How to Sell Tutor LMS Courses with WooCommerce

WooCommerce is the right engine for Tutor LMS when courses sit alongside other products or you need a WooCommerce extension. This guide sets up Tutor LMS 4.1.3 with WooCommerce and explains how enrollment follows orders, so you avoid the classic "paid but no access" problem.

Step 1: Install WooCommerce and select it

1. Install and activate WooCommerce, and complete its basic setup (currency, tax, pages).
2. Go to Tutor LMS > Settings > Monetization > Options and set Select eCommerce Engine to WooCommerce. The option only appears when WooCommerce is active.

Step 2: Configure the WooCommerce settings in Tutor LMS

Under Monetization > WooCommerce:

• Automatically Complete WooCommerce Orders: "If enabled, in the case of Courses, WooCommerce Orders will get the 'Completed' status." Turn this on; otherwise many gateways leave course orders in Processing and students wait for access. See auto-completing orders.
• Auto Redirect to Courses: after an auto-completed order, send the buyer to their enrolled courses.
• Enable Guest Mode: let visitors add courses to the cart before logging in.

Under Settings > Advanced, Hide Course Products on Shop Page keeps course products out of your WooCommerce shop if you only want them sold from course pages.

Step 3: Link each course to a product

Edit a course, set the pricing model to Paid, and choose the WooCommerce product. In the builder: "You can select an existing WooCommerce product, alternatively, a new WooCommerce product will be created for you." Tutor LMS saves the link in the course meta _tutor_course_product_id. Use one product per course; prices are managed on the product.

Course products should be virtual (no shipping). If you create products yourself, mark them virtual.

How enrollment follows the order

1. When the order is created, Tutor LMS creates a pending enrollment for each course in it and stores the order ID on the enrollment.
2. When the order status changes to Completed, Tutor LMS completes the enrollment and the student gets access.
3. If the order is Cancelled or Refunded, Tutor LMS removes the course from the student's active courses.

That is why order status is everything. A payment that succeeded but left the order in Processing or On hold means no access until the order is completed. Tutor LMS also handles orders placed through the block-based WooCommerce checkout.

Step 4: Test

1. Buy a course with each gateway in test mode.
2. Check the order reaches Completed and the course appears in the student's dashboard.
3. Refund the order and check access is removed.

Subscriptions with WooCommerce

For recurring access, use WooCommerce Subscriptions with the WooCommerce Subscriptions add-on in Tutor LMS Pro. Tutor LMS 4 shows the subscription expiry date for these enrollments.

Revenue sharing

Instructor earnings are recorded for WooCommerce orders and follow the order status. Developers can adjust the earning data with the tutor_new_earning_data filter.

Common problems

• Paid but not enrolled: order not Completed. Enable auto-complete, or check what is blocking it.
• Wrong course unlocked: the product is linked to more than one course, or the link points to an old product.
• Access remains after refund: check the order status really changed to Refunded.

See WooCommerce order completed but no access.

Frequently asked questions

Should I use WooCommerce or Tutor LMS native eCommerce?

Native is simpler if you only sell courses. WooCommerce is better if you sell other products or need its extensions. See the comparison.

Can one product unlock several courses?

Each course links to one product. For several courses in one purchase, use a Tutor LMS bundle with native eCommerce, or custom development.

Need help with your store? See our WooCommerce integration service.