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Custom Search by BestWebSoft – WordPress Custom Search Plugin

By bestwebsoft

Site Administration & Utilities / URL Redirects & 301 Management

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

Trusted WordPress expert with 20+ years of experience evaluating plugins for the WP ecosystem.

Custom Search by BestWebSoft – WordPress Custom Search Plugin Review - In-Depth Analysis

Enhance your WordPress site with advanced custom search capabilities. Search through custom post types, taxonomies, and fields effortlessly.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.94/10

User Rating

3.9/5 (based on 29+ reviews)

Active Installations

900+

Update Frequency

Average It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

5 / 10 (Medium Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

Custom Search by BestWebSoft is a powerful WordPress custom search plugin that extends the default WordPress search functionality. It allows you to search custom post types, custom fields, and taxonomies with advanced filtering options.

Create a better search experience for your visitors and make your content easier to find, including portfolio items, galleries, real estate listings, job boards, and more. Whether you are using Elementor, Gutenberg, or a custom theme, this plugin makes adding a custom search form simple.

This plugin includes features for advanced search functionality, allowing searches by all custom post types, taxonomies, and custom fields. It offers a customizable search results layout and is compatible with various themes.

Comparing to Alternatives

Custom Search by BestWebSoft offers a customizable search experience with some unique features but faces competition from several well-established alternatives.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Supports searching custom fields and post types with the Pro version
Integrates with Easy Digital Downloads for product search
Offers a free version with basic search functionality
Has a moderate user rating with a majority positive feedback

Weaknesses

Licensing mechanism is restrictive and problematic for multiple environments
Free version lacks key features like custom post type search
Performance issues reported with newer versions being slower
Limited options and confusing setup in the free version

User Sentiment Analysis

With a 3.9 average rating from 29 reviews, most users appreciate the plugin's capabilities, but a significant minority report issues mainly related to licensing and feature limitations.

Positive highlights

"best" - matiwati
"Allows me to enable searching the custom fields in Easy Digital Downloads." - delphineous
"Plugin works" - flukesh (despite licensing complaints)

Common complaints

Restrictive and problematic licensing mechanism for multiple environments
Key advertised features like custom post type search are only in Pro version
Newer versions are slower than previous ones
Free version has very limited options and poor explanations

Weaknesses

Security risk score of 5/10 with a past XSS vulnerability
Licensing system can break the plugin in staging or development setups
Performance degradation reported in recent updates
Limited functionality in free version leading to user confusion

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users who need a customizable search plugin with support for custom fields and post types and are willing to invest in the Pro version for full features.

Not ideal for

Users who require a fully featured free plugin, have multiple site environments needing flexible licensing, or prioritize high performance without potential slowdowns.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

Basic search functionality with limited options and no support for custom post types or fields.

Pro version

Enables searching by custom post types, custom fields, and additional advanced search features not available in the free version.

Final Verdict

Custom Search by BestWebSoft provides useful search customization options, especially with its Pro version, and integrates well with plugins like Easy Digital Downloads. However, its restrictive licensing and performance issues may deter users with complex environments or those seeking a fully functional free plugin.

While it has a moderate security risk history that has been addressed, potential users should weigh these factors against available alternatives. Overall, it is a decent choice for users needing advanced search features and willing to navigate its licensing model.