WPBeginner Showcase - Best Website Tools Picked by Experts https://www.wpbeginner.com Beginner's Guide for WordPress Mon, 08 Dec 2025 22:25:23 +0000 en-US hourly 1 7 Best WooCommerce Sliding Side Cart Plugins (I Tested 13) https://www.wpbeginner.com/showcase/best-woocommerce-sliding-side-cart-plugins/ https://www.wpbeginner.com/showcase/best-woocommerce-sliding-side-cart-plugins/#respond Mon, 15 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000 https://www.wpbeginner.com/?p=371125 Cart abandonment is one of the most frustrating challenges for any online store owner. You’ve done the hard work to attract shoppers, but many still leave before completing their purchases. One common reason? Shoppers get annoyed when they have to leave the product page just… Read More »

The post 7 Best WooCommerce Sliding Side Cart Plugins (I Tested 13) first appeared on WPBeginner.

]]>
Cart abandonment is one of the most frustrating challenges for any online store owner. You’ve done the hard work to attract shoppers, but many still leave before completing their purchases.

One common reason? Shoppers get annoyed when they have to leave the product page just to check what’s in their cart.

That’s where sliding side carts come in. They let customers easily review and manage their purchases without losing focus or interrupting their browsing flow.

For this roundup, I’ve tested the best WooCommerce sliding side cart plugins to help you find the best option to boost your sales. Some of these tools are dedicated sliding cart plugins, while others are broader WooCommerce or funnel builders that include a powerful side cart as part of a larger feature set. 📈

Best WooCommerce Sliding Side Cart Plugins

Quick Overview: 7 Best WooCommerce Sliding Side Cart Plugins

Before I dive into the details, here’s a quick look at the best plugins and what makes each one stand out:

ProductFree PlanStarting Price (/yr)Best For
aThemes Merchant$79All-in-one WooCommerce tool that comes with a sleek side cart
FunnelKit$99.50Checkout and funnel optimization plugin with a powerful side cart
ShopEngine$53.10Elementor-based WooCommerce builder with full side cart control
Side Cart WooCommerce$29Simple side carts
Fast Cart for WooCommerceFreeFree and fast, Ajax-based side carts
Side Popup Cart for WooCommerce$39Popup and slide-out carts with real-time cart updates
WPC Fly Cart for WooCommerce$29Design-focused WooCommerce cart plugin with animated side carts

Why Add a Sliding Side Cart to WooCommerce?

A sliding side cart lets shoppers review their items without leaving the page they are on. It makes the checkout process smoother and helps reduce cart abandonment.

Sliding side carts solve a major friction point in the shopping process. Instead of forcing customers to navigate away from product pages, they can instantly review their cart, make changes, and continue shopping. All while staying engaged with your products.

Running an online store means every small improvement in user experience can lead to more completed purchases and higher revenue.

Here are some other main benefits of using a sliding side cart:

  • Reduces page loads – Customers can view and edit cart contents instantly.
  • 📈 Increases conversions – Less friction means more completed purchases.
  • ⏱️ Saves time – Quick access to cart functions like quantity changes and coupon codes.
  • 👔 Looks professional – Customers expect this type of smooth interaction in modern stores.

As Chris Klosowski, the President of Easy Digital Downloads, says:

A long or confusing checkout process can drive customers away. The simpler it is, the more likely shoppers are to complete their purchase – or even add more items to their cart.

Chris KlosowskiChris Klosowski, the president of Easy Digital Downloads

Most side cart plugins also offer full customization, so you can adjust colors, animations, and cart elements to match your brand without coding. Plus, you can track performance to see how these improvements impact your conversion rates.

Summing up everything, a good sliding side cart plugin can make the difference between a sale and an abandoned cart. 🛒

How I Tested and Reviewed WooCommerce Sliding Side Cart Plugins

I tested these plugins by installing each one on a live WooCommerce store and running through real shopping scenarios. I wanted to see which ones felt smooth, looked professional, and actually helped customers complete their purchases faster.

Here’s what I focused on during testing:

  • Installation and setup: I installed each plugin from scratch to see how quickly I could get a working sliding cart.
  • User experience: I added products, changed quantities, and applied coupons to test the overall cart flow. I also ran test purchases to see how each cart handled checkout.
  • Customization options: I explored the design settings to find out how much control each plugin gives over the cart’s look and layout.
  • Performance impact: I checked page load times before and after installing each plugin.
  • Mobile responsiveness: I tested each cart on different devices to see how well it worked on mobile.

This approach helped me identify plugins that not only look good but actually improve the shopping experience for real customers.

Why Trust My Recommendations?

At WPBeginner, we’ve been helping WordPress users for over 16 years — and that includes countless WooCommerce store owners. Our goal is to share honest, practical advice that helps you choose tools that actually improve your store’s performance.

For this guide, I personally tested popular WooCommerce plugins on live sites to see how they perform in real shopping scenarios. I looked at design, speed, ease of use, and how well they help customers complete purchases – quickly and easily.

All my recommendations come from hands-on testing, not marketing claims. And I only include plugins I’d confidently use on my own sites or recommend to my friends and family.

You can read more about our process in our editorial guidelines.

With that said, here are my top picks:

1. aThemes Merchant

🏅 Best WooCommerce Sliding Side Cart for Conversion-Focused Stores

Merchant
Merchant Pros✅ Easy to use (beginner-friendly)
✅ Seamless integration with WooCommerce
✅ Boosts user experience with sleek, customizable sliding cart
✅ Offers tools for increased conversions, like recommendations and timers
✅ Broad compatibility with popular WordPress / WooCommerce themes
✅ Includes both sliding side cart and floating mini cart
Merchant Cons❌ Some advanced tools are Premium-only
❌ Could be overwhelming for stores wanting just basic cart functionality
PricingFree (Lite)
Premium starts from $79/year
Best ForStore owners who want an all-in-one WooCommerce growth toolkit, with a modern sliding side cart plus built-in conversion features like recommendations and timers.

Merchant isn’t just a sliding cart plugin — it’s a full conversion toolkit. It’s ideal if you want to drive more sales using smart recommendations, countdowns, and other urgency features.

I’ve personally tested Merchant on several WooCommerce stores. The sliding cart looks great and works perfectly with tools like countdown timers and product recommendations.

My Experience

When I installed Merchant, the setup was incredibly straightforward. The interface felt intuitive, even if it was being used by someone new to WooCommerce plugins.

The plugin supports both sliding and floating cart options. So you can choose what works best for your store’s design.

During testing, I could enable the sliding side cart immediately and then customize colors and button text without any technical trouble. I also found that the plugin has over 10 different add-to-cart animations, making customization more flexible.

Merchant Sliding cart

But what impressed me most were the smart cross-sell recommendations that appeared in the cart.

Unlike basic plugins that just show random products, Merchant suggested items that actually made sense with what customers had already added. This felt more like a helpful shopping assistant than pushy sales tactics.

Cart upsells in Merchant

The integrated “cart reserved” timer is another highlight, as it can help you create urgency without being annoying. When customers add items, a countdown appears showing how long their cart will be held.

The only downside I noticed was that some advanced tools, like product recommendations and complete design options, require the Pro plan.

🧑‍💻 Why I recommend Merchant: Overall, Merchant is a good fit for stores that want more than just a basic sliding cart. This plugin combines cart functionality with proven conversion tools to increase sales.

2. FunnelKit

🏅 Best for High-Volume, Growth-Focused Stores

FunnelKit Cart
Pros of FunnelKit✅ Powerful one-click and post-purchase upsells to increase order value
✅ Optimized checkout templates that work with the side cart
✅ Built-in coupons, discounts, and order bumps
✅ Designed to handle high-traffic, high-order stores
Cons of FunnelKit❌ Funnel and upsell setup can take time to get right
❌ Overkill if you only need a basic cart and no funnels
PricingPremium starts from $99.50/year
Best ForHigh-volume WooCommerce stores that want optimized sales funnels and checkout flows, with a powerful sliding side cart tightly integrated into that system.

FunnelKit is a complete sales funnel and checkout optimization suite for WooCommerce. Plus, it includes a modern sliding side cart that works seamlessly with its optimized checkout layouts and sales funnels.

Beyond the side cart, FunnelKit offers advanced conversion tools such as order bumps, one-click upsells, A/B testing, and built-in reporting to help you increase your average order values and maximize revenue.

For more details, see our complete FunnelKit review.

My Experience

Store owners I know who manage busy WooCommerce sites have seen noticeable gains after combining FunnelKit’s checkout templates with its side cart and upsell rules. And for this roundup, I’m putting those claims to the test.

When I set up the side cart with FunnelKit, the pre-built checkout templates saved a lot of time. Instead of starting from scratch, I just picked a layout and adjusted it to fit my store’s design.

Then, I tried FunnelKit’s built-in discount and coupon tools, which made it easy to offer incentives that show directly in the cart and checkout. I could add free shipping, gift options, and promo codes without leaving the setup screen.

Adding coupon codes to a sliding side cart in WooCommerce

I liked how customizable the side cart drawer was, too.

I could tweak slide animations, layout, size, and colors to match my store’s look, and everything felt clean and professional.

Plus, FunnelKit’s one-click upsells really stood out. When customers added items to their cart, relevant product suggestions appeared with quick ‘Add to Cart’ buttons.

Get more sales with upselling and cross-selling promotions

The side cart also worked beautifully on mobile. When I tested it out, it felt smooth and responsive on phones, tablets, and desktops.

