We get it. You’re tired of all the legwork required to configure ElasticSearch, understand its user interface, and ramp up usage. No wonder you’re searching for strong Elasticsearch alternatives — and you’ve come to the right place.
Our goal here is to help you find the best site search solution for your business. Sure, we’ll pitch AddSearch to you (because we honestly think it’s great), but we’ll also highlight other site search tools to help you make an informed decision.
TL;DR: Comparison of 5 Elasticsearch Alternatives for Site Search
Here’s a quick look at the ElasticSearch alternatives we’ll talk about in this article.
| Best For | Top Features | Pricing | |
| AddSearch | AI-powered site search and recommendations for any industry | Ease of implementation Universal compatibility Search analytics dashboard | Starts at $129 per month |
| Site Search 360 | Custom site search for e-commerce websites | Smart semantic search Cross-domain search support Filters, sorting, and auto suggestions | Starts at $9 per month |
| Search IQ | Cross-site search engine | AI-powered search logic Custom result ranking Cross-site search | Starts at $19 per month |
| Syte AI | Product discovery platform for e-commerce businesses | Visual AI AI tagging and merchandising Advanced personalization recommendations | Custom |
| Search WP | WordPress search plugin | Automatic theme integration Searchable custom fields Analytics dashboard | Starts at $99 per year |
1. AddSearch: AI-Powered Site Search and Recommendations For Any Industry
AddSearch provides internal site search solutions for businesses of all sizes and industries. It offers an easy way to integrate a powerful and fast search functionality into your website to help users find relevant information quickly — thereby enhancing their experience.
AddSeacrh also has a recommendation engine that suggests relevant content to website visitors based on predetermined criteria, such as frequently bought-together items and current promotions.
Top Features
AddSearch offers several features, including:
- Ease of implementation: you don’t need any advanced technical knowledge to integrate AddSearch into your website. Our intuitive interface makes it easy to set up our site search solution, plus we provide expert guidance whenever needed.
- Universal compatibility: you can integrate AddSearch into any type of website or content management system, including Squarespace and Drupal. We also provide Shopify and WordPress plugins to speed up implementation.
- Search analytics dashboard: get a 360-degree of visitors’ search habits on your website. Our analytics dashboard shows you what they search for, frequently visited pages, and overall search trends.
Pricing
AddSearch has three pricing plans:
- Professional: $129 per month
- Premium: $649 per month
- Enterprise: Contact sales for pricing
You can try the Professional Plan for free for 14 days. If you opt for an annual subscription, you’ll get a generous discount across all plans.
2. Site Search 360: A Good alternative to Elasticsearch and Great for Custom Site Search For E-Commerce Websites
Site Search 360 gives you full control over your website’s search experience. It’s also easy to use, making it a decent option for small businesses looking for a simple site search solution.
Something to note is that Site Search 360 can be buggy, affecting the relevance and accuracy of the search results provided to website visitors. In this user’s words:
“Global search results often come out too fluffy. We have experienced that the engine sometimes does not show the most relevant pages. For example, when writing a sentence from a specific page into the search bar, the engine would suggest a different page as the best result.”
Top Features
- Smart semantic search
- Cross-domain search support
- Filters, sorting, and auto suggestions for content searches
Pricing
Site Search 360 has a free plan and three paid plans.
- Columbo: $9 per month
- Holmes: $49 per month
- Batman: $119 per month
3. Syte AI: Product Discovery Platform For E-Commerce Businesses
Syte AI is a visual search and product discovery platform designed to enhance e-commerce experiences. It provides personalized product recommendations based on visual similarities and user behavior, enhancing the shopping experience and increasing conversion rates.
Syte AI is mainly designed for online stores. Its search features work best for finding and recommending products. However, they aren’t optimized for non e-commerce websites, limiting Syte AI’s value for businesses in other industries.
Top Features
- Visual AI
- AI tagging and merchandising
- Advanced personalization recommendations
Pricing
Syte AI uses customized pricing, meaning you’ll need to reach out to the Sales team for a quote.
Losing customers to no hit searches? Auto Synonyms helps turn every missed search into a successful find. Learn how in our latest white paper.
4. SearchWP: WordPress Search Plugin
SearchWP is a powerful search plugin for WordPress websites and is considered as another strong elastic alternative. It enhances WordPress’ default search functionality by providing more accurate and customizable search results. It also allows site owners to customize the search algorithm, including specific post types, custom fields, and taxonomies.
The downside is that SearchWP only supports WordPress websites. You can’t use it for your Shopify store or other content management systems.
Top Features
- Automatic theme integration
- Searchable custom fields
- Analytics dashboard
Pricing
- Standard: $99 per year
- Pro: $199 per year
- Agency: $399 per year
5. Search IQ: Cross-Site Search Engine
SearchIQ is particularly useful for e-commerce sites, blogs, and any content-heavy website where effective search functionality can significantly enhance user experience and engagement. It provides features like auto-complete, typo tolerance, and synonym search to help users find what they’re looking for more efficiently.
Top Features
- AI-powered search logic
- Custom result ranking
- Cross-site search
Pricing
Search iQ has a free plan and three paid plans.
- Startup: $19 per month
- Pro: $129 per month
- Enterprise: $899 per month
What to Consider When Choosing an ElasticSearch Alternative
Here are the most important things to have in mind when vetting ElasticSearch alternatives for your website:
1. Ease of Implementation and Integration
Consider how easy it is to integrate the site search solution into your existing website or content management system. Solutions that offer a straightforward setup process, plugins for popular CMS platforms like WordPress or Shopify, or require minimal technical knowledge can reduce implementation time and effort.
2. Compatibility With Your Industry
Some search solutions are tailored to specific industries, such as e-commerce. Ensure the chosen solution suits the nature of your website, whether it’s for an e-commerce platform, a content-heavy blog, or a corporate site. Each industry has unique needs that the search solution should accommodate.
3. Search Accuracy and Relevance
The primary goal of implementing a search solution is to provide users with the most relevant search results quickly. Consider ElasticSearch alternatives known for delivering accurate and relevant results, reducing the likelihood of buggy or inaccurate searches.
4. Analytics and Insights
Access to search analytics and insights can help you understand your users’ search behavior, frequently visited pages and overall search trends. This information is valuable for continuously improving the user experience and making informed content or product adjustments.
5. Pricing and Scalability
Consider the cost of the solution and its scalability options. Ensure the pricing structure fits within your budget and that the platform can accommodate your business’s growth. Some solutions offer free plans or trials, which can be a good starting point to evaluate their effectiveness.
Related Reading:
How does search indexing work?
What is an internal search engine for websites?
AddSearch: The Best ElasticSearch Alternative For Businesses
AddSearch’s ease of implementation, universal compatibility, comprehensive analytics, and powerful recommendations engine position it as a superior ElasticSearch alternative for businesses seeking to improve their website’s search and navigation functionality.
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