WordPress Search Options
Search is one of the most overlooked elements of a WordPress site. Whether you’re running a content-heavy blog, an eCommerce store, or a complex membership site, having a reliable, relevant, and fast search function is essential to keeping users engaged.
Search Options Available in WordPress
WordPress includes a basic search function out of the box. It works, but just barely.
Pros:
- Built-in – no plugin required
- Fast to implement with a search widget or block
- Works on all post types
Cons:
- Results are ordered by date, not relevance
- Doesn’t include custom fields, WooCommerce products, or metadata
- No fuzzy matching or keyword flexibility
Verdict:
Good for basic blogs, but not ideal for growing or dynamic sites.
For more control and better results, WordPress plugins fill in the gaps. Here are a few top contenders:
SearchWP
A premium plugin that gives you full control over what content is indexed and how results are ranked.
- Indexes custom fields, PDFs, WooCommerce, taxonomies, and more
- Offers keyword stemming, synonyms, and relevancy settings
- Developer-friendly and supports faceted search
Great for: Publishers, online stores, and advanced content sites
Relevanssi
A free (and premium) plugin that overhauls the default WordPress search with improved algorithms.
- Sorts results by relevance, not date
- Indexes comments, tags, categories, and custom post types
- Supports fuzzy matching and partial word matches
Great for: Budget-conscious site owners who need better results
Ivory Search
A user-friendly plugin with customizable search forms and WooCommerce support.
- Create unlimited search forms with unique settings
- Supports AJAX live search
- Easy to use with no coding required
Great for: Small business websites and non-technical users
When you need speed, scalability, and smart results – especially for high-traffic or enterprise-level sites – it’s time to look at cloud-based search engines.
Algolia
Algolia delivers ultra-fast, real-time search via a hosted API.
- Lightning-fast autocomplete and filtering
- Typo tolerance and ranking based on behavior
- Seamless WordPress integration via WP Search with Algolia
Great for: SaaS companies, product catalogs, large blogs
ElasticPress
Built on top of Elasticsearch, this plugin offers a robust, scalable search system for WordPress.
- Advanced filtering, faceted search, and autocomplete
- Designed for large content or WooCommerce stores
- Requires hosting your own Elasticsearch or using a service like ElasticPress.io
Great for: Enterprise-level WordPress and WooCommerce sites
If you’re running an online store, your search needs are even more complex. Shoppers expect fast, predictive results that help them find products – and buy them.
Top WooCommerce Search Tools:
- FiboSearch – Live AJAX search for WooCommerce with instant suggestions
- YITH WooCommerce Ajax Search – Filters by SKU, category, tags, and attributes
- Doofinder – AI-powered search tool that integrates with WooCommerce
Kinsta Elasticsearch
Kinsta Elasticsearch was an optional add-on service offered by Kinsta, a managed WordPress hosting provider, that enabled site owners to integrate Elasticsearch into their WordPress sites for faster, more efficient search functionality – especially useful for large or complex websites like:
eCommerce stores (e.g., WooCommerce)
Content-heavy blogs or news sites
Membership or directory sites
What is Elasticsearch
Elasticsearch is an open-source, high-performance search and analytics engine. It allows websites to deliver real-time search results as users type, and handles complex queries much more efficiently than default WordPress search.
How It Worked with Kinsta
Kinsta’s implementation allowed customers to enable Elasticsearch as an add-on (for an additional monthly fee) on their hosting plan. It was installed and maintained by Kinsta’s team, so developers didn’t have to set up or manage their own Elasticsearch server.
Key benefits included:
Faster internal search performance
Relevant search results (even for partial or fuzzy matches)
Support for custom fields, WooCommerce products, and large-scale databases
Improved UX for large sites with lots of content
Important Note
As of recent updates, Kinsta has discontinued its Elasticsearch add-on for new customers. If you’re currently exploring advanced search options on Kinsta, they recommend integrating a third-party service or plugin that connects with a separately hosted Elasticsearch instance.
Alternatives
If you still want Elasticsearch-like functionality on WordPress, you can explore:
ElasticPress (plugin that connects to an external Elasticsearch server)
SearchWP (enhanced internal WordPress search)
Algolia (cloud-based search engine with WordPress integration)
Choosing the Right Search for Your Site
Your WordPress search solution should match your site’s size, structure, and goals. Here’s a quick guide:
| Site Type | Recommended Search Tool |
|---|---|
| Personal Blog | Default or Relevanssi |
| Content-Rich Website | SearchWP or ElasticPress |
| WooCommerce Store | FiboSearch, YITH, or Algolia |
| Membership/Directory | ElasticPress or SearchWP |
| Enterprise/SaaS | Algolia or ElasticPress.io |
Search is no longer just a utility — it’s part of the user experience. Investing in a better search solution means faster results, deeper engagement, and fewer frustrated visitors.
