--- title: How to Apply a WooCommerce Coupon with a URL description: "Apply a WooCommerce coupon with a URL like ?alg_apply_coupon=CODE. First setup, delay and hide options, Pro redirects and add-to-cart." url: "https://wpfactory.com/docs/intro-how-to-use/" updated: "2026-09-27" category: How to --- # How to Apply a WooCommerce Coupon with a URL To apply a WooCommerce coupon with a URL, install [Coupons & Add to Cart by URL Links for WooCommerce](https://wpfactory.com/item/url-coupons-woocommerce/) and share a link such as `https://yourstore.com/?alg_apply_coupon=SAVE10`. The coupon is applied when the customer opens it. Settings are at **WPFactory > Coupons by URL** (also reachable at **WooCommerce > Settings > URL Coupons**). [![Coupons and Add to Cart by URL for WooCommerce banner](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/Coupons-Add-to-Cart-by-URL-banner-1-1024x333.png)](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/Coupons-Add-to-Cart-by-URL-banner-1.png) ## What it does URL Coupons lets customers apply your existing WooCommerce coupons by visiting a link, so there is no code to copy or retype. You can also hide the standard coupon box, delay a coupon until a product is in the cart, and, in Pro, add the coupon's products to the cart, redirect after the coupon is applied and show custom notices. ## Install and activate 1. Free: go to **Plugins > Add New**, search for **Coupons & Add to Cart by URL Links for WooCommerce**, then install and activate it. 2. Pro: download **Coupons & Add to Cart by URL Links for WooCommerce Pro** from your WPFactory account, upload the ZIP at **Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin** and activate it. [![Uploading the plugin to WordPress](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/Always-first-step-1024x724.png)](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/Always-first-step.png) For more detail, see [installing the plugin](https://wpfactory.com/docs/seamless-plugin-installation/). ## First setup 1. Create a normal coupon in **Marketing > Coupons** (or use an existing one), for example `SAVE10`. 2. Go to **WPFactory > Coupons by URL**. On the **General** section, confirm **Enable plugin** is ticked (on by default). 3. Check **URL coupons key**. The default is `alg_apply_coupon`. You can change it to any word, and your links will use that word instead. 4. Leave **Session** > **Force session start when a URL with the coupon key is accessed** ticked (on by default). It lets guests who are not logged in receive the coupon. 5. Save, then build your link by adding `?alg_apply_coupon=SAVE10` to any page on your store, for example `https://yourstore.com/shop/?alg_apply_coupon=SAVE10`. 6. Open the link in a private browser window, add a product and check that the discount shows in the cart. [![URL Coupons settings tab](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/Step2.-url-1024x495.png)](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/Step2.-url.png) [![URL Coupons general options](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/step3.-url-1024x495.png)](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/step3.-url.png) Every option on this screen is explained in [URL Coupons settings explained](https://wpfactory.com/docs/url-coupons-options/) and listed with its option ID in the [settings reference](https://wpfactory.com/docs/url-coupons-settings-reference/). ## Main features ### Delay coupon (Free) In **Delay Coupon Options**, turn on **Delay coupon** to hold the coupon until a product is added to the cart. **Check product** also confirms the right product is in the cart for "Fixed product discount" coupons, and you can edit the success and error notices. See [how to delay a URL coupon until a product is added](https://wpfactory.com/docs/woocommerce-delay-url-coupon/). [![URL Coupons success and error notices](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/step32.-url-1024x495.png)](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/step32.-url.png) ### Hide the coupon field (Free) In **Hide Coupon Options**, hide the standard coupon box on the **Cart page**, the **Checkout page** or both. **Hide condition** is **Always hide** by default, or choose **Hide if coupon applied via URL**. See [hide and redirect coupons options](https://wpfactory.com/docs/coupon-concealment-redirect/). ### Add coupon products to the cart (Pro) **Add products to cart** adds the coupon's products to the cart for "Fixed product discount" coupons, and **Empty cart** clears the cart first. See [how to add coupon products to the cart by URL](https://wpfactory.com/docs/woocommerce-add-coupon-products-to-cart-url/). ### Redirect after applying (Pro) **Redirect URL** keeps the customer on the page (**No redirect**, the default) or sends them to the cart, the checkout or a custom local URL. **Redirect URL per coupon** adds a redirect field to each coupon. See [how to set a redirect URL per coupon](https://wpfactory.com/docs/woocommerce-redirect-url-per-coupon/). [![URL Coupons hide and redirect options](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/Step33.