PluginSift

Search & Filter vs FPW Category Thumbnails (2026)

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

Search & Filter

Search & Filter

4.5(174)

50K+ active installs

Free

Updated 3 months ago
View Search & Filter
VS
FPW Category Thumbnails

FPW Category Thumbnails

4.8(6)

500 active installs

Free

Updated 1 year ago
View FPW Category Thumbnails

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, FPW Category Thumbnails has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 6 reviews) while Search & Filter leads in active installations (50K+ vs 500). Both are free WordPress plugins. Search & Filter has accumulated 950K+ total downloads while FPW Category Thumbnails has 48K+. FPW Category Thumbnails has a higher support resolution rate (0% vs 0%).

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.5/5Search & Filter
►
FPW Category Thumbnails4.8/5
Total Reviews
174Search & Filter
◄
FPW Category Thumbnails6
Active Installs
50K+Search & Filter
◄
FPW Category Thumbnails500
Total Downloads
950K+Search & Filter
◄
FPW Category Thumbnails48K+
Support Resolution
0%Search & Filter
FPW Category Thumbnails0%
Last Updated
3 months agoSearch & Filter
◄
FPW Category Thumbnails1 year ago
First Released
2013Search & Filter
FPW Category Thumbnails2010
Age
13 yearsSearch & Filter
FPW Category Thumbnails16 years
WP Requires
3.5+Search & Filter
FPW Category Thumbnails3.4+
PHP Requires
false+Search & Filter
FPW Category Thumbnails5.6.20+
Business Model
FreeSearch & Filter
FPW Category ThumbnailsFree
Latest Version
1.2.18Search & Filter
FPW Category Thumbnails1.9.5

Rating Breakdown

Search & Filter

4.5/5(174 reviews)
5
84%
4
2%
3
2%
2
4%
1
7%

FPW Category Thumbnails

4.8/5(6 reviews)
5
83%
4
17%
3
0%
2
0%
1
0%

Recent Reviews

Search & Filter Reviews

by shinji

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

by saksaksak

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 The UI of the plugin is outdated.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

by lisalindeman

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

FPW Category Thumbnails Reviews

No reviews yet

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Search & Filter or FPW Category Thumbnails more popular?
Search & Filter has 50K+ active installations while FPW Category Thumbnails has 500. Search & Filter is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Search & Filter or FPW Category Thumbnails?
Search & Filter has a 4.5/5 rating from 174 reviews, while FPW Category Thumbnails has a 4.8/5 rating from 6 reviews.
Are Search & Filter and FPW Category Thumbnails free?
Search & Filter is free and FPW Category Thumbnails is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Search & Filter or FPW Category Thumbnails?
As of April 2026, Search & Filter has a 0% support resolution rate while FPW Category Thumbnails has a 0% rate.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Search & Filter was last updated 3 months ago and FPW Category Thumbnails was last updated 1 year ago.

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