WC External Variations
Adds basic support for external products to WooCommerce variations/variable products. This plugin allows you to define an external URL on any variation and will then open that link when the user clicks on the Add To…
Use with caution
WC External Variations works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. It runs on 300+ sites, is rated 5/5 and was last updated 11 months ago, and scores 53/100 on our health check.
- Small user base (300+ active installs)
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.8 (latest is 7.1)
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & support
Daily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where WC External Variations stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| external | #25 |
| variable | >100 |
| variations | #34 |
| woocommerce | >100 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
Rating breakdown
★★★★★★★★★★ 5 from 8 reviews
About WC External Variations
From the official readme · v1.0.18Description
Adds basic support for external products to WooCommerce
variations/variable products. This plugin allows you to define an external
URL on any variation and will then open that link when the user
clicks on the Add To Cart button. Because the Javascript is used for this,
any adding to cart that is done via the backend such as with APIs will not
redirect properly.
Note that as of 03/2023 this plugin is not longer under active development.
Shortcode support
This plugin provides two shortcodes that you can use within your site:
1. [wcev_product_attr] – allows you to display an product attribute, use the “name” attribute to find the right attribute.
2. [wcev_var_field] – allows you to display a custom field, attribute or data element for a variation, use the “id” attribute to point to the right field.
The order of precendence is as follows: custom fields, attributes, then data elements.
3. [wcev_var_postdate] – displays the formatted post date and time for a variation, doesn’t take attributes.
External SKU and status fields
In addition to the external URL field, a second field called “External SKU” is provided for each variation.
You can set this field and then use the provided shortcode to display it.
The purpose is to track the external SKU separately from the internal one.
There is now ability to specify the ‘Add to Button’ text in a specific variation. If the global setting is set, the variation-specific field will override it.
Settings
To change settings, go to WooCommerce Settings -> Products -> External Variations. The following are available:
* Ability to change if links open in new or same window
* Ability to change if links open when the ‘Add to Cart’ button is clicked or when the variation is selected
* Ability to override the ‘Add to Cart’ button text for all external variations
More Details
Please note that this plugin has only been tested in a vanilla WordPress / WooCommerce
installation without any other plugins. If you have other plugins that modify
the functionality of the Add to Cart button, this plugin may not work or
cause unintended consequences.
Source code for this plugin can be found at Github
You can find this plugin at WordPress.org
Known Issues
When the number of variations exceeds 30, the plugin stops working. This is due
to a WooCommerce limit and can be bypassed by using a filter as described here:
https://docs.woocommerce.com/document/change-limit-on-number-of-variations-for-dynamic-variable-product-dropdowns/
Installation
- Make sure you are running WooCommerce v4.0 or higher.
- Either add the plugin via Plugins > Add New, place the entire
plugin into the ‘/wp-content/plugins/’ directory or upload it via the
Plugins > Upload section. - Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress
- Go into any variable product, and specify the external URL in a variation.
- Save the product, view it, select the variation with the external URL and
click on Add to Cart. - A new window should open with the external URL.
- To change settings, go to WooCommerce Settings -> Products -> External Variations.
Changelog
TBD
1.0.18
- Updated to confirm testing with latest versions
1.0.17
- Updated to confirm testing with latest versions
1.0.16
- Re-added HTOS compatibility code
1.0.15
- Reverting 1.0.14 changes due to fatal errors
1.0.14
- Added support for HPOS
- Added note about no more active development
1.0.13
- Fix for URLs with escaped characters
For developers
Is this your plugin? Show off the numbers.
Add a live badge to your site, docs or GitHub README. It updates on its own — no account needed.
Best WC External Variations alternatives
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FAQ
WC External Variations: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Sep 27, 2026
Is WC External Variations free?
Yes. WC External Variations is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is WC External Variations safe to use in 2026?
WC External Variations works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. It runs on 300+ sites, is rated 5/5 and was last updated 11 months ago, and scores 53/100 on our health check.
How many websites use WC External Variations?
WC External Variations is active on 300+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 7,784 times since it launched in June 2018. It was downloaded 99 times in the last 30 days.
Does WC External Variations work with WordPress 7.1?
WC External Variations is officially tested up to WordPress 6.8.10, while the latest release is 7.1.2. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
What PHP version does WC External Variations need?
WC External Variations requires PHP 5.6.0 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.
When was WC External Variations last updated?
The latest version, 1.0.18, was released on November 6, 2025 (11 months ago).
Who makes WC External Variations?
WC External Variations is developed and maintained by Impossible Dreams Network.
What are the best alternatives to WC External Variations?
The most popular alternatives to WC External Variations are Simple Iframe (6K+ installs), Cloak Affiliate Links for W… (1K+ installs) and GDPRess (1K+ installs).
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