14 Must-have free WooCommerce extensions for your storefront

WooCommerce is the most popular ecommerce platform worldwide. It’s free, open-source, and beginner-friendly. But while WooCommerce offers lots of features out-of-the-box, you may be looking for even more options to enhance your store.

The WooCommerce Marketplace provides a range of powerful WooCommerce plugins (called “extensions”) that add functionality to ecommerce sites. For instance, you can find email marketing tools, inventory management software, and social media integrations. Better yet, many of these are completely free. These high-quality, free tools are one of many reasons WooCommerce is the ideal Shopify or BigCommerce alternative.

In this post, we’ll start by showing you how to assess and select the best WooCommerce extensions. Then we’ll discuss 14 of the top free options to take your online store to the next level.

If you’re looking for free WooCommerce plugins, which we’ll refer to as “extensions” throughout this article (WooCommerce is technically a WordPress plugin itself), you’ll find that there are plenty of options. To help you choose the best tools for your ecommerce website, here are some of the most important factors to consider:

1. Customer reviews

Once a WooCommerce extension has accumulated some reviews, you’ll see a Reviews box beneath the Add to Cart button on its product page. When you click on Reviews, you’ll be taken to the bottom of the page, where you can see how many people rated the extension five stars (or less).

Better yet, you’ll find separate ratings for factors like ease of use and support, which are displayed as a percentage out of one hundred. If you require more information, you can read the reviews that were left by real users. This can give you a good idea of whether the extension is reliable and useful, plus whether it integrates well with other tools.

If a free plugin doesn’t have any reviews, this is likely a sign that it’s very new or not many people are using it. In that case, you’ll want to evaluate other aspects — like the reputation of the listed developer — or look for an alternative with a bit more credibility.

2. Recent and ongoing updates

Updates are a crucial part of any software, because they often come with patches for bugs and other security issues. Plus, updates ensure that extensions work with the newest versions of WordPress and WooCommerce.

Additionally, regular updates show that the development team is still active and trying to improve the software, which is always good to know. You can check on an extension’s update history by clicking on the Latest Version box (beneath the Add to Cart button).

This should open a complete log where you can view every change that’s been made to the extension. There, you can see fixes, updates, and additions that have been carried out since the very first release.

3. Integrations

Another factor that defines a great free WooCommerce plugin (extension) is the number (and quality) of integrated tools and platforms. Sometimes, you’ll find a small Compatibility section on the right-hand side of the extension’s page.

If so, you can review a brief list of other useful extensions or plugins that the tool works with. You can also see which countries support the extension. If you’re looking for more information, click on the Documentation link.

Within the documentation, you might find a dedicated Compatibility section.

For example, WooPayments provides information about payment gateways and themes that integrate with the extension. Sometimes this information can be included within the main text instead, so it’s worth thoroughly reviewing it.

4. Customer support

Another quality of the best free WooCommerce extensions is the availability and quality of their customer support. If something goes wrong or you struggle to set up the extension, it’s important that you can quickly resolve the issue.

Often, you can see whether support is available with your subscription beneath the Add to Cart button. This is where you’ll see a list of everything that’s included. You can also click on the See support policy link to get more information about what the support service covers.

Since all WooCommerce extensions share at least some DNA, you can likely resolve most common issues on your own with the self-service guide or by checking the frequently asked questions. There’s also an active community forum that you can use.

5. Active installations

The number of people using an extension can be an indication of its quality. To check this stat, pay attention to the Active installs box beneath the Add to Cart button.

Naturally, the most popular extensions will have hundreds of thousands of installations. Generally, it’s best to stick with extensions that have a few hundred installations. 

This way, you can be more confident about the reliability and trustworthiness of the tool. It also means that users who have installed it previously are probably still using it, which indicates that people recognize its value.

Keep in mind, however, that if you’re looking for a very niche extension with specific functionality, there may naturally not be as many active installations.

6. Screenshots

One way to gain a deeper understanding of the functionality of a WooCommerce extension is to take a look at the screenshots provided. These can often be more useful than the accompanying textual information, since it gives you a practical view of how the extension works and what the interface looks like.

Not all extensions feature screenshots, but those that do often include snapshots of both the front and back end to see exactly how it works and how it appears on your dashboard and on your Shop page.

You can also take a look at the documentation. This will often provide additional screenshots, as well as steps that can demonstrate its ease of use.

