Search & Replace vs Import / Export Customizer Settings (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Import / Export Customizer Settings
50K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Import / Export Customizer Settings has a higher user rating (4.7/5 from 6 reviews) while Search & Replace leads in active installations (100K+ vs 50K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Search & Replace has accumulated 3.2M+ total downloads while Import / Export Customizer Settings has 1.0M+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Search & Replace | Import / Export Customizer Settings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | ► | 4.7/5 |
| Total Reviews | 282 | ◄ | 6 |
| Active Installs | 100K+ | ◄ | 50K+ |
| Total Downloads | 3.2M+ | ◄ | 1.0M+ |
| Support Resolution | N/A | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 year ago | ► | 4 months ago |
| First Released | 2007 | 2019 | |
| Age | 19 years | 7 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.0+ | 4.4+ | |
| PHP Requires | 5.6+ | 5.4+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 3.2.3 | 1.1.0 |
Rating Breakdown
Search & Replace
Import / Export Customizer Settings
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Search & Replace averaged approximately 177 daily downloads while Import / Export Customizer Settings averaged 134.
Recent Reviews
Search & Replace Reviews
It still works great
I changed my url, 12 tables with 58 entries . While not a big site, but it was nice. it says not tested in the last 3 versions of WP. Welp, it works in php8.2x and WP 6.8.2
Works fine when changing the domain
I have used this plugin several times for different webpages. Especially when the webpage was moved to other domain. It works fine. Before replace, it’s possible to test and check the results. H
Bulk edits to the database
[Update 12/26/24] I tried using the bulk “CSV Format Search/Replace” feature, but it seems only the latest replacement string is applied. I’ll now try another method, such as using the WP-CLI.—This pl
Import / Export Customizer Settings Reviews
when you need it !
this is a life saver when you need it for your wpastra
Very useful
Copy Astra settings over from test site to staging site to production site, works like a charm. Not all settings are transferred though. – The sidebar in the blog/individual page has to be re-done man
Great stuff for Astra theme users. Time saver!
Very useful. Moved theme settings over to multiple sites in a snap.
More Import Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as Search & Replace and Import / Export Customizer Settings
Import your demo content, widgets and theme settings with one click. Theme authors! Enable simple theme demo import for your users.
Easily export or import your WordPress customizer settings!
Import and export users and customers including user meta, roles, and other. Compatible with many plugins. Do it from the front end or using cron.
Add From Server is designed to help ease the pain of bad web hosts, allowing you to upload files via FTP or SSH and later import them into WordPress.
Complete Import & Export solution for Posts, Pages, Custom Post, Users, Taxonomies, Comments etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.