By default, the native WordPress search operates is kind of restricted. It doesn’t search your whole content material, the search algorithm itself is fairly weak and doesn’t generate good outcomes, and it doesn’t supply user-friendly front-end options like live Ajax search strategies that seem as quickly as a consumer begins typing.
On high-traffic sites with a number of content material, the default WordPress search function can even trigger efficiency points due to its database queries.
WordPress search plugins allow you to change all of that. You can embody much more content material in your search algorithm, modify the weighting/algorithm, and, relying on the plugin, supply a way more helpful search interface with strategies, filters, and extra. With some options, you’ll additionally have the ability to offload your search function to a separate server, which is nice for efficiency on high-traffic websites.
In this put up, I'll share the six greatest search plugins for WordPress, most of which have a free model that you should use.
- Six Best WordPress Search Plugins
- 1. Relevanssi
- 2. SearchWP
- 3. Ajax Search Lite/Pro
- 4. Elasticsearch
- 5. Jetpack Search
- 6. Ivory Search
- Improve WordPress Search Today
Six Best WordPress Search Plugins
1. Relevanssi
Relevanssi is the most well-liked free WordPress search plugin at WordPress.org. It’s primarily targeted at enhancing the WordPress search algorithm, not essentially including new front-end options.
For instance, it enables you to embody several types of content material in your search index together with:
- Custom put up sorts (e.g. occasions, merchandise, jobs, and many others)
- Custom fields
- Categories, tags, and customized taxonomies
- User feedback
- Attachments resembling PDFs, Docs, and many others. (with the paid model)
- User profiles (with the paid version)
- The front-end output of shortcodes
You can even change the weighting of the algorithm. For instance, you'll be able to add extra weight if the consumer’s key phrase seems within the class than within the physique of the content material. It additionally provides fuzzy matching, which may help flip up extra search outcomes.
On the front-end, Relevanssi automatically integrates with the native WordPress search widget, so that you don’t need to change anything.
However, it does still add a few front-end modifications:
- Sort outcomes by relevance, not by date
- Create customized excerpts that present the content material in the place the search phrase seems
- Highlight search phrases when a consumer clicks by to the content material
- Add Google-style “Did you imply?” strategies
You can get most of the options in the free version at WordPress.org. Or, the premium model prices $99 to be used on limitless websites. Click to see a comparison of the free vs premium features.
2. SearchWP
SearchWP is a well-liked premium WordPress search plugin. Like Relevanssi, it integrates with the native WordPress search widget and is generally targeted on serving to you enhance the search outcomes that your website generates.
However, it does embody a couple of front-end enhancements, as effectively.
The largest function is that it enables you to embody “extra” content material in your search index, together with:
- Custom put up sorts (e.g. merchandise, jobs, and many others.)
- Custom fields
- Front-end output of shortcodes
- Categories, tags, and customized taxonomies
- Content in PDFs and different paperwork
You can even modify the weighting of all these several types of content material and SearchWP provides fuzzy matching for improved outcomes.
Some different helpful options embody:
- View search analytics
- Sort outcomes by relevance not by date
- Use SearchWP to energy-related content suggestions on your web site
- Automatically redirect sure queries to a different web page
The identical developer additionally provides a free SearchWP Live Ajax Search plugin at WordPress.org that provides dwell search outcomes to your web site. That is, search outcomes will seem as quickly as a consumer begins typing.
SearchWP only is available in a premium model. Plans begin at $99 to be used on a single website, however, you’ll need the $149 Pro model to access every single function.
3. Ajax Search Lite/Pro
Ajax Search Lite is a well-liked search plugin that is available in each free model at WordPress.org in addition to a paid model with extra options.
As the name suggests, its main operate is so as to add real-time search outcomes as quickly as customers begin typing. You may even customize the live search outcomes to incorporate thumbnails and different particulars. For instance, if you running a WooCommerce store, you'll be able to embody a product’s worth within the dwell search outcomes.
You can try a demo here to expertise what it’s like.
You can even add type and filter choices to assist visitors further to refine the outcomes and get different user-friendly options resembling:
- Search time period highlighting
- Search strategies
However, it’s extra than simply front-end enhancements. You can even use Ajax Search Lite to regulate the backend search operate:
- Control what content material will be searched. For instance, ought to it search weblog posts or WooCommerce merchandise? Or each?
