One of the main reasons we love WordPress websites is how easy it is to add functionality to them. If you want to create a bidding website or connect your eBay account to a separate website, you can seamlessly do so with a WordPress auction plugin.
The best WordPress auction plugin is within budget and considers where you host your auctions. We've rounded up eight excellent WordPress auction plugin options worth looking into when building your bidding website.
Why use a WordPress auction plugin?
Did you know that the market size of online and ecommerce auctions in the United States has increased on average by over 15% between 2018 and 2023? It's true — online auctions are gaining popularity, and using a WordPress auction plugin can help your company capitalize on that momentum. Need proof? In Q2 of 2022, popular auction site eBay boasted 138 million active buyers around the globe, according to Statista.
There are a few main reasons why using a WordPress auction plugin is wise. For starters, you don't have to work with a developer to build functionality into your WordPress site. Instead, you can install a plugin, which saves valuable time and money.
Additionally, WordPress auction plugins have a range of capabilities varying from helping you host your auctions to allowing visitors to make auctions themselves. These plugins can even help you connect your eBay account to your website.
Ready to dive into the best WordPress auction plugin options? Let's discuss.
The 8 Best WordPress Auction Plugin Options
- Ultimate WordPress Auction
- Auction Nudge
- WP Auctions
- Auction Feed
- YITH Auctions for WooCommerce
- WooCommerce Simple Auctions
- Auctions Made Easy for WooCommerce
- WP-Lister
To better understand the best option for your case, we suggest looking at a WordPress auction plugin review other users have left.
1. Ultimate WordPress Auction
Best for: WordPress or WooCommerce auction websites on a budget
We'll begin with Ultimate WordPress Auction plugin to start our list out strong. Because this is a free WordPress auction plugin, it's an excellent option if you're looking to stay within a strict budget. Whether you're working with a WordPress or WooComerce website, Ultimate WordPress Auction Plugin is easy to set up without a complex interface.
Some of the main features of the free plugin include an AJAX admin panel, a Buy Now option that works with PayPal, the ability to show auctions in your specific timezone, upload multiple product images, and the capability to edit, delete, and even end a live auction. The plugin also boasts email notifications for people placing bids and more.
There's a pro version and a free one, but for most of your core needs, the free version should suffice just fine. The free version of the plugin allows users to take payments via PayPal, but if you choose to upgrade to paid, Stripe payments are also possible.
The paid plan also varies from the free as it allows visitors to make auctions and provides for different types of bidding. If you choose to upgrade, pricing is $79/year for Starter, $199/year for Business, and $249/year for Unlimited.
2. Auction Nudge
Best for: Users who want to display their eBay items on their WordPress website
We can't talk about online auctions without mentioning eBay, of course! If you have an eBay profile you want to carry over to your WordPress website, doing so is possible thanks to Auction Nudge. With the help of this plugin, displaying your live eBay auctions on your WordPress posts and pages is possible. The plugin also updates your display instantaneously as bids increase.
There are a few cases where this would be the best WordPress auction plugin option. Auction Nudge is an excellent option if you are making a site specifically for auctions or enhancing a pre-existing WordPress website with your eBay offerings. Plus, displaying additional profile information, including your previous eBay activity and feedback rating, is easy.
Considering how this is a free WordPress auction plugin, it's surprisingly capable. Remember that Auction Nudge doesn't allow you to host auctions on your WordPress site directly, but it does display them seamlessly. However, a healthy amount of customization is allowed, given the lack of a price tag for this plugin. You can use themes for your auction modules, adjust sorting order and filtering options, and more.
3. WP Auctions
Best for: WordPress auction websites
Next up is WP Auctions, a highly capable WordPress auction plugin. This plugin allows admins to place live auctions directly on their site. To ensure each auction runs smoothly, admins toggle all relevant settings, and ta-da! Your auction is set up for success.
This plugin is an appealing option if you no longer want to pay listing, gallery, or seller fees. And because auctions appear in an AJAX module, all live updates are displayed to visitors without refreshing the page. The module is also flexible with placement; you can put it in the body of a post or on a page.
Another option is to add a contact field that allows visitors to register on your website before they place a bid. The plugin also allows you to display all live auctions in a graphic or list format, add the shipping cost, and set up a global bid increment value for all auctions.
