Email Merge Tags Reference

Merge tags are {{double-brace}} placeholders in email templates that Benecaster replaces with real values at send time — one resolution per recipient.

Global Tags

Available in every Benecaster email regardless of type.

Tag	Value
`{{site_name}}`	WordPress site name from Settings → General
`{{site_url}}`	WordPress site URL
`{{current_year}}`	Current four-digit year
`{{subscriber_name}}`	Subscriber’s display name; empty string for admin-only emails
`{{subscriber_email}}`	Subscriber’s email address; empty string for admin-only emails
`{{show_title}}`	Display name of the show
`{{show_url}}`	Show’s public URL
`{{unsubscribe_url}}`	HMAC-signed opt-out URL for this subscriber and show; empty string for admin-only emails

Welcome Email Tags

If you’re using the Email Editor, these tags are available in the merge tag autocomplete — no manual typing required. Available in addition to all global tags when $email_type is welcome.

Tag	Value
`{{feed_url}}`	Subscriber’s new private RSS feed URL (plaintext token URL, filtered via `benecaster_token_url`)
`{{tier_name}}`	Subscriber’s tier display name from `TierMapRepository`; empty string if no tier map row exists
`{{apple_podcasts_url}}`	Deep link to open the feed in Apple Podcasts
`{{overcast_url}}`	Deep link to open the feed in Overcast
`{{pocket_casts_url}}`	Deep link to open the feed in Pocket Casts
`{{castro_url}}`	Deep link to open the feed in Castro

Token Reset Email Tags

Available in addition to all global tags when $email_type is token_reset.

Tag	Value
`{{feed_url}}`	New private RSS feed URL after reset
`{{apple_podcasts_url}}`	Deep link for the new feed URL
`{{overcast_url}}`	Deep link for the new feed URL
`{{pocket_casts_url}}`	Deep link for the new feed URL
`{{castro_url}}`	Deep link for the new feed URL
`{{custom_message}}`	Optional admin-supplied note; empty string when no message was provided

Tier Change Email Tags

Available in addition to all global tags when $email_type is tier_change.

Tag	Value
`{{old_tier_name}}`	Display name of the subscriber’s previous tier; empty string if not found in tier map
`{{new_tier_name}}`	Display name of the new tier; empty string if not found in tier map

Donation Thank-You Email Tags

Available when $email_type is donation_thank_you. Only sent when the “Collect donor email” setting is enabled for the show.

Tag	Value
`{{donor_name}}`	Donor’s name as submitted; empty string if not collected
`{{amount_formatted}}`	Locale-formatted amount with currency symbol (e.g. `$10.00`)
`{{amount}}`	Raw amount in major units (e.g. `10.00`)
`{{currency}}`	ISO 4217 currency code, uppercase (e.g. `USD`)
`{{show_title}}`	Display name of the show
`{{donation_date}}`	Date of donation in site date format
`{{donor_message}}`	Message left by donor; empty string if not collected or not configured

Episode Notification Email Tags

Available when $email_type is episode_notification. Requires the Email Editor add-on.

Tag	Value
`{{episode_title}}`	Episode post title
`{{episode_url}}`	Episode page URL
`{{episode_number}}`	Episode number; empty string if not set
`{{season_number}}`	Season number; empty string if not set
`{{season_name}}`	Season display name (Podcasting 2.0); empty string if not set
`{{episode_type}}`	full, trailer, or bonus
`{{episode_duration}}`	Human-readable duration
`{{episode_artwork_url}}`	Episode artwork URL
`{{listen_url}}`	URL to listen to the episode
`{{tier_name}}`	Subscriber’s tier display name
`{{availability_date}}`	Date this tier can access the episode
`{{episode_magic_link}}`	Per-subscriber tokenized episode URL for one-click access (Email Editor only)
`{{player_image}}`	HTML player card with artwork + play button, linked to magic link (Email Editor only)

Registering Custom Tags

Add your own merge tags via benecaster_email_merge_tags (global) or benecaster_email_merge_tags_{type} (type-specific):

// Global — available in every email type
add_filter( 'benecaster_email_merge_tags', function( array $tags, string $type, ?int $user_id, ?int $show_id ): array {
    $tags['podcast_network'] = get_option( 'podcast_network_name', '' );
    return $tags;
}, 10, 4 );

// Type-specific — available in welcome emails only (3 params, no $type)
add_filter( 'benecaster_email_merge_tags_welcome', function( array $tags, ?int $user_id, ?int $show_id ): array {
    $tags['tier_benefits_url'] = home_url( '/member-benefits/' );
    return $tags;
}, 10, 3 );

Tags are resolved at enqueue time — your filter receives an already-populated $tags array with all built-in values for that send. Add new keys or overwrite existing ones. Return the modified array.

Using Tags in Templates

In PHP templates, use $tags['tag_name'] directly (the resolved variable, not the brace syntax). In template content strings rendered by the email renderer, use {{tag_name}} and the renderer substitutes the value before output.

See Customizing Email Templates for template override details.