Pro modules start at a few pounds a month.
Pros
- One plugin replaces several smaller ones
- Trusted developer with long-term support
- Easy setup and management
Cons
- Can feel bloated if every feature is switched on
- Some tools overlap with others you may already use
Pricing
Free tier available; paid modules from $5/month.
Best security plugin for WooCommerce – Wordfence Security
Card data, personal data, money, there’s a lot at risk when it comes to ecommerce. Wordfence sits at the gate, with a firewall, malware scans, brute-force protection, and useful alerts instead of sirens. The free version is enough for many stores; premium adds faster threat intel and country blocking. Just schedule scans sensibly to avoid slowing your site down during busy periods.
Pros
- Firewall, scan, and login hardening in one
- Solid free tier; dependable premium support
Cons
- Resource spikes during scans if you overdo it
Pricing
Free; Premium from $149/year.
Shipping and logistics
Best shipping plugin for WooCommerce – Conditional Shipping and Payments
Flat rates only go so far. Conditional Shipping and Payments gives you real control over who can buy what, how they pay, and where you’re willing to send it. You can hide certain shipping methods for specific postcodes, block cash-on-delivery for high-value orders, or restrict products to UK-only destinations. And you can do it all without touching code.
It’s aimed squarely at real-world shops juggling mixed products, shipping zones, and payment types. The setup screen reads like plain English: “If X, then Y.” That makes it powerful but approachable, especially for UK stores dealing with delivery quirks.
Pros
- Simple rules-based controls for shipping and payments
- Restrict products or methods by region, postcode, or price
- Clear “if this, then that” logic — no developer needed
Cons
- Premium-only; the power comes at a price
- Takes testing to avoid clashing with other checkout plugins
Pricing
From $109/year.
Best multi-rule shipping plugin for WooCommerce – Table Rate Shipping
Once your product range goes beyond “one size fits all,” flat-rate shipping stops making sense. Table Rate Shipping lets you create precise rules by weight, price, or region, so nobody gets overcharged. It looks dull but that’s the point. It’s there to make maths invisible.
Setup takes a bit of patience, and it does cost $119/year.
Pros
- Flexible rules for stores with mixed inventory
- Dependable once configured
Cons
- Setup can feel like filling out a tax form, and there is no free version.
Pricing
$119/year.
Best fulfilment plugin for WooCommerce stores that are growing – ShipStation Integration
ShipStation Integration connects WooCommerce to the couriers who move your products. Once linked, orders are synced, labels get printed, and tracking details land in customer inboxes automatically.
The plugin’s free, but ShipStation’s own plans start around $15/month. It takes an hour or two to get everything talking, but when it works, it’s seamless.
Pros
- Connects to dozens of courier networks
- Automates fulfilment and tracking
- Reliable for higher volumes
Cons
- Requires a separate ShipStation account. Which means another password and another bill.
Pricing
Free plugin, ShipStation plans from $15/month.
Summary of the best WooCommerce plugins
*Ease of use reflects setup and day-to-day management for typical WooCommerce users, not lab conditions.
How to install and manage WooCommerce plugins safely
Adding plugins isn’t hard. It’s keeping them under control that requires discipline. A few careful steps will save hours later.
- Back up first. Whether through your hosting panel or a backup plugin, keep a copy of your site. If a new plugin breaks something, you’ll be glad you did.
- Check compatibility. Look for “Tested with your version of WooCommerce” before installing. Old code and new updates rarely work well together.
- Install one at a time. It sounds obvious but installing three new plugins and only then testing is a recipe for chaos. Add one, test, then add the next, and test again.
- Update selectively. If you have loads of updates waiting to be actioned, update the WooCommerce core first, and plugins second. And if a plugin update causes trouble, roll back to the previous version rather than waiting for support replies.
- Cull regularly. If you’re not using a plugin, deactivate and delete it. Fewer moving parts means fewer surprises.
Think of plugin management like shopkeeping: tidy shelves, clear labels, and no expired stock hiding at the back.
FAQs about WooCommerce plugins
Do I need plugins to run a WooCommerce store?
Technically, no. WooCommerce runs fine on its own. But you’ll soon want add-ons for payments, SEO, caching, and email. The trick is using a handful that do their jobs cleanly rather than a crowd that make things more complex and slow your site down.
How many plugins are too many?
There’s no magic number, but more than 25 active WooCommerce plugins is usually a warning sign. Each one adds code, requests, and maintenance. Lean stores are faster stores.
What’s the best free WooCommerce plugin overall?
For most beginners, WooPayments or MailPoet. They’re simple, stable, and solve common needs without extra cost.
Are paid plugins worth it?
Most of the time, yes. Premium versions save time with better support, fewer bugs, and more automation. If a plugin helps increase sales, or saves you an hour a week, it’s probably worth the annual fee.
How do I know if a plugin is safe?
Check the developer’s update history and support threads. Avoid anything that looks like it has been abandoned or has lots of unanswered bug reports. If it hasn’t been touched in a year, move on.
Can I use these plugins with Fasthosts WordPress Hosting?
Absolutely. Fasthosts WordPress Hosting is built for WooCommerce. We include automatic updates, SSL certificates, and fast UK-based servers that keep your checkout moving.
Running a WooCommerce shop is a balancing act. Every plugin promises to make life easier. And a few actually do. But always start with the ones that matter, such as payments, checkout, performance, and security. Look at others as your business grows and your needs change.
Whatever stack you choose, pair it with Fasthosts WordPress Hosting. It’s fast, reliable, and managed from the same dashboard that keeps your store alive.