7. Frequently asked questions

The last way to evaluate the best extensions is to scroll to the bottom of the extension page to access the FAQs section. Again, not all WooCommerce extensions have a dedicated section for this, but plenty of them do.

Here, you can find information about installing and configuring the tool. Plus, there will usually be details about any requirements to use the extension, like a WordPress.com account. You can also sometimes find out whether the tool is available within your specific country or region. 

Now that you know how to look for the best free WooCommerce extensions, let’s dive into 14 of the top options for your ecommerce site. You’ll find solutions for all kinds of important tasks like shipping, taxes, marketing, and more.

1. WooCommerce Shipping

If you’re looking for a free tool that enables you to conveniently ship items, WooCommerce Shipping is an excellent choice. With it, you can print USPS and DHL labels straight from your dashboard.

This saves you time and effort, since you won’t need to prepare packages at the post office. Plus, you’ll no longer have to copy and paste order details into software. You’ll even get access to discounted shipping rates.

Getting discounted labels and passing the savings on to customers is important because shipping costs are one of the main reasons for cart abandonment. And, of course, if you offer free shipping to encourage the best conversion rates, every penny makes a big impact on your margins. 

Price

WooCommerce Shipping is a free extension with no monthly fees or hidden costs. Plus, you’ll be able to save on USPS and DHL shipping costs.

2. WooPayments

WooPayments is the only payment solution that fully integrates with the WooCommerce platform. It enables you to collect payments, handle disputes, and manage recurring revenue (with WooCommerce Subscriptions) all from one place.

It’s available in more than 35 countries. If you’re eligible, you’ll be able to accept all major debit and credit card payments, local payments, and digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay. 

Plus, WooPayments supports “buy now, pay later” services like AfterPay, Klarna, and Affirm with no added monthly or setup fees.  

It also helps your conversion rates by streamlining checkout (no redirects to third-party payment pages!) and supporting multiple currencies (more than 135!), automatically displaying prices based on customer currency preferences.

If you also sell in person, qualifying store owners can accept payments in person with a card reader, or even use Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android to collect payments without additional hardware. 

Finally, there’s no need to wait for the money you’ve earned. You can schedule payouts into your business bank account on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, and U.S. merchants can even opt for on-demand, instant payouts. 

Price

WooPayments is free to install and activate, and you’ll be guided through a quick onboarding process to create your account and verify your business. As with any payment solution, you will be responsible for standard transaction fees.

3. Google for WooCommerce

If you’re looking to grow your business and get more customers, Google for WooCommerce is one of the best free WooCommerce extensions. That’s because it lets you synchronize your products with Google Merchant Center.

Then you can list items from your product catalog for free across Google platforms like Google Search, Google Maps, YouTube, and more. 

You’ll also be able to efficiently create paid campaigns that expand the reach of your listings. One stand-out feature of this extension is that it uses artificial intelligence (AI) to optimize your campaigns and present them to visitors who are actually interested in your products.

Like WooPayments, this extension is integrated into the WooCommerce dashboard, which helps streamline your workflow. Meanwhile, the cost-per-click pricing model means you only have to pay when shoppers click on your ads.

Price

Google Listings & Ads is another free WooCommerce plugin (extension). The free version is incredibly helpful, but paid ads are an option to increase visibility. 

4. Jetpack

You might know Jetpack as one of the most popular WordPress plugins. You can also use its WooCommerce extension to leverage this all-in-one security tool for your WordPress website.

The Jetpack extension comes with tons of useful features, including automated vulnerability scanning, which can help prevent downtime and other issues. Plus, you’ll get access to brute force protection and authenticated user logins to verify customers’ identities.

Better yet, premium plans allow you to create real-time backups of all your WooCommerce store and customer data, get real-time malware scanning, anti-spam protection, and more. 

Price

This Jetpack extension is completely free. There are also various low-cost Jetpack plans with added features.

5. WooCommerce Tax

One of the trickiest parts about running an ecommerce store is calculating sales taxes. With this in mind, you can use an extension like WooCommerce Tax to automatically calculate how much tax should be collected for orders based on city, country, or state.

The best part about this extension is that, once it’s set up, you can go about your business without worrying about calculating sales tax for each order. Instead, the taxes will be collected on your checkout page based on your WooCommerce store address. 

