Search & Filter vs Category Excluder from Theme Customizer (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Category Excluder from Theme Customizer
60 active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Search & Filter has a higher user rating (4.5/5 from 174 reviews) and leads in active installations (50K+ vs 60). Both are free WordPress plugins. Search & Filter has accumulated 950K+ total downloads while Category Excluder from Theme Customizer has 4.2K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Search & Filter | Category Excluder from Theme Customizer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5/5 | ◄ | 3/5 |
| Total Reviews | 174 | ◄ | 3 |
| Active Installs | 50K+ | ◄ | 60 |
| Total Downloads | 950K+ | ◄ | 4.2K+ |
| Support Resolution | 0% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 3 months ago | ◄ | 12 years ago |
| First Released | 2013 | 2013 | |
| Age | 13 years | 13 years | |
| WP Requires | 3.5+ | 3.0.1+ | |
| PHP Requires | false+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 1.2.18 | 1.1 |
Rating Breakdown
Search & Filter
Category Excluder from Theme Customizer
Download Trends
Recent Reviews
Search & Filter Reviews
The instructions on how to change the settings to version 3.X are insufficient a
We were using version 2.X.The instructions on how to change the settings to version 3.X are insufficient and unclear. In addition, when upgrading from 2.X to 3.X, a database error occurs (in secret
Could be developed.
I tried to test the starter (free) version of the plugin with Kadence theme. It is great that is supports filtering via custom taxonomies. The UI of the plugin is outdated. The only way to define filt
The Support is Excellent!
I had an odd problem, which was certain posts and pages appearing in results despite not containing the search term. I submitted a support ticket and got a quick response. Their support was extremely
Category Excluder from Theme Customizer Reviews
No reviews yet
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.