Plugin
Updated
Refer A Friend
AutomateWoo - Refer A Friend Add-on is a WooCommerce plugin by WooCommerce that adds a customer referral program to your store. Customers share your shop with friends, and you reward them with discounts, store credit or other perks you choose.
- Version
- 2.13.3
- Released
- Sep 29, 2026
- Developer
- WooCommerce
- Type
- WordPress plugin
- Requires
- WooCommerce
- Licence
- GPL
- Included in
- Every plan, or $5.59 a year on its own
- Topics
- Affiliate Plugins
What’s new in Refer A Friend 2.13.3
Version 2.13.3 · Sep 29, 2026
Latest
- ImprovedReferral approval is serialised with an advisory lock and a compare-and-set status write; new filters automatewoo/referrals/is_referral_valid_for_approval and automatewoo/referrals/eligibility_lock_timeout.
- ImprovedUpdate js-yaml build dependency to resolve Dependabot alerts.
- FixedRe-validate referral eligibility when the order is paid or the referral is approved manually, so a customer can only ever have one approved referral.
- FixedReferrals for unpaid orders no longer count towards the advocate referral limit, and windowed limits are evaluated in the window the referral was created in.
- FixedSecurity improvements.
- ImprovedA referral that is not approved on payment is rejected with the reason recorded as an order note.
- ImprovedReferral coupons and referral links are no longer accepted while "Enable referrals" is unchecked, and the Refer A Friend settings page shows a notice when referrals are disabled.
What it does
Word of mouth from happy customers is one of the most trusted ways a shop gets new buyers, but tracking who referred whom and handing out rewards by hand gets messy fast. This add-on handles that for you inside a WooCommerce store. You set up a referral campaign from the WordPress admin, pick a coupon-based or link-based approach, and decide whether referrals are approved automatically or reviewed manually. Fraud rules check for matching IP addresses, cookies and emails to catch abuse.
Customers, called advocates, can share their referrals by email, Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp. Share widgets appear on order confirmation pages and in follow-up emails, so the prompt shows up right after a purchase. Advocates can see their successful referrals and rewards from their account area, while you track referral order counts and advocate performance in reports. The add-on also ties into AutomateWoo workflows, giving you triggers and custom emails for both advocates and admins.
Best for
- WooCommerce stores wanting a customer referral program
- Shops already running AutomateWoo workflows
- Agencies building loyalty features for client stores
Features
Coupon or link campaigns
Run coupon-based referrals that give friends a discount and advocates store credit, or use a simpler link-based campaign that fits how your store works.
Automatic or manual approval
Choose whether referrals are approved automatically or held for manual review. Referrals not approved on payment are rejected, with the reason saved as an order note.
Built-in fraud checks
Rules compare IP addresses, cookies and email addresses to stop customers from referring themselves, and eligibility is checked again when an order is paid.
Sharing across channels
Advocates can pass along their referral by email, Facebook, Twitter or WhatsApp, reaching friends through the channels they already use.
Post-purchase share widgets
Customizable share widgets appear on order confirmation pages and in follow-up emails, prompting customers to refer friends right after they buy.
Referral reports
Reports show referral order counts and how individual advocates are performing, so you can see which campaigns bring in orders.
Advocate account area
Customers can view their successful referrals and earned rewards from their own account area on your store.
AutomateWoo workflows integration
Referral events work with AutomateWoo workflows, letting you set up automation triggers, notifications and tailored emails for advocates and store admins.
Refer A Friend older versions
- 2.13.1Sep 93 improvements, 1 fix
- 2.13.0Aug 153 improvements, 3 fixes
- 2.11.0Jun 301 improvement
- 2.10.0Jun 24
- 2.8.16Apr 17
- 2.8.15Mar 29
- 2.8.14Feb 13
- 2.8.13Jan 8
- 2.8.12Nov 29, 2025
- 2.8.10Oct 3, 2025
Members and buyers of this product can download older versions.
46 older versions in all. If you need one that is not listed, ask support.
Questions about Refer A Friend
What rewards can I give customers who refer friends?
With a coupon-based campaign, the referred friend gets a discount and the advocate earns store credit. You can also run a link-based campaign instead, depending on which approach suits your store better.
How does it stop people from gaming the referral program?
Fraud prevention rules check for matching IP addresses, cookies and email addresses between the advocate and the friend. Eligibility is checked again when the order is paid or a referral is approved manually, and referrals for unpaid orders do not count toward advocate limits.
Does it need WooCommerce?
Yes. The plugin is built for WooCommerce stores and requires WooCommerce to run. It also connects with AutomateWoo workflows for referral automations and emails.
Can customers see how their referrals are doing?
Yes. Advocates can view their successful referrals and the rewards they have earned from their account area, while store admins get reports on referral order counts and advocate performance.
Is Refer A Friend free?
The code of Refer A Friend is licensed under the GPL, so anyone may use, change and share it. GPL Feast is a paid service: a plan or a single purchase gives you the download and automatic updates. The developer's own support, licence key and online services are not included.
Which version of Refer A Friend is this?
Version 2.13.3, released Sep 29, 2026. New versions appear here when the developer publishes them, and members get them as automatic updates.
How do I update Refer A Friend?
Install the free GPL Feast Updater on your site and connect it with your API key. It installs new versions of Refer A Friend automatically and keeps a backup, so you can roll back.
What does Refer A Friend need?
Refer A Friend needs WooCommerce installed and active.
More from WooCommerce