If you’re required to charge taxes in jurisdictions beyond your store location, you’ll need to add tax rates via a tax rate table. Larger stores, and those with more complicated tax obligations, may need to find an additional, standalone tax extension. 

The extension supports a range of locations including Canada, the U.S., the U.K., Australia, and more. All you need is a WordPress.com account to connect your WooCommerce store with WooCommerce Tax.

Price

The WooCommerce Tax extension is completely free. You’ll just need a WordPress.com account to establish a connection. 

6. Klarna Payments

Klarna Payments is one of the best free WooCommerce extensions if you want to offer your customers flexible payment options. You can take direct payments, offer ‘buy now pay later’ solutions, and accept installment plans in a smooth, one-click process.

Here are some of the options available with Klarna:

• Buy now, Pay later: Customers can try out a product for an extra 14 to 30 days before paying
• Pay later in installments: Customers can split payments into three or four smaller amounts
• Slice it: Long-term payments made each month for larger purchases
• Pay now: Standard, immediate payments

With this extension, you’ll get access to a Klarna-hosted widget that fits right into your existing checkout page. You can tailor your offerings with preferred or optimal payment options for certain customers or products. Plus, you can activate on-site messaging and view customer insights.

Price

It’s free to create a Klarna account, access the Klarna Merchant Portal, and install the extension. However, there are transaction fees, like with any other payment processor. 

7. Afterpay

Like Klarna Payments, Afterpay also adds flexibility to the checkout page and overall process. Customers can purchase items but pay in four installments over six weeks. U.S. customers can opt to pay monthly over six or twelve months.

The good news is that you’ll get paid within days of the purchase. It’s Afterpay that takes on all the risk associated with customer fraud. It’s also great for customers, since there are no interest fees added to payments.

Better yet, you can increase your conversion rate with a fast Express Checkout experience, which is popular with shoppers. It’s good for international stores as well, since customers can pay in their preferred currencies and you’ll get paid in your own local currency.

Price

Afterpay is completely free to install on your WooCommerce site. Afterpay charges store owners a small per-transaction fee and customers are charged fees for late payments. 

8. Jetpack CRM

If you’re looking to nurture leads and manage customers from a central location, Jetpack CRM is one of the best options. It stores all your business data (like contact records, order details, and customer activity) inside a customer relationship management (CRM) system.

Each customer and lead will have their own Contact in the CRM. Their history with your WooCommerce store — from purchases to interactions — is all kept in one place. This allows you to keep track of valuable information like their preferences and birthday, then reach out to them at the perfect time to nurture them down your sales pipeline.

You can also segment your customers based on the information you know about them, then send emails to keep them informed and encourage future sales. Want to improve your customer service? Having all of this information on hand helps you come across as invested and informed when they reach out to you.

Price

You gain a lot with the free version of Jetpack CRM. There are also paid plans with additional features starting at $11 per month.

9. Jetpack Search

Jetpack Search enables your customers to quickly find the products they’re looking for, even if they don’t remember the exact name or SKU. This is especially useful for stores with a wide range of products and pages to sift through. 

Without advanced WooCommerce search functionality, visitors can become frustrated by the length of time that it takes to find relevant content. As a result, conversion rates plummet. 

But Jetpack Search provides an intuitive experience with instant results that adjust as users refine their query. The tool has amazing filtering options that customers love, and it’s smart enough to work past typos and understand complicated searches. Plus, it can be customized both in design and in the results it returns to boost credibility and get visitors to your most important pages.

Price

Jetpack Search is free for 500 monthly requests and 5,000 records. If you require more than this, or you want to remove the Jetpack branding, you can upgrade starting at $8.50 per month.

10. Facebook for WooCommerce

Facebook for WooCommerce is one of the best WooCommerce extensions for increasing customer engagement. This valuable tool allows you to sell across multiple platforms — including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp — which helps you expand your audience and grow your business. 

Looking to list your products directly on Facebook? This extension makes that process simple and automatically syncs information from your product catalog like inventory levels and pricing with your WooCommerce store.

Want to create Meta ads? You can design them right in your WooCommerce dashboard. 

What about offering better customer service? You can add Messenger to your WooCommerce website to respond to customer queries even after they’ve left your website.

Price

Facebook for WooCommerce is completely free to install.

