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How to Automatically Add a Free Gift to Cart in WooCommerce Based on Total

/ by Ava Taylor

Imagine this: A shopper is filling up their cart on your WooCommerce store. They reach a certain amount, and then—surprise!—a free gift automatically appears in their cart. No confusing codes. No extra clicks. Just a sweet reward. Sounds awesome, right?

Well, you’re in luck. Today, we’ll learn how to add a free gift to a customer’s cart automatically based on their cart total. It’s easy if you follow this simple guide.

🎁 Why Offer a Free Gift?

  • Boost Sales: Shoppers will add more to their carts just to get that freebie.
  • Delight Customers: Free stuff makes people happy. Happy people come back.
  • Build Loyalty: Small gestures go a long way in creating brand fans.

Now, let’s get to the fun part. There’s no need for a fancy plugin (unless you want one—we’ll cover that too). We’re starting with a simple way using code.

🛠️ The Manual Method (Using Functions.php)

This method works great if you’re comfortable adding custom code to your WordPress theme. You’ll need to:

  1. Have access to your theme’s functions.php file
  2. Know the product ID of your free gift
  3. Set the minimum cart total that qualifies for the gift

Let’s jump right in. Here’s the code you’ll add to functions.php of your active theme:


add_action('woocommerce_before_calculate_totals', 'add_free_gift_based_on_total');

function add_free_gift_based_on_total($cart) {
    if (is_admin() && !defined('DOING_AJAX')) return;

    $free_gift_id = 123; // Replace with your free product ID
    $min_total = 100; // Set your threshold amount

    $has_gift = false;

    foreach ($cart->get_cart() as $cart_item_key => $cart_item) {
        if ($cart_item['product_id'] == $free_gift_id) {
            $has_gift = true;
            break;
        }
    }

    if ($cart->subtotal >= $min_total && !$has_gift) {
        $cart->add_to_cart($free_gift_id);
    }

    if ($cart->subtotal < $min_total && $has_gift) {
        foreach ($cart->get_cart() as $cart_item_key => $cart_item) {
            if ($cart_item['product_id'] == $free_gift_id) {
                $cart->remove_cart_item($cart_item_key);
            }
        }
    }
}

What this does:

  • Automatically adds the gift if the cart total meets or exceeds the limit
  • Removes the gift if the total drops below the limit again

Tip: Use a coupon system if you also want to limit how often someone can get a gift.

🧩 Want a Simpler Way? Use a Plugin!

If typing code gives you nightmares, don’t worry. There are plugins that can handle this for you. No coding needed!

✅ Recommended Plugins:

  • WooCommerce Auto Added Coupons – Free and simple. Add a gift product via a “coupon” that activates at a cart subtotal.
  • Advanced Free Gift For WooCommerce – More flexibility and lots of configuration options
  • YITH WooCommerce Gift Products – Stylish interface. Great if you want customer to choose the gift.

Using a plugin is as simple as:

  1. Install and activate your chosen plugin
  2. Set a rule like “Gift X is added when cart is over $100”
  3. Save settings, and you’re done!

Everything happens behind the scenes, automatically.

💡 Pro Tips to Maximize This Feature

  • Name Your Gift Product Clearly – Try “Free Surprise Gift 🎁” so shoppers notice it
  • Use a Product with $0 Price – You don’t want to charge accidentally!
  • Track Conversions – Use Google Analytics to see if your sales increase
  • Try Gift Variations – Switch up the item monthly to keep things exciting

🚨 Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Using a Gift That’s Out of Stock – Always make sure you have inventory
  • Forgetting to Exclude Gift from Coupons – Customers shouldn’t discount the gift
  • Adding Tax or Shipping to the Gift – Keep it truly free

🧠 A Quick Recap

Add a free product to the customer’s cart when they spend a certain amount. This can:

  • 💰 Boost order value
  • 😊 Create customer delight
  • 📈 Increase repeat business

You can do it with a sneaky bit of code (if you’re bold). Or keep it simple with a plugin (if you prefer easy).

📦 Final Thoughts

Store owners are always looking for an edge. A free gift might seem small—but it works wonders. You’ll find that sales increase. Customers grin. And repeat orders skyrocket.

So start today. Pick your favorite freebie. Set a cart total. Add the code or install a plugin. Then watch the magic happen.

Trust us. Your customers will love the surprise—and so will your bottom line.

Now, go make someone’s day… with the power of free. 🎉

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