WooCommerce Hide Shipping Method: Improve Checkout Experience by Removing Unwanted Shipping Options

Business Mar 13, 2025 13 Add to Reading List

Introduction

Providing a seamless shopping experience is essential for any online store, and one of the key aspects of this experience is the checkout process. By default, WooCommerce displays all available shipping options to customers, which can sometimes create confusion or unnecessary choices. This is where the WooCommerce Hide Shipping Method feature becomes useful.

Hiding specific shipping methods allows store owners to:

Simplify the checkout process
Ensure customers only see relevant shipping options
Prevent conflicting shipping methods from appearing
Enhance user experience and reduce cart abandonment

This guide will explore:

The benefits of hiding shipping methods in WooCommerce
Different ways to hide shipping options
Plugins that help automate this process
How to implement manual hiding using custom code

Why Hide Shipping Methods in WooCommerce?

There are several scenarios where hiding specific shipping methods can improve the customer experience and store management.

1. Avoid Displaying Irrelevant Shipping Options

If a customer qualifies for free shipping, there is no need to show paid shipping options. Hiding unnecessary choices ensures a cleaner and faster checkout process.

2. Prevent Conflicts Between Shipping Methods

Some stores offer multiple shipping methods, such as flat rate, local pickup, and free shipping. If a customer selects free shipping, other methods may become irrelevant. Hiding unnecessary shipping options eliminates confusion.

3. Restrict Certain Shipping Methods for Specific Products

Some products may require special shipping conditions. For example:
✔️ Fragile items may only be eligible for premium shipping
✔️ Digital products don’t need physical delivery
✔️ Bulk items may require freight shipping only

By hiding irrelevant methods, you ensure customers only see the correct shipping options.

4. Apply Location-Based Shipping Restrictions

Not all shipping methods are available in every location. For example:
✔️ Local pickup may only be available in certain zip codes
✔️ Standard shipping may not apply to remote areas
✔️ Some courier services may not deliver internationally

Hiding unavailable shipping methods helps prevent order processing issues.

How to Hide Shipping Methods in WooCommerce

There are multiple ways to hide shipping methods in WooCommerce, including built-in settings, plugins, and custom code.

1. Hiding Shipping Methods in WooCommerce Settings

WooCommerce provides some built-in options to hide shipping methods, but they are limited.

Steps:

Go to WooCommerce > Settings
Click on the Shipping tab
Select the Shipping Zone where you want to apply restrictions
Configure the available shipping methods

However, this method doesn’t provide dynamic control based on conditions like cart value, product type, or user role.

2. Using a Plugin to Hide Shipping Methods

To gain more control, you can use a plugin. Here are some of the best WooCommerce Hide Shipping Methods plugins:

1. WooCommerce Hide Shipping Methods by Conditional Logic

✔️ Hide shipping options based on cart value
✔️ Restrict shipping for specific user roles
✔️ Disable shipping for certain product categories

2. WooCommerce Advanced Shipping

✔️ Create rules based on weight, price, and product attributes
✔️ Set location-based shipping restrictions
✔️ Customize shipping visibility per user group

3. WooCommerce Conditional Shipping and Payments

✔️ Restrict shipping methods by country, state, or zip code
✔️ Hide shipping based on cart contents
✔️ Enable or disable shipping for specific user roles

These plugins provide a user-friendly interface to manage shipping restrictions without writing code.

3. Hiding Shipping Methods with Custom Code

If you prefer a lightweight solution without a plugin, you can use a code snippet.

Example: Hide All Shipping Methods When Free Shipping is Available

php

function hide_shipping_when_free_shipping_available($rates) {
    $free_shipping = false;

    foreach ($rates as $rate_id => $rate) {
        if ('free_shipping' === $rate->method_id) {
            $free_shipping = true;
            break;
        }
    }

    if ($free_shipping) {
        foreach ($rates as $rate_id => $rate) {
            if ('free_shipping' !== $rate->method_id) {
                unset($rates[$rate_id]);
            }
        }
    }

    return $rates;
}
add_filter('woocommerce_package_rates', 'hide_shipping_when_free_shipping_available', 100);

???? What this does:

If Free Shipping is available, it removes all other shipping options from checkout.

Example: Hide a Specific Shipping Method Based on Cart Total

???? What this does:

If the cart total is below $50, it hides Flat Rate shipping.

This method is useful when you want to enforce minimum spending thresholds for certain shipping options.

Best Practices for Hiding Shipping Methods in WooCommerce

To ensure the best experience for your customers, follow these best practices:

1. Keep the Checkout Process Simple

Only display the most relevant shipping methods to avoid overwhelming customers.

2. Set Clear Shipping Policies

If certain shipping methods are hidden based on conditions, inform customers on the product page or checkout so they aren’t confused.

3. Test Before Implementation

Always test the checkout process after hiding shipping methods to ensure customers see the correct options.

4. Combine Multiple Conditions

Use a combination of:
✔️ Cart total restrictions
✔️ Product category-based shipping rules
✔️ Location-based exclusions

This ensures customers always get the right shipping options.

Conclusion

The WooCommerce Hide Shipping Method feature is an essential tool for improving the checkout experience. By removing unnecessary options, you create a smoother, more efficient purchase process that increases conversion rates and reduces confusion.

???? Key Takeaways:
✔️ Hide shipping methods to simplify checkout
✔️ Use plugins for advanced conditional logic
✔️ Implement custom code for lightweight solutions
✔️ Always test changes to ensure the best user experience

By implementing these techniques, you can streamline your WooCommerce store’s shipping process and create a more user-friendly shopping experience.