---
title: Installing CartPops
description: Install CartPops Free from WordPress.org, or install CartPops Pro from a ZIP file and activate your license.
sidebar:
  label: Installing
---

CartPops needs WooCommerce, so install and activate WooCommerce first. See the [requirements](/#requirements) for supported versions.

- [Install the Free plugin](#install-the-free-plugin)
- [Install the Pro plugin](#install-the-pro-plugin)

:::warning[Do not run Free and Pro at the same time]
CartPops Free and CartPops Pro are separate plugins, and Pro is not an add-on for Free. If both are active, CartPops pauses itself and shows an admin notice: "CartPops detected both the Free and Pro editions as active. CartPops was paused; deactivate one edition and reload this page."

CartPops does not deactivate either plugin for you and does not touch your settings. Deactivate one edition, then reload the page.
:::

## Install the Free plugin

1. **Open Add Plugins**

    In your WordPress dashboard, go to **Plugins** and click **Add New**.

    ![The Add Plugins screen in WordPress](/blume-assets/content/content/01-getting-started/img/wordpress-add-new-plugin.png)

2. **Search for CartPops**

    Search for **CartPops**. It should be the first result.

    ![Searching for a plugin in WordPress](/blume-assets/content/content/01-getting-started/img/wordpress-install-search-plugin.png)

3. **Install and activate**

    Click **Install Now**. When it finishes, click **Activate**.

    ![The Install Now button in WordPress](/blume-assets/content/content/01-getting-started/img/wordpress-install-now.png)

CartPops is now active. Continue with [First-time setup](/getting-started/first-setup).

## Install the Pro plugin

:::note[Pro feature]
CartPops Pro needs a license. Pro features stay unavailable until the license is active for your site.
:::

1. **Download the Pro ZIP file**

    After you buy CartPops Pro, you receive an email with your license key and a download link. Download the `.zip` file from that email. You can also download it from your account.

2. **Deactivate the Free plugin**

    If CartPops Free is active, go to **Plugins** > **Installed Plugins** and deactivate it first. Your CartPops settings are kept when you deactivate or delete a plugin.

3. **Upload the plugin**

    Go to **Plugins** > **Add New** and click **Upload Plugin**. Choose the CartPops Pro `.zip` file, click **Install Now**, then click **Activate**.

    ![The Upload Plugin button on the Add Plugins screen](/blume-assets/content/content/01-getting-started/img/wordpress-upload-plugin.png)

4. **Activate your license**

    After activation, CartPops asks for your license key through the Freemius activation screen. Paste the key from your purchase email and click **Agree & Activate License**.

    Freemius is the licensing and update service CartPops uses. The plugin contacts it to verify your license and to check for updates.

5. **Delete the Free plugin**

    Once Pro works, you can delete the deactivated Free plugin from **Plugins** > **Installed Plugins**.

CartPops Pro is now installed. Continue with [First-time setup](/getting-started/first-setup).

## Switching between Free and Pro

To move from Free to Pro, follow the Pro steps above. To move from Pro back to Free, deactivate Pro first, then install and activate Free from WordPress.org. Deactivating or deleting CartPops keeps your settings, analytics and licensing records. Permanent data removal is a separate, deliberate action, so deleting the plugin does not reset your data.

If your Pro license is not available, for example because it expired, Pro features pause but your saved Pro settings are kept.

## Upgrading from V1

If CartPops V1 is already on your site, do not follow this page. Read [Upgrading to V2](/upgrading-to-v2) first.