The Best Plugins for WooCommerce Bitcoin and Lightning Payment with BTCPay Server
We have written this blog for WooCommerce merchants who already operate a BTCPay Server and a Woo store and now want to offer Bitcoin payments with their BTCPay Server. You will learn everything you need to know to connect your BTCPay Server with your WooCommerce.
We explain why you should offer Lightning payments alongside on-chain with your BTCPay Server and present the two best routes for you, depending on your preferences. (including some interesting statistics)
You will find detailed descriptions of the available plugins including a downloadable decision matrix–and a step-by-step installation guide for both plugins.
By the end of this article, you’ll be able to make an informed decision about enabling Bitcoin Lightning payments in your WooCommerce store—and set up your chosen configuration in less than an hour, even without any programming skills.
Why use Bitcoin payment with BTCPay instead of a commercial third-party provider?
Having your own BTCPay Server means sovereignty and control: no platform fees, no KYC/KYB in a pure self-custody setup, full data and uptime control, and on-chain and Lightning as desired.
With Bitcoin/Lightning payments via your BTCPay, you naturally avoid the costs of conventional payment methods (credit card, PayPal, Stripe, etc.) as well as commercial WooCommerce Bitcoin payment providers such as BitPay, CoinGate, etc.
For Woo merchants who value privacy and independence from third-party providers, have enough Bitcoin sales to want to reduce costs, and want to have control over their Bitcoin sales from checkout to wallet, BTCPay is the first choice.
What plugins does WordPress have for connecting BTCPay to WooCommerce?
There are only two plugins in the WordPress plugin directory that do this:
BTCPay Greenfield for WooCommerce
The official BTCPay Greenfield plugin is the standard solution for anyone who already operates their own BTCPay server or shares one.
How it works
- The plugin connects the WooCommerce shop directly to the BTCPay server.
- All payment methods set up on the BTCPay server are automatically available in the shop.
- By default, these are Bitcoin on-chain payments that flow directly to the wallet address stored on the server.
- You can also set up Lightning payments with your BTCPay server if you don’t mind the effort of setting up and continuously maintaining your own Lightning node. Channel management and liquidity provision is an effort that should not be underestimated.
- In addition to Bitcoin, other cryptocurrencies (e.g. stablecoins such as USDT) can also be accepted, provided that the corresponding plugins are installed on the BTCPay server.
Checkout in the shop
In the WooCommerce checkout, BTCPay Server (see tip) appears as an additional payment method alongside credit card or PayPal, for example.
If the customer selects this option, a QR code is displayed and the customer can choose from the available payment methods (Bitcoin on-chain, Lightning or others, depending on the configuration).
Tip: When adding BTCPay Server as a payment method under WooCommerce -> Payments, do not refer to it as BTCPay, as some customers may not be familiar with the term. Instead, use BTC on-chain/Lightning/USDT, depending on which cryptocurrencies you have set up in your BTCPay Server.
Coinsnap for WooCommerce
The plugin from Coinsnap supports BTCPay Server but is based on Coinsnap’s Lightning infrastructure. (LNbits, an open-source wallet and account system for the Lightning Network, will be supported shortly, too). To use Coinsnap with your BTCPay Server for Lightning only, you don’t even need to open a Coinsnap account – just install the plugin.
How it works
- Coinsnap for WooCommerce connects your own BTCPay Server with WooCommerce and enables WooCommerce Lightning payment without having to run a Lightning node yourself.
- All Lightning payments in your Woo store are credited instantly to your Lightning wallet.
- Coinsnap for WooCommerce can also be used with your own BTCPay server to process WooCommerce Bitcoinon-chain payments. These payments will be credited to your BTCPay Bitcoin wallet.
Two ways – one checkout
For merchants who host on-chain themselves but shy away from the effort involved in Lightning, here is their solution:
1. run Bitcoin on-chain via your own BTCPay server, with payouts directly to your BTCPay Bitcoin wallet.
2. offer Lightning with Coinsnap, with instant payouts to your stored Lightning wallet.
This strategy also benefits your customers: at checkout they can choose between two payment options—Bitcoin on-chain or Bitcoin Lightning. It reduces confusion about how to pay and gives them a clear choice.
Coinsnap Bitcoin Discount
An additional feature of the Coinsnap plugin is the so-called Bitcoin Discount. Merchants can specify in the backend what discount they want to offer customers to drive Bitcoin payment conversions.
For example, the shop operator activates a 5% discount for Bitcoin payments. If the customer selects Bitcoin as the payment method at checkout, the discount is automatically deducted from the total amount.
This allows merchants to actively encourage Bitcoin Lightning payments. The merchant will save fees with traditional payment providers and increases Bitcoin sales.
Can I also accept Lightning payments with BTCPay?
Yes – you have two options:
- Your own Lightning node within your BTCPay server.
- BTCPay Server + Coinsnap: no own Lightning node required.
Why do I need Lightning for WooCommerce?
Lightning reduces fees to fractions of a penny, confirms in seconds and delivers a “scan & pay” experience with no waiting times – high conversion, low costs.
We recently interviewed the 10 biggest Bitcoin supporting online shops in Germany and asked for their experiences with Bitcoin and Lightning sales.
Here are some numbers you should contemplate:
- Carts up to ~£150: about two-thirds Lightning, one-third on-chain (speed and fees dominate).
