WooCommerce Billing (Optional)

Use WooCommerce as a billing provider instead of (or alongside) Polar. This is useful if you already run a WooCommerce store, need local payment gateways (e.g., Stripe, PayPal, local bank transfers), or prefer to manage billing within WordPress.

When to Use WooCommerce

Use case	Recommended provider
Simple subscription billing, international	Polar
Existing WooCommerce store, need local gateways	WooCommerce
Vietnamese bank transfers (VietQR)	SePay (separate plugin)
Multiple payment options for customers	Both — enable multiple providers

Setup Overview

Step 1: Install WooCommerce

1. Go to Plugins → Add New
2. Search for WooCommerce
3. Install and activate
4. Complete the WooCommerce setup wizard (configure currency, payment methods, etc.)

WooCommerce docs: Getting started

Step 2: Configure Payment Gateways

In WooCommerce → Settings → Payments, enable the payment gateways you want to offer:

• Stripe
• PayPal
• Bank transfer
• Any other WooCommerce-compatible gateway

Each gateway has its own setup. See WooCommerce payment gateway docs.

Step 3: Create Anchor Product

WaaS uses a shared anchor product — a hidden WooCommerce product used for dynamic pricing at checkout. You don't need separate products per plan.

1. Go to WaaS → Settings → General
2. Click the Create/Repair WooCommerce Anchor Product button
3. A hidden product is created automatically

Or set the anchor product ID manually in the WooCommerce Anchor Product field.

Step 4: Enable WooCommerce as Billing Provider

1. Go to WaaS → Settings → Billing
2. Find the WooCommerce provider card
3. Check Enable this provider
4. Save settings

Step 5: Configure Currency

If WooCommerce is enabled, the Primary Currency is locked to your WooCommerce store currency. To change it, go to WooCommerce → Settings → General → Currency.

How It Works

Unlike Polar (which uses external checkout), WooCommerce checkout happens on your own site:

1. Customer selects a paid plan during signup
2. WaaS creates a WooCommerce cart with the plan price
3. Customer is redirected to WooCommerce checkout
4. Customer completes payment using your configured gateway
5. On order completion, WaaS automatically provisions the site

No webhooks needed — WooCommerce uses WordPress action hooks internally.

WooCommerce Subscriptions (Optional)

For recurring billing (automatic renewals), install the WooCommerce Subscriptions plugin. Without it, WooCommerce handles one-time payments only and subscription renewals must be managed manually.

Limitations vs Polar

Feature	Polar	WooCommerce
External hosted checkout	Yes	No (on-site)
Automatic subscription management	Yes	Requires WC Subscriptions plugin
Webhook-based status sync	Yes	Uses WP hooks (internal only)
Setup complexity	Low	Medium (more configuration)
Payment gateway flexibility	Limited (Polar's gateways)	High (any WC-compatible gateway)

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Next: Troubleshooting