Best custom search plugins for WordPress
The most popular custom search plugins for WordPress in November 2026, in WordPress.org’s own popular order, which follows active installs. Swiftype Site Search Plugin for WordPress leads with 400+ active installs, ahead of Site Search 360 (300+) and Post Meta Searcher (100+). All 16 plugins tagged “custom search” are below, with figures from WordPress.org that update every day.
Installs aren’t everything: a recent release, a “Tested up to” that matches the current WordPress, and support threads that get resolved show a plugin is looked after. Open any plugin for its downloads, rank history and alternatives.
Research this niche or see all plugins.
Top 10 custom search plugins
- 1.
Swiftype Site Search Plugin for WordPressThe most installed custom search plugin, with 400+ active installs. Rated 3.7 from 24 reviews, last updated 5 years ago. Tested only up to WordPress 5.8.19.
- 2.
Site Search 360300+ active installs. Rated 5.0 from 7 reviews, updated 2 days ago. Tested only up to WordPress 6.9.11.
- 3.
Post Meta Searcher100+ active installs. Only 4 reviews so far, last updated 12 years ago. Tested only up to WordPress 3.7.41.
- 4.
Bing Custom Search for WordPress40+ active installs. Only 3 reviews so far, last updated 3 years ago. Tested only up to WordPress 5.9.20.
- 5.
WP Full Screen Search20+ active installs. Only 1 review so far, last updated 2 years ago. Tested only up to WordPress 6.5.14.
- 6.
Easy Full Screen Search10+ active installs. Only 3 reviews so far, last updated 5 years ago. Tested only up to WordPress 5.7.21.
- 7.
Custom Search URL10+ active installs. No reviews yet, last updated 14 years ago. Tested only up to WordPress 3.4.2.
- 8.
Wp Search Url10+ active installs. Only 2 reviews so far, last updated 11 years ago. Tested only up to WordPress 4.2.39.
- 9.
Solr for WordPress10+ active installs. No reviews yet, last updated 14 years ago. Tested only up to WordPress 3.2.1.
- 10.
SearchcraftFewer than 10 active installs. Only 3 reviews so far, updated 5 months ago.
All 16 plugins tagged “custom search”
Swiftype Site Search Plugin for WordPress
Down in the last 7 days:44#9,627by matthewtyriley5 years ago
Fast, intelligent, and fully customizable search for your site.
- Installs
- 400+
- Rating
- 3.7(24)
- Downloads
- 11/day
Site Search 360
Up in the last 7 days:95#9,992by dsky2 days ago
Precise and fast search, autocompletion, and search suggestions for your WordPress page.
- Installs
- 300+
- Rating
- 5.0(7)
- Downloads
- 11/day
Post Meta Searcher
Down in the last 7 days:75#14,501by lukerollans13 years ago
When activated, forces any WordPress Search Query to query against post meta data as part of the search criteria.
- Installs
- 100+
- Rating
- 5.0(4)
- Downloads
- 0/day
Bing Custom Search for WordPress
Down in the last 7 days:194#22,730by Steve Bruner3 years ago
Improve the search functionality on your site by using Bing Custom Search for WordPress.
- Installs
- 40+
- Rating
- 5.0(3)
- Downloads
- 0/day
WP Full Screen Search
#27,212by Mayank Majeji2 years ago
This plugin converts default WordPress search to full screen search overlay form on your WordPress website.
- Installs
- 20+
- Rating
- 3.0(1)
- Downloads
- 11/day
Easy Full Screen Search
#29,483by Apsara Aruna5 years ago
This is customize you search form to full screen search box.
- Installs
- 10+
- Rating
- 3.0(3)
- Downloads
- 0/day
Custom Search URL
Up in the last 7 days:2,049#41,801by mccomf14 years ago
Plugin lets you replace default search page syntax "?s" in wordpress search page with the word you choose.
- Installs
- 10+
- Rating
- –
- Downloads
- 0/day
Wp Search Url
Up in the last 7 days:4,430#42,015by swadeshswain11 years ago
This plugin change default wordpres ?s=swadesh search URLs to the /search/swadesh .
- Installs
- 10+
- Rating
- 5.0(2)
- Downloads
- 11/day
Solr for WordPress
Down in the last 7 days:7,999#43,710by mattweber15 years ago
A WordPress plugin that replaces the default WordPress search with Solr.
- Installs
- 10+
- Rating
- –
- Downloads
- 0/day
Searchcraft
Up in the last 7 days:4,124#63,268by Searchcraft, Inc.5 months ago
Bring fast, relevant search to your site. Searchcraft replaces the default search with a customizable, tunable, highly relevant search experience.
- Installs
- <10
- Rating
- 5.0(3)
- Downloads
- 0/day
Ajax Search Bar by DGAshu
#64,383by dgashu4 years ago
Ajax Search Bar by DGAshu is my first plugin contributed to the wordpress community.
- Installs
- <10
- Rating
- –
- Downloads
- 0/day
Custom Search Box
Down in the last 7 days:5,611#68,583by ideasToCode2 months ago
This plugin adds a customizable search box that displays only predefined backend search entries.
- Installs
- <10
- Rating
- –
- Downloads
- 0/day
Live search for post
#73,632by Shail Mehta6 years ago
Custom Live Search For Searching Post using Shortcode [live-post-search]
- Installs
- <10
- Rating
- –
- Downloads
- 0/day