Running a modern website means juggling marketing, e-commerce, content publishing, backups, integrations and customer workflows — which is why this guide on 9 Best WordPress Automation Plugins To Automate Business is essential for busy site owners and agencies. Automating repetitive tasks lets you focus on strategy, product development and customer relationships while your WordPress site handles routine work reliably.
Below I cover the nine top plugins I recommend for business-grade automation, how and when to use each, detailed setup tips, real automation examples, pricing notes in £, and advice for combining tools into a self-running system that scales. I’ve been through the burnout of manual publishing and built automated systems that multiplied output while improving traffic and conversions — I’ll share the practical lessons that saved my time and grew results. This relates directly to 9 Best WordPress Automation Plugins To Automate Business.
Understanding 9 Best WordPress Automation Plugins To Automate Business
The phrase 9 Best WordPress Automation Plugins To Automate Business describes tools that remove manual work across marketing, sales, content, backups, and app integrations. Automation plugins fall into categories: workflow connectors, marketing/funnel automation, CRM sync, backup & recovery, performance automation, and content/social automation.
Automation improves consistency, reduces human error, and increases velocity — but it also introduces complexity, so you must design workflows deliberately and monitor performance and costs.
How to Choose the 9 Best WordPress Automation Plugins To Automate Business
Selecting the right automation plugin depends on these criteria: what you need automated, integrations, hosting resources, privacy/compliance, budget in £, and long-term maintenance. Below is a checklist to evaluate options: When considering 9 Best WordPress Automation Plugins To Automate Business, this becomes clear.
- Primary use case (workflows, marketing, backups, CRMs, social posting).
- Integrations available (WooCommerce, Gravity Forms, WPForms, Mail systems, CRMs).
- Ease of use — visual builders vs code-based triggers.
- Performance impact and compatibility with caching/hosting.
- Support, update frequency and community adoption.
- Pricing in £ and upgrade paths for scaling.
The 9 Plugins: 9 Best WordPress Automation Plugins To Automate Business
This guide focuses on nine plugins that together cover a full stack of automation needs for most businesses: Uncanny Automator, AutomateWoo, FunnelKit, WP Fusion, zapier/Make connectors, UpdraftPlus, Autoptimize (performance automation), FunnelKit/Jetpack CRM, and Social/Content automators like Smash Balloon and Revive Social. Each is covered next with strengths, weaknesses, setup tips and sample automations.
Plugin 1 — Uncanny Automator
Why it’s on the list: Uncanny Automator is a no-code workflow connector that links plugins and external apps to create triggers and actions inside WordPress, effectively making plugins “talk” to each other.
Core features
- Triggers and actions library for common plugins.
- Automations (recipes) with conditional logic.
- Connects to external services via webhooks and REST APIs.
Ideal use cases
- When you need plugin-to-plugin automation (e.g., when a WooCommerce order completes, add the user to a learning course and tag them in your CRM).
- Automating membership and LMS enrolments.
Setup tips
- Start with a single automation and monitor results before scaling.
- Use descriptive names for recipes and include an internal comment to track business intent.
Plugin 2 — AutomateWoo
Why it’s on the list: AutomateWoo specialises in WooCommerce automation: abandoned cart follow-ups, VIP customer tagging, churn campaigns and personalised coupons — essential for stores running on WordPress.
Core features
- Advanced rule builder for events (order status, product purchased).
- Email & SMS plugins for transactional flows.
- Loyalty and repeat purchase automations.
Ideal use cases
- Ecommerce stores seeking to reduce cart abandonment and increase LTV.
- Automated loyalty programs and post-purchase sequences.
Setup tips
- Integrate with your chosen SMS/email provider and test sequences using staging data.
- Use time delays and frequency caps to avoid spamming customers.
Plugin 3 — FunnelKit
Why it’s on the list: FunnelKit is a sales funnel and CRM-style automation plugin built for WordPress and WooCommerce that focuses on conversion journeys and checkout optimisation. The importance of 9 Best WordPress Automation Plugins To Automate Business is evident here.
