WHMCS Order Form Types Compared: Which Template Should You Use?

WHMCS includes several order form templates, each with different layouts, features, and user experiences. Choosing the right one can significantly impact your conversion rates. This comprehensive comparison helps you select the best order form for your hosting business.

Available Order Form Templates

WHMCS includes these built-in order form templates:

1. Standard Cart

The classic multi-page shopping cart experience familiar to most ecommerce shoppers.

2. Premium Comparison (Slider)

Visual slider-based plan comparison with prominent feature highlights and easy plan selection.

3. Ajax Sliding Cart

Modern AJAX-powered single-page checkout with smooth transitions and no page reloads.

4. Modern

Clean, minimalist design with step-by-step progression and contemporary styling.

5. Boxes

Grid-based layout with product boxes, good for visual plan comparison.

6. Comparison

Feature comparison table layout ideal for hosting plans with multiple feature differences.

Detailed Comparison

Standard Cart: Deep Dive

Best For

• Traditional ecommerce experience
• Complex product configurations
• Businesses with many product categories
• Customers familiar with classic shopping carts

Advantages

• Familiar shopping experience
• Easy to customize with basic CSS/HTML
• Clear separation of checkout steps
• Good for SEO (separate URLs per step)
• Works reliably on all browsers

Disadvantages

• Multiple page loads increase abandonment
• Slower checkout experience
• Less modern appearance
• More opportunities to leave

Premium Comparison: Deep Dive

Best For

• Hosting with tiered plans (Basic, Pro, Business)
• Feature-differentiated products
• Businesses wanting to highlight plan differences
• Upselling to higher tiers

Advantages

• Visual plan slider is engaging
• Excellent feature comparison
• Encourages plan upgrades
• Highlights popular/recommended options
• Good conversion for tiered products

Disadvantages

• Less flexible for non-tiered products
• Slider can confuse some users
• Customization requires JavaScript knowledge
• May not suit all product types

Ajax Sliding Cart: Deep Dive

Best For

• Modern, fast checkout experiences
• Mobile-first businesses
• Reducing cart abandonment
• Single-product focus

Advantages

• No page reloads—fastest experience
• Smooth animations and transitions
• Lowest friction checkout
• Excellent mobile experience
• Typically highest conversion rates

Disadvantages

• Harder to customize (JavaScript-heavy)
• May break with third-party modules
• Debugging more difficult
• Analytics tracking more complex

Modern Template: Deep Dive

Best For

• Clean, professional appearance
• Step-by-step guided checkout
• Balance of features and simplicity
• Businesses wanting modern look with easier customization

Advantages

• Contemporary, clean design
• Clear progress indication
• Good balance of speed and features
• Easier to customize than Ajax
• Good mobile responsiveness

Disadvantages

• Still some page reloads
• Less visual comparison than Premium
• May need CSS updates to match brand

Conversion Rate by Template

Based on industry observations (results vary by implementation):

Changing Your Order Form

How to Switch

1. Go to Setup → General Settings → Ordering
2. Find "Order Form Template" setting
3. Select your preferred template
4. Click Save Changes
5. Test the checkout flow thoroughly

Per-Product Group Override

You can use different order forms for different product groups:

1. Go to Setup → Products/Services → Products/Services
2. Edit a product group
3. Set "Order Form Template" for that group

Customization Considerations

Template File Locations

• Standard: templates/orderforms/standard_cart/
• Premium: templates/orderforms/premium_comparison/
• Ajax: templates/orderforms/ajaxcart/
• Modern: templates/orderforms/modern/

Customization Complexity

Recommendations by Business Type

Shared Hosting Focus

Recommended: Premium Comparison or Modern

• Visual plan comparison is valuable
• Encourages upgrades to higher tiers
• Features clearly differentiated

Reseller/VPS/Dedicated

Recommended: Standard or Modern

• Complex configurations need space
• Technical buyers appreciate details
• Multiple configuration options

Domain-Focused Business

Recommended: Ajax or Modern

• Quick search and purchase flow
• Minimal friction for impulse buys
• Fast mobile experience

Maximum Conversions Priority

Recommended: Ajax Sliding Cart

• Fastest checkout experience
• Lowest abandonment rates
• Best for mobile users

A/B Testing Order Forms

Why Test?

Your specific audience may behave differently than general trends. Testing reveals what works for your customers.

Testing Approach

1. Run one template for 2-4 weeks
2. Track conversion rate and average order value
3. Switch to another template
4. Run for same period
5. Compare results statistically

Metrics to Compare

• Checkout completion rate
• Average order value
• Cart abandonment rate
• Time to complete checkout
• Mobile vs desktop conversion

Third-Party Order Form Alternatives

Custom Themes

Many WHMCS theme providers include custom order form templates designed for specific niches or modern aesthetics.

Headless Checkout

Build a completely custom checkout using WHMCS API for maximum control over the experience.

One-Page Checkout Modules

Third-party modules can provide enhanced one-page checkout experiences beyond built-in options.

Conclusion

Your order form choice significantly impacts conversions. For most hosting businesses, the Ajax Sliding Cart or Modern templates offer the best balance of speed and user experience. However, Premium Comparison excels when you want to upsell tiered plans. Test different options with your audience to find the optimal choice.