MonsterTools makes it easy to display your subscription plans with a professional, customizable pricing grid. Upon activation, the plugin automatically creates all necessary pages, including a fully functional Pricing Page.


The Auto-Created Pricing Page

When you first activate MonsterTools, a default pricing page is automatically created for you. You can find it in your WordPress admin under Pages > All Pages. It will typically be titled "Pricing" and contain the essential shortcode to display your plans.

This page is ready to use immediately and provides a perfect starting point for your subscription offerings.


The [monstertools_pricing] Shortcode

The core of your pricing display is the powerful [monstertools_pricing] shortcode. This shortcode automatically pulls in all your active subscription plans and displays them in a beautiful, responsive grid.

Basic Shortcode:

[monstertools_pricing]

*This displays all active plans in a 3-column grid with the billing toggle enabled.*


Shortcode Attributes Reference

Customize your pricing display using these attributes:

AttributeDescriptionDefaultAccepted Values
layoutDisplay style of the pricing tablegridgrid
show_toggleShow monthly/yearly billing toggletruetrue, false
columnsNumber of columns in grid layout31, 2, 3, 4
plansShow specific plans only''Comma-separated Plan IDs

Attribute Usage & Examples

1. Basic Pricing Grid

Display all active plans with default settings:

[monstertools_pricing]

2. Two-Column Layout with No Toggle

Perfect for sidebar or compact sections:

[monstertools_pricing columns="2" show_toggle="false"]

3. List Layout for Mobile Optimization

[monstertools_pricing layout="list"]

4. Show Specific Plans Only

Display only selected plans by their IDs:

[monstertools_pricing plans="45, 89, 122"]

5. Single-Column Focused Layout

Ideal for landing pages or emphasis:

[monstertools_pricing columns="1"]


Advanced Features & Customization

Smart Plan Comparison

The pricing grid automatically detects the user's current subscription and shows appropriate labels:

  • "Select Plan" - For new customers

  • "Upgrade" - For lower-tier subscribers viewing higher plans

  • "Downgrade" - For higher-tier subscribers viewing lower plans

  • "Current Plan" - For the user's active subscription

Recommended Plan Highlighting

Mark a plan as "Recommended" in the plan settings to make it stand out with special styling in the grid.

Billing Period Toggle

The monthly/yearly toggle automatically updates all prices and links, making it easy for customers to compare options.


Real-World Usage Examples

1. Main Pricing Page

Use the auto-created page or create your own with:

[monstertools_pricing columns="3" show_toggle="true"]

2. Sidebar Pricing Widget

Create a compact pricing section for your sidebar:

[monstertools_pricing columns="1" show_toggle="false"]

3. Feature-Specific Plans

Show only plans that include specific tools:

[monstertools_pricing plans="23, 45" columns="2"]

4. Mobile-Optimized Pricing

[monstertools_pricing layout="list" show_toggle="true"]


Managing Subscription Plans

To configure your plans, go to MonsterTools > Subscription Plans in your WordPress admin. Here you can:

  • Create/Edit Plans: Set titles, descriptions, and features

  • Set Pricing: Configure monthly and yearly prices

  • Mark as Recommended: Highlight your most popular plan

  • Set Plan Status: Activate or deactivate plans

  • Reorder Plans: Drag and drop to change display order

Plan Features Include:

  • Monthly and yearly pricing

  • Plan descriptions and excerpts

  • Feature lists with checkmarks

  • Recommended plan highlighting

  • Free plan support

  • Automatic active plan detection


How to Find Plan IDs

To use the plans attribute, you'll need the Plan IDs:

  1. Go to MonsterTools > Subscription Plans

  2. Hover over a plan title

  3. Look at the link in your browser's status bar

  4. The ID is the number after post=

For example: .../wp-admin/post.php?post=**123**&action=edit means the Plan ID is 123.


Customizing the Pricing Template

For advanced customization, you can override the pricing template in your theme:

  1. Create a folder in your theme called monster-tools

  2. Copy the template file from wp-content/plugins/monstertools/templates/pricing/plans-grid.php

  3. Paste it into your theme's monster-tools/pricing/ directory

  4. Modify the copied file to match your design needs

This ensures your customizations are preserved during plugin updates.


Troubleshooting

  • No plans showing? Ensure you have active subscription plans created in MonsterTools > Subscription Plans and their status is set to "On".

  • Toggle not working? Make sure you have both monthly and yearly prices set for your plans.

  • Layout looks broken? Check that your theme's CSS isn't conflicting with the plugin styles. Try switching to a default WordPress theme temporarily.

  • Wrong plan labels? The plugin automatically detects user subscriptions and shows appropriate labels. Log out to see the default "Select Plan" labels.

Your pricing page is now ready to convert visitors into subscribers! The auto-created page provides a great starting point, and the shortcode attributes give you full control over the display.