-url-1024x495.png)](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/Step33.-url.png) ### Notices On the **Notices** section, **Delay notice** (Free) holds the success message until the cart has a product. **Custom notice**, **Notice per coupon**, **Override global notice** and **Override default notice** are Pro. See [notice options](https://wpfactory.com/docs/notice-options/) and [how to show a custom notice per coupon](https://wpfactory.com/docs/woocommerce-custom-coupon-notice-per-coupon/). [![URL Coupons notice options](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/Step4.-url-1024x495.png)](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/Step4.-url.png) ### Advanced options (Free) The **Advanced** section covers **Save on empty cart**, **Remove "add to cart" key**, **Force coupon redirect**, a WP Rocket empty cart caching option, payment request buttons for WooCommerce Stripe Gateway and WooCommerce Payments, **Javascript reload**, the main **Hook** (`wp_loaded` by default) and the **Data storage type** (session by default). See [URL Coupons advanced options](https://wpfactory.com/docs/advance-options/). ![URL Coupons advanced options](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/Step5.-url-1024x495.png) [![URL Coupons data storage options](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/Step52.-url-1024x495.png)](https://wpfactory.com/wp-content/uploads/Step52.-url.png) ### Shortcodes `[alg_wc_url_coupons_translate]` (Free) shows text per language. `[alg_wc_url_coupons_print_notices]` (Pro) prints WooCommerce notices on pages that do not show them, and note that it prints all WooCommerce notices, not only coupon notices. See the [shortcodes guide](https://wpfactory.com/docs/shortcodes-guide-coupon-url/) and [how to translate URL coupon text](https://wpfactory.com/docs/woocommerce-translate-url-coupon-notices/). ## Free vs Pro | Feature | Free | Pro | | --- | --- | --- | | Apply coupons by URL, custom URL key, session option | Yes | Yes | | Delay coupon, hide coupon field, delay notice | Yes | Yes | | All Advanced options | Yes | Yes | | `[alg_wc_url_coupons_translate]` | Yes | Yes | | Add products to cart, Empty cart | No | Yes | | Redirect URL and Redirect URL per coupon | No | Yes | | Custom notice, notice per coupon, override and notice method options | No | Yes | | `[alg_wc_url_coupons_print_notices]` | No | Yes | For a longer comparison, see [URL Coupons: Free vs Pro](https://wpfactory.com/docs/pro-vs-free-versions-copons/). ## FAQ ### What does a coupon URL look like? Any store URL plus `?alg_apply_coupon=CODE`, for example `https://yourstore.com/?alg_apply_coupon=SAVE10`. If the URL already has a `?`, add the key with `&` instead. If you changed **URL coupons key**, use your key in place of `alg_apply_coupon`. ### Does the coupon work for guests? Yes, with **Force session start when a URL with the coupon key is accessed** ticked, which is the default. If page caching gets in the way, see [make URL coupons work for guests and cached sites](https://wpfactory.com/docs/woocommerce-url-coupons-guests-caching/). ### The coupon applies but no message appears. Why? The page you link to may not display WooCommerce notices. Link to the cart or shop page, or on Pro add `[alg_wc_url_coupons_print_notices]` to the page. ### Can the link add a product to the cart too? Yes, in Pro. Turn on **Add products to cart** and use a "Fixed product discount" coupon with products set on it. ### Do I need to create special coupons? No. Any standard WooCommerce coupon works; the plugin only changes how it is applied. ### Get more control Applying coupons by URL is free. [Coupons & Add to Cart by URL Links for WooCommerce](https://wpfactory.com/item/url-coupons-woocommerce/) Pro adds add-to-cart coupons, redirects and custom notices. [See what Pro unlocks](https://wpfactory.com/item/url-coupons-woocommerce/). Need a hand? Our team answers every ticket on the [URL Coupons support forum](https://wpfactory.com/support/item/url-coupons-woocommerce/). Related articles - [URL Coupons: Developer Hooks and Filters Reference](https://wpfactory.com/docs/url-coupons-developer-hooks-filters/) - [URL Coupons: Additional Tips](https://wpfactory.com/docs/additional-tips-url-cart/) - [URL Coupons: Troubleshooting Specific Issues](https://wpfactory.com/docs/specific-issue-fixes/) - [Pro Features of URL Coupons](https://wpfactory.com/docs/url-coupon-features/) - [Streamline Your Sales with Coupons & Add to Cart](https://wpfactory.com/docs/streamline-cart-coupons/)