Search & Replace vs aThemes Starter Sites (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Search & Replace has a higher user rating (4.3/5 from 282 reviews) and leads in active installations (100K+ vs 40K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Search & Replace has accumulated 3.2M+ total downloads while aThemes Starter Sites has 1.9M+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Search & Replace | aThemes Starter Sites | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | ◄ | 2/5 |
| Total Reviews | 282 | ◄ | 2 |
| Active Installs | 100K+ | ◄ | 40K+ |
| Total Downloads | 3.2M+ | ◄ | 1.9M+ |
| Support Resolution | N/A | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 year ago | ► | 1 month ago |
| First Released | 2007 | 2020 | |
| Age | 19 years | 6 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.0+ | 4.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 5.6+ | 5.4+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 3.2.3 | 1.1.7 |
Rating Breakdown
Search & Replace
aThemes Starter Sites
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Search & Replace averaged approximately 177 daily downloads while aThemes Starter Sites averaged 431.
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
aThemes Starter Sites Reviews
Scamming company
This is a fake company that scams users This topic was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by milku.
REQUIRES an Athemes theme to work!
This plugin sounds great, but nowhere in the description does it mention that you need to have an aThemes theme installed to use these starter sites! If you dig down into the FAQs it does mention it,
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Search & Replace or aThemes Starter Sites more popular?
Which has better ratings — Search & Replace or aThemes Starter Sites?
Are Search & Replace and aThemes Starter Sites free?
Which plugin has better support — Search & Replace or aThemes Starter Sites?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.