WooCommerce Catalog Mode Plugin: Free Setup Guide

What Is WooCommerce Catalog Mode?

WooCommerce catalog mode is a feature that temporarily hides prices, cart buttons, and checkout functionality — converting your online store into a browsable product showcase. Think of it like a printed product catalog that people can flip through, but without the ability to buy on the spot. Your products are all still there, your images and descriptions are all visible, but the ‘Add to Cart’ button and pricing are hidden from view. This is different from taking your site offline or removing products. Your store stays live and fully functional on the backend. You’re simply controlling what visitors can see and do on the front end. For the admin, everything still works as normal — you can still see prices and manage the store — it’s only the customer-facing side that changes.

Who Actually Needs Catalog Mode?

Catalog mode is not just for one type of business. Over the years, I’ve set this up for quite a few different client types, and the use cases are more varied than most people expect. Here are the most common scenarios where a WooCommerce catalog mode plugin makes real sense: – B2B suppliers and wholesalers who need customers to request a quote before pricing is shared – Artists and photographers who want to showcase a portfolio of products without enabling direct purchases – Service businesses that display packages or offerings but want enquiries rather than direct checkouts – Businesses temporarily pausing sales — for example, during a stock update, price revision, or maintenance window – Stores that want to gate pricing behind a login, so only registered or approved customers see prices – Affiliate marketers who display third-party products and want to redirect clicks to another URL instead of a cart If any of these describe your situation, a catalog mode plugin is exactly what you need.

Key Benefits of Using a Catalog Mode Plugin

Setting up catalog mode through a dedicated plugin — rather than trying to hack it with CSS or custom code — gives you a clean, reliable solution that won’t break when WooCommerce updates. Here are the main benefits: – Hide product prices globally or for specific products and categories only – Remove or replace the Add to Cart button with custom text or a redirect link – Disable the cart and checkout pages entirely to prevent any accidental purchases – Show a ‘Request a Quote’ or ‘Contact Us’ button in place of the cart button – Apply settings to all users, guest users only, or specific user roles – Exclude the admin from catalog mode so you can still manage the store normally – Keep your SEO intact — products and product pages remain indexed and live The plugin I recommend and cover in this tutorial is available via the link in the video description. It covers all of the above and works well with standard WooCommerce setups, including sites built with Elementor.

Free vs Pro: What’s the Difference?

The free version of the WooCommerce catalog mode plugin is genuinely solid for most small business needs. Here’s what you get for free versus what the pro version adds: Free version features: – Remove or hide the Add to Cart button sitewide – Hide product prices across your entire store – Disable the cart and checkout pages – Replace the Add to Cart button with custom placeholder text – Exclude the administrator from catalog mode settings – Redirect the cart button to a custom URL of your choice Pro version adds: – Apply catalog mode to specific user roles only (e.g. wholesale vs retail) – Apply settings to individual products or specific categories rather than sitewide – Wholesale pricing and role-based pricing rules – Integration with contact form plugins to add an inquiry form directly on the product page – More granular control over who sees what and when For most of my local business clients — whether they’re a small wholesaler or a services business wanting to showcase packages — the free version handles everything they need. You’d only really need the pro version if you’re running a complex wholesale setup with multiple customer types.

How to Install and Set Up the WooCommerce Catalog Mode Plugin

Here is the full step-by-step setup process. If you prefer to follow along visually, watch the video tutorial linked at the top of this page — it walks through every single step.

Step 1: Download and Install the Plugin

Go to the plugin download link (https://1.envato.market/nX2LMM) and download the plugin file. Then log into your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin, choose the downloaded file, and click Install Now. Once installed, click Activate Plugin.

Step 2: Access the Plugin Settings

After activation, go to WooCommerce > Settings and look for the Catalog Mode tab. This is where all your controls live. The settings panel is straightforward — no complicated menus to dig through.

Step 3: Enable Catalog Mode

Toggle catalog mode to ON. This is the master switch. Once enabled, the plugin will start applying your settings across the store frontend. Your admin view remains unchanged — you’ll still see prices and all store functionality as normal.

Step 4: Configure Add to Cart Button Settings

You have a few options for the Add to Cart button. You can remove it entirely, replace it with a custom text message like ‘Contact Us for Pricing’ or ‘Request a Quote’, or redirect it to a custom URL — for example, your contact page or a quote request form. Choose whichever option fits your business model.

Step 5: Hide Product Prices

Toggle the hide prices option to ON. You can also set custom replacement text to show in place of the price — something like ‘Price on Request’, ‘Call for Price’, or ‘Login to View Price’ works well depending on your audience. This keeps the product page informative without revealing pricing.

Step 6: Disable Cart and Checkout Pages

If you want to go all the way and make your store fully browse-only, disable the cart and checkout pages. This prevents any visitor from navigating to those pages directly, even if they know the URL. The plugin handles the redirect automatically.

Step 7: Exclude the Admin from Catalog Mode

Make sure to tick the option to exclude the administrator from catalog mode. This is important — it means you can log in as admin and see your store exactly as normal, with prices and cart buttons visible, so you can manage products and check everything looks right without catalog mode getting in the way.

