Importing WooCommerce products from Excel requires a plugin because WooCommerce's built-in product importer only reads CSV and TXT files. Without one, every .xls or .xlsx spreadsheet has to be saved as CSV before products can be imported, and that conversion is where catalogs often get damaged.
Excel drops leading zeros from SKUs stored as numbers, and spreadsheet applications can change formatting and character encoding on save. The conversion also adds a manual step to every supplier update.
The four plugins we review below import WooCommerce products from Excel files directly. Each is evaluated on Excel file support, field mapping, variable products, multi-value cells, and recurring imports.
📑 Table of Contents
What an Excel Product Import Plugin Must Handle
A good Excel product import plugin removes the manual work between receiving a spreadsheet and publishing products in WooCommerce. Look for these capabilities:
- Native Excel support. The plugin reads .xls and .xlsx files directly. A plugin that still requires saving the spreadsheet as CSV brings back the same SKU, price, and encoding errors that a conversion causes.
- Flexible column mapping. Excel files from suppliers, manufacturers, and other platforms rarely share the same column names or layouts. The plugin should map any column to any WooCommerce product field without the spreadsheet needing to be restructured first.
- Support for every product type. Simple, variable, grouped, and external products each store data differently. The plugin should import all of them from the same Excel file, including variations linked to their parent products.
- Data transformation during import. Spreadsheet values often need adjusting before they reach the store, such as splitting multiple image URLs in one cell or applying a price markup. The plugin should make those changes as part of the import, not require an Excel edit beforehand.
- Updates and scheduling. Product catalogs change constantly. The plugin should update existing products by SKU without creating duplicates and automatically run recurring imports from a URL or FTP source.
The Best Plugins to Import WooCommerce Products from Excel
1. WP All Import
WP All Import reads .xls and .xlsx files directly and imports every standard WooCommerce product type from them, including simple, variable, grouped, external, and subscription products. Automatic Setup maps a straightforward Excel spreadsheet to WooCommerce product fields automatically. It then shows how many fields were mapped and how many products will be imported before anything runs.
For Excel files that need more work, WP All Import maps any spreadsheet column to any product field through its drag-and-drop editor, regardless of layout. A cell of pipe-separated image URLs becomes a full product gallery, and variation rows attach to their parent products by Parent SKU. PHP functions can adjust values during the import, such as adding a retail markup to wholesale prices.
Pros
- Supplier spreadsheets import the way they arrive. Column names and order don't matter, so .xls and .xlsx files never need renaming, reordering, or saving as CSV first.
- Repeat imports stay clean. Images already in the Media Library are reused rather than downloaded again. Updates can be limited to chosen fields such as price and stock, so descriptions edited in WooCommerce stay intact.
- Discontinued products are dealt with automatically. When a product disappears from the supplier's file, the next import can delete it or mark it out of stock.
- Large workbooks don't overload the server. Imports split into chunks with an adjustable batch size, so a catalog of thousands of rows runs in stages.
- Supplier updates can run hands-free. Excel files hosted at a URL or on an FTP server, as well as public Google Sheets, can be imported on a schedule through the point-and-click scheduling service or a cron job.
Cons
- Google Sheets imports read the sheet from its public URL, so private sheets have to be downloaded as .xlsx and uploaded instead.
- Inline PHP functions, such as those used for price markups, are disabled on sites that set both DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT and DISALLOW_FILE_MODS in wp-config.php.
Reviews
WP All Import holds a 4.7 out of 5 rating from more than 1,900 reviews on WordPress.org and has over 100,000 active installations.
Price
WP All Import has a free version for basic Excel imports. Paid packages with full WooCommerce support start at $169/year and include unlimited installs and a 90-day money-back guarantee.
Recommended For
WP All Import is built for WooCommerce stores that manage their product catalog in Excel, from a single spreadsheet imported during store setup to supplier workbooks that change prices and stock every week.