Core features
- Visual funnel builder with order bumps and one-click upsells.
- Email broadcasts and automation workflows.
- Reporting to measure funnel conversion rates.
Ideal use cases
- Businesses that rely on WooCommerce sales and need high-converting checkout flows.
Setup tips
- Map the customer journey first, then build the funnel stages in FunnelKit.
- Test A/B variations for checkout flows to identify revenue uplift.
Plugin 4 — WP Fusion
Why it’s on the list: WP Fusion connects WordPress site data to external CRMs and marketing platforms, syncing user behaviour to tags and segments so your marketing automation outside WordPress becomes data-driven.
Core features
- Bi-directional sync with many CRMs and marketing platforms.
- Tag-based access control and content restriction.
- Works with membership, LMS and ecommerce plugins.
Ideal use cases
- When you need WordPress events reflected in your CRM for advanced marketing automation.
Setup tips
- Plan your tag taxonomy before syncing to avoid tag sprawl.
- Use selective field mapping and test syncs on a small user segment.
Plugin 5 — Zapier / Make (Integrations)
Why they’re on the list: Zapier and Make (formerly Integromat) allow WordPress to connect with thousands of SaaS apps for cross-platform automation that goes beyond WordPress-only plugins.
Core features
- Thousands of app integrations and complex multi-step automations.
- Conditional paths, filters and data transformation tools.
Ideal use cases
- Send form submissions to CRMs, spreadsheets, billing systems, Slack alerts or internal dashboards.
Setup tips
- Use webhooks from WordPress (or connector plugins) to trigger flows.
- Monitor task usage and set budgets — automation volume drives costs, so plan in £ accordingly.
Plugin 6 — UpdraftPlus (Backup & Recovery Automation)
Why it’s on the list: Backups are automation too — scheduled backups, remote storage, and one-click restores are non-negotiable for business sites.
Core features
- Scheduled backups to remote storage (S3, Google Drive, etc.).
- Automated restores and cloning tools.
Ideal use cases
- Every business site: automating backups reduces downtime and risk during updates or incidents.
Setup tips
- Keep at least two remote backup destinations and test restores quarterly.
- Encrypt and rotate backups if you handle sensitive customer data to meet compliance requirements.
Plugin 7 — Autoptimize & Performance Automation
Why it’s on the list: Performance tuning can be automated — file optimisation, critical CSS generation, cache purging and lazy loading keep sites fast without manual tweaking. Understanding 9 Best WordPress Automation Plugins To Automate Business helps with this aspect.
Core features
- Minification and concatenation of CSS/JS, image optimisation and lazy loading.
- Automatic critical CSS and cache-control rules.
Ideal use cases
- Sites where manual performance tweaks are impractical due to scale or frequent content updates.
Setup tips
- Test minification and defer settings with your theme to prevent layout shifts.
- Monitor Core Web Vitals after enabling optimisations and adjust as needed.
Plugin 8 — WordPress CRM Solutions (FunnelKit CRM / Jetpack CRM)
Why they’re on the list: Self-hosted CRM plugins on WordPress let you automate contact management, invoices, email sequences and client portals inside the WordPress dashboard.
Core features
- Contact records, tagging, notes, invoices and client portals.
- Automations for follow-ups and pipeline movement.
Ideal use cases
- Agencies, freelancers and small businesses that prefer a self-hosted CRM within WordPress for data control and lower ongoing SaaS fees.
Setup tips
- Integrate CRM tags with your marketing automation plugin to trigger targeted sequences.
- Backup CRM data regularly and plan export routines in case you migrate later.
Plugin 9 — Social & Content Automation (Smash Balloon / Revive Social)
Why they’re on the list: Social posting and content syndication automation reduces the time to promote content across channels and drives referral traffic.
Core features
- Auto-post new content to social channels, curate feeds, and embed social media in posts.
- Scheduling and recycling of evergreen posts.
Ideal use cases
- Content-heavy sites and stores that need consistent social promotion without manual posting.
