Important news from the Studiocart team
We have an important announcement from the Studiocart team.
After many conversations and careful planning behind the scenes, the PublishPress team is providing a path forward for Studiocart users.
If you’re a current Studiocart user, this post will explain the path forward for your eCommerce websites. Your site and existing funnels won’t suddenly stop working, and the goal of this transition is long-term stability and continued development for your sites.
Why we made this decision
Studiocart was launched in 2020 with a simple goal: make it easier for creators, coaches, and entrepreneurs to build high-converting sales funnels directly on WordPress without the complexity and bloat of traditional eCommerce setups.
What started as a small product quickly grew into a global community of users, especially after our AppSumo launch. Over the years, thousands of business owners used Studiocart to launch courses, digital products, memberships, coaching programs, and more.
We’re incredibly proud of what Studiocart became and deeply grateful to everyone who supported the product along the way.
However, the WordPress ecosystem continues to evolve, we knew the best way to ensure a strong future for Studiocart users was to work with a larger, established WordPress product company with the resources and infrastructure to continue growing it long-term.
That led us to PublishPress.
Introducing PublishPress
PublishPress is a respected WordPress software company led by Steve Burge.
He has been building open-source software for 20 years, and PublishPress has been building WordPress products for 10 years. Their plugins are used on more than 250,000 WordPress sites.
We believe they are well-positioned to continue supporting Studiocart users and shaping the future of the product.
Over the past several months, Steve and the PublishPress team have been working behind the scenes to prepare for this transition and become familiar with the Studiocart codebase, support systems, and roadmap.
Introducing PublishPress Cart
PublishPress Cart is a new plugin. It’s an improved and redesigned version of the Studiocart plugin.
The PublishPress team has been hard at work refactoring the Studiocart codebase to make it more stable and more secure.
We had a chance to get a sneak peek at their new plugin.
With their permission, we’re sharing a few screenshots with you here. This is a beta version, so the final release may look slightly different.
New Settings Screen
Studiocart has been using the classic WordPress UI for its settings since the beginning. PublishPress has redesigned the settings to be fresher and more modern.
New Checkout Block
PublishPress plans to offer first-class support for the Gutenberg editor, so they’ve created a new checkout block. Unlike a shortcode, this block lets you reorder each section wherever you want.
New Account Block
We’ve received many requests for an easier way to customize the account page. PublishPress Cart now makes this simple.
Improved Email System
For years, you could only use Studiocart’s default emails. With PublishPress Cart, emails are fully customizable. You can edit the content and use a preview button.
There are many more improvements, including:
- Faster checkout performance
- Full synchronization with Stripe, so subscriptions don’t get out of sync
- Improved debug and webhook logs
- Support for cancelling subscriptions immediately or at the end of the billing period in Stripe
- …and much more
We believe the PublishPress team will take this platform to the next level.
What this means for existing Studiocart users
For existing Studiocart users, there will be a migration path to PublishPress Cart. Moving to PublishPress Cart means that your site will be supported by a highly skilled development team with multiple developers who actively maintain and improve their products.
You’re moving to a team that already powers hundreds of thousands of WordPress sites and knows how to ship reliable updates, fix issues quickly, and keep plugins running safely over the long term.
What about Studiocart lifetime deal customers?
We know lifetime deal (LTD) customers are a special group. You supported Studiocart early, and many of you did so because you wanted long-term access without being pushed into a completely new purchase. PublishPress Cart is a new product with ongoing development and support costs, so it can’t continue every previous business arrangement unchanged.
This was not a traditional acquisition. We did not sell Studiocart or make any money from this deal. We did not even make money from Studiocart while running the business, which is why we had to make this decision. Our only goal now is to treat Studiocart users fairly and to provide them with a path forward for their websites. That’s why we’ve asked Steve to offer a significant discount to our LTD customers. We don’t have the exact discount finalized yet. Steve will share details before the official public release.
Frequently asked questions
Is Studiocart shutting down?
Existing Studiocart installations will not suddenly stop working, but future development and long-term support will move to PublishPress Cart.
It is unlikely that there will be more releases of the Studiocart plugin. The Studiocart website and social media channels will be retired later in 2026 in favor of PublishPress resources and channels. PublishPress Cart is already in testing and should be available for all users by August.
Is PublishPress Cart the same product as Studiocart?
PublishPress Cart is a new product from PublishPress that is built from the Studiocart codebase and designed to provide a smoother transition for existing users.
Will PublishPress Cart work with my existing Studiocart products and orders?
Yes. PublishPress Cart is designed to maintain compatibility with existing Studiocart data, including products, subscriptions, order bumps, upsells, and checkout flows.
Will I need to rebuild all my checkout pages?
No. Existing checkout pages and funnels are expected to continue working without requiring a full rebuild.
Can I keep using Studiocart for now?
Yes. If Studiocart is already installed on your site, you can continue using it for as long as it works for your business needs.
That said, because future development, updates, and long-term support are moving to PublishPress Cart, we recommend planning a transition over time, especially for stores handling payments, subscriptions, or critical customer access.
How much will PublishPress Cart cost?
PublishPress Cart will launch with the same pricing as Studiocart. There will be big discounts available for LTD users.
How can I test PublishPress Cart?
We plan to offer early testing in June 2026 for users interested in trying the new platform. If your business relies heavily on Studiocart, we especially welcome your feedback during this move.
Who should I contact with questions?
If you have questions about what this means for your WordPress site, or if you want to join early testing, please email [email protected].
A final note
This change comes with a lot of emotions for us because Studiocart has been such a meaningful part of our lives for the past several years.
What started as a small idea grew into a product used by thousands of creators around the world, and we’re incredibly grateful for the support, feedback, encouragement, and trust that this community has given us along the way.
While change can feel uncertain, we genuinely believe this decision gives the product and its community the strongest foundation for long-term stability, continued innovation, and future growth under the PublishPress team.
Thank you for being part of this journey with us. It has truly meant more than you know.
Best regards,
The Studiocart team
