How to Sell Subscription Products on WooCommerce

If you’re already selling on WooCommerce, but your sales are a bit of a rollercoaster, you might be looking for ways to get a more steady income. Offering subscriptions for your products can be a great business model, as once the orders start ticking along, it guarantees a steady stream of sales. 

There’s just one small hitch: the standard WooCommerce setup isn’t equipped to handle the complexities of subscriptions. You’ll need a well-chosen WordPress plugin that will handle everything from payment processing to customer management. 

But with countless options available, knowing which one is the right one for your business can feel like taking a stab in the dark. With years of experience in subscription fulfilment, we’ve integrated with many different platforms and plugins, so we’ve got a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn’t.

What is a WooCommerce Subscription Plugin, and why do I need one?

While WooCommerce itself is brilliant for selling standard products, it needs a helping hand when it comes to more complex business models like subscriptions. A subscription plugin adds that extra layer of functionality to your store, handling everything from recurring payments to presenting your sales data in a dashboard. Without one, you’d be stuck manually processing payments, sending renewal reminders, and managing subscription changes.

The Basics You Need From A WooCommerce Subscription Plugin

Before you start comparing plugins, it’s worth getting your head around what actually makes a subscription plugin worth its salt. 

• WooCommerce Payment Gateway Integration That Works: Success in subscription commerce hinges on reliable automatic subscription renewals. Your plugin needs to work seamlessly with trusted payment processors like Stripe and PayPal, making sure every transaction goes through without a hitch.
  
• Customer-First Subscription Management: Having the option for customers to manage their subscriptions will put a big dent in your customer support workload. Letting subscribers pause, upgrade, downgrade, cancel and resume their subscriptions easily is great for customer experience too.
  
• Smart Trial and Pricing Options: Getting new customers isn’t always easy, but free trial periods and flexible sign-up fees can support your acquisition strategy, as customers can try your products risk-free. The right plugin will give you the flexibility to experiment with different pricing models, so you can work out what converts best for your market.
  
• Automated Customer Emails: Let’s be real about manual updates to customers. You know they build trust and help customer service, but they’re something you really could do without. The option to set up automated notifications takes the heat off you and handles everything from subscription payment confirmations to renewal reminders.
  
• Helpful Admin Tools: Look for a plugin that allows you to manage different subscription plans effortlessly. The ideal subscription solution provides detailed reports on subscriptions so you can monitor performance and address issues quickly, keeping your operation running smoothly.
  
• Synchronised Payment Processing: A good subscription plugin allows you to align payment dates so that no matter when customers sign up for a new subscription, their payment will come out on the same date (e.g., the 1st of the month). Simple organisation hacks like this make managing recurring subscriptions easier, help with cash flow and streamline order processing.
  
• Built-in Customer Retention Tools: Your plugin should make it easy to reward loyalty and encourage long-term relationships through features like subscription renewal discounts.

The Best WooCommerce Subscription Plugins

We’ve done the legwork for you and rounded up the top contenders, considering everything from integration capabilities to customer support. After all, you’ll want a plugin that’s reliable for the long haul.

WooCommerce Subscription Plugin Comparison: At A Glance

Plugin	Pricing*	USPs	Notable Features
WooCommerce Subscriptions	£228.49/ year	Compatible with the WooCommerce suite of plugins and extensions.	Extensive payment gateway support, detailed reports, flexible billing schedules, and synchronised payments.
YITH WooCommerce Subscriptions	£199.99/ year	Integration with YITH ecosystem.	Advanced customisation options, renewal discounts, and support for multi-currency.
Subscriptions for WooCommerce by WebToffee	£72.89/ year	Affordable and user-friendly.	Supports free trials, multilingual support, excellent WooCommerce integration, and detailed admin tools.
SUMO Subscriptions	£40.13/ year	Budget-friendly with extensive features.	Supports mixed cart (subscriptions + non-subscriptions), free trials, multiple subscription models, and gives basic analytics.

* Pricing is accurate as of 10.01.25, and some GBP pricing has been converted from the listed USDs. For up-to-date pricing, check the retailers’ sites.

1. WooCommerce Subscription by WooCommerce

If you’re after the gold standard in subscription plugins, then this is it. Being the official WooCommerce plugin, it’s about as reliable as they come, although that peace of mind does come at a price.

What’s Good:

• Works seamlessly with over 25 payment gateways.
• An excellent subscription box builder for those tricky customisation requirements.
• Flexible billing schedules to suit virtually any business model.
• Full analytics and reporting. 
• Perfect if you want to offer variable subscriptions (i.e. multiple product flavours, sizes, colours, etc.).
• Tightly integrates with the WooCommerce Membership plugin, which gives you the option to offer members-only discounts, free or express shipping, or exclusive products and services.
• Has a range of extensions like buy once or subscribe, discounts for subscriptions, gifting subscription options, and customisable subscription box building.
  