- Carts above €150 to ~€1,000: the Lightning share decreases (approx. one third Lightning, two thirds on-chain) because customers prefer on-chain more often for higher amounts.
- Carts above €1,000: predominantly on-chain.
- Without Lightning, you are unnecessarily giving away conversion and margin on typical shopping baskets under £150.
If these numbers convinced you to offer on-chain AND Lighting, you now need to decide which solutions is the best one for you. Here is our answer to this question:
Which is better – BTCPay Server + Lightning Node or BTCPay Server + Coinsnap?
Whether you choose BTCPay Server + your own Lightning node or BTCPay Server + Coinsnap depends on your target profile. Here are the most important pros and cons:
BTCPay Server with your own Lightning node
Maximum autonomy, but maintenance required (opening/balancing channels, routability, backups, updates).
Ideal if you have Dev/Ops expertise in your team and want to actively optimise fees.
BTCPay Server with Coinsnap managed Lightning
No node maintenance thanks to Coinsnap Managed Lightning, integrated discount function as a conversion booster.
Ideal if you want to offer Lightning immediately and stably – without any need to deal with your own node.
How do I install Bitcoin Lightning payment in WooCommerce?
Regardless of which approach you choose; you must create the selected solution in WooCommerce and link it to your BTCPay Server.
Installation: BTCPay Greenfield for WooCommerce (short and sweet)
- Install plugin: WordPress backend → Plugins → “Add” → search for BTCPay for WooCommerce (Greenfield), install & activate.
- API access in BTCPay: In BTCPay → Store → API Keys → create a new Greenfield API key with the appropriate permissions; store the API key
- Connect WooCommerce: Woo → Settings → Payments → activate BTCPay → enter BTCPay URL, store ID, API key.
- Select payment methods: Activate on-chain; Lightning only if you operate your own operational node.
- Test run: Test product (1 £), create invoice, make payment, check status change.
Read our step-by-step installation guide with screenshots for each step.
Installation: Coinsnap for WooCommerce (quick, no own node required)
- Install plugin: WordPress → Plugins → “Add” → Search for Coinsnap, install & activate.
- Connect your BTCPay Server with the plugin: Enter your BTCPay URL, click Create API Key, confirm access – done.
- Discount function: Set promo/discount in the Coinsnap plugin (e.g. 5% for BTC/Lightning).
- Activate Coinsnap in Woo Settings -> Payments (name the payment method Lightning payment)
- Test run: €1 product, scan Lightning payment, check status.
Read our step-by-step installation guide with screenshots.
Which payment methods can I offer with BTCPay & WooCommerce?
- BTCPay On-Chain only: Ideal for high-priced shopping baskets, lower payment frequency, maximum autonomy.
- BTCPay On-Chain + Lightning: Full sovereignty including Lightning – be aware of the effort/cost of your Lightning node administration and maintenenance.
- Coinsnap (Lightning without your own node) + optional BTCPay On-Chain: Best of both worlds – fast Lightning for everyday carts, on-chain via BTCPay for large tickets.
FAQ
Does WooCommerce accept Bitcoin?
No—WooCommerce doesn’t support Bitcoin natively. Add BTC (and Lightning) via third-party plugins such as BTCPay Greenfield or Coinsnap.
Can I add Bitcoin Lightning payment with BTCPay Server to WooCommerce?
Yes. Install the BTCPay Greenfield for WooCommerce plugin (own node) or the Coinsnap for WooCommerce plugin (managed Lightning)—and enable them under WooCommerce → Settings → Payments.
What is the best BTCPay Server plugin for Bitcoin Lightning payment plugin for WooCommerce?
It depends: choose BTCPay Greenfield for full self-hosting and control, or Coinsnap for the quickest Lightning setup without running your own node.
Is WooCommerce Bitcoin Lightning payment via BTCPay Server free?
No. BTCPay has no platform fee but involves node operation and on-chain miner fees; managed providers charge a processing fee, while Lightning fees are typically very low.
How to setup a BTCPay wallet?
In your BTCPay Server go to Store → Settings → Wallet → Setup. Choose Create a new wallet (hot wallet on the server) or Connect an existing wallet and paste your xpub/descriptor from a hardware wallet (recommended).
How do I get a Lightning wallet?
Learn how to get (and which) Lightning wallet here: https://coinsnap.io/how-do-i-get-a-lightning-wallet/
Summary: What’s the best choice for me?
If you have developer expertise and time, BTCPay (Greenfield + your own node) gives you maximum freedom and control over your entire Bitcoin payment processing process.
If you don’t want to run and continuously maintain your own node, BTCPay + Coinsnap is ideal for you: Managed Lightning saves you a lot of responsibility and significant maintenance effort. The integrated Bitcoin discount helps you promote Lightning payments in your shop and generate more conversions with discounts.
- BTCPay On-Chain only: Ideal for high-priced shopping baskets, lower payment frequency, maximum autonomy.
- BTCPay On-Chain + Lightning: Full sovereignty including Lightning – be aware of the effort/cost of your Lightning node administration and maintenenance.
- Coinsnap (Lightning without your own node) + optional BTCPay On-Chain: Best of both worlds – fast Lightning for everyday carts, on-chain via BTCPay for large tickets.