The only downside was that setting up upsell rules took a bit longer than with simpler cart plugins, especially if you want to add several product recommendations.

Why I Recommend FunnelKit: In summary, FunnelKit is perfect for growing stores that want a sliding side cart tightly integrated with advanced upsells, order bumps, optimized checkouts, and full sales funnels

3. ShopEngine WooCommerce Builder for Elementor

🏅 Best for Elementor Users

ShopEngine
Pros of ShopEngine✅ Full integration with Elementor page builder
✅ 40+ pre-made WooCommerce templates included
✅ Complete visual customization without coding
✅ Modular cart elements you can enable or disable
Cons of ShopEngine❌ Only works with Elementor
❌ Can feel bloated if you only need a side cart (since it’s a complete WooCommerce builder module)
PricingPremium starts from $53.1/year
Best ForElementor users who want full visual control over their WooCommerce store, including custom side carts built directly in the page builder.

ShopEngine is perfect for anyone already using Elementor (a popular drag-and-drop page builder) who wants complete design control over their sliding cart. It goes beyond basic cart functionality to offer full WooCommerce customization.

My Experience

While testing this plugin, the modular side cart system impressed me right away. I could easily turn individual elements on or off, like cart totals or checkout buttons, with just a few clicks.

ShopEngine's modules

Plus, I found that the integration with both Elementor and WooCommerce felt natural.

All the tools I already knew were right there, working exactly as expected. The drag-and-drop cart builder made it easy to rearrange elements like buttons, text, spacing, and more.

The 40+ pre-made WooCommerce templates were a huge bonus. They included ready-to-use layouts for product pages, carts, and checkout flows that looked clean and professional from the start.

Elementor's templates

I also liked the built-in Elementor widgets for flash sale countdowns and cross-sell promos. They worked smoothly within the cart, so I could add urgency and boost sales without installing extra plugins.

The only drawback? If you’re not using Elementor, you won’t get as much value out of this plugin.

Why I Recommend ShopEngine: Put simply, ShopEngine is perfect for Elementor users who want complete design freedom. It turns cart customization into a visual design process rather than a technical configuration.

4. Side Cart WooCommerce

🏅 Best for Simple Projects

Side Cart WooCommerce
Pros of Side Cart WooCommerce✅ Setup takes just a few clicks
✅ Works smoothly with any theme
✅ Real-time cart updates without page loads
✅ Lightweight design doesn’t slow down sites
Cons of Side Cart WooCommerce❌ Focuses only on basic cart functionality
❌ No built-in upselling or marketing features in the free version
PricingPremium starts from $29/year
Best ForSmaller projects that just need a lightweight, sliding side cart up and running quickly, without extra marketing or funnel features.

Side Cart WooCommerce focuses on doing one thing really well: adding a clean, functional sliding cart without any complexity. It’s ideal for smaller stores that need basic cart functionality up and running fast.

I tried out this plugin for a smaller project, and it was refreshingly simple. Setup only took a few clicks, and it instantly added a clean side cart drawer that works smoothly with any WordPress theme.

My Experience

During testing, setup was quick and straightforward. I could choose between different sliding side cart styles (cards and rows) right from the settings. Both looked clean and professional without needing extra tweaks.

Customization was also simple. I could adjust cart icon, colors, button text, and widget positions in just a few minutes, with settings that felt intuitive and not overwhelming.

Side Cart WooCommerce's basket customization

I also appreciated the custom URL option, which let me redirect customers after checkout. I usually do this for sending them to confirmation, thank-you pages, or special offers, which then makes conversion tracking a lot easier.

Real-time cart updates also worked flawlessly. Any time I added or removed products, the cart refreshed instantly without reloading the page.

Side Cart WooCommerce's side cart demo

The only downside is that the free plan doesn’t include advanced tools like product recommendations or built-in marketing features. It keeps things simple and focuses purely on core cart functionality.

Why I Recommend Side Cart WooCommerce: The bottom line is that Side Cart WooCommerce works great for straightforward needs. Setup is incredibly fast and simple, and it delivers exactly what most stores need without extra complexity.

5. Fast Cart for WooCommerce

🏅 Best Free WooCommerce Sliding Side Cart

Fast Cart for WooCommerce
Pros of Fast Cart for WooCommerce✅ Completely free with no premium version
✅ Ajax-powered cart updates without page reloads
✅ Light/dark mode design options
✅ Mobile-responsive on all devices
Cons of Fast Cart for WooCommerce❌ Focuses mainly on cart interaction
❌ No advanced marketing tools like upselling
❌ Limited compared to premium alternatives
PricingFree
Best ForStores that want a completely free, Ajax-powered floating or side cart to keep checkout fast and frictionless.

Fast Cart for WooCommerce excels at creating smooth, interactive cart experiences without customers having to reload the page. It works best for stores that want professional cart functionality without any cost.

My Experience

When I tested Fast Cart for WooCommerce, what stood out was the sleek, Ajax-powered side cart. Ajax technology allows the cart to update instantly without reloading the entire page, creating a much smoother shopping experience.

This can keep the whole shopping experience smooth and seamless.

For a free plugin, the design flexibility was impressive. I could switch between light and dark modes, adjust colors, and customize buttons to fit different store themes. Most free tools keep customization pretty limited, but this one felt surprisingly polished.

Styling tab in the Fast Cart for WooCommerce plugin

Mobile performance was just as solid. The cart adapted automatically to phones and tablets, so I didn’t have to set up separate mobile configurations.

Unlike premium plugins that offer marketing extras, Fast Cart for WooCommerce focuses on doing one thing: providing a clean, reliable cart experience without any unnecessary clutter.

Why I Recommend Fast Cart for WooCommerce: Overall, Fast Cart for WooCommerce works well for stores that prioritize smooth cart interaction. It’s completely free, works beautifully, and the Ajax functionality makes shopping feel modern.

6. Side Popup Cart for WooCommerce

🏅 Best for Real-Time Updates

Side Popup Cart for WooCommerce
Pros of Side Popup Cart for WooCommerce✅ Both side and popup cart options available
✅ Real-time cart updates keep shoppers informed
✅ Easy color and button customization
✅ Lightweight build doesn’t slow down sites
Cons of Side Popup Cart for WooCommerce❌ Setup options can feel overwhelming initially
❌ Premium pricing for what’s offered
PricingPremium starts from $39/year
Best ForStore owners who want real-time cart updates plus the flexibility to use either a popup cart or a slide-out side cart.

Side Popup Cart for WooCommerce gives you flexibility with both sliding side carts and popup options. It’s ideal for stores that want to show customers engaging, real-time updates without sacrificing site speed.

My Experience

When I first set up the plugin, I liked that it offered both a sliding side cart and a popup cart option.

That gave me the flexibility to choose the layout that best fit my store’s design.

Side Popup Cart's side cart demo

Real-time cart updates worked flawlessly. When customers added or removed items, everything refreshed instantly without reloading the page.

Customization was straightforward. I could adjust colors, button text, and widget placement to match my store’s branding, all without touching a line of code.

I also appreciated the option to hide the cart on certain pages. It helped keep landing pages and checkout flows clean and focused without unnecessary distractions.

Hiding side cart on certain pages

Custom redirect URLs were a nice bonus, too. After checkout, I could send customers to thank-you pages or special offers, which helped improve the overall flow.

However, the variety of features and customization options can feel overwhelming during initial setup, especially if you just want basic cart functionality.

Why I Recommend Side Popup Cart for WooCommerce: In short, Side Popup Cart for WooCommerce works well for stores prioritizing performance and engagement. It delivers modern cart features while keeping your site fast and responsive.

7. WPC Fly Cart for WooCommerce

🏅 Best for Visual Appeal and Smooth Animations

WPC Fly Cart for WooCommerce
Pros of WPC Fly Cart for WooCommerce✅ Smooth animations and Ajax-powered experience
✅ 16+ different bubble icon types available
✅ 5+ predefined cart skins with color customization
✅ Integrates easily with most store layouts
Cons of WPC Fly Cart for WooCommerce❌ Essential features like instant checkout, shipping totals, and coupon support require the premium version
❌ One-time payment may feel expensive for small stores
PricingPremium starts from $29
Best ForStores that care most about visual design and smooth, animated side carts, with plenty of styling options to match their brand.

WPC Fly Cart prioritizes visual appeal and smooth user interactions above everything else. It’s designed for store owners who want their cart to feel polished and engaging, with plenty of design options to match any brand aesthetic.

My Experience

After setup, the smooth sliding animations immediately caught my attention. Unlike basic carts that appear and disappear, the WPC Fly Cart moved with fluid transitions that felt polished.

In fact, the visual quality reminded me of premium eCommerce sites rather than smaller WordPress stores.

WPC Fly Cart's sliding side cart

The design flexibility was another big plus. I could choose from over 16 bubble icons, several cart skins, and different display styles — from solid colors to image backgrounds. It made it easy to match the cart to my store’s look.

I also liked how much control I had over the cart’s details. It let me decide what to show: totals, subtotals, buttons, or product information, so customers only saw what they needed.

You can also enable suggested products for upsell and cross-sells. If you want to add the comparison or wishlist feature, you can do that, too.

Adding suggested products in WPC Fly Cart

Additionally, this plugin worked perfectly with all WooCommerce product types, including simple, variable, and grouped items.

One key limitation is that WPC Fly Cart restricts some eCommerce features, such as instant checkout, the shipping calculator, and coupon functionality, to the premium version.