Worth Noting:

At £228.49* per year, WooCommerce Subscriptions is an expensive option. But if you’re serious about your subscription business and want something that works, it’s worth every penny (or dollar, as the case may be!).

Best For:

Established businesses or those planning significant growth into subscription-based products. If you’re handling complex subscription models or your top priority is reliability, this is your best bet.

2. YITH WooCommerce Subscriptions

If you’re already using YITH plugins, this one’s a no-brainer. They’ve got both free and premium versions, but most subscription businesses will want to go for the premium features. 

YITH are all about building customer loyalty, so it’s packed with tools like customisable email notifications, advanced discount options, and flexible subscription management.

What’s Good:

• Seamless integration with other YITH plugins.
• Advanced product variation support. Customers can customise their subscription box with product and quantity choices. Subscription prices for a one-time event can be controlled (fixed or based on selections), and rules for box value, product limits, and more can be set.
• Customisable subscription plans and billing intervals to make subscription prices affordable.
• A complete subscription management dashboard.
• Multiple subscription length options.
• Enables automatic subscription renewals.
• Multi-currency support.
  

Worth noting:

You get what you pay for with this plugin. You’ll have the option of the free version, which is very limited, and you’ll probably quickly find that you need more from it. But, at £199.99* per year for premium, it’s not cheap to upgrade. 

Best For:

Ideal for businesses who already use YITH plugins or if you need plenty of customisation options.

3. Subscriptions for WooCommerce by WebToffee

Don’t let the lower price tag fool you. This plugin packs a punch for growing businesses.

What’s Good:

• The interface is clean and easy to use, making it straightforward for both customers and admins to navigate.
• Free trial management is built right in, so you can attract new subscribers without extra hassle.
• Multilingual support comes as standard, perfect if you’re catering to a global audience.
• You get detailed subscription analytics to help you understand what’s working and where to improve.
• Multiple payment gateways mean your customers can choose the most convenient ways to pay.
• Flexible billing cycles make it easy to design schedules to fit your business model.
• Automated renewals take the effort out of managing recurring payments, helping reduce churn.

Worth Noting:

The interface isn’t quite as polished as some premium options, and customer support can be a bit hit-or-miss. But at £72.89* per year, you’re getting a lot of functionality for your money.

The current version of Subscriptions for WooCommerce doesn’t play nicely with WooCommerce checkout blocks (one of the platform’s newer features). If you’re using checkout blocks, you might run into issues with recurring subscriptions during the checkout process.

Best For:

A top choice for businesses looking for a cost-effective solution without sacrificing important features.

4. SUMO Subscriptions

SUMO Subscriptions stands out as the most budget-friendly option that doesn’t cut too many corners.

What’s Good:

• Mixed cart functionality lets customers combine subscriptions and one-time purchases in a single checkout, which is super convenient.
• Offers multiple subscription periods, so you can tailor plans to suit different needs.
• Free trial support is included, making it easier to attract and convert new subscribers.
• Customisable email notifications help you stay in touch with subscribers and keep them informed.
• The subscription management interface is simple and user-friendly, so you’re not wasting time on admin tasks.
• Basic analytics and reporting give you a quick snapshot of performance without overwhelming you with data.
• Simple and variable subscription support means you can offer customisable options within your subscription plans.
• Supports automatic subscription renewals through the built-in WooCommerce Stripe payment gateway, PayPal Subscriptions, or credit card payments via the WooCommerce Stripe plugin.

Worth Noting:

The admin interface feels a bit dated, and you might miss some of the fancy features of premium plugins. But at £40.13* per year, it’s hard to complain as it does the basics well.

Best for:

Ideal for businesses starting out with subscription products or those with a simple subscription model.

Our Top 3 Subscription Plugins for WooCommerce 

Here are our top recommendations based on different business needs:

Best for Seamless WooCommerce Integration: WooCommerce Subscriptions.

Best for Advanced Customisation: YITH WooCommerce Subscriptions.

Best Value for Money: Subscriptions for WooCommerce by WebToffee.

Set Your WooCommerce Subscription Box Business Up for Success with Delta Fulfilment

Getting your subscription plugin set up is just the start. The real challenge is making sure those boxes land on your customers’ doorsteps on time, every time. That’s where having a dependable fulfilment partner will make a real difference to your business. 

At Delta Fulfilment, we’ve got years of experience in subscription fulfilment and WooCommerce fulfilment. Our systems sync with all major subscription plugins, automating order processing and keeping your deliveries hassle-free and reliable.

We’ve got the whole process covered: picking, packing, quality checks, so every box meets your standards before it’s shipped. And with real-time tracking and delivery updates, you’ll always know exactly where your customers’ orders are, giving you and them total peace of mind.

Ready to take your subscription business to the next level? Get a quote today and discover how Delta Fulfilment can transform your subscription box operations.