2. WP Ultimate CSV Importer, with Import WooCommerce Suite
WP Ultimate CSV Importer is a free WordPress import plugin that reads CSV, XML, XLS, XLSX, and TSV files. On its own, it imports simple WooCommerce product data. Variable, grouped, and external products, however, require a separate free add-on called Import WooCommerce Suite.
Excel columns are connected to WooCommerce fields on a drag-and-drop mapping screen. Fields are matched automatically only when the spreadsheet's headers exactly match WooCommerce's field names. Mappings can be saved as templates and reused for files with the same layout.
Pros
- Reads .xls and .xlsx files without conversion.
- Checks the file before import and reports problems such as encoding errors, inconsistent column counts, and missing required values.
- Resumes an interrupted import from the row where it stopped.
- Saves field mappings as reusable templates.
Cons
- Fields are matched automatically only when column headers exactly match WooCommerce field names. Every other column is mapped manually.
- Variable products need a set file layout. Parent products and variations are identified by numeric type codes (4 and 8), and attributes have to sit in numbered column groups for name, value, visibility, and variation use.
- When a SKU in the file already belongs to another product, the product still imports, but its SKU field is left empty.
Reviews
WP Ultimate CSV Importer has a 4.4 out of 5 rating from 589 reviews on WordPress.org and more than 20,000 active installations.
Price
A free version is available on WordPress.org. Paid plans start at $199 as a one-time payment and cover unlimited sites.
Recommended For
Stores that need a free Excel importer for one-time product uploads and won't need to update those products from a spreadsheet later.
3. Woo Import Export
Woo Import Export is a premium import and export plugin sold on CodeCanyon. It reads CSV, XLS, XLSX, ODS, JSON, TXT, and XML files and imports WooCommerce products, orders, product categories, coupons, and users.
Excel columns are connected to WooCommerce fields on a drag-and-drop mapping screen, with automatic detection of matching fields. Settings from a previous import can be reloaded for the next file.
Pros
- Reads .xls, .xlsx, and .ods files, including workbooks with multiple sheets.
- Imports Excel files that have no header row.
- Pulls import files from FTP/SFTP, Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive.
- Runs imports in the background with pause, resume, and stop controls.
Cons
- The last update was in March 2025, and listed compatibility stops at WordPress 6.7 and WooCommerce 9.x.
- No free version imports WooCommerce products, so a product import can't be tested before buying.
- Each license covers a single site, so importing products into several stores requires a separate purchase for each.
Reviews
Woo Import Export has a 3.94 out of 5 rating from 194 reviews on CodeCanyon and more than 3,300 sales.
Price
A free Lite version is available on WordPress.org, but it doesn't include WooCommerce import. The full plugin costs $229 for a single-site license and includes six months of support.
Recommended For
Stores that import products from multi-sheet Excel workbooks and need large files processed in the background.
4. Product Import Export for WooCommerce
Product Import Export for WooCommerce is a product-only import plugin with a free CSV version on WordPress.org. The premium version adds Excel, XML, TSV, and Google Sheets, and it handles simple, variable, grouped, external, and subscription products.
Imports run through one of three methods. Quick Import accepts files that already match the plugin's export format. Advanced Import matches each column to a WooCommerce field. Saved templates rerun a previous configuration.
Pros
- Reads Excel, CSV, XML, TSV, and Google Sheets files in the premium version.
- Updates existing products by SKU or ID, including files that contain only a SKU and a price column.
- Runs scheduled imports from FTP or SFTP using WordPress cron or server cron.
- Keeps a history of past imports that can be rerun.
Cons
- Quick Import only accepts files that match the plugin's own export format, so supplier spreadsheets have to be mapped column by column in Advanced Import.
- Custom fields such as ACF import only from columns that follow the plugin's exported metadata format, so a supplier's custom field columns have to be renamed first.
- Built-in value adjustments during import are limited to simple math operators, such as a percentage price markup. Other changes have to be made in the spreadsheet.
