Variable products let you offer different Telegram channel access for each product variation. For example, a “Gold” variation can grant access to three channels while a “Silver” variation grants access to one. Both the Lite and Pro versions support variable products since v1.7.0.
For linking channels to Simple products (non-variable), see Link a Channel or Group to a Simple Product. For subscription products, see Link a Channel or Group to a Subscription Product.
Setting Up Variable Product Access #
Step 1. Open an existing variable product for editing, or create a new product and select Variable product as the product type.
Step 2. Click the Telegram Access tab in the Product data panel. You will see a message:
Telegram channel access settings are configured on individual variations. Open each variation below to set channel access, expiry, and subscription settings.
This is expected. Variable products are configured per-variation, not at the parent product level.
Step 3. Click the Variations tab and expand the variation you want to configure.
Step 4. Scroll down within the variation to find the Telegram Access section.
Step 5. In the Select Channels/Groups box, choose the channels or groups this variation should grant access to.
Step 6. Repeat for each variation that should grant Telegram channel access. Variations without any channels selected will not trigger the invite flow at checkout.
Step 7. Save the product.
When a customer purchases a variation that has channels assigned, the plugin generates invite links for those specific channels — not for channels assigned to other variations.
Access Expiry for Variable Products (Pro) #
In the Pro version, each variation also shows an Access expiry (days) field. This works the same way as for Simple products — it sets a timed access window after which the customer is automatically removed from the assigned channels.
Each variation can have a different expiry value. For example, a “1-Month Access” variation could use 30 days while a “1-Year Access” variation uses 365 days.
This field is not available in the Lite version.
Variable Subscription Products (Pro) #
If you have WooCommerce Subscriptions or Flexible Subscriptions by WP Desk installed, you can create Variable subscription or Flexible Variable Subscription product types. These work like standard variable products but with additional subscription controls per variation.
Each variation in a variable subscription product shows:
- Select Channels/Groups — same as variable simple products
- Immediate removal on cancellation — remove the customer from channels immediately when they cancel (rather than waiting until the billing period ends)
- Cancellation cut-off days — number of days from the subscription start within which early cancellation triggers immediate removal
These settings are configured independently per variation. One variation could have immediate removal enabled with a 7-day cut-off, while another variation has it disabled entirely.
All subscription lifecycle features — automatic member removal on expiry, smart multi-subscription protection, and access cut-off controls — work at the variation level. For a full explanation of these lifecycle features, see Link a Channel or Group to a Subscription Product.
For Flexible Subscriptions setup details, see Using Subscriber Manager Pro with Flexible Subscriptions.
Pro vs Lite Differences #
| Feature | Lite | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Variable product channel selection | One channel | Multiple channels |
| Access expiry per variation | No | Yes |
| Variable subscription products | No | Yes |
| Automatic member removal | No | Yes |
What Your Customers Experience #
The checkout experience is the same as for Simple products. Customers select a variation, complete the purchase, and receive invite links for the channels assigned to that specific variation. The process is described in detail in What Your Customers Can Expect At Checkout.
