7 Best Plugins to Manage the WooCommerce Shop Manager Role Easily

Managing the WooCommerce Shop Manager role is crucial to maintaining control and security within your online store. By clearly defining permissions and responsibilities, you can prevent accidental errors, protect sensitive data, and ensure smoother daily operations. This topic is especially important for store owners, administrators, and teams managing multiple users on a WooCommerce site.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the importance of managing this role effectively, the best plugins to use, and expert tips for safe role management.

What Is the WooCommerce Shop Manager Role?

The WooCommerce shop manager role is a default user role that allows store owners to assign management tasks to trusted team members without granting full administrative access. This role is designed for people who handle the day-to-day operations of an online store, helping business owners focus on strategy while maintaining a secure and organized workflow.

Main responsibilities of a WooCommerce Shop Manager include:

• Managing and processing customer orders.
• Adding, editing, and updating products and inventory.
• Creating and managing coupons or discount codes.
• Viewing store reports and analyzing sales performance.
• Managing customer data and order histories.
• Handling refunds or order status updates when needed.

While the shop manager can manage most eCommerce functions, they cannot install plugins, change website themes, or access advanced WordPress settings. This separation ensures your store remains secure and your team members only access what they truly need.

Why You Need to Manage the WooCommerce Shop Manager Role

Managing the WooCommerce Shop Manager role is crucial for maintaining store security, ensuring workflow efficiency, and preventing potential mistakes that could affect sales performance. Here are some key reasons why you should carefully control this role:

• Protect your store data: Shop Managers have access to sensitive information like orders, customer details, and reports. Managing their permissions prevents data leaks or accidental deletion.
• Maintain website security: Without proper control, Shop Managers could unintentionally install plugins or make settings changes that affect site performance or security.
• Prevent conflicts between admins and managers: Clearly defining permissions helps avoid overlapping responsibilities that can cause workflow confusion.
• Ensure accurate store management: Restricting unnecessary permissions ensures Shop Managers can focus on core tasks like handling orders and products, not on high-level site settings.
• Enhance accountability: Tracking who performs specific actions (like refunds or product edits) makes it easier to monitor and maintain transparency in store operations.

7 Best Plugins to Manage the WooCommerce Shop Manager Role

Here are the 7 best plugins to help you manage the WooCommerce Shop Manager role effectively:

• User Role Editor
• Members by MemberPress
• PublishPress Capabilities
• Advanced Access Manager
• WPFront User Role Editor
• Capability Manager Enhanced
• Profile Builder

Let’s take a closer look at each plugin and see how it can help you manage the Shop Manager role more efficiently.

User Role Editor

User Role Editor Stats:

• Downloads: 700,000+ active installations
• Rating: 4.5/5
• Price: Freemium, Pro version starts at $29/year
• Best for: WooCommerce store owners who need detailed control over user roles and permissions

User Role Editor is one of the most widely used plugins for managing user roles and capabilities in WordPress and WooCommerce. It allows you to easily add, edit, or remove permissions for any role — including the Shop Manager — directly from your WordPress dashboard. Its simple and intuitive interface makes it ideal for non-technical users who want more granular control over their store management.

Key Features:

• Edit, add, or delete capabilities for any role, including custom roles.
• Control access to WooCommerce settings, products, and reports.
• Create and duplicate roles with just a few clicks.
• Assign multiple roles to one user for flexible access.
• Compatible with popular plugins like WooCommerce, Yoast SEO, and Contact Form 7.
• Export and import role configurations for use across multiple websites.

Members by MemberPress

Members by MemberPress Stats:

• Downloads: 300,000+ active installations
• Rating: 4.9/5
• Price: Freemium (free core plugin, with optional free and premium add-ons)
• Best for: Store owners or website admins who need advanced role and permission control in WooCommerce and WordPress

Members by MemberPress is a powerful and flexible user role and capability management plugin for WordPress. It allows you to create, edit, and delete user roles, assign multiple roles to one user, and control access to content or admin areas. With its seamless WooCommerce integration, you can easily restrict access to certain store operations and maintain better security and workflow organization.

Key Features:

• Role editor to create, modify, and delete user roles and capabilities.
• Assign multiple roles to a single user for flexible access control.
• Clone existing roles for quick role creation.
• Integration with WooCommerce and MemberPress for managing access and permissions.
• Free add-ons like Block Permissions, Admin Access, and Privacy Caps for deeper control.
• User-friendly interface that simplifies role and capability management.

