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Shortcodes Reference

Every shortcode Benecaster provides. Each name links to its reference page with the full attribute list and examples.

A shortcode that belongs to one show takes its show from show_id if you set one, then from the page it sits on (a show page, or an episode page’s show), then from the site’s only show. On a multi-show site, set show_id on any page that is not a show or episode page. [benecaster_account], [benecaster_user_badge], [benecaster_member_since] and [benecaster_listener_support] treat a missing show_id differently, on purpose — see Running Multiple Shows.

Base Styles

Ten shortcodes load a small stylesheet of their own when they appear on a page: [benecaster_player], [benecaster_episodes], [benecaster_latest_episode], [benecaster_pricing_table], [benecaster_episode_nav], [benecaster_related_episodes], [benecaster_episode_share], [benecaster_social_links], [benecaster_platform_links] and [benecaster_rss_link]. It makes them look tidy on any theme without imposing a design — and because every rule has zero specificity, your theme’s CSS always wins, with no !important needed. The episode page and the episode archive load it too when they play a video or an embed, so the video fits its column.

The icon styles draw a real icon for every platform: [benecaster_social_links] (icons are its default), [benecaster_platform_links style="icons"], [benecaster_episode_share style="icons"] and [benecaster_rss_link]‘s icon and icon_link styles. A custom social link you added yourself gets a chain-link icon.

To turn the stylesheet off, tune it, or swap in your own icons, see Template Overrides → Styling the Shortcodes.


Episodes

Show your episodes and show details on any page: players, episode lists and cards, navigation between episodes, search, sharing and listen-on links.

Shortcode Description
[benecaster_ai_search] Semantic natural-language search across episode titles, descriptions, show notes, and — when the Transcription add-on is installed — transcripts.
[benecaster_episode_count] Displays the number of published episodes for a show.
[benecaster_episode_description] Outputs an episode’s short RSS description — the same field that maps to description and itunes:summary in the episode’s RSS feed item. Renders nothing for visitors when the episode isn’t published.
[benecaster_episode_link] Renders a styled inline link to another episode. Renders nothing for visitors when that episode isn’t published.
[benecaster_episode_nav] Renders previous and next episode navigation links for the current (or specified) episode.
[benecaster_episode_share] Renders social share buttons for an episode. Renders nothing for visitors when the episode isn’t published.
[benecaster_episodes] Renders an episode list or grid for a show.
[benecaster_explicit_badge] Shows the “Explicit” label for an episode, the same one Apple Podcasts and other apps display. Renders nothing for visitors when the episode isn’t published.
[benecaster_latest_episode] Renders a configurable display block for the latest published episode of a show.
[benecaster_platform_links] Renders “Listen on” platform badge links for a show — links to podcast platform listings (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.).
[benecaster_player] Embeds an episode audio or video player.
[benecaster_related_episodes] Displays a list of related episodes based on the selected query strategy. Lists published episodes only, and renders nothing for visitors when its own episode isn’t published.
[benecaster_search] Full-text keyword search form for episodes.
[benecaster_show_description] Outputs the show’s short description or full description.
[benecaster_social_links] Renders the show’s social media profile links.
[benecaster_timestamp] Renders a clickable timecode link that moves its own episode’s player on the page to that point and plays it; with no player for that episode on the page, it stays a plain link.
[benecaster_transcript] An episode’s interactive transcript anywhere on the site. Needs the Transcription Service add-on.

Feeds

Help listeners subscribe in their podcast app: a subscriber’s own private feed address, a QR code for it or for your signup page, and a link to your public RSS feed.

Shortcode Description
[benecaster_feed_url] Displays the current subscriber’s personal RSS feed URL.
[benecaster_qr_code] Renders a QR code for a subscriber’s private feed URL (type="feed", needs a Benecaster account — Launch and above) or a show’s public signup page (type="signup", free on every plan including unlicensed WordPress.org installs).
[benecaster_rss_link] Renders a link to a show’s public RSS feed.

Listener Support

Ask listeners for donations, through Stripe or a link to your external donation page, and thank the ones who give.

Shortcode Description
[benecaster_donor_wall] Renders a paginated, public thank-you wall of Listener Support donations for a show.
[benecaster_listener_support] Renders a Listener Support prompt: a Stripe donation form or button, or a link to your external donation page.

