A WooCommerce free gift is a product you give away when a shopper meets a rule such as a points balance. WooCommerce core cannot add that gift for you. You pick a points reward, a coupon or a cart total plugin.
We tested all three setups on a WooCommerce 11.2 test store running WordPress 7.1.3 in October 2026. That includes our own LoyaltyX Pro 1.1.2 with the free LoyaltyX 1.2.0 plugin. A shopper redeemed 500 points and the gift landed in the cart at $0.00.
Below you get each setup step by step, a table that compares them, and the math that keeps a gift from eating your margin.
What Is a WooCommerce Free Gift?
A WooCommerce free gift is a product the shopper receives at no cost after meeting a condition. The condition is usually a points balance, a minimum cart total or a product purchase. Stores use gifts to raise order size without cutting the price of any product.
A gift is not a sale price. The product keeps its normal price in your catalog and only the order total changes.
Most stores use one of four triggers. The table shows what each one needs.
| Trigger | Example | Built into WooCommerce? |
|---|---|---|
| Points balance | Redeem 500 points for a tote bag | No |
| Coupon code | Enter a code at the cart | Partly. You add the gift yourself |
| Cart total | Spend $75 and get a tote bag | No |
| Buy X get Y (BOGO) | Buy two mugs and get a candle | No |
Does WooCommerce Have a Built-In Free Gift Feature?
WooCommerce core has no free gift or BOGO setting in its admin screens. Its coupons can take 100 percent off a product the shopper already added to the cart. Anything that adds the gift for the shopper needs a plugin or custom code.
The WooCommerce coupon documentation lists three discount types: percentage, fixed cart and fixed product. None of them adds a product to the cart. That is why the coupon method below needs the shopper to do one extra step.
WooCommerce.com also sells a Buy One Get One Free extension with a “Product as a gift” promotion type. We did not test it. If you run BOGO offers, check its documentation before you buy.
Method 1: Give a WooCommerce Free Gift for Points With LoyaltyX Pro
LoyaltyX Pro lets shoppers pay points for a free product. You create a Free Product rule with a gift, a points price and a minimum cart amount. The shopper redeems from the rewards panel and the gift lands in the cart at $0.00.
We tested our WooCommerce points and rewards plugin on our test store. The free LoyaltyX plugin turns points into coupon value. Pro adds the WooCommerce free product reward and rule conditions such as a minimum cart amount.
Pro is sold as a yearly license from $139 to $799 as of October 2026. Follow these steps:
- Install both plugins: Install the free LoyaltyX plugin first because Pro needs it. Add the Pro zip under Plugins > Add Plugin > Upload Plugin and activate both.
- Activate the license: Open DevDiggers Plugins > LoyaltyX. Enter your license key and purchase email under Configuration > License. Without an active license the plugin says it is unavailable.
- Run the setup wizard: The wizard turns the program on and sets the rates. We kept the defaults of 1 point for every $10 spent and 100 points for $1 off.
- Add a redeeming rule: Go to LoyaltyX > Points Rules > Points Redeeming Rules and click Add New. Choose the Free Product rule type.
- Name the rule and pick the gift: Enter a Rule Name and search the product under Choose Free Product. Type the price in points under Points Value. We chose the Canvas Tote Bag and 500 points.
- Set a minimum cart amount: Scroll to Conditions and enter 75 in Minimum Cart Amount. Click Save Rule.
- Give the shopper points: A real shopper earns points from orders. For a test open LoyaltyX > Users > Manual Adjustment. Pick the customer and enter 500 in Points Amount. Keep Add Points and click Start Adjustment.
- Redeem from the cart: Log in as that shopper. Our cart held a $48 coffee set, a $22 candle and a $34 apron for $104. Click My Rewards and open Redeem. Click Redeem Now on the Free Canvas Tote Bag card.
- Check the cart: The Canvas Tote Bag appeared at $0.00 with a Save $12.00 label. The coupon showed under Coupons. The estimated total stayed at $104.00.
The points balance fell from 500 to 0. The points log read “Redeemed 500 Points for Free Product reward.”
We then placed the order with cash on delivery. The order listed the tote at $0.00 and a total of $104.00.
The same rule form has more fields. You can set a Coupon Expiry in days and turn off Allow Sharing. You can also limit a rule by Minimum User Points Balance, days of the week, user role or a Schedule.
What Happened Below the Minimum Cart Amount
We tried the same redeem on a cart worth $70. WooCommerce showed the message that the minimum spend for the coupon is $75.00. The page also said the coupon was created.