- Include customized fields and other information in the search
- Include consumer feedback in search
You can strive for Ajax Search Lite for free at WordPress.org. For extra options, you'll be able to purchase Ajax Search Pro for $36 from CodeCanyon, which incorporates lifetime updates. The premium model is well-rated, with 14,000+ gross sales and a 4.82-star ranking on over 790 critiques.
4. Elasticsearch
Elasticsearch isn’t a WordPress search plugin itself – it’s an open-source search engine which you could combine into any kind of website. However, there are a number of plugins that enable you to combine Elasticsearch into WordPress to power your WordPress search.
Elasticsearch makes a really good choice for high-traffic, high-content WordPress websites as a result of it separates your search index out of your WordPress web site. This will scale back the variety of database queries that your website must make, which improves efficiency. This is an enormous part of why some managed WordPress hosts, like Kinsta, supply Elasticsearch add-ons.
Beyond that, Elasticsearch additionally helps you generate higher, extra correct search outcomes. It enables you to embody extra content material in your search outcomes and likewise customize the algorithm. You’ll additionally get different helpful options resembling fuzzy matching, faceted search, and real-time automated strategies.
Unfortunately, utilizing Elasticsearch generally is a little difficult, so it may not be the best choice for newbies.
First, you’ll have to arrange the Elasticsearch software program yourself, which is a form of establishing a WordPress setup. You can both self-host it (as a result of its open-source) or you'll be able to pay ElasticPress to host it for you (which generally is a little costly). If you’re utilizing Cloudways, Cloudways also has a tool that can assist you set up Elasticsearch and other WordPress hosts (like Kinsta) supply Elasticsearch choices.
Once you've your Elasticsearch set up, you'll be able to combine it together with your WordPress web site utilizing the free ElasticPress plugin at WordPress.org.
5. Jetpack Search
Jetpack Search is a paid WordPress search service from Automattic, the identical group behind WordPress.com, WooCommerce, and the standalone Jetpack plugin.
One of the most important benefits of Jetpack Search is that it does the entire processing and search indexing on Automattic’s servers. If you have a heavy-traffic web site and/or a website with lots of content material, it will drastically scale back the load in your server, which may enhance your efficiency.
Beyond that, Jetpack Search utterly replaces your web site’s native search function with its personal search overlay that helps varied user-friendly options:
- Real-time search strategies
- Search question highlighting outcomes
- Sort/filter choices within the search outcomes
As for the search algorithm itself, Jetpack Search is definitely primarily based on Elasticsearch (the identical expertise that I shared above). It options varied enhancements like:
- Spelling corrections
- Fuzzy matching
- Prioritized search outcomes primarily based on web site stats – that's, it could actually rank extra in style content material larger
You can learn more about the technology here. And if you wish to see Jetpack Search in motion, you should use the search operate within the top-right nook at CSS-Tricks.
Unfortunately, Jetpack Search only is available in a paid model. You’ll pay a monthly charge primarily based on how much content material your web site has. The plans begin at $5 monthly for as much as 100 search information (e.g. 100 weblog posts) and go up from there.
6. Ivory Search
Lastly, there’s Ivory Search, which is another in style search plugin at WordPress.org that is available in each free and paid model. It was referred to as Add to Search Menu, but the developer modified the name to Ivory Search.
It shares lots of similarities with SearchWP and Relevanssi. That is, the primary function is that it enables you to search in “more” content together with:
- Custom put up sorts
- Custom fields
- User feedback
- File attachments
- Categories, tags, and customized taxonomies
You additionally get extra detailed controls. For instance, you'll be able to exclude sure content material from search or solely search password-protected posts.
Other helpful options embody:
- Fuzzy matching (helps generate higher outcomes)
- Keyword stemming (additionally helps generate higher outcomes)
- Different choices for sorting the search outcomes
Ivory Search additionally features a few enhancements to the front-end search kind. For instance, you'll be able to add an Ajax dwell search to your kind. It additionally features a search kind customizer that permits you to customize the colors and textual content.
The free model of Ivory Search is available at WordPress.org. The paid version begins at simply $20 per yr.
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