PublishPress Capabilities

PublishPress Capabilities Stats:

• Downloads: 100,000+ active installations
• Rating: 4.7/5
• Price: Freemium (free version + Pro plan available)
• Best for: Store owners or administrators who want detailed control over user roles and permissions in WooCommerce and WordPress

PublishPress Capabilities is a powerful plugin that helps you customize, clone, and manage user roles and capabilities in WordPress. It gives you full control over what users can see and do in your dashboard — including WooCommerce areas like products, orders, and coupons. The plugin is ideal for teams that need precise access management without coding.

Key Features:

• Create, edit, or clone any user role in WordPress.
• Adjust permissions for posts, pages, media, and custom post types.
• Control access to admin menus, toolbars, and dashboard widgets.
• Manage WooCommerce permissions such as product management, orders, and coupons.
• Automatically back up role settings to restore previous configurations easily.
• Pro version adds advanced tools for hiding admin menus, blocking URLs, and multisite support.

Advanced Access Manager

Advanced Access Manager Stats:

• Downloads: 100,000+ active installations
• Rating: 4.5/5
• Price: Freemium (free core plugin with paid premium add-ons)
• Best for: Store owners, website admins, or developers needing granular control of user roles, capabilities, backend access, and content permissions in WordPress and WooCommerce

Advanced Access Manager is a robust plugin built for deep access control and security in WordPress. It allows you to customize roles, restrict backend menus, set up content-access rules (posts, pages, custom post types), and monitor user privileges with detailed audit tools. With AAM, you can ensure your team members only have access to the areas they truly need, which is especially useful for managing the “Shop Manager” role in a WooCommerce store.

Key Features:

• Customize and manage roles & capabilities for any user or visitor, including custom roles and multi-site environments.
• Restrict backend menus, WordPress toolbar widgets, REST API endpoints and specific URLs by role, user or visitor.
• Content access control: lock posts, pages, media, custom post types, categories and taxonomies based on fine-grained rules.
• Security audit tools to detect excessive privileges or misconfigured roles
• Developer-ready: JSON policy definitions, APIs, and framework for custom access logic.
• Free core version covers many role/permission tasks; paid add-ons unlock advanced features such as IP-based access, external domain restrictions, multi-site sync.

WPFront User Role Editor

WPFront User Role Editor Stats:

• Downloads: 40,000+ active installations
• Rating: 4.5/5
• Price: Freemium (free core plugin; Pro add-ons available)
• Best for: WordPress site owners and administrators who want to create, edit, or delete user roles and manage role capabilities easily

WPFront User Role Editor is a plugin that enables you to manage user roles and permissions on your WordPress site. You can create new roles, edit or rename existing roles, clone roles, manage capabilities, assign multiple roles to users, and more. Some advanced features (like media library permissions, admin menu editor, and custom post type permissions) require the Pro add-on.

Key Features:

• Create new roles, edit or rename existing roles.
• Clone roles and migrate users.
• Add or remove capabilities for roles.
• Assign multiple roles to one user.
• Basic role capabilities in the free version, advanced permissions in Pro (e.g., media library, multisite support).

DFX Automatic Role Changer for WooCommerce

DFX Automatic Role Changer for WooCommerce Stats:

• Downloads: 300+ active installations
• Rating: 4.7/5
• Price: Freemium, premium plans available on CodeCanyon
• Best for: WooCommerce store owners who want to automate user role changes based on purchase behavior or subscriptions

DFX Automatic Role Changer for WooCommerce is a powerful automation plugin designed to manage user roles dynamically. It enables store owners to automatically change a user’s role after they complete specific actions — such as purchasing a product, subscribing to a plan, or spending a certain amount. This feature is especially useful for stores that want to reward loyal customers, manage membership levels, or simplify the process of assigning staff roles like Shop Manager.

Key Features:

• Automatically change user roles after purchase or subscription.
• Assign multiple roles based on products, categories, or conditions.
• Schedule or delay role changes for more flexibility.
• Fully compatible with WooCommerce Subscriptions and Memberships.
• Ideal for automating role upgrades or staff access changes.
• Lightweight and easy to configure from the WordPress admin panel.

