How to Create Buy 2 Get 1 Free Offers in WooCommerce (6 Easy Ways)

Want to create a Buy 2 Get 1 Free offer in WooCommerce?

While WooCommerce supports basic coupon discounts, it can’t create advanced Buy 2 Get 1 Free promotions on its own. You’ll need a plugin that supports BOGO rules.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• how Buy 2 Get 1 Free discounts work
• different types of BOGO offers
• how to create them in WooCommerce
• the limitations of WooCommerce’s default coupons
• the easiest way to automate BOGO promotions

BOGO vs. a straight percentage discount

A “Buy 2 Get 1 Free” deal is mathematically a 33% discount across 3 items, the same as running “33% off when you buy 3.” But BOGO consistently converts better.

Customers perceive “get one free” as higher value than an equivalent percentage off, even when the actual savings are identical. If your goal is purely margin protection, the math is the same either way. The choice comes down to which framing gets more people to add the third item to their cart.

Which Buy 2 Get 1 Free tool should you use?

Not sure which tool fits your Buy 2 Get 1 Free campaign? Compare the key differences below.

Choose the tool that matches how you want customers to discover and redeem your Buy 2 Get 1 Free offer.

6 ways to set up WooCommerce Buy 2 Get 1 Free

If you’re a WooCommerce store owner looking to implement “Buy 2 Get 1” offers, Smart Coupons is the most flexible option: supporting gift cards, store credits, URL coupons, and various coupon restrictions alongside BOGO rules.

The process is largely the same across all 6 variations. Only the product, category, and discount amount change.

‘Buy 2 get 1 free’ for the same product

The video shows how a lipstick is added for free when a customer buys 2 lipsticks.

In another example, let’s say you want to offer “Buy 2 Get 1 Free” on your red GAP t-shirts. When a customer purchases two quantities of the same product, they receive another same product for free. For example: Buy two t-shirts and get another same t-shirt for free.

Here’s how you can easily create this deal using Smart Coupons:

1. In your WordPress admin, go to Marketing > Coupons > Add coupon.
2. Under General, set Discount type to Fixed cart discount and coupon amount to 0. Check Auto apply.



3. In Usage Restriction, enter the product name under Products. Here, the product is GAP t-shirt.
4. In Product quantity based restrictions, the product (GAP t-shirt) will be auto selected. Set the quantity to 2.



5. Next go to the Actions tab and under Add products to cart, select the same t-shirt. Set each with quantity to 1 and with discount of to 100%.
6. Publish the coupon.

Now, when a customer adds two of the GAP t-shirts to their cart, a third one will be automatically added with a 100% discount.

Try the live demo

‘Buy 2 get 1 free’ for a different product

Here, when a customer purchases two quantities of the same product, they get a different product for free. For example, on the purchase of two T-shirts, we offer a cap for free to the customers.

Here’s how to offer a different free product with a “Buy 2” promotion (e.g., buy two t-shirts, get a free cap):

1. Follow steps 1-4 of the “Buy 2 Get 1 Free” setup for the same product (refer to previous instructions).
2. Crucially, in step 5: Instead of selecting the original product (t-shirt) again, select the different product you want to give away for free (cap).
3. All other steps remain the same.

‘Buy 2 get 1 at X off’ for the same product

In this deal type, customers don’t receive the product for free but at a discount or reduced price.

For example: Buy 2 Maybelline lipsticks and get another for $10 off.

Again, follow the same steps for the ‘Buy 2 get 1 free’ for the same product. Choose the product as Maybelline lipstick, select quantity as 2 and under Actions tab, instead of 100% discount, select discount as $10.

‘Buy 2 get 1 at Y off’ for a different product

Here, when a customer purchases two quantities of the same product, they receive a different product at a 50% discount. For example: Buy 2 Esbeda handbags and get one Chanel perfume for 50% off.

Follow the same steps for the ‘Buy 2 get 1 free’ for the same product. Choose the product as Esbeda handbag, select quantity as 2. Under Actions tab, choose product as Chanel perfume and select discount as 50%.

‘Buy 2 from category A and get 1 from the same category for free/discount

Here also, the steps to create this offer remain similar to the ‘Buy 2 get 1 free’ for the same product. Instead of a product, you need to choose the desired Category under the Usage restrictions tab and set the product quantity as 2.