Step 8: Save Settings and Test

Click Save Changes, then open your store in a private/incognito browser window (so you’re viewing it as a guest, not as an admin). Check your shop page, individual product pages, and try to navigate to the cart URL manually. Everything should be functioning according to your settings. If something looks off, go back into the plugin settings and double-check each toggle.

Advanced Customization Options

Once the basics are set up, there are a few extra things you can do to make your catalog experience more professional and useful for visitors. Custom button redirect: Instead of just removing the Add to Cart button, redirect it to a contact form page. This gives customers a clear next step — they land on a page where they can send you an enquiry, request a quote, or call you directly. I’ve done this for a few wholesale clients and it works really well at capturing leads. Custom price replacement text: Don’t just leave a blank space where the price used to be. Use text that tells the visitor what to do next. Something like ‘Contact Us for Pricing’ or ‘Wholesale Price — Log In to View’ is much more helpful than just hiding the number with no explanation. Role-based visibility (Pro): If you upgrade to the pro version, you can show prices and the cart button to registered wholesale customers while keeping catalog mode active for guests and retail visitors. This is the ideal setup for a B2B store that also has some retail traffic. Integrate with a contact form plugin: The pro version also supports integration with popular contact form plugins, so you can drop an enquiry form directly onto the product page. This means customers never have to leave the product page to reach out to you.

Common Use Cases and Real-World Examples

To give you a better idea of how this plays out in practice, here are a few real-world scenarios where the WooCommerce catalog mode plugin does exactly the right job. Wholesale supplier: A client who sells industrial parts doesn’t want retail visitors seeing their wholesale pricing. Catalog mode hides prices for all guests and non-registered users. Approved wholesale accounts log in and see full pricing with the Add to Cart button active. Artist portfolio: A visual artist wants to showcase prints and original works as a portfolio but prefers to handle sales through direct conversations. The plugin removes the cart entirely and replaces the Add to Cart button with a ‘Enquire About This Piece’ link pointing to a contact form. Service business with packages: A coaching business displays service packages on a WooCommerce product page layout but doesn’t want people buying without a discovery call first. Catalog mode hides the price and replaces the button with a ‘Book a Free Call’ link. Temporary store pause: A small retailer needs to update their entire pricing structure. Rather than taking the site offline, they enable catalog mode temporarily so visitors can still browse and the site keeps its SEO value, but no orders come through while the updates are being made.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is WooCommerce catalog mode?

WooCommerce catalog mode converts your online store into a browse-only product showcase by hiding prices and removing the Add to Cart button. Customers can view your products and descriptions but cannot make a purchase directly through the site. It’s ideal for wholesalers, B2B businesses, artists, and service providers who prefer to handle sales through enquiries or quotes.

Is there a free WooCommerce catalog mode plugin?

Yes, there are several free WooCommerce catalog mode plugins available. The one covered in this tutorial offers core features including hiding prices, removing the Add to Cart button, disabling cart and checkout pages, and redirecting buttons to custom URLs — all at no cost. A pro version is available for advanced features like role-based pricing.

How do I hide the Add to Cart button in WooCommerce without coding?

Install a WooCommerce catalog mode plugin, go to WooCommerce > Settings > Catalog Mode, and toggle the option to hide or replace the Add to Cart button. You can remove it completely, replace it with custom text, or redirect it to a contact page — no coding required.

Can I hide prices for guest users only and show them for logged-in customers?

Yes, this is possible. The free version of most catalog mode plugins supports hiding prices for all users. If you want to show prices specifically to registered or logged-in users while keeping them hidden for guests, this is typically a feature of the pro version that supports user role-based visibility rules.

Will enabling catalog mode affect my WooCommerce SEO?

No, catalog mode does not remove your product pages from search engines. Your products remain indexed and visible in search results. Only the Add to Cart button and price display are affected on the frontend, so your SEO remains intact while you operate in catalog mode.

Can I apply catalog mode to specific products or categories only?

In the free version, catalog mode is typically applied sitewide. If you need to apply it only to specific product categories or individual products while keeping the rest of your store fully shoppable, that level of granular control is usually available in the pro version of the plugin.

What happens to my admin view when catalog mode is enabled?

When you enable the ‘Exclude Administrator’ option in the plugin settings, your admin view of the store remains completely normal. You’ll still see prices and the Add to Cart button when logged in as admin. Catalog mode only affects what guest visitors and non-admin users see on the frontend.

Final Thoughts

Thanks for reading all the way through — I hope this guide has made setting up WooCommerce catalog mode feel a lot less intimidating. It really is one of those things that sounds more complicated than it is. Once you get into the plugin settings, you’ll have it running in under ten minutes. If you’re more of a visual learner, make sure to watch the full video tutorial at https://youtu.be/RuQDo6mapyw — I walk through the entire setup step by step on a live site. Got a question or ran into a specific issue while setting this up? Drop a comment below and I’ll do my best to help. And if you’d rather have someone set this up for you on your site, feel free to reach out to me directly through paramfreelance.com — I’m always happy to help small business owners get their WooCommerce stores working exactly the way they need them to.