The plugin had already taken the 500 points. The coupon waited under My Account > Points and Rewards > Rewards. After we added the apron and reached $104 we clicked Apply there and the tote appeared at $0.00.
State the minimum in the Rule Description so shoppers see it before they spend points. The card in My Rewards shows that text.
Read the WooCommerce loyalty program guide first if you have no points system yet.
Method 2: Give a Free Gift With a WooCommerce Free Gift Coupon
You can build a WooCommerce free gift coupon with core features only. Create a gift product and a coupon that takes 100 percent off that one product above a minimum spend. The shopper adds the gift to the cart and enters the code.
We built this on our test store with a $12 canvas tote bag as the gift. Follow these steps:
- Create the gift product: Add the tote bag as a normal product with its real price of $12.
- Open the coupon screen: Go to Marketing > Coupons > Add coupon and enter a code such as
freetote. - Set the discount: Choose Percentage discount and enter 100 as the amount.
- Limit it to the gift: Open the Usage restriction tab. Enter 75 as the Minimum spend and add the tote bag under Products.
- Cap the quantity: Open the Usage limits tab and set Limit usage to X items to 1.
- Test the cart: Add products worth $96 and the tote bag. Apply the code. The tote stays at $12 in the list and the coupon takes $12 off the total.
Set the Coupon expiry date on the General tab if the offer has an end date. Without one the code keeps working until you disable it.
Tip: The Limit usage to X items field matters. We put two tote bags in one cart and the coupon still took off only $12.
The same tab has a Usage limit per user field. Set it to 1 if each customer should get the gift once. Leave Usage limit per coupon empty unless you want to stop after a set number of gifts.
Shoppers can add several gifts to one cart unless you limit the purchase quantity per order for the gift product.
What Broke in Our Coupon Test
The coupon follows the rules you set, but those rules have a gap. The documentation for the Minimum spend option says it sets the minimum cart subtotal needed to use the coupon. The gift sits in that subtotal.
We tested this with a $48 pour-over set and a $22 candle. That is $70 of real products, which is below the $75 rule. We added the $12 tote and the coupon worked, because the subtotal reached $82.
The fix is simple math. Set the minimum spend to the threshold plus the gift price. For a $75 offer with a $12 gift, enter 87.
We also saw two error messages worth knowing. A $46 cart returned “The minimum spend for coupon “freetote” is $75.00.” A cart without the tote returned “Sorry, coupon “freetote” is not applicable to selected products.”
Method 3: Offer a WooCommerce Free Gift With Purchase at a Cart Total
The coupon makes shoppers add the gift and type a code. A plugin removes both steps. We tested the free Free Gift Product For WooCommerce plugin, version 1.1, for a WooCommerce free gift with purchase at a set cart total.
The plugin shows a gift picker in the cart once the total reaches your number. Its listing reports more than 700 active installs. These steps follow our test:
- Install the plugin: Go to Plugins > Add Plugin, search for the plugin by name and activate it.
- Pick the rule type: Open Woo Gift in the admin menu. Set Active Gift Rule to Cart Price Rule and click Add Price Rule.
- Enter the numbers: Type 75 in Min Cart Total, 1000 in Max Cart Total and 1 in Allowed Gifts. Search for the tote bag under Gift Products and click Save Changes.
- Check a cart below the minimum: A cart worth $70 showed a message that the shopper has not reached the minimum yet.
- Check a cart above the minimum: A $104 cart showed a Select Your Gift box with the tote and an Add To Cart button.
The settings screen also has an Allow Gifts only to Logged-in Users option. Turn it on if the gift is a thank you for account holders.
Worth checking: The Max Cart Total field is required. We left it empty and the plugin would not save the rule. Enter a number higher than any cart you expect.
The listing says you can edit the titles, button text and messages. The default cart message we saw is hard to read. Rewrite it before launch.
The listing also names a [fgfwp_block_gift] shortcode. It places the gift block on another page.
After the shopper clicked Add To Cart, the tote showed at $0.00 with a Save $12.00 label. The quantity buttons on the gift row were greyed out.
We then removed the $34 apron, which dropped the cart to $70. The gift left the cart on its own. The plugin has a Remove Gifts if Rule Fails setting, and it was on by default.
This approach has no loophole like Method 2, because the gift is priced at $0.00 and adds nothing to the cart total. The free version shows the gift picker on the cart page only. The settings screen marks the checkout page picker as Pro.