To create a “Buy 2 from Category A, get 1 free/discounted” offer (e.g., Buy 2 large pizzas, get a small pizza free):

1. Begin with the standard “Buy 2 Get 1 Free” setup.
2. Go to “Usage restrictions.”
3. Select the category (e.g., “Food”).
4. Set the quantity to “2.”



5. Go to “Actions.”



6. Select the product (e.g., “Small Pizza”) from the same ‘Food’ category.
7. Set the discount (e.g., “100%” for free).

Now, when user buys any two items from the Food category, a small pizza from the same Food category will be added to the cart

Buy 2 from category A and get 1 from category B for free/discount

To create a “Buy 2 from Category A, get 1 from Category B free/discounted” offer (e.g., Buy 2 pizzas (Food), get 50% off a Coke (Beverages)):

• Begin with the standard “Buy 2 Get 1 Free” setup.
• Go to “Usage restrictions.”
• Select Category A (e.g., “Food”).
• Set quantity to “2.”
• Go to “Actions.”
• Select product from the ‘Beverages’ category (e.g., “Coke”).
• Set the discount (e.g., “50%”).

Now, buying two “Food” items triggers a 50% discount on a “Coke.”

You can create hundreds of ‘Buy 2 get 1’ deals in WooCommerce with Smart Coupons by clubbing multiple rules and conditions.

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Setting up a Buy 2 get 1 free discount offers without coupons

Well here are 2 more gems from the house of Storeapps’: Smart Offers and Offermative.

Smart Offers

Smart Offers is a popular WooCommerce plugin designed to maximize your sales funnel. With Smart Offers, you can easily implement personalized one-click upsells, cross-sells, Buy One Get One (BOGO) deals, and order bumps to increase your average order value.

Here’s everything that it can do:

• Upselling: Product/category upsells, cart/checkout upsells, one-click post-purchase upsells.
• Cross-selling & promotions: Cross-sells/downsells, BOGO/bulk discounts, order/cart bumps, giveaways/tripwires.
• Pricing & offers: Product bundles/free shipping, conditional offers, dynamic pricing.
• Quick purchase: Buy now buttons (direct & one-click).

Setting up a ‘Buy 2 get 1’ using Smart Offers plugin is real quick and easy, which also doesn’t require any coding. We’ll offer a memory card for free on purchase of the same two memory cards.

Here’s how:

1. Install and activate Smart Offers plugin. Then go to WordPress Admin panel > Smart Offers > Add New > Offer.
2. Give a title to this offer, say, Buy 2 Get 1 Free.
3. Under What to Offer, choose the product and the price/discount rate. Since we are offering 1 for free, set the discount to 100%. If you’re offering at a 50% discount, then set the discount to 50%.



4. Under Offer rules, select Cart/Order > Contains Products, search and select the product and set Quantity is equal to 2.



5. Next click Show offer on page and select the page you like to show your offer.



6. You can also decide how you want to show your offer – pop-up or as inline with page content under the Show offer as tab.



7. Under Accept actions, you can select what action needs to be triggered if the customer accepts this offer.



8. In case, if the customer skips / rejects this offer, you can also choose what to do under the Skip actions tab.

That’s it. Your ‘Buy 2 get one free’ offer is ready. Follow the similar steps and play with different rules to set up other types of ‘Buy 2 get 1 free’ offers as you did with coupons.

Offermative

Offermative simplifies creating various buy 2 get 1 offers in WooCommerce.

It uses AI to quickly create offers like “Buy 2, get free” or multi-category discounts. It simplifies BOGO offers with automation, customizable messaging, targeting, and tracking.

Steps to create a buy 2 get 1 free offer:
We’ll offer sunglasses for free on purchase of two hoodies.

• First, purchase Offermative plugin. Then install and activate it.
• Log in using your email ID and the password which is automatically sent to your email when your register.
• Enter some requirements under the Settings screen as shown and save them.



• After setup, click Generate Offer Campaigns.
• Choose Other offer types.
• Select Nudge to promote a product and click Generate.



• Offermative will automatically create ten offer campaigns. Click the Generate button again to produce additional campaigns.
• The generated offer designs and accompanying text (which you can edit) will be displayed. Use the arrow buttons to browse through the campaigns and find one you like.



