Your First Subscription Product
Turn a normal WooCommerce product into a subscription, field by field, using the Subscriptions Settings tab — the detailed reference behind the Quick Start.
On this page
What this does
Every WooCommerce product gets a new Subscriptions Settings tab. Turning it on tells SubscriptionFlow to create a subscription (and a license key) whenever that product is purchased, and to track its renewals, expiry, and activations.
Typical use cases
- A yearly software or plugin license.
- A monthly membership or service plan.
- A one‑time “lifetime” product that still issues a license and allowed‑sites limit.
Where to find it
- Go to Products → All Products and open (or add) a product.
- Scroll to the Product data panel.
- Click the Subscriptions Settings tab on the left of that panel.
The basic settings (Starter Free)
These fields are always available.
| Setting | What it does | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Enable License Product | Turns SubscriptionFlow on for this product. Nothing else applies until this is ticked. | ✅ Tick it. |
| License Plan | The plan this product belongs to (e.g. Starter, Pro, Agency). Controls the plan name customers see. | Match the offer you’re selling. |
| License Duration | How long each subscription term lasts: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Yearly, or Lifetime. | Yearly for most software; Monthly for memberships. |
| Number of Allowed Sites | How many websites the customer may activate the license on (1, 3, 5, 10, 25, or Unlimited). | 1 for single‑site products; higher for agency tiers. |
| Renewal Price | The amount charged at renewal. Leave blank to reuse the product price. | Set only if renewals differ from the first payment. |
| Grace Period Days | Extra days a license keeps working after it expires, before access is cut off. | 3–7 days is a friendly default. |
| Enable Free Trial | Offers a free trial before the first paid renewal. Adds Trial Duration, Trial Duration Unit, Trial Behavior After End, Trial Label and One trial per customer. | Optional — see Free Trials. |
Step‑by‑step (Free)
- Tick Enable License Product.
- Pick a License Plan and License Duration.
- Set Number of Allowed Sites.
- Optionally set a Renewal Price and Grace Period Days.
- Optionally tick Enable Free Trial and set its length.
- Click Update / Publish.
That’s all you need for a working subscription product.
The advanced settings (Pro)
When your license is active, extra options appear in the same tab:
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Skip Cart (Direct Checkout) | Sends buyers straight to checkout when this product is added — great for a single “Buy now” button. |
| Single‑Product Checkout | Ensures the cart contains only this product, removing anything else first. |
| Allow Upgrades | Lets customers change/upgrade their plan from their dashboard. |
| Upgrade URL | Where the dashboard “Upgrade Plan” / “Renew Now” button links. Leave blank to use your shop page. |
| Allow Cancellation | Lets customers cancel their own subscription from the dashboard. |
| Auto‑apply Coupons | Automatically adds selected coupons to the cart when this product is added, then pick the coupons to apply. |
On the Free plan these show an “available in Pro” note instead. See Starter Free vs Pro.
Tips & Best Practices
-
Enable first, configure second. Nothing else in the tab takes effect until Enable License Product is ticked.
-
Match the plan to the product. If you sell a “Pro Yearly” product, put it on the Pro plan with a Yearly duration so customer‑facing labels stay consistent.
-
Use a grace period. A few days of grace prevents a customer from losing access the moment a renewal payment is a little late.
-
Set allowed sites deliberately. This is the main difference between single‑site and agency tiers — decide it before you launch.
-
Only set a renewal price if it differs. If renewals cost the same as the first purchase, leave it blank to avoid confusion.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Forgetting to tick “Enable License Product” — the most common reason a purchase doesn’t create a subscription.
- Mismatched plan and duration — e.g. a “Monthly” product placed on a plan labeled “Yearly” confuses customers.
- Allowed sites set to 1 for an agency product — customers can only activate one site and will contact support.
- Expecting automatic renewals on Free — on Starter, renewals are manual; automatic charging needs Pro.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to create the product from scratch?
No. Any existing WooCommerce product can become a subscription — just open it and use the Subscriptions Settings tab.
What product types are supported?
Standard WooCommerce products work. Enable the tab, set the plan and duration, and you’re done.
What’s the difference between “License Plan” and “License Duration”?
The plan is the named tier (Starter/Pro/Agency); the duration is the billing term length (monthly, yearly, etc.).
What does “Number of Allowed Sites” control?
How many websites the customer can activate this license on. “Unlimited” removes the limit — useful for agency tiers.
If I change these settings later, does it affect existing customers?
No. Existing subscriptions keep the terms they were purchased with. Changes apply to new purchases.
Why don’t I see the advanced options (upgrades, cancellation, coupons)?
Those are Pro features. Activate your license to reveal them — see License Activation.
Can customers cancel or upgrade themselves?
Yes, with Pro — enable Allow Cancellation and/or Allow Upgrades on the product.
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