ACF: Better Search vs SearchIQ – The Search Solution (2026)

Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.

ACF: Better Search

ACF: Better Search

4.9(164)

40K+ active installs

Free

Updated 3 months ago
View ACF: Better Search
VS
SearchIQ – The Search Solution

SearchIQ – The Search Solution

4.9(198)

1.0K+ active installs

Free

Updated 6 months ago
View SearchIQ – The Search Solution

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, ACF: Better Search has a higher user rating (4.9/5 from 164 reviews) and leads in active installations (40K+ vs 1.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. ACF: Better Search has accumulated 814K+ total downloads while SearchIQ – The Search Solution has 93K+. SearchIQ – The Search Solution has a higher support resolution rate (100% vs 0%).

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.9/5ACF: Better Search
SearchIQ – The Search Solution4.9/5
Total Reviews
164ACF: Better Search
SearchIQ – The Search Solution198
Active Installs
40K+ACF: Better Search
SearchIQ – The Search Solution1.0K+
Total Downloads
814K+ACF: Better Search
SearchIQ – The Search Solution93K+
Support Resolution
0%ACF: Better Search
SearchIQ – The Search Solution100%
Last Updated
3 months agoACF: Better Search
SearchIQ – The Search Solution6 months ago
First Released
2016ACF: Better Search
SearchIQ – The Search Solution2016
Age
10 yearsACF: Better Search
SearchIQ – The Search Solution10 years
WP Requires
5.0+ACF: Better Search
SearchIQ – The Search Solution3.7+
PHP Requires
7.0+ACF: Better Search
SearchIQ – The Search Solutionfalse+
Business Model
FreeACF: Better Search
SearchIQ – The Search SolutionFree
Latest Version
4.4.1ACF: Better Search
SearchIQ – The Search Solution5.1

Rating Breakdown

ACF: Better Search

4.9/5(164 reviews)
5
95%
4
3%
3
1%
2
1%
1
1%

SearchIQ – The Search Solution

4.9/5(198 reviews)
5
95%
4
2%
3
1%
2
1%
1
2%

Recent Reviews

ACF: Better Search Reviews

by mkdes

Great, works perfectly

Great, works perfectly. Fast.

by wu-wei

Has worked without fail for years

Thanks for the super useful plugin, with the perfect amount of easy to configure flexibility. I don’t recall ever having an issue and I appreciate that it doesn’t spam the dashboard with noise.

Amazing Plugin!!

This plugin has been instrumental in allowing us to customize our posts by category which has improved our website immensely. The custom posts have made our content creation much more streamlined and

SearchIQ – The Search Solution Reviews

by AkaijaWim

Working fine.

Installing was going fine. It works like I hoped for. Well done!

by adriaan53

Reliable search function that really works

I was looking for a reliable search solution for my website. SeachIQ was easy to setup, delivers accurate results, and makes our visitors’ experience much smoother. When I approached the helpdesk, th

by AnitaSmithers

Impressive coverage

SearchIQ pulls all references – even different post types – without spending a small fortune. TRULY appreciated! My site visitors are so pleased.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ACF: Better Search or SearchIQ – The Search Solution more popular?
ACF: Better Search has 40K+ active installations while SearchIQ – The Search Solution has 1.0K+. ACF: Better Search is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — ACF: Better Search or SearchIQ – The Search Solution?
ACF: Better Search has a 4.9/5 rating from 164 reviews, while SearchIQ – The Search Solution has a 4.9/5 rating from 198 reviews.
Are ACF: Better Search and SearchIQ – The Search Solution free?
ACF: Better Search is free and SearchIQ – The Search Solution is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — ACF: Better Search or SearchIQ – The Search Solution?
As of April 2026, ACF: Better Search has a 0% support resolution rate while SearchIQ – The Search Solution has a 100% rate.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
ACF: Better Search was last updated 3 months ago and SearchIQ – The Search Solution was last updated 6 months ago.

Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.