Setup tips
- Use post templates and category-based rules to control what and when content posts to social channels.
- Monitor engagement and avoid posting every new post automatically — quality control matters.
Integrating the 9 Best WordPress Automation Plugins To Automate Business
Automation works best as a system. Combine these plugins using these integration patterns:
- Connect form plugin → WP Fusion or Zapier → CRM for lead capture & segmentation.
- WooCommerce → AutomateWoo → FunnelKit for checkout optimisation and post-purchase funnels.
- Uncanny Automator → glue between LMS, membership and CRM for enrolment workflows.
- Autoptimize + CDN → automated performance improvements after publishing new content.
- UpdraftPlus scheduled backups → remote storage for disaster recovery.
Practical workflow example: a visitor submits a lead form → WPForms pushes to Uncanny Automator → automation tags the user in WP Fusion → WP Fusion syncs tag to your CRM and triggers an email sequence built in FunnelKit → after purchase, AutomateWoo creates loyalty coupon and tags repeat customers. 9 Best WordPress Automation Plugins To Automate Business factors into this consideration.
security-and-performance-considerations-9-best-wordpress-automation-pl”>Security & Performance Considerations
Automation increases risk surface if you don’t manage access, API keys, and resource usage. Key practices:
- Rotate and store API keys securely with vaults or host secrets, and grant minimum permissions.
- Monitor performance: automations that run heavy queries during peak traffic can slow the site — schedule heavy background jobs off-peak.
- Keep plugins updated and use staging for testing new automations before production.
- Follow GDPR/CAN-SPAM and local privacy regulations when syncing customer data across tools; record consent where required.
Pricing and Budgeting (UK/US/Canada focus) for 9 Best WordPress Automation Plugins To Automate Business
Pricing varies widely: free tiers exist but business automation often requires premium plans. Budget considerations in £:
- Starter small site: £100–£400/year — basic AutomateWoo or FunnelKit entry plan, UpdraftPlus premium, Autoptimize pro alternatives.
- Growing business: £500–£2,000/year — Uncanny Automator premium, WP Fusion or a CRM, Zapier/Make usage fees for tasks, social automation premium.
- Enterprise scale: £2,000+/year — multiple premium licences, high Zapier/Make task volumes, dedicated hosting and monitoring.
List of typical costs to plan for (indicative, round figures):
- Uncanny Automator Pro: plan-dependent — budget £150–£400/year.
- AutomateWoo: licence-based — budget £100–£400/year.
- FunnelKit Pro: £99–£499/year depending on feature set.
- WP Fusion: single site plans higher — budget from £250/year upward for pro connectors.
- Zapier/Make: task-based — start small but plan for £20–£200/month as automation volume grows.
- UpdraftPlus Premium: around £70–£100/year for business features.
Expert Tips & Key Takeaways
- Start small and iterate: Automate one reliable workflow first and measure its impact before scaling.
- Map processes: Draw the customer journey and identify manual bottlenecks suitable for automation.
- Tag taxonomy matters: A consistent tag system prevents chaos when syncing between WordPress and CRMs.
- Monitor costs: External automation platforms charge per task — optimise triggers and batch operations to control spend in £.
- Test restores: Schedules backups are only useful if restores work — test quarterly.
- Use staging: Always test automations in a staging environment before deploying live changes.
- Measure outcomes: Connect automation events to analytics so you can track conversion lifts and ROI.
Conclusion: Build Your Autonomous WordPress Stack
The right combination of the 9 Best WordPress Automation Plugins To Automate Business can transform a manual website into an autonomous revenue and marketing engine. Start with the highest-impact areas — lead capture, ecommerce follow-ups, backups and CRM sync — then expand into social and performance automation. With careful planning, clear tag governance and staged testing you’ll maintain control while reclaiming hours each week.
If you want, I can draft a recommended automation architecture tailored to your site (describe your tech stack and goals), or provide step-by-step recipes for 3 high-impact automations to get you live in a day. Understanding 9 Best WordPress Automation Plugins To Automate Business is key to success in this area.