- WPML compatibility covers simple products only, so translated variable products can't be imported.
Reviews
Product Import Export for WooCommerce has a 4.6 out of 5 rating from 413 reviews on WordPress.org and more than 80,000 active installations.
Price
A free version imports simple, grouped, and external products from CSV files. Paid plans start at $69/year for a single site and add Excel import, variable products, and scheduled imports.
Recommended For
Stores that import products from files they exported themselves, where the column layout stays the same from one import to the next.
Final Thoughts on the 4 Best Plugins to Import WooCommerce Products from Excel
WP All Import is the strongest plugin for importing WooCommerce products from Excel. It imports a spreadsheet as it arrives, whether that's a file exported from the store, a catalog already built around WooCommerce fields, or a supplier workbook in its own layout. WP All Import reads .xls and .xlsx files directly, maps any column to any WooCommerce product field, and adjusts values during the import, from splitting image URLs into galleries to marking up wholesale prices.
The other three plugins on this list also read Excel files, and each works well when the spreadsheet follows the structure it expects, such as exact field names or the plugin's own export format. Files outside that structure have to be reworked in Excel before they import cleanly.
Import WooCommerce Products from Excel — Frequently Asked Questions
Can WooCommerce import products from Excel?
No. WooCommerce's built-in product importer reads CSV and TXT files only, so an Excel spreadsheet has to be saved as CSV before it can be imported. WP All Import removes that step by reading .xls and .xlsx files directly, so the spreadsheet imports without being converted first.
How to import products from Excel to WooCommerce
WP All Import imports WooCommerce products from an Excel file through Automatic Setup, which maps the spreadsheet's columns to product fields for you:
- Go to All Import › New Import and click Set up automatically.
- Upload the .xls or .xlsx file.
- Select WooCommerce, choose Products, and click Start Automatic Setup.
- On the Your Import Is Ready screen, check the number of fields mapped and products to be imported, and expand Field Mappings to review how each column was matched.
- Click Run Import.
How do I import variable products from an Excel file?
WP All Import imports variable products from Excel with Automatic Setup, which detects parent products and their variations from the file:
- Go to All Import › New Import, click Set up automatically, and upload the Excel file.
- Select WooCommerce › Products and click Start Automatic Setup.
- In Field Mappings, open the WooCommerce Import Add-On section and confirm that Product Type is set to variable and Parent Product ID is mapped to the file's parent SKU column.
- Click Run Import. If the file links variations in an unusual way, click Manual Setup to choose the linking method in the Variations tab.
Can I import WooCommerce products from Google Sheets?
Yes. WP All Import imports WooCommerce products straight from a Google Sheet, with no download or file conversion. After clicking Set up automatically at All Import › New Import, paste the sheet's public URL into the Download from URL tab. Automatic Setup then maps its columns to WooCommerce product fields in the same way as an uploaded spreadsheet. The same URL can be used for scheduled imports, so changes made in the sheet reach the store on each run.
How to update existing WooCommerce products from an Excel file
To update existing WooCommerce products from an Excel file, WP All Import matches each row to a product already in the store, usually by SKU, and updates it rather than creating a new one. In the import settings, the Choose which data to update option limits the changes to specific fields, so a supplier price list can update prices and stock without overwriting descriptions or images edited in WooCommerce.
How do I import product images from an Excel spreadsheet?
WP All Import imports product images from the image URLs in an Excel spreadsheet as part of Automatic Setup:
- Go to All Import › New Import, click Set up automatically, and upload the Excel file.
- Select WooCommerce › Products. If a cell holds several image URLs, open Add Setup Instructions and name the separator the file uses, such as a pipe (|).
- Click Start Automatic Setup and check Field Mappings to confirm the image column is mapped.
- Click Run Import. Each URL is downloaded and added to the product's image or gallery.
Best Plugins to Import WooCommerce Products from Excel — Related Information
