EDD Recurring Payments Addon is a specialized extension for Easy Digital Downloads that enables automated subscription billing for digital products. Used by over 50,000 store owners, it simplifies the process of generating predictable income through memberships, software licenses, and digital services.
WPExclusive members get access to Recurring Payments as part of a full plugin and theme library — plans from $9.99/month. See the full Easy Digital Downloads collection →
What Is EDD Recurring Payments Addon?
EDD Recurring Payments Addon is developed by Easy Digital Downloads and is a recurring billing plugin for WordPress. It belongs to the payments category on WPExclusive, alongside other tools for digital commerce management. The plugin eliminates the need for customers to manually return and purchase renewals by automating the entire transaction cycle.
This addon solves the problem of inconsistent revenue by turning one-time digital sales into long-term subscriptions. It is designed for software developers, content creators, and membership site owners who require a reliable way to charge daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly fees.
EDD Recurring Payments Addon Features
The feature set is built around providing flexible billing cycles and automated customer retention workflows.
Flexible Billing and Trials
Recurring Payments allows administrators to set custom periods including daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, and yearly options. You can easily adjust the number of times a payment recurs and the total cost per cycle. The plugin also supports free trial periods of any length, collecting billing details during registration to ensure automatic charging once the trial concludes. For those requiring upfront costs, signup fees can be added to any recurring product.
Comprehensive Subscription Management
Site owners gain a complete interface for viewing and managing active, pending, or cancelled subscriptions. You can manually change statuses, record manual payments, or add notes to individual profiles. Customers also receive a dedicated dashboard where they can update payment methods, view invoices, or renew expired subscriptions without administrative assistance. This level of self-service is crucial for scaling ecommerce operations efficiently.
Automated Email Notifications
The plugin delivers automated emails when subscriptions are nearing renewal, when a renewal is processed, or if a payment fails. These reminders help reduce refund requests and payment disputes by keeping customers informed. You can configure multiple expiration reminders and include incentives for customers to upgrade or stay subscribed.
Deep Ecosystem Integration
Recurring Payments integrates natively with other major extensions like Software Licensing and All Access. When used together, it provides automatic license renewals upon payment processing and helps manage site-wide memberships. It also supports Content Restriction, allowing you to limit access to specific posts or forums based on the current status of a user’s subscription.
Pricing
Check current pricing on the Recurring Payments sales page — WPExclusive members access it as part of their plan. Retail pricing typically involves high annual costs or bundling within the All Access Pass.
| Plan | Price | Sites | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extended Bundle | $499.50/year | 1 Site | Addon + Bundle access |
| All Access Pass | $999.50/year | Unlimited | Full EDD Extension suite |
| WPExclusive Membership | From $9.99/month | Unlimited | Recurring Payments + full library |
For developers managing multiple sites, a WPExclusive membership covers Recurring Payments plus hundreds of other plugins and themes — usually less than one premium license.
Latest Version
The plugin receives regular updates to maintain compatibility with WordPress and payment gateway APIs. WPExclusive updates plugin files promptly after each release, ensuring members have access to the most secure and feature-rich version available.
How to Install
- Download the Recurring Payments .zip from your WPExclusive member account
- In WordPress: Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin
- Select the .zip and click Install Now → Activate
- Ensure the core Easy Digital Downloads plugin is installed and active
- Go to Downloads → Settings → Extensions → Recurring Payments to begin configuration
Use Cases
SaaS and Software Subscription Models
Software developers can use the plugin to sell annual licenses that automatically renew, ensuring users always have access to updates and support. It pairs perfectly with the software licensing functionality of EDD.
Digital Content Memberships
Create a recurring revenue stream by charging for access to premium downloads or exclusive content areas that require an active subscription to browse.
Donations and Pay-What-You-Want Subscriptions
By integrating with the Custom Prices extension, non-profits or creators can allow supporters to choose their own monthly contribution amount.
Agencies and Developers Managing Multiple Client Sites
Managing several high-traffic stores requires cost-effective access to premium extensions. A WPExclusive membership allows agencies to deploy complex subscription systems across unlimited client projects without individual license overhead.
Pros and Cons
✅ Strengths
- Native support for Stripe, PayPal, and Authorize.net gateways
- Advanced reporting with revenue graphs that separate renewal income from new sales
- Granular control over trial periods and signup fees for variable pricing
- Deep integration with the entire Easy Digital Downloads extension ecosystem
⚠️ Limitations
- Requires a compatible payment gateway that supports recurring billing functionality
- Negative signup fees should not be used to set the initial payment to zero
- Developer auto-updates require an active license key. WPExclusive publishes updates manually when new versions are released.
Is EDD Recurring Payments Addon GPL Licensed?
Yes. EDD Recurring Payments Addon is distributed under the GNU General Public License (GPL) — the same license that governs WordPress itself. GPL gives any user the legal right to use, study, share, and redistribute the software. This is the legal framework that makes WPExclusive’s membership model possible.
WPExclusive distributes 100% original, unmodified files — the same release the developer publishes. No injected code, no alterations, no security risks.
Get EDD Recurring Payments Addon on WPExclusive
WPExclusive membership starts at $9.99/month, $87/year, or $149 lifetime — giving you EDD Recurring Payments Addon plus every plugin and theme in the library, on unlimited sites.
Explore the full Easy Digital Downloads collection → or browse all WordPress plugins →
Frequently Asked Questions
What does EDD Recurring Payments Addon do?
EDD Recurring Payments Addon enables automated subscription billing for digital products within Easy Digital Downloads. Recurring Payments manages the entire lifecycle of a subscription, from the initial purchase and free trial to automated renewal charges and expirations.
Is EDD Recurring Payments Addon free?
No, this is a premium extension. While Easy Digital Downloads itself is free, Recurring Payments requires a paid license or a WPExclusive membership to access.
What is the latest version of EDD Recurring Payments Addon?
The plugin is actively maintained — WPExclusive members always receive the most current release after it is verified and added to the library.
How much does EDD Recurring Payments Addon cost?
Retail pricing is often bundled in passes costing $499 or more per year. Via WPExclusive, it is included in plans from $9.99/month.
Is it legal to use EDD Recurring Payments Addon via WPExclusive?
The plugin is GPL licensed, which explicitly permits redistribution. WPExclusive provides original, unmodified files — fully within GPL terms.
Can I offer free trials with Recurring Payments?
Yes, Recurring Payments allows you to set trial periods of any duration. The plugin collects payment details during the trial sign-up and then automatically processes the first full payment once the trial period expires.
