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How to set up free shipping in WooCommerce — always free, above a minimum order amount, or with a coupon code.

Free shipping is a popular way to encourage larger orders and remove a reason to abandon a cart. WooCommerce includes it as one of its three built-in shipping methods, alongside Flat rate and Local pickup. This guide shows you the different ways to offer it.

Quick summary

Add the "Free shipping" method to a shipping zone and choose what the customer has to do to qualify: nothing at all, spend a minimum amount, use a free shipping coupon, or a combination. The option appears at checkout once the customer qualifies.

The three ways to offer free shipping

Shipping is free for every customer in that zone, with no conditions. Use this if free shipping is part of your business model.

WooCommerce can also combine the last two, either way round — see the options in step 6 below.

Setting up free shipping

Go to WooCommerce → Settings → Shipping → Shipping zones. Free shipping has to be added to a zone, so set your zones up first if you haven't.

Click the Edit button on the zone where you want to offer free shipping (e.g., "United States").

Click the Add shipping method button.

Select "Free shipping", then click Continue.

Enter a Name. This is what customers see at the cart and checkout.

Choose an option in the "Free Shipping Requires" dropdown:

No requirement — free for everyone in the zone.
A valid free shipping coupon — see the coupons guide.
A minimum order amount — enter the threshold in the "Minimum Order Amount" field that appears.
A minimum order amount OR a coupon — either condition works.
A minimum order amount AND a coupon — both required.

Save the method.

To create the coupon itself, go to Marketing → Coupons, select Add coupon, tick Allow free shipping, and publish it.

Showing a "Spend X more for free shipping" message

WooCommerce's own documentation doesn't describe a built-in setting for this progress message, so plan on a plugin or a small piece of custom code to show a progress bar in the cart.

Ask us to recommend and set one up if you'd like it.

Combining free shipping with paid options

You can offer both free and paid shipping in the same zone. For example:

Free standard shipping on orders over $75.
Express shipping for $12.99 (always available).

Add both methods to your zone. Customers who qualify for free shipping see both options and can choose express if they want faster delivery.

Display tip

The method selected by default at checkout is the first enabled method in the zone the customer matches, so the order of the methods in the zone matters. If you want express to be the one highlighted, ask us about the ordering and display.

Disabling paid shipping when free is available

Some stores prefer to hide paid options entirely once a customer qualifies for free shipping. WooCommerce has a setting for exactly this:

Go to WooCommerce → Settings → Shipping.

Open the "Shipping settings" section.

Under Calculations, tick "Hide shipping rates when free shipping is available", then save. The same section also has "Enable the shipping calculator on the cart page" and "Hide shipping costs until an address is entered".

Common questions

Does the minimum order amount include or exclude tax and discounts?

By default WooCommerce checks the order amount after any coupon discount — so a $30 order with a $10 coupon counts as $20 towards the threshold. If you pick a minimum-amount option, a tick box appears called Apply minimum order rule before coupon discount. Tick it and WooCommerce uses the undiscounted amount ($30 in that example) instead.

WooCommerce's documentation doesn't spell out how tax is treated here, so if that matters to your threshold, place a test order and check before you rely on it.

My free shipping isn't showing up at checkout even though the cart is over the minimum. What's wrong?

First, check that the free shipping method is enabled in the correct zone. Second, confirm the amount WooCommerce is comparing against the threshold — a coupon can push the order below it unless you've ticked "Apply minimum order rule before coupon discount". Third, make sure the customer's address falls within that zone; each customer matches only one zone. If you're still stuck, contact us.

Can I offer free shipping for specific products only?

Not with the built-in free shipping method — it applies to the whole cart. WooCommerce's own guidance is to use shipping classes with the Flat rate method instead: put the free-to-ship products in their own class, set the main Cost field to $0.00, and charge only through the class cost fields for everything else. Ask us for help with this.

Need a hand?

If you're stuck, email support@chykalophia.com and we'll help. Include your website address and a screenshot if you can.

Learn more

WooCommerce Free Shipping

Setting up free shipping

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