How to setup Clonable with WordPress?

Summary

This article explains how to set up Clonable on a WordPress website. It walks you through the available setup options, what works best for WordPress, and how to avoid common mistakes. Use this guide when you want to translate or clone your WordPress site with minimal effort and without breaking themes or plugins.

Requirements: Access to hosting panel or DNS settings

FAQ

Do I need a WordPress plugin to use Clonable?

No but the Clonable plugin will make connecting Clonable to your WordPress site easier and it offers some additional options like a language switcher.

Will Clonable affect my existing theme or plugins?

No. Your original website stays untouched.

Is this compatible with WooCommerce?

Yes. WooCommerce works well with Clonable.

⏱️ Reading time: 5–7 minutes

How Clonable works with WordPress

Clonable does not modify your WordPress installation. Instead, it creates a cloned version of your website that runs on a separate folder, domain or subdomain.

This approach avoids common WordPress issues like:

Plugin conflicts
Theme compatibility problems
Performance slowdowns

Your original WordPress site remains exactly the same.

Recommended setup for WordPress

For WordPress websites, the recommended setup is a DNS-based clone.

Why this works best:

No WordPress plugin required
No changes inside WordPress
Works with caching, builders, and custom themes
Fully compatible with WooCommerce and multilingual plugins

DNS-based setups are the most stable option for WordPress sites.

Step 1: Create a clone

Log in to your Clonable dashboard.
Create a new Clone.
Enter your original WordPress website URL.
Choose the target language and clone domain.

Step 2: Configure DNS

To activate the Clone, you need to point the Clone domain to Clonable.

You will usually:

Add a CNAME record for a subdomain

Example: fr.yoursite.com

Or update A records if using a root domain

DNS changes can take up to 24 hours to fully propagate.

Step 3: Check WordPress-specific settings

Most WordPress sites work out of the box. Still, check the following:

Pretty permalinks

Make sure WordPress permalinks are enabled.

This is the default setting for most sites.

Hardcoded URLs

Some themes or plugins may use hardcoded URLs.

If needed, you can fix these with:

Substitution rules
HTML exclusions

Using page builders

Clonable works with popular WordPress page builders, including:

Elementor
WPBakery
Gutenberg
Divi

Content created with builders is translated normally.

Dynamic elements may require small adjustments using the Clone Editor.

WooCommerce and dynamic content

WooCommerce works well with Clonable.

Important notes:

Product pages are translated automatically
Prices and currencies remain unchanged
Checkout flow stays on the original site

Payment providers should always remain on the original domain.

Common issues and solutions

The clone shows mixed languages

This usually means:

Caching is enabled too aggressively
The clone domain was not excluded from a cache plugin or CDN

Some text is not translated

This can happen when:

Content is loaded via JavaScript
Text comes from external APIs

Use:

JavaScript translations
The Clone Editor

When to avoid plugins

WordPress translation plugins are not needed with Clonable.

Avoid using them together because:

They increase complexity
They can conflict with translated URLs
They offer no benefit on the clone

Keep WordPress simple. Let Clonable handle translations.