How to Add Donation or Pay What You Want Pricing in WooCommerce

Let Your Customers Decide What to Pay — It Might Surprise You

Most online stores set a fixed price and expect customers to accept it. But what if you flipped that idea on its head? What if you gave your customers the option to choose how much to pay — even if that means a little or a lot?

Allowing customers to pay what they want can have some surprising effects, whether you’re trying something new, selling a digital product, or raising money for a cause. It’s a means of building relationships and trust, not just a pricing plan.

The True Meaning of Pay-What-You-Want Pricing

Pay what you wish to The client is in charge with (PWYW) pricing, often known as donation pricing. You provide a place where people can enter their own amount rather than a set fee.

It’s used by artists, nonprofit groups, small business owners, and people selling digital items. You’ve probably seen it on websites offering music, eBooks, or even coaching sessions.

The idea is simple: some people may pay the bare minimum, while others, if they believe in what you’re offering, will pay more — sometimes a lot more.

When This Type of Pricing Makes Sense

Not every product fits this model, but there are situations where it works well:

• Donation campaigns: Great if you’re running a fundraiser or supporting a cause.
  
  
• Digital goods: Like music, photos, guides, or online tools — where you’re not losing money on production or shipping.
  
  
• Introductory launches: When you’re testing a new product and want honest feedback on how much people think it’s worth.
  
  
• Community support: If your audience wants to help you continue your work, PWYW gives them a way to pitch in.
  
  

If you’re offering real value, people often step up.

How to Add This Feature to Your WooCommerce Store

WooCommerce doesn’t offer this kind of pricing by default, but there’s a plugin that does the job well:
Custom Price for WooCommerce – (available at WooCommerce.com).

This plugin adds a simple price input box to the product page, allowing your customers to type in what they want to pay.

Let me show you how to set up

1. Install the plugin from the Official WooCommerce marketplace.
   
   
2. Go to the product you want to offer at flexible pricing.
   
   
3. In the product settings, check the box to allow user-defined pricing.
   
   
4. You can set a minimum or default amount if needed — this helps guide people.
   
   
5. Save and publish the product.
   
   

That’s it. Now the product page will show a blank field where customers can type in the amount they want to pay.

Keeping It Fair with Suggested or Minimum Amounts

You might be thinking: what if someone enters $0?

That’s where the plugin gives you control. You can:

• Establish a minimum price to ensure that your essential expenses are met.
  
  
• Add a default price so customers see a starting point.
  
  
• Decide if you want to allow prices below a certain number or not.
  
  

For example, if you’re selling an eBook, you might let people pay anything above $3, with a suggested amount of $10.

It’s flexible, but still protects your work.

Make the Pricing Field Easy to Understand

It should never be unclear to customers how much to enter. Make sure your language is friendly and unambiguous.

You can:

• Add a label like “Enter the amount you’d like to pay.”
  
  
• Use placeholder text inside the field — like “e.g., 10” — to give a hint.
  
  
• Show a small message if someone tries to go below the allowed amount.
  
  

Also, place the field where it feels natural — near the “Add to Cart” button — so shoppers don’t miss it.

How to Track and Manage These Orders

Once people start purchasing, you’ll be able to view their chosen price just like any other order.

In your WooCommerce dashboard, you can:

• See how much each person paid.
  
  
• Compare user-defined prices to your regular product prices.
  
  
• Spot trends — such as average donation amounts or which products perform better.
  
  

Over time, this helps you figure out whether to stick with the model or try different amounts.

Best Places to Use PWYW Products

Where and how you show these products can make a big difference.

Here are a few suggestions:

• Create a donation page with one or more products that use flexible pricing.
  
  
• Feature the products on your homepage or in a store banner.
  
  
• Add a “support us” option at checkout — this works great for nonprofits or content creators.
  
  
• Explain the option in your Emails or blog posts to let them know how it works.
  
  

The more visible the offer, the more likely people are to use it.

Be Aware of Tax Settings

If you’re offering these products as part of a charity or nonprofit, make sure your tax settings match local rules. Some products may be tax-exempt. Others might need specific wording on receipts.

With WooCommerce, you may mark particular products as non-taxable. It is best to manually establish taxes in compliance with your local legislation, as the plugin does not handle them for you.

Final Words

At first, letting customers choose their own prices may seem dangerous. But for many stores — especially those with a mission or digital offerings — it works better than expected.

People appreciate honesty. They like being trusted. And people frequently return the faith when you give them the opportunity to pay what they think something is worth.

With a simple plugin and a thoughtful setup, you can try this approach in your own WooCommerce store. It doesn’t take long — and you might be surprised by the results.