WooCommerce Hide Shipping Method: Optimize Checkout by Controlling Shipping Options

Ecommerce Feb 11, 2025 5 Add to Reading List

Introduction

Shipping methods play a crucial role in the customer’s purchasing decision. While offering multiple shipping options can improve flexibility, there are situations where hiding certain shipping methods is necessary. WooCommerce Hide Shipping Method allows store owners to disable specific shipping methods based on conditions like location, cart total, product category, user role, and more.

This feature ensures that customers see only relevant shipping options, simplifying the checkout process and avoiding confusion. In this guide, we will explore the benefits, use cases, and implementation of hiding shipping methods in WooCommerce.

Why Hide Shipping Methods in WooCommerce?

Hiding specific shipping methods can enhance the customer experience and streamline order management. Some key reasons to use this feature include:

Avoiding Confusion at Checkout – Display only the most relevant shipping options to reduce decision fatigue.
Restricting Expensive Shipping Methods – Hide high-cost shipping options for specific customers or locations.
Encouraging Free Shipping – Automatically remove paid shipping methods when free shipping is available.
Restricting Certain Shipping Providers – Prevent customers from using unwanted shipping methods in specific regions.
Applying Custom Rules for Products – Restrict shipping options based on product type, weight, or category.

Methods to Hide Shipping Options in WooCommerce

There are multiple ways to hide shipping methods in WooCommerce. The best approach depends on the specific conditions and use cases.

1. Hiding Shipping Methods When Free Shipping is Available

Many store owners prefer to remove paid shipping options when free shipping is applicable. WooCommerce provides a simple way to achieve this:

Go to WooCommerce > Settings > Shipping.
Click on the Shipping Zones tab.
Select a shipping zone and edit the shipping methods.
Enable Free Shipping and set conditions (e.g., "Free shipping requires a minimum order amount").
Use the Hide other shipping methods when free shipping is available option.

2. Using a WooCommerce Plugin to Hide Shipping Methods

For more advanced control, a plugin is the best solution. Some popular plugins include:

WooCommerce Hide Shipping Method – Allows dynamic hiding based on cart conditions, product attributes, and user roles.
Flexible Shipping for WooCommerce – Offers advanced shipping rules, including hiding methods based on weight, subtotal, or product categories.
WooCommerce Conditional Shipping and Payments – Restricts shipping methods based on customer location, user roles, and other conditions.

How to Set Up a Plugin to Hide Shipping Methods

Install and activate the plugin of your choice.
Go to WooCommerce > Settings > Shipping and find the plugin settings.
Create rules for hiding shipping methods based on:
- Cart subtotal
- Product category or tag
- Customer location (country, state, zip code)
- User role (e.g., hide methods for guest users)
- Payment method selection
Save the changes and test the checkout process.

3. Hiding Shipping Methods with Custom Code

For store owners who prefer manual customization, adding custom PHP code to the theme’s functions.php file can hide shipping methods based on conditions.

Example: Hide all shipping methods except free shipping when a customer qualifies for it

php

add_filter('woocommerce_package_rates', 'hide_shipping_when_free_available', 100, 2);
function hide_shipping_when_free_available($rates, $package) {
    $free_shipping_exists = false;
    foreach ($rates as $rate_id => $rate) {
        if ('free_shipping' === $rate->method_id) {
            $free_shipping_exists = true;
            break;
        }
    }
    
    if ($free_shipping_exists) {
        foreach ($rates as $rate_id => $rate) {
            if ('free_shipping' !== $rate->method_id) {
                unset($rates[$rate_id]);
            }
        }
    }
    
    return $rates;
}

Use Cases for Hiding Shipping Methods

1. Hide Shipping for Digital Products

If your store sells both physical and digital products, hiding shipping for virtual products ensures customers don’t see unnecessary shipping options.

Solution:

Use a plugin or custom code to remove shipping methods when a digital product is in the cart.

2. Hide Specific Shipping Methods Based on Location

Some shipping methods may not be available in certain regions due to carrier restrictions.

Solution:

Set conditions in your plugin to disable shipping methods for specific countries, states, or postal codes.

3. Hide Express Shipping for Heavy Items

Certain shipping methods may not be suitable for oversized or heavy products.

Solution:

Restrict express shipping options when the total cart weight exceeds a certain threshold.

4. Hide Shipping Methods for Wholesale Customers

Wholesale customers may have different shipping arrangements, requiring specific methods to be hidden.

Solution:

Use a plugin to hide standard shipping options for users with a wholesale role and display custom methods instead.

5. Hide Shipping for Local Pickup Orders

If a customer chooses local pickup, shipping options should be removed to avoid confusion.

Solution:

Create a rule to hide all shipping methods when the Local Pickup option is selected.

Best Practices for Managing Hidden Shipping Methods

To ensure a smooth customer experience, follow these best practices when configuring hidden shipping methods:

Test Checkout Scenarios – After applying changes, go through the checkout process with different cart conditions to confirm the correct shipping options appear.
Use Clear Messaging – If a shipping method is hidden due to cart conditions (e.g., weight, total amount), inform customers why certain options are unavailable.
Provide Alternative Options – If certain shipping methods are unavailable in specific locations, ensure customers have other suitable options.
Keep Plugins and WooCommerce Updated – Regular updates ensure that shipping rules continue to function correctly.
Monitor Customer Feedback – If customers report issues with missing shipping options, review your rules and make necessary adjustments.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

1. Shipping Methods Are Not Hiding as Expected

Check that the plugin settings or custom code are configured correctly.
Clear the WooCommerce cache and test the checkout again.
Ensure the shipping zones and methods are correctly assigned.

2. Free Shipping Does Not Override Other Shipping Methods

Verify that the "Hide other shipping methods when free shipping is available" option is enabled in WooCommerce settings.
Check the order total requirement for free shipping.

3. Shipping Methods Are Hidden for the Wrong Customers

Review the user role settings if using a plugin that applies rules based on customer roles.
Ensure that conditions such as cart subtotal, product type, or location are properly defined.

Conclusion

The WooCommerce Hide Shipping Method feature is an essential tool for optimizing checkout, reducing confusion, and improving the customer experience. Whether you need to hide shipping based on cart conditions, product types, customer roles, or locations, WooCommerce offers multiple ways to manage this efficiently.

By using built-in WooCommerce settings, dedicated plugins, or custom code, store owners can ensure that only the most relevant shipping options are displayed, leading to a smoother checkout process and higher customer satisfaction.