Why I Recommend WPC Fly Cart for WooCommerce: WPC Fly Cart is best for stores where design quality and user experience matter most. However, keep in mind that features such as instant checkout, a cart total calculator, and coupon options are only available in the premium version.

Alternatives: Other WooCommerce Sliding Side Cart Plugins I Tested

Here are a few more plugins that I tested for this review.

Caddy

Caddy🟢 Good: Clean slide-out cart with upsells and “save for later.” Free version supports product recommendations and basic styling.
🔴 Bad: Advanced features like save lists and analytics require the premium plan.
⭐ Best For: Stores that want a simple cart with light sales-boosting tools.

XT Floating Cart for WooCommerce

XplodedThemes🟢 Good: Smooth animations, live updates, and full design control. Includes a free shipping bar and a coupon field.
🔴 Bad: Pro plan can be pricey for small stores, and some users note CSS issues with custom themes.
⭐ Best For: Stores wanting a modern shopping experience with slide-out effects.

Addonify Floating Cart for WooCommerce

Addonify🟢 Good: Free, responsive, and lightweight. Includes live updates and the Undo functionality for removed items.
🔴 Bad: Lacks advanced marketing tools and design presets.
⭐ Best For: Beginners who need a simple, reliable slide-out cart.

CartPops

CartPops🟢 Good: Elegant fly-out cart with product recommendations and a free shipping progress bar. Great for upsells.
🔴 Bad: Advanced triggers and analytics need the Pro plan. Slightly heavier on page load.
⭐ Best For: Stores aiming to boost order value with upsells and gamified checkout.

Cart All in One

VillaThemes🟢 Good: Full-featured sidebar cart with one-click checkout, coupons, and Ajax updates. Easy to customize.
🔴 Bad: Can feel cluttered with too many options; limited translation support.
⭐ Best For: Stores wanting an all-in-one cart, checkout, and sticky add-to-cart plugin.

Mini Floating Cart for WooCommerce

I13 Web Solution
🟢 Good: Customizable mini cart with layout options and smooth animations. Works well on all devices.
🔴 Bad: Limited integrations and marketing tools.
⭐ Best For: Small shops wanting a clean, distraction-free cart that fits any theme.

Which Is the Best WooCommerce Sliding Side Cart Plugin?

For most online stores, Merchant is the best option. It has a clean, modern design and handy features like cross-sell suggestions and countdown timers. These features are great for improving both the shopping experience and your sales.

If you run a larger store and want to boost your average order value, FunnelKit is a solid pick. Its sliding side cart works alongside powerful funnels, order bumps, and one-click upsells to create a smoother, more profitable checkout process.

And if you’re using Elementor, ShopEngine gives you full design control with its visual builder.

The best option to get started? I recommend Merchant’s free version to see how a sliding side cart helps your store. Later on, you can upgrade or try other options as your business grows.

FAQs About WooCommerce Sliding Side Cart Plugins

Got questions about using a sliding side cart in your WooCommerce store? Here are some quick answers to help you out.

Why isn’t my side cart updating automatically when items are added?

This usually happens when your theme or another plugin conflicts with the side cart script. Try clearing your site cache or disabling plugins one by one to find the cause. You can also check if AJAX is enabled in your cart settings, since it controls automatic updates.

Do sliding side carts really reduce cart abandonment?

Sliding side carts can make a big difference by letting customers review their cart without leaving the page. When shoppers stay focused on what they’re browsing, they’re less likely to drop off before checkout.

Are free sliding cart plugins good enough for most stores?

Yes. Free versions of plugins like Merchant, FunnelKit, and Fast Cart include all the essentials most small to medium stores need. You’ll only need a paid plan if you want extras like upsells, deeper customization, or tools for managing high-order or traffic volumes.

Can I use sliding carts on mobile devices?

Yes — all the plugins I mentioned are fully mobile-responsive. Some even let you tweak mobile settings, like turning off the side cart entirely if you prefer the standard mobile checkout view.

Which sliding side cart plugin offers the best upselling features?

FunnelKit provides the most advanced upselling capabilities, thanks to its funnels, order bumps, and one-click upsells that tie into the cart and checkout experience.

Additional Resources to Improve Your WooCommerce Store

I hope this guide has helped you find the best WooCommerce sliding side cart plugin for your store.

Looking to optimize your WooCommerce store beyond just the cart experience? These additional resources will help you create a complete, conversion-focused online store:

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post 7 Best WooCommerce Sliding Side Cart Plugins (I Tested 13) first appeared on WPBeginner.

]]>
https://www.wpbeginner.com/showcase/best-woocommerce-sliding-side-cart-plugins/feed/ 0
I Tried 7 Best GoFundMe Alternatives (Raise More, Pay Less) https://www.wpbeginner.com/showcase/best-gofundme-alternatives/ https://www.wpbeginner.com/showcase/best-gofundme-alternatives/#respond Fri, 12 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000 https://www.wpbeginner.com/?p=370814 You shouldn’t have to lose control of your donor data and rely on a third-party platform just to create a fundraising campaign. But that’s exactly what happens when you hit ‘launch’ on GoFundMe. Thankfully, there are plenty of GoFundMe alternatives out there. Some let you… Read More »

The post I Tried 7 Best GoFundMe Alternatives (Raise More, Pay Less) first appeared on WPBeginner.

]]>
You shouldn’t have to lose control of your donor data and rely on a third-party platform just to create a fundraising campaign.

But that’s exactly what happens when you hit ‘launch’ on GoFundMe.

Thankfully, there are plenty of GoFundMe alternatives out there. Some let you maintain 100% control over your donor relationships, others offer a more professional experience, and many provide features that GoFundMe simply doesn’t have.

With that in mind, I’ve spent the last few months testing everything from simple donation plugins to full-featured crowdfunding platforms.

I even spoke with fundraisers who’ve successfully used external platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo to help me understand when they’re the best option.

Now, I’m using all that hands-on experience to bring you the definitive guide to the best GoFundMe alternatives. Here are the top WordPress plugins, external platforms, and form builders that you can use when GoFundMe just doesn’t cut it.

I Tried 7 Top GoFundMe Alternatives (Raise More, Pay Less)

Quick Overview of the Best GoFundMe Alternatives

If you’re in a hurry, here’s my quick pick of the best donation plugins and platforms:

ProductStarting PriceBest ForKey FeaturePlatform Fees
Charitable$69/yearOrganizations wanting custom fundraising campaignsCustomizable donation forms with templates0% transaction fees
WP Simple Pay$49.50/yearSimple Stripe-based donation formsSeamless Stripe payment integration0% transaction fees
WPForms$49.50/yearSimple yet powerful form builder with donation supportDrag-and-drop form builder with templates0% transaction fees
GiveWP$149/yearComprehensive donation management in WordPressComplete donor management and reporting tools0% transaction fees
Formidable Forms$79.60/yearComplex and dynamic donation formsAdvanced form builder with conditional logic3% application fee (Lite, Expired, Basic, & Plus licenses)
Kickstarter5% fee on funded projectsCreative projectsGlobal crowdfunding platform for creative projects5%
Indiegogo5% platform fee, plus 3% payment processing feeFlexible campaign types with versatile funding optionsFlexible and fixed funding options5% platform fee, plus 3% payment processing fee

Why Not Use GoFundMe?

When you need to raise money online, GoFundMe is often the first name that pops into people’s minds. It’s popular because it’s a ‘ready-made’ platform. This means you can sign up and launch a campaign in just a few minutes, even if you don’t have a website.

However, that convenience comes at a cost. At WPBeginner, we actually recommend using a GoFundMe alternative instead.

After testing a ton of solutions, most of the best alternatives we’ve found are actually WordPress plugins. That said, you’ll need your own WordPress website in order to use many of the solutions in this list.

While this does take a bit of setup, the long-term benefits are worth it:

  • You avoid the “voluntary tip” model: GoFundMe removed its core platform fee, but it now asks your donors for a voluntary tip to support the platform. This can be confusing or distracting for your supporters and may reduce the amount they intend to give to your cause. When you use a WordPress plugin, you only pay the standard payment processor fee (from Stripe or PayPal) without asking donors for an extra platform contribution.
  • You own your supporter list: This one is huge. When you use a plugin on your own site, you have full access to your donor information. This means you can build your own email list, send personalized updates, and build real relationships that last long after the campaign is over.
  • You get a professional, branded Look: Instead of a standard GoFundMe page that looks like everyone else’s, you can create a donation page that perfectly matches your website’s look and feel. This builds trust and makes your project look much more professional.
  • You unlock powerful fundraising tools: Many plugins and platforms come with features that GoFundMe doesn’t offer. I’ve seen people use a GoFundMe alternative to set up recurring monthly donations, create team fundraising pages, and even track offline donations like cash or checks.
  • You’re in complete control: Your fundraising page lives on your website. You don’t have to worry about a platform changing its rules or shutting down your page. It’s your campaign, on your terms.
New to WordPress? Here’s what you’ll need first

Because all our top-rated GoFundMe alternatives are plugins, they run on top of the WordPress.org platform.

If you don’t already have a WordPress website, then you’ll need:

  • The WordPress software. This is free and usually installed with just a few clicks.
  • A domain name. This is your website’s address, such as https://www.wpbeginner.com/
  • Web hosting. This is where your site lives. There are lots of great hosting providers out there, but I highly recommend Bluehost or SiteGround to new WordPress users.

