Recurring payments can be a great way to automate your billing process and improve your customer relationships. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to add recurring payments to your WordPress website:
- Choose a payment processor. There are a number of different payment processors that you can use to accept recurring payments. Some popular payment processors include Stripe, PayPal, and Authorize.net. We highly recommend you use Stripe for WordPress payment processing.
- Install a recurring payments plugin. There are a number of different recurring payments plugins that you can use for WordPress. Some popular recurring payments plugins include WP Simple Pay, WooCommerce, and Paid Memberships Pro. While they all do the same function, they all are for different features that you need. WooCommerce won’t help you make a membership website, but Paid Memberships Pro can. Alternatively, if you want to sell things, Paid Memberships Pro won’t help you, but WooCommerce can.
- Configure the recurring payments plugin. Once you have installed a recurring payments plugin, you will need to configure it to your liking. This will involve setting up your payment processor, creating your payment plans, and configuring the checkout process. Note: For most setup, this is all done in WordPress, NOT Stripe or the payment processor.
- Add a recurring payments form to your website. Once you have configured the recurring payments plugin, you can add a recurring payments form to your website. This can be done by using a shortcode or by adding a widget to your sidebar.
- Test your recurring payments system. Before you start accepting recurring payments from your customers, it’s important to test your system to make sure that it works properly. This means testing the payment processor, the checkout process, and the customer notifications. Stripe makes this easy through their test mode.
By following these steps, you can add recurring payments to your WordPress website and start enjoying the benefits of this convenient payment method.
Here are some additional tips for adding recurring payments to your WordPress website:
- Make sure that your website is secure. It’s important to make sure that your website is secure before you start accepting recurring payments. This means using a secure web hosting provider and having an SSL certificate installed on your website.
- Test your recurring payments system regularly. It’s a good idea to test your recurring payments system regularly to make sure that it is working properly. This will help you to avoid any problems down the road.
- Keep your customers informed. It’s important to keep your customers informed about their recurring payments. This means sending them regular invoices and notifications.
- Offer a free trial. If you are offering a recurring payments subscription service, it’s a good idea to offer a free trial. This will allow your customers to try out your service before they commit to a paid subscription. If you offer a physical product, offer a money back guarantee.
By following these tips, you can add recurring payments to your WordPress website and start enjoying the benefits of this convenient payment method.
