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Do I have to upgrade to the business plan to be able to sell digital downloads on Word Press? I am just starting out and really dont want to pay the monthly for a business plan. Was wondering if there was any outside alternatives/links I can just put in my blog to send customers elsewhere to purchase??
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Nope, you don’t need to pay for a PRO SUBSCRIPTION or to UPGRADE to any BUSINESS PLAN. You just need WooCommerce or other eCommerce plugin that allows you t sell DIGITAL PRODUCTS. If you go with WooCommerce, make sure to set the product as DIGITAL, so once a customer purchase and checkout that digital product, they’ll then be able to download your DIGITAL FILE/PRODUCT.
Don’t use WordPress.com
>Do I have to upgrade to the business plan to be able to sell digital downloads on Word Press?
The answer is: “maybe” as it really depends on how you want to set this “store” up. WordPress.com has a couple options, some of which are available without the Business plan here:
>I am just starting out and really dont want to pay the monthly for a business plan.
Websites generally aren’t free. Servers and the staff to run/support them cost money. That money is charged to you, the customer.
[WordPress.com]) offers a couple plans that are “limited” versions of WordPress ([Free/Personal/Premium]). These are useful for people who just need a basic informational or personal website/blog. [WordPress.com Business]) is what most folks call “managed WordPress hosting”. It’s going to cost more than hosting from Bluehost/Knownhost/etc, but it offers the ability to offload various backup/updating/security and other maintenance tasks to the host’s team. And they will have a dedicated WordPress specific support team who can help you if you get in a jam. Most hosts just assist with hosting issues. Other companies offering managed WordPress hosting include WPengine, Kinsta, Pressable,com, and others, and they are all priced similarly as premium hosting.
That said, the WordPress and WooCommerce software are free. There is no reason you can’t find a hosting provider and set up your own WP/Woo based store. Many of us have learned to do it. There are thousands of resources on the internet these days that will walk you through the process. The best way to learn is to do.
But be aware that this won’t be free either. Shared hosting from somewhere like Bluehost is cheaper than managed WordPress hosting, but it’s still something you have to pay for. Registering your domain name is something you’ll have to pay for.
If you want a totally free way to sell digital downloads, you’ll probably have to look into a platform like Etsy or something similar.