A free shipping threshold gives shoppers free shipping once their cart reaches an amount you set - a proven way to lift average order value. In PDQ you set it up with cart-value ranges on your shipping methods.
How to set it up
You can do this two ways:
Option A - within a single paid method (tiered rate)
Open the method and add a cart-value price-range tier to its rates:
$0 – $74.99 → your normal rate (e.g. $8)
$75 – No limit → $0
The same method charges below the threshold and becomes free above it. Simplest option - one method to manage. Name it so it reads well at both tiers (e.g. "Standard Shipping - free over $75").
Option B — two separate methods
Free Shipping method at cart value $75 – No limit ($0)
Paid method(s) capped at $0 – $74.99
Useful when you want the free option to have its own name, delivery promise, or service level distinct from the paid one.
⚠️ Either way - cap or tier every paid method.
The threshold only behaves correctly if no method is left open above it. If any other method has no cart-value cap ($0 – No limit), it qualifies for orders above your threshold and can get pre-selected instead of free shipping (real example: a $194 cart showed "UPS 2-Day $16.99" instead of Free, because UPS 2-Day had no cap). So give every paid method either a tier that goes to $0, or a $0–$74.99 cap.
⚠️ The #1 mistake: an uncapped method pre-empts free shipping
If any other method (e.g. an express rate) has no cart-value cap ($0 – No limit), it qualifies for every order - including carts above your threshold - and can get matched and pre-selected before Free Shipping. (Real example: a $194 cart showed "UPS 2-Day $16.99" selected instead of Free Shipping, because UPS 2-Day had no cap.)
Fix: give every paid method a cart-value cap ($0 – $74.99) so nothing overlaps the free tier - unless you intentionally want a premium option available above the threshold, in which case know it'll appear alongside free.
Good to know
Thresholds are evaluated in your PDQ rate currency - on multi-currency stores, a threshold set in one currency can behave unexpectedly for shoppers paying in another.
Prefer one method? You can instead use price-range tiers on a single method ($8 for $0–74.99, $0 for $75+) - same idea.
Tips
Nudge shoppers with an Upsell progress bar ("Spend $10 more for free shipping").
Not sure what threshold to pick? A/B test it with a Shipping Rates A/B Test.
Rolling it out across many methods? Use [Bulk editing shipping methods].