• Title your offer (e.g., “Buy 2 Get 1 Free”).
• Set the discount to zero (for a free product).
• Under FOR, select Sunglasses.
• Choose display pages under ON PAGES.
• Set the offer’s date and time range.
• Customize the offer’s text (headline, description, CTA) in the TEXT section.
• Under RULES:
  • Select Cart Contains Product = Hoodie
  • Select Product Quantity = 2
• Offermative offers various mobile-friendly message types (pop-ups, slide-ins, bars, boxes) to display your offers. Choose your favorites and A/B test different types on various pages to optimize conversions. For more information, check this out.
• Click on the Approve checkbox and hit the Publish campaign button.

Selected pages will show the “Buy 2 Get 1 Free” offer. You can also check offer performance in the Offermative dashboard.

Try Offermative live demo

Before you launch: things to check

BOGO offers look simple on the surface. A few things tend to catch store owners off guard once they go live.

• Tax on the free item: the free product is still a line item in WooCommerce, which means your tax rules apply to it. Whether it’s taxed at zero or at the standard rate depends on your store’s tax configuration and local regulations. Don’t assume it’s tax-exempt without checking.
• Refunds and returns: what happens when a customer returns one of the two paid items but keeps the free one? Decide your policy before launch and make sure your refund workflow reflects it, otherwise you’ll be handling these case by case.
• Stock deduction: the free product is added as a real cart line item, so it pulls from inventory exactly like a paid unit. If you’re running low on stock, a BOGO offer can deplete it faster than you expect.
• Subscription products: if the qualifying product is a WooCommerce Subscription, the BOGO trigger needs to fire correctly on recurring orders, not just the first one. Confirm your plugin explicitly supports subscription line items before relying on it for a recurring offer.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Running the offer silently: auto-applying a discount at checkout without telling customers it exists is one of the most common BOGO mistakes. Shoppers who don’t know about the deal won’t change their buying behaviour. Surface it on product pages, category banners, and the cart using popups or badges so customers actually add the qualifying quantity.
• No end date: a BOGO offer without an expiry runs until you remember to turn it off. That’s a margin problem. Set an end date at creation, not as an afterthought.
• Unintended coupon stacking: a customer applying a 20% sitewide code on top of your BOGO deal can take a far deeper discount than you intended. Check your coupon restriction settings and explicitly exclude other promotions if the BOGO is already your best offer.

Conclusion

Buy 2 Get 1 Free offers are one of the most effective ways to increase average order value, move inventory, and give customers a compelling reason to add one more item to their cart.

With Smart Coupons, Smart Offers, and Offermative, you can set up any of the 6 BOGO variations above without writing a single line of code. Start with the setup that matches your store’s products and promotion style, and build from there.

FAQ

Can WooCommerce create Buy 2 Get 1 Free offers without a plugin?

No. WooCommerce does not include native support for Buy 2 Get 1 Free offers. The built-in coupon system supports percentage discounts, fixed cart discounts, and fixed product discounts — but it cannot automatically add a free product to the cart based on quantity conditions.

To create a Buy 2 Get 1 Free deal, you need either a dedicated plugin like Smart Coupons or Smart Offers, or custom development work.

What does “Buy 2 Get 1 Free” mean in WooCommerce?

It means a customer receives a third item free (or at a set discount) after purchasing two qualifying items. The discount is usually auto-applied at checkout rather than requiring a manually entered coupon code.

Can I limit a Buy 2 Get 1 offer to one category only?

Yes. Set the Usage Restriction to a specific category with quantity 2, then choose the free or discounted product from either the same or a different category under Actions.

Does Buy 2 Get 1 Free work without a coupon code?

Yes. Smart Coupons can auto-apply the discount without a code. Smart Offers and Offermative don’t use coupon codes at all — they trigger based on cart contents.

Is Buy 2 Get 1 Free the same discount as 33% off three items?

Mathematically, yes. But BOGO consistently converts better because customers perceive “free” as higher value than an equivalent percentage discount.

Can I offer a different free product instead of the same one?

Yes. Under the Actions tab in Smart Coupons, you can select any product as the free or discounted item — it doesn’t have to match the qualifying product.

Will the free item deduct from my inventory?

Yes. The free product is added to the cart as a real line item and deducts from stock the same way a paid item does.

Can I set up Buy 2 Get 1 for variable products?

Yes. Smart Coupons supports variable products. You can specify a particular variation or apply the rule to all variations of a product.