For step-by-step instructions, please see our guide on how to make a WordPress website.

If you don’t want to set up a website, then jump down to options #6 and #7, which are standalone platforms just like GoFundMe.

How I Test and Review Donation Platforms / Plugins

When I recommend any tool or WordPress plugin, I make sure all my advice comes from real-world experience. I’ve seen firsthand how the right tool makes all the difference, and how the wrong one can cause real problems.

I remember testing crowdfunding platforms that looked good but failed when I tried to do something simple, like download a list of donor email addresses.

That’s why I developed a thorough, hands-on testing process. I put every single tool through a series of real-world scenarios so I can tell you what it’s really like to use it.

Here’s a peek at my testing checklist:

I check for compatibility: A fundraising tool must work well with your other plugins and your WordPress theme. I also test how it integrates with popular email marketing services and other essential tools you may be using on your site.

I set up a real campaign: I don’t just look at screenshots. I build an actual donation form from scratch and test the entire experience from the supporter’s point of view. I want to know exactly what your donors will see.

I test the donor data: This is a huge one for me. Can you actually export your supporters’ information easily? I check to see how complete that data is, and whether it’s a format you can actually use for your email list or records.

I contact customer support: I’ll reach out to the support team with a few common questions that I know our readers will have. I then time how long it takes for them to respond, and how helpful those responses actually are.

Why Trust WPBeginner?

Here at WPBeginner, we’ve been helping people with their WordPress websites for over 15 years. We’ve guided millions of people through choosing the right tools for their websites and online businesses.

Beyond that, we’ve personally gained hands-on experience in the world of fundraising and nonprofit operations via our Balkhi Foundation, including building schools and providing scholarships. This background gives us a unique perspective on which donation tools truly deliver.

Our promise to you is simple: we only recommend products that we would confidently use on our own projects. You can read more about this process in our editorial guidelines.

Now, let’s take a look at my top picks for all kinds of nonprofits and fundraising campaigns.

1. Charitable – Best GoFundMe Alternative for Custom Donation Campaigns

The WP Charitable donation plugin for WordPress
Charitable Pros✅ Comprehensive donor management portal
✅ Highly customizable donation forms
✅ Supports multiple payment gateways
✅ Easy offline donation management
✅ Detailed reporting tools
Charitable Cons❌ Peer-to-peer fundraising requires Pro plan or higher
❌ Initial setup can be complex for beginners
PricingStarts at $69/year. 0% transaction fees.
Best ForOrganizations needing advanced tools like donor leaderboards, comprehensive supporter management, and flexible, branded forms.

Charitable is a WordPress plugin that specializes in giving you complete control over your donation campaigns and forms.

While many plugins offer a basic ‘Donate Now’ button, Charitable stands out by letting you build attractive, customizable donation pages that perfectly match your website’s brand.

💡 Want to dive deeper? Read our hands-on Charitable review now to see exactly how this donation plugin works.

My Experience

When I tested Charitable, I found the setup process was pretty straightforward. Connecting it to my PayPal and Stripe accounts was simple, and I was ready to accept online payments in just a few minutes.

How to set up the WP Charitable WordPress plugin

The feature I was most excited to test was the ability to create different types of fundraising campaigns.

I quickly set up a ‘goal campaign’ with a donor leaderboard and a dedicated page showcasing supporters.

The campaign forms themselves are highly customizable, so I had no problems adjusting fields and colors to match my theme perfectly. This is fantastic for building donor trust.

I could also easily add a fundraising thermometer to show potential supporters how close I was to reaching my fundraising goals.

Examples of crowdfunding projects, created using WP Charitable

Another feature that really stood out to me was the comprehensive donor management portal.

After my tests, I could see simple, clear reports showing exactly how much money came in.

Tracking your donations in the WordPress dashboard

Plus, the plugin offers advanced features like tracking ‘offline donations’ right in the dashboard, ensuring my campaign progress bar stayed accurate. This is a huge time-saver.

Unlike GoFundMe, Charitable gives you full ownership of your donor data and offers a clear, tip-free donation experience. This makes it a much better long-term solution for serious fundraising.

Overall, I found Charitable to be a solid choice for organizations that need control over their donation process and want advanced tools to engage donors, like leaderboards and branded campaign pages.

Why I Recommend Charitable: The plugin lets you create beautiful, highly customized donation forms and pages, which is a huge advantage for professional branding. Plus, it includes powerful advanced features like donor leaderboards and the ability to seamlessly manage both online and offline contributions in one place.

💡 If you choose to use Charitable (or any other plugin mentioned below) don’t worry about the setup. We have a complete step-by-step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin that’ll walk you through the entire process.

2. WP Simple Pay – Best for Simple Recurring Donations

The WP Simple Pay payments and donation plugin for WordPress
WP Simple Pay Pros✅ Fast 5-minute setup with Stripe
✅ Supports recurring donations for steady income
✅ No monthly fees, just Stripe processing costs
✅ Accepts Apple Pay and Google Pay
✅ The option to accept payments for services, products, & subscriptions
WP Simple Pay Cons❌ Not a full crowdfunding platform
❌ Limited donor management features
❌ Only works with the Stripe payment gateway
PricingStarts at $49.50/year. 0% transaction fees.
Best ForSimple subscription forms and ongoing monthly support without campaign complexity

WP Simple Pay focuses on doing one thing really well: letting you accept donations through Stripe right on your WordPress blog or website.

It’s built for people who need straightforward fundraising without the complexity of a full crowdfunding platform.

It’s also worth noting that WP Simple Pay isn’t just a popular GoFundMe alternative. It’s also a complete Stripe payment solution that businesses can use to sell products and services without a complex shopping cart.

WP Simple Pay is superior to GoFundMe for long-term projects because it focuses on generating steady, recurring monthly support – a feature GoFundMe doesn’t natively support.

Overall, WP Simple Pay is an ideal choice for those who want a clean, no-fuss way to handle both business transactions and charitable giving in one place.

My Experience

During testing, the first thing that struck me was how easy it was to get going. The setup wizard helped me connect my site to Stripe and create a live subscription form in less than five minutes.

How to quickly and easily accept donations on your WordPress website

I wanted to see how WP Simple Pay handled recurring monthly donations, since this is a feature many of our readers need.

Compared to other platforms, WP Simple Pay makes it easy to accept payments and donations.

Accepting recurring payments on your WordPress blog or website

I particularly liked the ‘custom amount’ feature, as it lets your supporters choose their own contribution level. It’s a small touch that makes a big difference.

After adding a form to my site, I found the payment process was completely seamless. WP Simple Pay includes Apple Pay and Google Pay options, which makes it easier for people to donate (or even buy products) on their mobile phones.

It’s important to know that WP Simple Pay isn’t designed for complex campaigns. You won’t find features like fundraising goal thermometers or supporter reward levels.

But honestly, for organizations that just want to set up a stream of steady, monthly support, this plugin’s simplicity is a huge bonus. There’s nothing extra to get in your way.

Why I Recommend WP Simple Pay: This plugin makes setting up recurring donations simple and affordable. You also avoid the voluntary tip model used by platforms like GoFundMe, so you can keep more of your money by limiting fees to only the standard payment processor fee.

Plus, since WP Simple Pay is a multipurpose payment plugin, you can also use it to sell items, subscriptions, digital downloads, and other items, all from the same dashboard.

⭐ Considering using the WP Simple Pay plugin? Find out if it’s the right fit by exploring our in-depth WP Simple Play review.

3. WPForms – Best for Data-Driven Donation Forms

The WPForms form builder and donation collect plugin
WPForms Pros✅ Drag-and-drop builder for contact forms, surveys, & payments
✅ Very user-friendly with straightforward setup
✅ Multiple payment gateway options for flexible collection
✅ Pre-built templates make starting easy
✅ Extensive documentation and support available
WPForms Cons❌ Does not support peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns
❌ Less popular payment gateways might need extra effort
PricingStarts at $49.50/year. 0% transaction fees.
Best ForCreating highly optimized donation forms with advanced data collection and donor segmentation

WPForms is a powerful form builder plugin for WordPress that’s fantastic for fundraising, especially when you want to do more than just collect money.

It’s perfect for situations where you want to gather detailed information to really understand and connect with your supporters.

Before we dive in, it’s important to note that WPForms isn’t just a donation tool. You can use it to build everything from your site’s contact form to customer feedback surveys and event registration forms.

And you can use WPForms to manage the entire supporter lifecycle, from the first time someone reaches out on your contact page, right through to the moment they become a recurring donor.

💡 Get the full scoop! I put this plugin to the ultimate test in our hands-on WPForms review.

My Experience

The first thing I noticed is how easy it is to create a form using WPForms’ drag-and-drop builder.

It felt really intuitive, and they have lots of pre-built donation templates, so you don’t have to start from scratch.

How to accept payments in WordPress using a form builder

I also appreciated that I could use these same tools to create a volunteer signup sheet or a newsletter opt-in form without needing extra plugins.

However, my favorite feature is the Conditional Logic. This sounds a bit technical, but it’s actually simple and incredibly powerful.

Creating forms with conditional logic

For my campaign, I set up a form asking donors which project they wanted to fund: ‘Urgent Medical Supplies’ or the ‘Community Rebuilding Fund’.

If a donor chose ‘Community Rebuilding Fund’, then I showed them a new field asking if they’re interested in volunteering for a clean-up day. It’s an amazing way to build a community around your cause, and not just collect money.

