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SearchWP Live Ajax Search

By Syed Balkhi

Site Structure & Navigation / Site Search

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

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

SearchWP Live Ajax Search Review - In-Depth Analysis

SearchWP Live Ajax Search provides a template powered live search for WordPress themes. It can work independently or in conjunction with SearchWP for enhanced functionality.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

7.65/10

User Rating

4.7/5 (based on 36+ reviews)

Active Installations

50,000+

Update Frequency

Very Good 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

SearchWP Live Ajax Search enables AJAX powered live search for your search forms. It is designed to be a developer's best friend, allowing for extensive customization while remaining unobtrusive. This plugin works seamlessly with any WordPress theme and utilizes a template loader to display search results.

While SearchWP is not required, it enhances the plugin's capabilities. If SearchWP is installed, Live Ajax Search can be customized to utilize various search engines per search form. The plugin allows for significant customization through developer-defined configurations.

Implementation is straightforward, requiring only a single HTML5 data attribute to be added to the search form input field. Additionally, a widget is included, enabling you to place live search forms anywhere on your site.

Comparing to Alternatives

SearchWP Live Ajax Search has a direct alternative in the category, allowing users to consider other options for live ajax search functionality.

Top alternatives

Relevanssi Live Ajax Search ( WPS: 6.79)

Strengths

Highly rated with a 4.7 average from 36 reviews
Responsive and helpful customer support
Free version available with useful features
Regular updates addressing security issues

Weaknesses

Known medium severity vulnerabilities fixed in recent updates
Some users report issues after major updates
No clearly promoted pro version with advanced features
Cancellation process can be frustrating for some users

User Sentiment Analysis

The plugin enjoys a strong positive reception with over 86% five-star ratings, though a small minority express dissatisfaction mainly due to update issues and cancellation difficulties.

Positive highlights

'Fantastic plugin and excellent customer service' - neilmarshall81
'Above and Beyond on support' - sherbetdonkey
'Hi, great plugin, I’m using the free version' - serialcode
'Installed and seems to work well' - satsis

Common complaints

Major update 1.8 caused breakage for some users
Difficulty and frustration with subscription cancellation

Weaknesses

Security vulnerabilities were present but have been fixed
Some users experience issues after major updates
No paid version clearly promoted, limiting advanced feature access

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users looking for a reliable and well-supported live ajax search plugin with a strong free offering and responsive support team.

Not ideal for

Those who require advanced premium features or a seamless subscription cancellation process, or who are concerned about past security vulnerabilities.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version offers solid live ajax search functionality suitable for many users without additional cost.

Final Verdict

SearchWP Live Ajax Search stands out for its excellent user support and a strong free version that meets the needs of many WordPress users. Despite some past security vulnerabilities, these have been addressed in recent updates, and the plugin maintains a high rating and positive user feedback overall.

However, the lack of a clearly promoted pro version and some user frustrations with update stability and cancellation processes may deter those seeking advanced features or hassle-free subscription management. Alternatives like Relevanssi Live Ajax Search may be worth considering depending on specific needs.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free SearchWP Live Ajax Search plugin.

Ajax

Live search

Screenshots

FAQ

Of course! Full documentation

SearchWP Live Ajax Search will automatically enable itself on any search forms generated with get_search_form(). You can prevent that with the following filter:

add_filter( 'searchwp_live_search_hijack_get_search_form', '__return_false' );

If you would like to manually enable SearchWP Live Ajax Search on a custom search form, simply add the following data attribute to the input you want to hook: data-swplive="true"