# Keep free shipping when customers use a discount code on Shopify

A discount code removes free shipping for one of two reasons: the code isn't set to combine with shipping discounts, or it takes the cart under your threshold. Fix the first by ticking **Shipping discounts** under **Combinations** on the code. Fix the second by counting the threshold before discounts. Shopify's own [free shipping discount](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/discounts/discount-types/free-shipping) counts its minimum after any discounts it combines with, and there's no setting to change that. [RM: Advanced Free Shipping](https://apps.shopify.com/better-free-shipping) has a **Cart subtotal** condition that counts the cart before any code. It costs $9.90 USD every 30 days, with a 7-day free trial, billed by Shopify.

## What the customer gets

In this example, shipping is free over $100. Standard costs $8.90. A customer has $110 of items in the cart and enters `WELCOME10` for 10% off, so the items now cost $99.

**Before the fix:**

- If the code doesn't combine with shipping discounts, Shopify applies only one of them. The customer pays $99 + $8.90 = $107.90.
- If the code combines, but the threshold counts after discounts, $99 is under $100. The customer still pays $107.90.

**After the fix (both sides combine, and the condition is Cart subtotal Is at least 100):**

- The app counts the cart at $110, before the code. Standard is free.
- The customer pays $99.

**A $90 cart with the same code** still doesn't qualify, because $90 is under $100 before the code. The customer pays $81 + $8.90 = $89.90.

![Example checkout with WELCOME10: the $60 shirt is $54 and the $50 tote is $45, and Standard shows $8.90 crossed out and FREE, labeled Free shipping over $100. Total USD $99.00](/images/checkout-welcome10.png)

## Set it up

**1. Let the code combine with shipping discounts**

1. In Shopify admin, go to **Discounts** and open the code, such as `WELCOME10`.
2. Under **Combinations**, tick **Shipping discounts**, then save.

**2. Let your shipping discount combine with the code**

1. In the app, open your free shipping discount, or click **Create Shipping Discount** to make one.
2. Under **Combinations**, keep **Product discounts** and **Order discounts** ticked. Both are ticked by default.

![The Combinations card in the app with Product discounts and Order discounts ticked](/images/combinations.png)

**3. Count the threshold before discounts**

1. In **Conditions**, change **Cart total** to **Cart subtotal**.
2. Keep **Is at least** and `100`.
3. In **Discount setup**, keep **Shipping**, **All shipping rates** and **Free**. Save.

![A Cart subtotal condition set to Is at least $100](/images/cart-subtotal.png)

Both sides must allow combining. If either one is unticked, Shopify applies only one of the two discounts. See Shopify's guide to [combining discounts](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/discounts/discount-combinations).

## Variations

- **Keep free shipping only if they still spend $100 after the code:** keep both sides combining, and leave the condition on **Cart total**. A $130 cart with 20% off ($104) keeps free shipping, and a $110 cart ($88) doesn't.
- **No free shipping when any other discount is used:** untick **Product discounts** and **Order discounts** under **Combinations** in your shipping discount. Customers using another discount pay normal shipping.
- **Only some products count toward $100:** use **Cost of items from collection (subtotal)** with a collection of those products.
- **One code that gives 10% off and free shipping:** that is a product discount and a shipping discount in one code. Our sibling app [OneCode: Stackable Discounts](https://apps.shopify.com/rm-combo-discounts) does that.

## Good to know

- **To find codes that don't combine**, check the app's dashboard. The warning "Other discounts may need to be updated" lists active product and order discounts that don't combine with shipping.
- **To fix codes made by other apps** (email, loyalty, wholesale), tick the "combine with shipping discounts" option in that app's settings, or in Shopify admin. For older Klaviyo and Facebook codes with no combine option, our [Discount Bridge](https://apps.shopify.com/discount-combinations) app turns shipping combinations on for them.
- **To make the discount control free shipping**, remove any free rate from **Settings → Shipping and delivery**. A free rate there always shows, whatever codes are used.
- **To check it before customers see it**, turn on **Test mode**, check out with the shipping first name `ABC123`, and apply your code.

## Related

- [Count the threshold before or after discounts](/guides/threshold-before-or-after-discounts.md)
- [Free shipping over $100](/guides/free-shipping-over-100.md)
- [What Shopify's free shipping discount can't do](/shopify-free-shipping-limits.md)
- [Free shipping with a code or automatically](/guides/free-shipping-code-or-automatic.md)

[Install RM: Advanced Free Shipping from the Shopify App Store](https://apps.shopify.com/better-free-shipping).