In my experience, this level of smart, data-driven donor segmentation is simply impossible with a basic GoFundMe page.

After that, I connected the form to my email marketing service. Based on their answers, I added each supporter to one of three different email lists so they could receive targeted updates. This feature alone saved me hours of tedious manual work.

Of course, WPForms handles the money side of things perfectly, too. WPForms connects directly to your PayPal or Stripe account, so you can avoid any tip requests or additional fees.

After testing WPForms, I saw how this tool could transform your fundraising. It’s the combination of direct payments and smart donor engagement that makes WPForms such a powerful GoFundMe alternative.

Why I Recommend WPForms: This plugin is much more than a simple donation button; it combines payments with powerful tools for gathering donor information. With WPForms, you can understand your supporters better and build stronger long-term relationships through smarter communication.

Plus, since it’s a complete form builder, it’s also a great way to streamline your website’s workflow. Instead of installing multiple plugins for contact forms, volunteer signups, and donor surveys, you can manage every single interaction from the same WPForms dashboard.

4. GiveWP – Best WordPress Plugin for Comprehensive Donation Management

The GiveWP crowdfunding plugin for WordPress
GiveWP Pros✅ Specifically designed for donation management and fundraising
✅ Extensive integration options with various payment gateways
✅ Robust donor management features improve engagement and tracking
✅ Features advanced reporting that helps analyze donation trends
GiveWP Cons❌ May require additional customization to match specific branding requirements
❌ You may need to install and set up multiple add-ons, depending on your specific needs
PricingStarts at $149/year. 2% fee (lite version only).
Best ForOrganizations needing a complete donation platform with detailed donor tracking and advanced reporting

GiveWP is a dedicated fundraising plugin that’s built specifically for non-profits.

Unlike a general-purpose form builder, every feature in GiveWP is designed to help you manage and grow your crowdfunding campaigns. This deep focus makes it a far more powerful and professional solution than GoFundMe for any serious nonprofit.

My Experience

For this test, I wanted to create the kind of campaign you’d typically see on GoFundMe.

I used GiveWP’s visual form builder to set a donation goal, add multiple suggested giving amounts, and display a progress bar. The entire process felt intuitive and gave me far more control over the look and feel than a standard GoFundMe page.

How to create donation and fundraising forms in WordPress

But the feature that really shows why GiveWP is such a great alternative is its ‘donor management.’

After running a few test donations, I checked the donor history section. GiveWP had created a complete profile for each supporter, showing me every single donation they’d made and their total lifetime giving. By contrast, GoFundMe only provides simple transaction lists.

GiveWP’s reporting tools were just as powerful. I could easily track donation trends and see which campaigns were performing the best.

Viewing your financial support in WordPress

This kind of insight helps you make decisions based on real data, not just guesswork. It transforms fundraising from a one-off event into a long-term strategy, helping you build lasting relationships with the people who support your cause.

Why I Recommend GiveWP: This plugin provides professional-level donor management tools, giving you full ownership of your data in a way that GoFundMe doesn’t. The detailed tracking and reporting help you understand your donors better, which is key to building strong, long-term relationships beyond a single campaign.

5. Formidable Forms – Best WordPress Plugin for Complex Multi-Step Donation Campaigns

An example of a GoFundMe alternative for WordPress
Formidable Forms Pros✅ Advanced form builder with drag-and-drop interface
✅ Supports PayPal and Stripe payment integrations
✅ Conditional logic for tailored donation experiences
✅ Multipage forms with progress indicators
Formidable Forms Cons❌ Might require additional plugins for full functionality
❌ More complex setup than simpler alternatives
PricingStarts at $79.60/year. 3% application fee (Lite, Expired, Basic, & Plus licenses).
Best ForOrganizations needing customized, dynamic donation forms with complex logic and multi-step processes

Formidable Forms is a very advanced form builder, and it’s a great GoFundMe alternative if you need something more complex than a simple ‘donate now’ button.

It’s designed for creating completely custom, multi-step donation experiences right inside WordPress. While GoFundMe offers one single, static donation form, Formidable Forms lets you create a dynamic, multi-page funnel.

Just like some of the other plugins on this list, Formidable Forms is more than just a GoFundMe alternative. While it’s excellent for fundraising, it can also help you build searchable directories, job boards, complex calculators, and much more.

By using Formidable Forms, you aren’t just renting a page for a month using a service like GoFundMe – you’re building a permanent digital hub for your mission.

My Experience

I’ll be upfront: Formidable Forms has more of a learning curve than some of the simpler plugins. Because it’s so powerful, it took me a little while to get familiar with all the options, but its drag-and-drop builder helped a lot.

The Formidable Forms drag-and-drop interface

I wanted to test something that would be impossible to achieve on a platform like GoFundMe, so I decided to create a guided, multi-page donation process.

The first feature I loved was the ‘Progress Bar’. As I clicked through my test form, Formidable Forms displayed a little bar showing exactly how close I was to finishing. It’s a small detail, but it really does help to keep people engaged.

However, the real power lies in its conditional logic. Just like WPForms, Formidable Forms can show or hide different questions based on the user’s answers. This level of custom interaction ensures you collect better data compared to a static GoFundMe page.

It made the whole process feel like a smart, guided conversation rather than just a long, static form. Even when I created a detailed, three-page form, the experience felt smooth and never overwhelming.

Plus, since Formidable Forms acts as a web application builder, you can use the data you collect to create dashboards or member portals for your supporters.

Why I Recommend Formidable Forms: It’s perfect for when you have very specific needs that a one-size-fits-all platform like GoFundMe can’t handle. Plus, Formidable Forms really excels at creating multi-step, intelligent forms that guide your donors through the process smoothly.

Since it’s an all-in-one solution for building data-driven applications, you can even use Formidable Forms to create searchable donor walls or internal project trackers alongside your donation forms.

By acting as an all-in-one tool for both simple forms and complex web apps, your website has the power to evolve from a basic fundraiser into a sophisticated community hub. In my opinion, this flexibility is what really sets Formidable Forms apart from platforms like GoFundMe.

📝 Want more info? Check out our comprehensive Formidable Forms review for an insider’s look.

6. Kickstarter – Best GoFundMe Alternative for Creative Projects Needing Community Support

The Kickstarter crowdfunding platform
Kickstarter Pros✅ Large, engaged community of backers
✅ All-or-nothing funding builds urgency
✅ Proven track record for creative projects
✅ Built-in credibility and trust
Kickstarter Cons❌ High fees (5% plus processing costs)
❌ All-or-nothing model is risky
❌ Limited control over branding and data
Pricing5% fee on funded projects + 3-5% processing
Best ForCreative projects that benefit from community backing and structured campaigns

Kickstarter is a huge name in the creative world, and it’s a very different kind of GoFundMe alternative.

It’s not for personal fundraising, but rather a launchpad for ‘creative projects’ like new products, games, and films, connecting you with an audience that’s ready to back new ideas.

Unlike GoFundMe, which is primarily for personal causes and medical expenses, Kickstarter is a project-based platform focused on delivering a specific creative product.

Kickstarter – Best GoFundMe Alternative for Creative Projects Needing Community Support

In addition, Kickstarter is a standalone platform, unlike the WordPress plugins mentioned above. This means you don’t need your own website to use it.

My Experience

To get a real feel for how Kickstarter works, I spent a lot of time talking with creators who have run successful campaigns. Their feedback was incredibly consistent and really highlighted the platform’s unique strengths.

The number one thing everyone mentioned was the power of the Kickstarter community. Unlike asking for donations on your own site, you’re putting your project in front of an audience actively looking for new and interesting things to support.

Another key point they brought up was the ‘all-or-nothing’ funding model.

It sounds scary, but users told me it actually helps a lot. This model creates a real sense of urgency that motivates people to back the project. It also builds trust because backers know they won’t be charged unless the project is definitely going ahead.

Of course, there are some trade-offs.

You’re essentially ‘renting’ an audience on someone else’s platform. The fees are also higher than running campaigns on your own nonprofit website, and you don’t have the same level of control.

However, everyone I spoke with confirmed that having access to a built-in, enthusiastic community was worth the trade-off.

They also loved that Kickstarter handles all the complicated technical stuff like payment processing and backer updates, so they can focus on their project instead of running a WordPress website.

Why I Recommend Kickstarter: This platform connects your creative project with a massive, engaged community that’s actively looking for ideas to support. The ‘all-or-nothing’ model and review process also give your project instant credibility and build trust with potential backers.

In my opinion, Kickstarter is a much better choice than GoFundMe for launching a product or creative work due to the specialized audience and accountability system.

7. Indiegogo – Best GoFundMe Alternative for Flexible Funding Options

The Indiegogo crowdfunding platform
Indiegogo Pros✅ Offers both flexible and fixed funding options
✅ Strong visual and promotional tools
✅ Dedicated customer support and resources
✅ Allows continued fundraising through InDemand
Indiegogo Cons❌ Platform fees can add up quickly
❌ Limited branding and customization options
❌ Less focus on creative projects than Kickstarter
Pricing5% platform fee + 3% + $0.20 processing fees
Best ForCreators seeking funding flexibility and continued post-campaign support

Indiegogo is another major crowdfunding platform, and it’s an interesting GoFundMe alternative thanks to the unique options it offers.

Indiegogo is built for launching products and creative ideas, but with more flexibility than most other platforms. This flexibility gives Indiegogo an advantage over both Kickstarter’s strict ‘all-or-nothing’ model and GoFundMe’s simple donation format.