Profile Builder

Profile Builder Stats:

• Downloads: 50,000+ active installations
• Rating: 4.7/5
• Price: Freemium (free core version; Pro add-ons available)
• Best for: Website owners who want front-end user registration/login/profile forms, custom user fields, and role/capability control in WooCommerce or membership sites

Profile Builder is an all-in-one user profile and registration plugin for WordPress. It enables front-end user registration, login, and edit-profile forms with custom fields, role assignment at registration, content restriction by role or logged-in status, and a built-in Role Editor to manage user roles and capabilities. It’s particularly useful if you run a site with user memberships, a WooCommerce store with restricted sections, or want to enhance user experience and data capture.

Key Features:

• Create front-end registration, login, and edit profile forms (via shortcodes/blocks).
• Drag & drop to reorder profile fields; add custom fields (upload, datepicker, colorpicker, repeater, etc.).
• Assign a specific user role upon registration.
• Restrict content, pages, or products based on user roles or whether the user is logged in.
• Role Editor built-in: create, edit, clone, delete roles & adjust capabilities.
• WooCommerce sync: restrict shop/pages, modify billing/shipping fields, create private store sections.
• GDPR tools, social login (in Pro), member directories, and export/import settings.

How to Choose the Right Plugin for Your Store

Selecting the right plugin to manage the WooCommerce Shop Manager role depends on your store’s needs, team size, and level of control required. Here are some key factors to consider:

• Define your needs: Identify what specific permissions or restrictions you want to apply for your Shop Manager (e.g., access to reports, products, or marketing tools).
• Ease of use: Choose a plugin with an intuitive interface so you can easily edit roles and capabilities without technical knowledge.
• Compatibility: Ensure the plugin works smoothly with your WooCommerce version and other extensions you already use.
• Scalability: Pick a plugin that can grow with your business — from a small shop to a multi-store or multisite setup.
• Security and updates: Go for plugins that are regularly updated and have positive user reviews to ensure data security and reliability.
• Support and documentation: Reliable support and clear documentation are crucial if you ever face configuration or compatibility issues.
• Price and value: Compare features in free vs. premium versions — sometimes investing in a paid plugin saves time and prevents future issues.

Pro Tips to Manage the WooCommerce Shop Manager Role Safely

To maintain security and efficiency in your WooCommerce store, managing the Shop Manager role properly is crucial. Here are some expert tips to help you do it safely:

• Limit unnecessary permissions: Grant only the capabilities that are essential — avoid giving Shop Managers admin-level access.
• Create a backup before making changes: Always back up your site and database before editing user roles or capabilities.
• Use a role management plugin: Tools like User Role Editor or Members by MemberPress make it easier and safer to modify permissions.
• Set up activity logs: Track what Shop Managers (and other users) do on your site to quickly detect unauthorized changes.
• Review permissions regularly: Revisit user roles every few months to ensure they still match your business structure.
• Separate duties among team members: If possible, assign specific responsibilities (orders, marketing, reports) to avoid overlapping access.
• Use staging environments: Test role or permission changes on a staging site before applying them to your live store.
• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): Add an extra security layer for Shop Managers to prevent unauthorized access.

Frequently Asked Questions

1: Can I create a custom Shop Manager role with limited permissions?

Yes. You can use plugins like User Role Editor or PublishPress Capabilities to clone the default Shop Manager role and adjust specific permissions as needed.

2: What’s the difference between an Administrator and a Shop Manager?

An Administrator has full access to the website, including plugins, themes, and settings. A Shop Manager can only manage WooCommerce-related tasks such as products, orders, and reports.

3: Do I need a plugin to change Shop Manager permissions?

While it’s possible to modify permissions with custom code, using a plugin is safer, easier, and ensures compatibility with WooCommerce updates.

4: How can I prevent a Shop Manager from accessing sensitive data?

Use a role management plugin to remove unnecessary permissions (like editing users or accessing settings). You can also set up activity logs to monitor their actions.

Conclusion

Effectively managing the WooCommerce Shop Manager role is essential to maintaining security, consistency, and efficiency across your store operations. With the right plugins and best practices, you can customize user permissions, prevent mistakes, and ensure that every team member has access to only what they need. Doing so not only protects your business but also improves collaboration and workflow management within your WooCommerce store.

At Arestós, we specialize in helping businesses build, customize, and optimize WooCommerce websites for performance and scalability. Our experienced developers can help you integrate user role management tools, secure your online store, and create a seamless shopping experience for your customers.

Contact us today to get expert guidance and tailored solutions for your online business.