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Search Regex vs Arbitrary Shortcodes (2026)

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

Search Regex

Search Regex

4.7(97)

100K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 month ago
View Search Regex
VS
Arbitrary Shortcodes

Arbitrary Shortcodes

0(0)

10 active installs

Free

Updated 16 years ago
View Arbitrary Shortcodes

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Search Regex has a higher user rating (4.7/5 from 97 reviews) and leads in active installations (100K+ vs 10). Both are free WordPress plugins. Search Regex has accumulated 2.4M+ total downloads while Arbitrary Shortcodes has 1.9K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.7/5Search Regex
◄
Arbitrary ShortcodesN/A
Total Reviews
97Search Regex
◄
Arbitrary Shortcodes0
Active Installs
100K+Search Regex
◄
Arbitrary Shortcodes10
Total Downloads
2.4M+Search Regex
◄
Arbitrary Shortcodes1.9K+
Support Resolution
0%Search Regex
Arbitrary ShortcodesN/A
Last Updated
1 month agoSearch Regex
◄
Arbitrary Shortcodes16 years ago
First Released
2007Search Regex
Arbitrary Shortcodes2009
Age
19 yearsSearch Regex
Arbitrary Shortcodes17 years
WP Requires
6.5+Search Regex
Arbitrary Shortcodes2.7.1+
PHP Requires
7.4+Search Regex
Arbitrary Shortcodesfalse+
Business Model
FreeSearch Regex
Arbitrary ShortcodesFree
Latest Version
3.4.1Search Regex
Arbitrary Shortcodes1.0

Rating Breakdown

Search Regex

4.7/5(97 reviews)
5
86%
4
7%
3
3%
2
1%
1
3%

Arbitrary Shortcodes

0/5(0 reviews)
5
0%
4
0%
3
0%
2
0%
1
0%

Recent Reviews

Search Regex Reviews

by hakuna4matata

Handy for search-and-replace, but “Delete Matches” is dangerous

This plugin does a great job when you just want to find and replace text across your site. The interface is clear, the regex support works well, and the preview feature is very useful. However, the

by humananimal

Amazing

Dear John, you are so GODLEY!! thank you for this wonderful super helpful plugin! May I buy you a ticket to Disneyland?? 😉

by kelson

Incredibly powerful!

Incredibly powerful search tool for your dashboard, especially useful if, for example, you’ve moved to a new server (or a new site structure), or someone’s changed their name, or any other reason you

Arbitrary Shortcodes Reviews

No reviews yet

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Search Regex or Arbitrary Shortcodes more popular?
Search Regex has 100K+ active installations while Arbitrary Shortcodes has 10. Search Regex is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Search Regex or Arbitrary Shortcodes?
Search Regex has a 4.7/5 rating from 97 reviews, while Arbitrary Shortcodes has a 0/5 rating from 0 reviews.
Are Search Regex and Arbitrary Shortcodes free?
Search Regex is free and Arbitrary Shortcodes is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Search Regex or Arbitrary Shortcodes?
Support resolution data is not available for all plugins. Check each plugin's WordPress.org support forum for current response quality.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Search Regex was last updated 1 month ago and Arbitrary Shortcodes was last updated 16 years ago.

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