Indiegogo – Best GoFundMe Alternative for Flexible Funding Options


Similar to Kickstarter, Indiegogo is a platform rather than a plugin. That said, you won’t need to set up your own WordPress website in order to launch your project on Indiegogo.

My Experience

Just like with Kickstarter, I wanted to get the real story, so I chatted with several creators who have run successful campaigns on Indiegogo.

The first thing they all brought up was the flexibility in funding. You get to choose between ‘fixed funding’ and ‘flexible funding’. If you opt for flexible funding, then you can keep all the money you raise even if you don’t hit your goal.

They told me this choice was a huge relief, as it means projects can still move forward with partial funding. But the feature they were most excited about was ‘InDemand’. They described it as a total game-changer.

Basically, once your main campaign is over, Indiegogo lets you keep taking orders and raising funds seamlessly. The creators I spoke to said this feature alone made the platform fees worth it, as it automatically handled all the complex parts of post-campaign sales and kept momentum going.

Keep in mind that, like other big platforms, there’s a trade-off.

You’re paying fees and giving up some control in exchange for access to Indiegogo’s huge community. But the creators I spoke with all felt that Indiegogo’s global reach was a worthwhile trade-off, especially as it’s something they couldn’t easily replicate on their own website.

While GoFundMe is better for urgent personal causes, Indiegogo is far superior for product launches that need continued post-campaign sales.

Why I Recommend Indiegogo: This platform offers flexible funding options, so you can choose the model that best suits your project’s needs. In addition, Indiegogo’s ‘InDemand’ feature is a game-changer, as it lets you continue raising funds and taking orders long after your campaign has ended.

For creators, this is much better than GoFundMe’s rigid, one-time donation structure.

What Is the Best GoFundMe Alternative?

After testing all these tools, I’d recommend Charitable for most users. You get complete control over your fundraising while also owning all your donor information.

It’s fantastic for non-profits and anyone who wants to create professional, custom donation forms right on their own WordPress site without asking their donors for platform tips.

Of course, it’s not the only great option.

If your main goal is setting up recurring monthly donations as quickly as possible, then WP Simple Pay is a brilliant choice. And if you need to build really smart, detailed forms that change based on a donor’s answers, then WPForms is incredibly powerful.

Both of these let you build on your own site, giving you control and saving you money by ensuring all funds go to your cause.

If you’re ready to move beyond the limitations of GoFundMe and start building lasting relationships with your supporters, I’d recommend starting with Charitable. You can try out the free version directly from WordPress.org to get a feel for it.

Once you see how powerful it is, you can always upgrade to unlock its more advanced features.

FAQs About GoFundMe Alternatives

Switching from a platform like GoFundMe can feel like a big step, and it’s normal to have a few questions before you dive in. Here at WPBeginner, we get questions from our readers all the time about which tools are best and how to get started.

To help you out, I’ve put together answers to some of the most common questions I see. My goal is to give you the confidence you need to pick the perfect GoFundMe alternative for your project.

What’s the main advantage of using a WordPress plugin instead of GoFundMe?

The biggest advantage is that you own and control 100% of your donor information.

When someone donates on GoFundMe, their contact information essentially belongs to GoFundMe. I’ve found this is the biggest frustration for people who use the platform. You can’t easily download a list of your supporters to build a real relationship with them.

With a WordPress plugin, donor information is stored on your website.

This is a huge deal. It means you can build your own email list, send a personalized thank-you note, and keep your community updated on your progress long after the campaign is over. You’re building a real community for the future, not just collecting a one-time payment.

Can I collect recurring donations in WordPress?

Absolutely! This is actually one of the best reasons to use a WordPress plugin for your fundraising.

Setting up a base of steady, recurring support is a fantastic way to ensure your project or cause has long-term stability.

From my testing, almost all the top donation plugins handle this really well. I was especially impressed with WP Simple Pay if you want to get a simple monthly donation form up and running as fast as possible.

If you need more advanced features, then WPForms is incredibly powerful and lets you create recurring donation forms with ease.

Do I need technical skills to set up these GoFundMe alternatives?

No! You definitely don’t need to be a developer to use these GoFundMe alternatives.

I know fundraising on your own site can feel intimidating compared to using a platform like GoFundMe. However, these tools are all very beginner-friendly.

Most of the plugins in this guide have amazing drag-and-drop builders, so you can just click and add the fields you want to use. There’s no coding involved at all.

Many of them also have setup wizards that walk you through getting started, step-by-step.

Who is GoFundMe’s biggest competitor?

GoFundMe has several major competitors, but the ‘biggest’ one depends entirely on your goals.

For large-scale creative projects, platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo are strong rivals because they provide access to built-in communities of backers.

However, I believe the best alternative isn’t another platform. Instead, it’s using a dedicated WordPress plugin like Charitable on your own website.

When you host campaigns on your site, you compete with GoFundMe by taking full control of your donor data, customizing your forms, and avoiding the donor confusion caused by voluntary tips.

Is there a better option than GoFundMe?

Yes, I strongly believe there is a better option than GoFundMe, especially if you have a WordPress website.

GoFundMe is fine for a quick, one-time campaign, but it’s not the best choice for building long-term support because it keeps your donor information and asks your supporters for a tip. A better option gives you complete ownership and control.

That’s why I always recommend using a WordPress donation plugin like Charitable on your own site, rather than an external service like GoFundMe.


More Resources for Fundraising

I hope this guide has given you the confidence to take control of your fundraising.

No matter whether you’re starting your very first campaign or making the move away from GoFundMe, it can feel like there’s a lot to learn.

To help you with the next steps, I’ve collected some essential resources below. They’re packed with tips for improving your site and growing a passionate community around your cause:

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post I Tried 7 Best GoFundMe Alternatives (Raise More, Pay Less) first appeared on WPBeginner.

]]>
https://www.wpbeginner.com/showcase/best-gofundme-alternatives/feed/ 0
7 Best WooCommerce Product Feed Plugins Ranked (My Experience) https://www.wpbeginner.com/showcase/best-woocommerce-product-feed-plugins/ https://www.wpbeginner.com/showcase/best-woocommerce-product-feed-plugins/#comments Mon, 01 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000 https://www.wpbeginner.com/?p=352620 Growing a WooCommerce store starts with getting your products in front of the right customers, but that part usually takes a lot of time and effort. That’s where product feed plugins help. They automatically sync your store catalog with platforms like Google Shopping, Facebook Marketplace,… Read More »

The post 7 Best WooCommerce Product Feed Plugins Ranked (My Experience) first appeared on WPBeginner.

]]>
Growing a WooCommerce store starts with getting your products in front of the right customers, but that part usually takes a lot of time and effort.

That’s where product feed plugins help. They automatically sync your store catalog with platforms like Google Shopping, Facebook Marketplace, and price comparison sites, so you can reach people who are already searching online for what you sell. 🛍️

After testing several options, I found Product Feed PRO by AdTribes to be a standout choice. But I also explored other top plugins to see how they compare in features, ease of use, and overall value.

In this guide, I’ll share the best WooCommerce product feed plugins to help you boost visibility, attract more customers, and grow your sales, without adding extra work to your day.

Best WooCommerce Product Feed Plugins

My Verdict: Best WooCommerce Product Feed Plugins

Here’s a quick overview of the best WooCommerce product feed plugins if you’re in a rush:

#PluginBest ForPricing
🥇Product Feed PRO by AdTribesAdvanced multi-channel product feeds (100+ integrations)$99.50/yr + Free
🥈CTX FeedEasy multi-channel feeds creation with templates and guided setup$119/yr + Free
🥉ELEX WooCommerce Google ShoppingAdvanced customization for Google Shopping $69/yr + Free
4WebToffee Product Feed for WooCommerceInstagram and Facebook product feeds$89/yr + Free
5Product Feed Manager by ConversiosInternational platforms like TikTok and Google Shopping$49/yr + Free
6Product Feed Manager by RexThemeEasy feed creation for beginners$59/yr + Free
7Product XML Feed Manager for WooCommerceCustom XML feeds$4.17/month + Free

What Is a WooCommerce Product Feed, and Why Should You Use One?

A WooCommerce product feed is basically a file that lists all the products in your online store in a way that other platforms can read—like Google Shopping, Facebook, Instagram, or Amazon.

Using a product feed can save you a lot of time and help more people see your products.

Here’s why it’s useful:

  • Automatic Updates: When you change prices, stock, or product descriptions in WooCommerce, the feed updates all platforms automatically.
  • Reach More Customers: Your products can show up in shopping ads and search results where people are already looking to buy.
  • Save Time: You only need to update your store. The feed handles all platforms for you.
  • Fewer Mistakes: Automatic syncing helps prevent errors such as incorrect prices or missing product information.
  • Easy to Grow: Want to sell on more marketplaces? Feeds make it simple to share your products everywhere.

In short, a product feed keeps your products in sync and helps more people find them—making it a smart tool for any WooCommerce store.

🧪 My Hands-On Methodology for Testing WooCommerce Product Feed Plugins

Here at WPBeginner, we believe in hands-on testing and don’t rely on feature lists or marketing claims.

That’s why I installed each product feed plugin in a WooCommerce store with demo products that included variations, sale prices, custom attributes, and category mappings.