Free Gift Mistakes to Avoid
Most free gift offers fail for small reasons. The gift counts toward the spend, the rule has a hidden required field or shoppers never see the offer. Each of the mistakes below came up in our own tests or follows from them.
- Counting the gift toward the spend: A coupon gift lifts the subtotal it is judged on. Add the gift price to the minimum spend.
- Hiding the minimum from points users: Our points rule took 500 points on a $70 cart before the coupon could apply. Write the minimum into the rule description.
- Leaving a required field empty: The plugin we tested would not save a cart price rule without a Max Cart Total. Fill every field in the rule.
- Keeping the default message: The wording we saw is hard to read. A clear line such as “Spend $75 and pick a free tote” does the selling for you.
- Forgetting the gift is a real product: It has a price, a stock level and a cost to you. Track it like any other item.
Fix these five and the offer behaves the way the shopper expects.
Which WooCommerce Free Gift Plugin or Method Should You Pick?
Use points when the gift should reward loyal customers who keep coming back to your store. Use the coupon for a one-off promotion that you control by hand. Use a cart total plugin when every shopper above a number should get a gift.
The table sums up what we saw on our test store.
| Method | Gift added by | Cost | What to watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| LoyaltyX Pro points reward | Redeeming points | Pro plan from $139 a year | Set a minimum cart amount and say so |
| Coupon | The shopper | No plugin | Gift counts toward the minimum spend |
| Cart total plugin | The shopper from a picker | Free tier tested | Max Cart Total is required |
A free product offer also pairs with an order bump for WooCommerce, since both aim to raise the order total. Keep the two offers apart so they do not stack by accident.
How to Keep a WooCommerce Free Gift Profitable
A free gift is a real cost that you should test on paper before you launch it. Compare what the extra spend earns you with what the gifts cost you. Start with the gift’s purchase cost, because that is the number that leaves your bank account.
Here is an example with round numbers. Say your average cart is $60 and the gift costs you $5. Your threshold is $75, and 100 shoppers add $15 to reach it.
- Extra sales: 100 shoppers times $15 is $1,500.
- Gift cost: 100 gifts times $5 is $500.
- Gross profit on the extra sales: At a 40 percent margin, $1,500 earns $600.
- Left after gifts: $600 minus $500 is $100.
That is thin. Raise the threshold, pick a cheaper gift or limit the offer by date. For more on discount rules, read our guide to creating WooCommerce coupon codes.
Note: Every number above is an example for the math. It is not a result from a real store.
Conclusion
A WooCommerce free gift works with a points reward, a coupon or a cart total plugin. LoyaltyX Pro turned 500 points into a $0.00 tote bag on our test store.
The coupon costs nothing but counts the gift toward your minimum spend. The free plugin we tested adds the gift at $0.00 and removes it when the cart drops below the number.
Start with points if you want repeat orders. Start with the cart total rule if you want gifts for every shopper above a number. Whatever you pick, run the margin math first.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Does WooCommerce have BOGO built in?
WooCommerce core has no buy one get one setting. You can build a manual version with a coupon or use a plugin. WooCommerce.com sells a Buy One Get One Free extension that we did not test.
Q2. How do I add free product to cart automatically in WooCommerce?
Core WooCommerce cannot add the gift to the cart for the shopper. LoyaltyX Pro adds the gift when the shopper redeems a Free Product reward. The free plugin we tested shows a picker and the shopper clicks Add To Cart.
Q3. Can shoppers redeem points for a free product in WooCommerce?
Yes. A Free Product rule in LoyaltyX Pro takes a set number of points and adds the gift at $0.00. The free LoyaltyX plugin only turns points into coupon value, as its WordPress.org listing explains.
Q4. Does the free gift count toward the minimum spend?
It does with a coupon. The WooCommerce coupon documentation says the minimum spend uses the cart subtotal, and the gift sits in that subtotal. Add the gift price to your minimum spend to fix it.
Q5. What happens to the gift if the shopper removes items?
With the plugin we tested, the gift left the cart when the total fell below the minimum. The Remove Gifts if Rule Fails setting was on by default.
Q6. Can I limit a free gift to one per order?
Yes. On a coupon, set Limit usage to X items to 1. In the plugin we tested, set Allowed Gifts to 1 on the cart price rule.
Q7. Is a free gift better than a discount?
It depends on your margin. A gift keeps your product prices intact, but it costs you the purchase price of the gift. Run the math from the profit section before you choose.