11. Google Analytics for WooCommerce

You’re probably familiar with Google Analytics for its ability to help you understand customer behavior and keep track of important metrics. You can use the Google Analytics for WooCommerce extension to integrate the platform directly into your WooCommerce store.

Track data about user behavior — what marketing channels attract the most visitors? Which blog posts have the lowest bounce rates? Which products have a lot of traffic, but poor conversion rates? How can you keep customers on your Shop page?

Google Analytics is an incredibly powerful tool that can inform your marketing, product development, and site development decisions. Don’t run a store without it!

Price

This extension is completely free. 

12. Pinterest for WooCommerce

Do you offer visual products like toys, clothing, or home decor? Pinterest is an excellent opportunity for you to connect with potential customers and engage existing ones.

The Pinterest for WooCommerce extension syncs your product catalog with Pinterest, so all the information on social media is up-to-date and accurate. You can convert all of your items into highly-engaging browsable Pins in one fell swoop and quickly add the Pinterest tag to your site to stay on top of data.

Price

The Pinterest for WooCommerce extension is 100% free.

13. Vimeo for WooCommerce

Videos are a proven way to increase product interest and demo key features. And this is all the more important if what you’re selling is hard to explain or has important intricacies or functionality.

But embedding YouTube videos kind of deflates the purpose of videos because it’s almost certain you’ll either force visitors to sit through a commercial, or inadvertently display related videos or other ads that promote your competitors! 

Vimeo offers private video hosting with vast control over the experience — from branding on the video player itself to what happens after a video ends (display specific related videos, ask for an email subscription, or pop up a link to a landing page). 

All of this is done without ads and in ultra-high quality. 

You can install the Vimeo extension to make adding videos to your site even easier. Vimeo even offers tools to help you automatically create videos from existing content on your site — like product images.

Price

The Vimeo extension is free, though a plan is required. Free Vimeo plans are available, but premium versions and additional storage space start at $12 / month when paid annually. 

14. TikTok for WooCommerce 

With over a billion global users, your next potential customer is browsing TikTok. The official extension provides access to powerful marketing tools to help you quickly create engaging ads, target your most ideal audience, and measure results. 

And you can create your next winning campaign directly from the WooCommerce dashboard!

The extension also syncs your store with TikTok Shop so you can sell through the platform directly. And if you’re itching to get started with influencer marketing, the TikTok Affiliate program seamlessly connects creators with merchants and facilitates accurate commission calculations and payouts. 

Price 

The extension is completely free, but paid ads on TikTok cost extra and will vary based on the campaign you create. 

Just in case you have any questions remaining about the best free WooCommerce extensions, let’s answer a few.

Is WooCommerce free?

WooCommerce is an open-source platform that is completely free to install on any WordPress website. By default, it gives you access to all the functionality many stores will need — including a cart and checkout page, built-in payment gateways, and useful integrations. 

WooCommerce extensions, however, do open up even more possibilities, providing tools for taxes, shipping, payment options, marketing, and more. There are both free and premium choices available.

Are WooCommerce extensions free?

While there are many paid options, some of the best WooCommerce extensions are completely free to install and use. Additionally, there are many “freemium” extensions that offer limited features with the free version, along with a premium version that gives you more functionality.

How do you install WooCommerce extensions?

If you want to use free WooCommerce extensions, you can access them directly through the WordPress dashboard. Simply go to WooCommerce → Extensions, where you can browse the library of free and paid options.

When you’re ready to install the extension, click on the relevant option, which will redirect you to the official WooCommerce store. There, click on the Add to Cart or Add to Store button. 

Regardless of whether the extension is free or not, you’ll need to proceed through the WooCommerce checkout page. You can download the file once you place your order.

WooCommerce is a powerful platform that enables everyone from beginners to advanced developers and enterprises to set up successful online businesses. When you use WooCommerce, you’ll find essential features like optimized cart and checkout pages, pre-installed payment gateways, and inventory management tools.

You can also extend the functionality of the platform using free WooCommerce extensions. For instance, you can find tools to help you manage transactions and reduce shipping costs. Plus, you can improve search functionality, sync with social media and email tools, enhance your checkout page, and upgrade your customer service.

You can activate free WooCommerce extensions directly from your dashboard. Whether you want to track sales, grow your audience, simplify sales tax, or offer extra payment options, there’s plenty to choose from. Explore all of the WooCommerce extensions today!

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Erika Ellacott