Here’s what I focused on during testing:

  • Ease of Use: I tested how easy it is for a beginner to create a feed without needing to read lengthy documentation. If it took more than a few clicks to generate a basic Google Shopping feed, that was a red flag.
  • Supported Channels: I tested which platforms the plugin supports natively, like Google, Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, Bing, and custom XML feeds.
  • Mapping and Customization: I looked at how easily the plugin lets you “map” your product details (like price and name) to the fields required by each shopping channel (like Google Shopping’s ‘price’ and ‘title’ fields). The more flexible the mapping options, the better.
  • Feed Quality: I uploaded the generated feeds into Google Merchant Center and Facebook Catalog Manager to check for validation errors, missing attributes, or warnings.
  • Speed and Performance: I evaluated whether the plugin slows down websites or causes memory issues, especially in larger stores with thousands of products.
  • Auto-Update and Scheduling: I tested whether the plugins supported automatic syncing and scheduled updates, which are essential for dynamic inventory management.
  • Support and Updates: Lastly, I checked each plugin’s documentation, user reviews, update frequency, and available support to see how reliable it is in the long term.

After all these tests, only a handful of plugins made the cut.

So if you’re wondering which ones are actually worth using, keep reading. I’ve listed the best WooCommerce product feed plugins that can help you grow your store by getting your products in front of more shoppers.

1. Product Feed PRO by AdTribes – Multi-Channel Feeds for 100+ Platforms

AdTribes

Product Feed PRO by AdTribes is a great choice for multi-channel product feeds without needing to learn anything technical.

It supports 100+ marketing and advertising channels, including Google Shopping, Facebook, Bing, TikTok, and more. This makes it a flexible solution for store owners who want to reach customers on multiple platforms.

My Experience

I first tried out this plugin while writing our guide on adding WooCommerce product feeds to Google Shopping, and it offers straightforward product feed creation with plenty of customization options.

Enter general feed settings and choose Google Shopping as the channel

During testing, I found that AdTribes handles the complex product feed requirements for Google Shopping very well.

The plugin automatically maps your WooCommerce product data to Google’s required fields, saving you from the headache of manual configuration.

Plus, I found the feed generation process smooth and reliable, even when dealing with large product catalogs.

Field mapping in AdTribes

The plugin’s interface feels intuitive right from the start. You don’t need to be a technical expert to get your products flowing to Google Shopping.

AdTribes walks you through each step, from connecting your Google Merchant Center account to configuring product categories and attributes.

Upload file and click the Create Feed button

I particularly appreciated how the plugin handles product variations and complex inventory scenarios efficiently, without slowing down the feed generation process.

The plugin also includes helpful optimization features that can improve your product visibility.

It helps you select the best product images that meet platform requirements, ensures proper category mapping, and even lets you optimize product titles by creating rules. You can then add brand names and other important keywords to improve search performance.

In addition to Google Shopping, AdTribes supports feeds for many other channels like Facebook Remarketing, Pinterest, Bing Ads, TikTok Ads, Snapchat, PriceRunner, and other comparison engines. This makes it easy to promote your products everywhere your customers shop.

Pros of Product Feed PRO by AdTribes

  • Integrates with 100+ marketing and advertising channels
  • WordPress multisite compatibility for managing multiple stores
  • Built-in performance monitoring and feed health diagnostics
  • Support for custom product fields and metadata
  • WPML compatibility for multilingual stores
  • Automatic feed updates
  • Detailed documentation and video tutorials

Cons of Product Feed PRO by AdTribes

  • It can be overwhelming for users who only need a simple feed
  • Large product catalogs can take longer to process on slower hosting environments

Why I recommend Product Feed PRO by AdTribes: It is the best choice for store owners who want a flexible, reliable, and easy-to-manage multi-channel product feed solution. While it works great for Google Shopping, its most significant advantage is the ability to push your WooCommerce products to over 100 channels with one plugin.

2. CTX Feed – Beginner-Friendly Multi-Channel Product Feeds

CTX Feed

CTX Feed’s main strength is a beginner-friendly interface for multi-platform selling without any hassle. While it also supports over 100 channels, its focus is on pre-configured templates and a guided setup experience.

This makes it less overwhelming for new store owners.

The free version is powerful enough for most users to get started, while the premium plans unlock additional platforms and advanced features.

My Experience

I’ve tested CTX Feed extensively with various shopping platforms, and what stood out immediately was how fast and straightforward it is to get your products listed across multiple marketplaces.

Manage feeds with CTX

This plugin doesn’t just handle Google Shopping feeds. It also creates optimized product feeds for Facebook Catalog, Pinterest Shopping, Instagram Catalog, TikTok Catalog, Snapchat Catalog, eBay Ads, Bing Ads, and many other platforms.

The best part? You can easily manage all these feeds from a single dashboard, making it less intimidating.

Plus, I was surprised by how simple the feed generation process was. The plugin provides templates for major platforms, so beginners don’t need to worry about technical requirements.

CTX templates

Another helpful feature for beginners is its intelligent auto-mapping.

The plugin automatically maps your WooCommerce product data to each platform’s requirements. That simplifies the setup process, allowing you to get your products listed quickly.

CTX Automapping

CTX Feed also handles large product catalogs effectively, making it a great WooCommerce plugin for stores of all sizes.

Pros of CTX Feed

  • Beginner-friendly setup with a guided wizard
  • Supports 100+ shopping platforms and marketplaces
  • Pre-configured templates for major shopping channels
  • Auto-mapping feature
  • Scheduled automatic updates across all platforms
  • Detailed beginner-friendly documentation and tutorials

Cons of CTX Feed

  • Template-driven interface limits control over individual fields
  • Some specialized platforms require the premium plan
  • Occasional minor glitches when handling very large product catalogs

Why I recommend CTX Feed: This product feed plugin is perfect for beginners who want to quickly expand their reach without diving into technical settings. Its template-driven approach, guided setup, and auto-mapping make managing feeds across 100+ channels easy and fast.

3. ELEX WooCommerce Google Shopping – Precise Google Shopping Feed Control

Elex WooCommerce Google Shopping

ELEX WooCommerce Google Shopping offers a high level of precision and advanced customization for Google Shopping feeds. It’s designed for users who want detailed control over their product feeds, allowing them to fine-tune attributes and optimize performance with granular settings.

Plus, many of the core features are available in the free plan, making it a great choice if you’re on a budget.

My Experience

When testing the plugin with Google Shopping campaigns, I found the field mapping to be very accurate. It gives you precise control over how your WooCommerce data is translated to meet Google’s requirements.

Mapping attributes in ELEX Google Shopping

The plugin also excels at handling complex product types, like product bundles and variations.

This is something that many other plugins struggle with.

Attributes rules

Other than that, its advanced filtering options let you create sophisticated rules for which products appear in your feeds, giving you strategic control.

For advanced users, the plugin offers comprehensive Google Shopping integration features. It handles Google Merchant Center synchronization, helps you fix errors that cause products to be disapproved, and provides detailed insights into feed performance.

Connect ELEX Google Shopping with Google

It also includes advanced optimization features specifically designed for Google Shopping.

For example, the tool handles product title optimization, ensures proper category mapping according to Google’s taxonomy, and manages promotional pricing and seasonal campaigns.

Pros of ELEX WooCommerce Google Shopping

  • Highly accurate and precise field mapping for Google Shopping
  • Advanced filtering and product selection rules
  • Bulk editing capabilities for large catalogs
  • Detailed feed performance analytics and reporting
  • Support for complex product types and variations
  • Regular updates to match Google Shopping policy changes

Cons of ELEX WooCommerce Google Shopping

  • Limited to Google Shopping only, without native support for other platforms
  • Advanced filtering and optimization features require a paid plan
  • The setup for complex product types can be slightly technical

Why I recommend ELEX WooCommerce Google Shopping: This is a great plugin for users who need precise control over their Google Shopping feeds. It gives you the tools to run advanced strategies and optimize your campaigns.

4. WebToffee Product Feed for WooCommerce – Optimized Feeds for Social Commerce

WebToffee - Product Feed For WooCommerce

WebToffee’s Product Feed is designed to help you create optimized product feeds for social commerce platforms.

It’s an excellent choice for stores that use Instagram and Facebook as their main sales channels.

My Experience

I found the setup quick and reliable, with feeds appearing correctly formatted on both platforms.

The plugin handles Facebook Catalog and Instagram Shopping feeds very well, ensuring that your products appear correctly formatted and optimized for social media shoppers.

Create Instagram or Facebook product feed

The plugin is also flexible if you need custom product feeds. During my testing, I found it useful to create tailored feeds for different purposes.

You can exclude out-of-stock products automatically, which prevents disappointed customers and maintains a professional storefront appearance across all platforms.

Exclude out of stock products from the feed

Another super helpful feature is the multi-vendor store support.

If you’re running an online marketplace with multiple sellers, WebToffee makes it easy to handle vendor-specific feeds. This allows different vendors to manage their product visibility across social channels without conflicts.

Pros of WebToffee Product Feed for WooCommerce

  • Exceptionally smooth Instagram and Facebook integration
  • Support for multiple feed formats (XML, CSV, XLSX, TXT)
  • Multilingual store compatibility for international selling
  • Multi-vendor marketplace support
  • Custom feed creation with advanced filtering options
  • Regular updates to match platform requirements

Cons of WebToffee Product Feed for WooCommerce

  • Smaller platform selection compared to some competitors
  • Advanced features are only available in the premium version
  • It may not be ideal for stores focusing on marketplaces outside social media

Why I recommend WebToffee Product Feed for WooCommerce: For any store where Instagram and Facebook are key sales channels, this plugin is an excellent choice. It offers reliable social feed integration designed specifically for those platforms.