You can begin for free, but WP Auctions has a pro version that costs $39-199 per year, depending on how many domains you have. With pro, you get enhanced functionality such as auctions for registered users only, two additional bidding types, a "buy it now" option, multiple images per auction, and a WYSIWYG editor.
4. Auction Feed
Best for: eBay sellers seeking a plugin that excels in customization
Next up is Auction Feed, another free WordPress auction plugin. If you use eBay for your auctions, this plugin allows you to display your items on your site. When visitors land on your site, they can search for the products and buy them quickly and easily.
You can decide between displaying all of your eBay goods or filtering which are shown on your site. The best part of this plugin is that it's free to use.
5. YITH Auctions for WooCommerce
Best for: WooCommerce auction sites
If you have a WooCommerce website and want to add auction functionality, consider YITH Auctions for WooCommerce. Built by famous WooCommerce plugin developer YITH, it blends seamlessly with your website and integrates with little work on your end.
Like other plugins mentioned, YITH Auctions for WooCommerce allows you to set up auctions directly on your bidding website. You can control starting costs, increment amounts, and reserve prices. Another option is to add a "buy it now" option so visitors can instantly purchase the item for its retail value.
The plugin costs $179 a year, so it's one of the most costly options on this list. However, its variety of premium features could make it worth your price. Plus, because auctions are hosted directly on your website, you don't need to pay seller fees on another platform.
Our favorite features include multi-vendor capabilities (allowing visitors to run their own auctions), automatic and manual bidding, fees to participate in auctions, and engaging visual layouts, such as several countdown options.
6. WooCommerce Simple Auctions
Best for: WooCommerce auction sites
Another option for WooCommerce users is WooCommerce Simple Auctions. This plugin could offer the perfect solution for a less pricey, dialed-back option. It has fewer features than the YITH Auctions plugin, but what it does have allows you to run effective auctions from your WooCommerce site. Getting started is easy, so there's little time between initial setup and getting your first bid.
Some key features include email notifications, the ability to add start and end times, and the capability to toggle details displayed on the front end of your auction site. Auction information is updated live on the page, and you can use several shortcodes to put your widgets nearly anywhere in your site theme.
The plugin costs $49 for a regular license, and you can extend support to 12 months for $16.50. An extended license will cost you $249.
7. Auctions Made Easy for WooCommerce
Best for: WooCommerce auction sites
Another tool you can use to convert your WooCommerce site into a bidding hub is Auctions Made Easy. The premium plugin is available as a subscription for $79 per year, putting it in the mid-range for premium WooCommerce auction plugins.
When you subscribe to this plugin, you can access several different auction types, such as:
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Simple auctions
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Proxy auctions
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Reverse auctions
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Unique auctions
The best part? You can run as many as you'd like — and efficiently manage them from your WordPress dashboard. Another highlight of the Auctions Made Easy plugin is that visitors can track their bids and even collect rewards. Because the plugin offers several payment gateways, which allows a more flexible experience for customers.
To summarize, the plugin is an excellent compromise between basic and more advanced auction website plugins. However, it's still intended for serious auction websites that can earn enough to cover the recurring fee.
8. WP-Lister
Best for: eBay users who want to display their items on a WooCommerce site
Lastly, WP-Lister is a plugin created for dual WooCommerce and eBay users. It allows you to connect your accounts from both services and list your WooCommerce products on your eBay shop. That saves valuable time and energy.
Though you can't run auctions on your WooCommerce site with this plugin, you can use eBay. Then, you can showcase your auctions on a WordPress website. Another option is to display listing profiles and product variations. Lastly, use a simple or advanced template with HTML and CSS.
WP-Lister Lite is the free version of the plugin, but you can also pay to upgrade. The pro version is $49 per month or $299 per year. The pro version lets you create orders in WooCommerce, upload product images to eBay, and access other advanced eBay features from inside the plugin.
Add auctions to any WordPress or WooCommerce site.
Auctions are one of those website features that can be deceptively complex, especially when trying to implement them yourself. However, a WordPress plugin can handle the majority of the work, leaving just the essential settings up to you.
Choosing the perfect auction plugin may take some further research, but most plugins we recommend have free versions or demos worth trying before buying. Then, once you’ve installed and activated your plugin, post your items and watch the bids come in.
Editor's note: This post was originally published in January 2021 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.
