Deposits and Pre-Orders were built as separate plugins and later made to work together. This covers the questions that come up most when running both on the same product.
What you need to run both#
Is this available in the free versions?#
No. Each free plugin does its own job, but combining them requires the Pro version of both Deposits and Pre-Orders. There is no partial arrangement where one Pro licence covers the pairing.
Why do I need both Pro plugins?#
The two were written independently, each owning part of the checkout. Making them cooperate — so a deposit can be taken against a product that has not shipped yet, and the balance collected when it does — meant adding compatibility code to both sides. That code ships in the Premium version of each.
Does it work on variable products?#
Yes. Set the deposit at product level and it applies across variations, or override it per variation when the price spread is wide enough that one percentage does not suit every option.
How payment works#
When is the balance charged?#
On the availability date, not at checkout. The customer pays the deposit to reserve the item; the balance falls due when the pre-order period ends and the product becomes available.
Is the balance collected automatically?#
That depends on your payment gateway. A gateway supporting stored payment methods can charge the balance without the customer returning. One that does not will send a payment request instead, and the customer completes it themselves.
Worth confirming before a launch rather than during one — the difference decides whether collecting a hundred balances is automatic or a hundred emails.
What happens if the balance payment fails?#
The order stays in its pending-payment state and the customer is notified. The deposit is not refunded automatically and the order is not cancelled — that decision stays yours, because the right answer depends on the product and how long you are willing to hold it.
Taxes, shipping and fees#
Can I control when taxes, shipping and fees are charged?#
Yes. Each can be taken with the deposit or deferred to the balance. The usual arrangement is tax with the deposit and shipping with the balance, since shipping cost is only certain once the item is real — but both are configurable.
How is tax calculated on a partial payment?#
Tax is calculated on the full order value, then apportioned according to your setting. Charging it with the deposit means the customer pays all the tax up front and the balance covers the remaining product cost only.
If you sell across tax jurisdictions, check how your accounting treats a payment taken in one period against goods delivered in another. That is a question for your accountant, not for the plugin settings.
Managing balances and cancellations#
Where do I see outstanding balances?#
In WooCommerce → Orders, filtered to partially paid orders. Each shows the deposit taken, the balance outstanding, and the date it falls due.
Can a customer cancel a pre-order they have paid a deposit on?#
Only if you allow it. Whether a deposit is refundable is a policy decision, not a technical one, and the plugin will enforce whichever you configure. Whatever you choose, state it on the product page — a customer discovering a non-refundable deposit after paying it is a dispute rather than a support ticket.
When something looks wrong#
- No deposit option on a pre-order product — confirm both plugins are the Pro version and both licences are active. The pairing is silent when one is missing.
- Balance never becomes due — check the product's availability date has actually passed and that scheduled tasks are running on your site.
- The total looks wrong — check whether tax and shipping are set to the deposit or the balance. A total that appears short is usually deferred rather than missing.
Next steps#
- Get started with Pre-Orders if you have not set up a pre-order product yet
Updated on April 16, 2026 · Need help? Open a support ticket