🚨 Heads Up: The next two plugins I’m about to cover have very similar names. Be sure to check the developer — Conversios (#5) and RexTheme (#6) — to tell them apart. They are both great tools, but they excel in different areas!

5. Product Feed Manager by Conversios – Automated International Product Feeds

Conversios

Product Feed Manager by Conversios is great for reaching international customers on platforms like TikTok and Google Shopping. It’s designed specifically for online stores trying to sell worldwide.

My Experience

During my testing, I found the plugin’s collection of over 100 ready-made templates for 200 countries to be very helpful.

This eliminates the guesswork and manual setup that usually comes with international product feed creation.

Connect Product Feed to TikTok and Google

The templates are properly configured for each country’s specific requirements, making global expansion much more manageable.

I also really liked the automated product feed generation. Once it’s configured, Conversios handles feed creation and updates automatically across multiple platforms, which is perfect if you don’t have time to manually manage feeds.

Feed Management

Plus, I found the custom field creation particularly valuable – the plugin generates essential fields like Brand, GTIN, Age-group, and Gender without requiring extra coding.

Pros of Product Feed Manager by Conversios

  • 100+ ready-made product feed templates for 200 countries
  • Automated product feed generation and updates
  • Creates custom fields without additional coding
  • Compatible with popular WooCommerce plugins
  • Multi-platform support with centralized management
  • Country-specific feed optimization

Cons of Product Feed Manager by Conversios

  • Advanced template customization can be tricky for beginners
  • Some international feed features require higher-tier plans
  • Country-specific settings may need extra configuration for compliance

Why I recommend Product Feed Manager by Conversios: This is an excellent solution for stores expanding globally. Its country-specific templates for TikTok and Google Shopping can automate the complex process of creating compliant international feeds.

6. Product Feed Manager by RexTheme – Easy Setup for 180+ Marketplaces

Product Feed Manager

Product Feed Manager by RexTheme offers a simple and easy-to-use interface, which is great for beginners who feel overwhelmed by complex tools.

It helps you create product feeds for over 180 marketplaces and advertising platforms, including Facebook and X (Twitter).

My Experience

When I tested the plugin, I found its dashboard to be clean and intuitive. It focuses on making the feed creation process as straightforward as possible.

Product Feed Manager user interface

The interface is logical and well-organized, which is helpful when you are managing multiple feeds across different platforms.

The plugin is also great for creating Facebook and Twitter Ads feeds. During my testing, I found these integrations to be easy to set up and beginner-friendly.

When you’re setting up Facebook Catalog or Twitter Ads product feeds, the process is straightforward and doesn’t require deep platform knowledge.

Pros of Product Feed Manager by RexTheme

  • Access to 180 marketplaces and advertising platforms
  • Support for major platforms like Google Shopping and Instagram
  • Beginner-friendly setup process
  • Comprehensive marketplace coverage, including eBay and Pinterest
  • Regular platform updates and compatibility maintenance

Cons of Product Feed Manager by RexTheme

  • Limited customization options for power users
  • Pro version required to unlock full marketplace coverage

Why I recommend Product Feed Manager by RexTheme: If you find other plugins too complicated, this is a great alternative. Its focus on a clean, simple user experience makes it an excellent choice for beginners who want an easy way to get started with product feeds.

7. Product XML Feed Manager for WooCommerce – Full Custom XML Feed Control

Product XML Feed Manager

The Product XML Feed Manager for WooCommerce plugin gives you detailed control for creating custom XML feeds.

It’s a useful tool for developers or tech-savvy owners who need to build a feed for a niche marketplace or meet unique technical requirements that pre-built templates can’t handle.

My Experience

I went through the process of creating custom XML feeds from scratch. I noticed that this gave me full control over the feed’s structure and content, unlike plugins that rely on pre-built templates.

XML Feed

However, this plugin is aimed at users comfortable with code. To use it effectively, you’ll need a basic understanding of XML and be able to read the technical feed documentation provided by your target marketplace.

For most users, a template-based plugin like Product Feed PRO or CTX Feed is a much better starting point.

Pros of Product XML Feed Manager for WooCommerce

  • Custom XML feed creation with complete control over structure
  • Dynamic product selection based on categories and tags
  • Flexible export options for any marketplace
  • Advanced filtering and product management tools

Cons of Product XML Feed Manager for WooCommerce

  • Requires technical knowledge to create custom XML feeds
  • The free version only allows one feed, limiting use for larger stores
  • Not ideal for users who need quick, template-based feeds

Why I recommend Product XML Feed Manager for WooCommerce: When pre-built templates won’t work and you need to build a product feed from the ground up, this plugin offers the flexibility you need.

Bonus: Smash Balloon Instagram Feed Pro – Shoppable Instagram Feeds on Your Site

Smash Balloon Instagram Feed

If you want to show off your WooCommerce products directly on your website while reaching a customer base on Instagram, then Smash Balloon Instagram Feed Pro is worth a look.

This powerful social media plugin lets you set up shoppable Instagram feeds and display them on your WordPress website.

You can learn more about the plugin in our detailed Smash Balloon review.

My Experience

When I tried out Smash Balloon, what really stood out was how easy it is to turn your Instagram posts into a shoppable feed.

Unlike AdTribes or CTX Feed, this plugin doesn’t send your products to multiple marketplaces—it focuses on Instagram, letting your visitors browse and buy right from your website.

Instagram feed preview

When I set it up, I loved that the live feed editor made customization simple. You can adjust the layout, colors, and even spacing between posts, and see the changes in real time.

The feed also automatically updated whenever I posted new content on Instagram, saving me a ton of time compared to manually embedding posts.

It’s perfect if your store relies heavily on visuals and social media engagement.

Enable the shoppable feed option

One thing to note: Smash Balloon is very focused. If you’re looking for multi-channel feeds like Google Shopping, this isn’t the plugin for that. But if your audience is active on Instagram, it’s an elegant, hands-on way to boost product visibility.

For step-by-step instructions, you can see our tutorial on how to sell your WooCommerce products on Instagram.

Pros of Smash Balloon Instagram Feed Pro

  • Turns Instagram posts into shoppable feeds on your WooCommerce site
  • Live feed editor makes customizing layout and colors easy
  • Automatically updates when you post new Instagram content
  • Seamless connection between Instagram and WooCommerce

Cons of Smash Balloon Instagram Feed Pro

  • Only works for Instagram feeds
  • Premium version needed for shoppable posts
  • Focused on website display, not multi-platform selling

Why I recommend Smash Balloon Instagram Feed Pro: This is the ideal plugin if Instagram is a key marketing channel for your store. It’s hands-on, flexible, and gives you a beautiful way to showcase products directly on your website.

What Is the Best WooCommerce Product Feed Plugin?

Product Feed PRO by AdTribes is my top recommendation. It offers a great balance between powerful multi-channel features and flexibility, making it ideal for store owners who want full control and reliable feeds for 100+ platforms.

Alternatively, CTX Feed is a strong choice for beginners who want multi-channel support with a guided, template-driven setup. Its user-friendly interface and pre-configured templates make it easy to start listing products across multiple platforms quickly.

For stores focused on social commerce, the WebToffee Product Feed for WooCommerce plugin is a great option. It provides a simple and reliable integration experience for Instagram and Facebook.

Frequently Asked Questions About WooCommerce Product Feed Plugins

Here are some questions frequently asked by our readers about WooCommerce product feed plugins:

Do I need technical knowledge to set up product feeds?

Most modern product feed plugins are designed for non-technical users. Plugins like CTX Feed, Product Feed PRO by AdTribes, and Product Feed Manager offer user-friendly interfaces with pre-configured templates that require minimal technical knowledge.

However, if you need highly customized feeds or specific XML formatting, some technical understanding will be helpful. For basic Google Shopping, Facebook, or Instagram feeds, the setup process is typically straightforward.

How do I optimize a product feed?

To optimize a product feed, make sure your product titles, descriptions, and images are clear and match the platform’s requirements.

Include accurate prices, categories, and stock information. Use keywords for better search visibility, and regularly update your feed to keep it in sync with your store.

How can I create a product bundle in WooCommerce?

You can easily create and sell product bundles with YITH WooCommerce Product Bundles. It lets you add individual products, set discounts, and publish your bundle.

To get started, take a look at our tutorial on how to sell product bundles in WooCommerce.

Will my product feed work with variable products?

Most modern plugins support variations and bundles. Be sure to check how your chosen plugin maps variations to the feed, especially for platforms like Google Shopping, which require specific rules.

How do I export product data from WooCommerce?

You can export product data using WooCommerce’s built-in export tool or a plugin like Product Import Export for WooCommerce. Simply select the products you want, generate a CSV, and download it.

For more information, you can check our tutorial on importing and exporting WooCommerce products.

Which plugin is best for selling on Instagram?

Smash Balloon Instagram Feed Pro is ideal for Instagram-focused selling, letting you create shoppable feeds directly on your website without pushing products to multiple marketplaces.

Additional Resources for Your WooCommerce Store

Once your product feeds are set up, here are some other helpful guides to grow and optimize your WooCommerce store:

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post 7 Best WooCommerce Product Feed Plugins Ranked (My Experience) first appeared on WPBeginner.

]]>
https://www.wpbeginner.com/showcase/best-woocommerce-product-feed-plugins/feed/ 2