WP Payment Pal Documentation
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Subscriptions Portal Shortcode

Let customers manage their subscriptions with the [wppal_subscriptions] shortcode. This guide covers setting up a customer subscription portal.

Reading time: 3 minutes | Difficulty: Beginner

Overview

Let customers manage their subscriptions with the [wppal_subscriptions] shortcode. This guide covers setting up a customer subscription portal.

Prerequisites

  • Active subscriptions in your system
  • A page for the portal
  • Understanding of customer self-service needs

Basic Shortcode

[wppal_subscriptions]

No attributes required for basic usage.

What the Portal Shows

Customers see:

  • List of their subscriptions
  • Subscription status
  • Billing information
  • Cancel option (if enabled)
  • Billing history

Setting Up the Portal

Step 1: Create a Page

  1. Go to Pages > Add New
  2. Title: “My Subscriptions” or “Manage Subscription”
  3. Add any intro text you want

Step 2: Add the Shortcode

In the page content:

[wppal_subscriptions]

Or use the Gutenberg block if available.

Portal shortcode in editor

Step 3: Publish

  1. Click Publish
  2. Note the page URL
  3. Link to it from your site navigation
Portal with title in page

Portal Features

Subscription List

Displays all subscriptions for the logged-in user:

  • Plan name
  • Status (Active, Cancelled, etc.)
  • Amount and billing cycle
  • Next billing date

Subscription Details

Click a subscription to see:

  • Complete plan details
  • Start date
  • Payment history
  • Cancel button (if allowed)

Self-Service Cancellation

If enabled on the form:

  • Cancel button visible
  • Confirmation required
  • Immediate cancellation
  • Customer notified

Billing History

Past payments for each subscription:

  • Payment date
  • Amount
  • Status

Login Requirement

The portal requires login:

  • Logged out: Shows login prompt
  • Logged in: Shows their subscriptions
  • Only sees own subscriptions

Login Prompt

When not logged in:

Please log in to view your subscriptions.
[Login Link]

Matching Subscriptions to Users

Subscriptions are matched by email:

  • WordPress user email
  • PayPal payer email
  • Emails must match

If customer used different email with PayPal, subscriptions won’t appear.

Linking to the Portal

In Navigation

  1. Go to Appearance > Menus
  2. Add the portal page
  3. Save menu

In Account Area

<a href="/my-subscriptions/">Manage Subscriptions</a>

In Emails

Include in subscription emails:

Manage your subscription: https://yoursite.com/my-subscriptions/

Page Content Example

<h1>My Subscriptions</h1>

<p>View and manage your active subscriptions below.</p>

[wppal_subscriptions]

<h3>Need Help?</h3>
<p>Contact us at [email protected] for subscription assistance.</p>

Empty State

When customer has no subscriptions:

  • “No subscriptions found” message
  • Consider adding link to subscribe
[wppal_subscriptions]

<p>Don't have a subscription? <a href="/pricing/">View our plans</a></p>

Controlling Cancellation

Allow Self-Cancellation

Edit each payment form:

  1. Go to subscription settings
  2. Enable “Allow Customer Cancel”
  3. Save form

Prevent Self-Cancellation

  1. Disable “Allow Customer Cancel”
  2. Cancel button hidden
  3. Customers must contact you

Styling the Portal

The portal uses CSS classes:

/* Portal container */
.wppal-subscriptions-portal {
    /* your styles */
}

/* Subscription cards */
.wppal-subscription-item {
    /* your styles */
}

/* Status badges */
.wppal-status-active {
    /* your styles */
}

/* Cancel button */
.wppal-cancel-btn {
    /* your styles */
}

Testing the Portal

  1. Create a test subscription (Sandbox)
  2. Log in as the test user
  3. Visit the portal page
  4. Verify subscription displays
  5. Test cancellation (if enabled)

Troubleshooting

“No subscriptions” but customer has one

  • Check user is logged in
  • Verify email addresses match
  • Check subscription exists in admin

Cancel button not showing

  • Verify cancellation allowed on form
  • Check subscription is Active status
  • Confirm user is logged in

Portal not displaying

  • Check shortcode syntax
  • Verify plugin is active
  • Test in different browser

Wrong subscriptions showing

  • Each user sees only their own
  • Check logged-in user is correct
  • Verify email matching

Best Practices

  1. Easy to find – Add to main navigation
  2. Clear instructions – Explain what they can do
  3. Support option – Provide contact for help
  4. Test thoroughly – Verify all features work
  5. Mobile-friendly – Check on phones

Security

The portal:

  • Requires authentication
  • Shows only user’s subscriptions
  • Validates all actions
  • Prevents cross-user access

What’s Next?

Last Modified: February 26, 2026