Marketing

Site-wide text and links that do not belong to a show: your cookie notice and your own Benecaster referral link.

Shortcode Description
[benecaster_cookie_notice] Renders the GDPR cookie notice text set at Settings → GDPR / Privacy → Cookie Notice.
Sign in to your Benecaster account to get your referral link and see your referral credit.
Prints your own Benecaster referral link, for publishing anywhere on your site.

Subscribers

Sell your membership and show members what they have: subscribe and pricing displays, the subscriber account page, content gated by tier, follower signup, and recognition such as badges, tenure and supporter walls.

Shortcode Description
[benecaster_account] Renders the subscriber account dashboard.
[benecaster_current_tier] Outputs the name or slug of the highest tier the currently logged-in subscriber holds on a given show. Renders nothing, not even its fallback, for a show that isn’t connected to a Benecaster license.
[benecaster_erasure_request] Renders the form a subscriber, follower or donor uses to ask for their personal data to be erased.
[benecaster_follower_signup] Renders an email signup form that lets listeners follow your show for free. Shows a marketing-consent checkbox only when an add-on asks for one.
[benecaster_member_since] Outputs a subscriber’s membership tenure label or date for standalone placement in emails, page content, and theme templates.
[benecaster_member_thanks] Displays a list of members to thank on-air.
[benecaster_pricing_table] Renders a complete tier comparison table showing all tiers with their names and live prices, each price shown with its currency exactly as [benecaster_subscribe] shows it. On a membership-plugin show each membership level gets its own column, so a tier with a monthly and an annual level shows both, each named under the tier. Subscribe buttons link only when you set cta_url_base.
[benecaster_subscribe] Renders a subscription call-to-action with tier options, prices and a button to sign up — on built-in membership or a membership plugin. Its checkout shows a marketing-consent checkbox only when an add-on asks for one.
[benecaster_subscriber_count] Displays the current active subscriber count for a show.
[benecaster_supporter_wall] Renders a public wall of opted-in subscribers as an avatar / wall name / badge-chips card grid. order="tier" puts the highest tier first, ranked by the tier’s position in the show’s tier list, with the longest-standing supporters first within each tier.
[benecaster_tier_gate] Shows its content to subscribers holding a tier at or above the one you name, and the content after [benecaster_else] to everyone else.
[benecaster_tier_name] Outputs the display name of a tier, pulled live from the active subscription bridge.
[benecaster_tier_price] Outputs the current price for a membership tier, read live from your built-in membership or membership plugin.
[benecaster_user_badge] Renders a user’s badge chips (tier-auto grants + manual grants) inline.

Blocks and Elementor Widgets

With the free Blocks & Widgets Library, these shortcodes are also blocks in the block editor and widgets in Elementor, with point-and-click settings. A block saves the shortcode it stands for, so the shortcode keeps working if the add-on is removed. The shortcodes themselves accept every attribute below — the right-hand column is only what the block leaves out.

Shortcode Block The block leaves out
[benecaster_player] Episode Player —
[benecaster_latest_episode] Episode Card Sections are fixed: artwork, title and description
[benecaster_subscribe] Subscribe CTA —
[benecaster_feed_url] RSS Feed URL Display —
[benecaster_episodes] Latest Episodes —
[benecaster_subscriber_count] Subscriber Count —
[benecaster_subscriber_count] + [benecaster_episode_count] Show Stats tier on either count
[benecaster_pricing_table] Pricing Table —
[benecaster_listener_support] Listener Support The link-mode styles as explicit choices (the default follows your settings)
[benecaster_donor_wall] Donor Wall —
[benecaster_qr_code] QR Code —
[benecaster_episode_nav] Episode Navigation —
[benecaster_related_episodes] Related Episodes —
[benecaster_episode_share] Episode Share —
[benecaster_social_links] Social Links —
[benecaster_platform_links] Platform Links —
[benecaster_rss_link] RSS Link —
[benecaster_transcript] Transcription (needs the Transcription Service add-on) —

See Available Blocks for every block’s settings.

See Also

Need this built rather than just documented? See our services →

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