Search Exclude vs Hide from Search (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 Exclude has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 215 reviews) and leads in active installations (50K+ vs 3.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Search Exclude has accumulated 2.0M+ total downloads while Hide from Search has 45K+. Hide from Search has a higher support resolution rate (100% vs 50%).
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Search Exclude | Hide from Search | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8/5 | ◄ | 4.4/5 |
| Total Reviews | 215 | ◄ | 17 |
| Active Installs | 50K+ | ◄ | 3.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 2.0M+ | ◄ | 45K+ |
| Support Resolution | 50% | ► | 100% |
| Last Updated | Yesterday | ◄ | 1 month ago |
| First Released | 2012 | 2012 | |
| Age | 14 years | 14 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.7+ | 6.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 5.6+ | 7.4+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 2.6.4 | 1.1.8 |
Rating Breakdown
Search Exclude
Hide from Search
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Search Exclude averaged approximately 1,318 daily downloads while Hide from Search averaged 42.
Recent Reviews
Search Exclude Reviews
I didn’t know how desperately I needed this plugin
It took me literally years to find out that (for instance) the download pages of my freebies could and would come up in every search result on my page. Thanks to this plugin they don’t anymore and it
Did exactly what was needed
Very helpful plugin
Very Useful & Powerfull
This plugin is THE key to helping our website visitors and customers find what they are looking for. (By blocking all the less important pages that happen to contain popular keywords.)
Hide from Search Reviews
Potentially great!
I 100% agree with the previous reviewer below. 3 stars for a potentially great plugin. For 5 stars please add: Options to be selected in Quick Edit mode and also add a section under Settings where it
Works, But is Hit or Miss
This plugin definitely works, but I find that it’s hit or miss. Using it with WordPress products, some products still show in search results even with the boxes ticked while others don’t. Not sure why
Its good but hoping it could be better!
Happy to adjust my rating if I’m wrong but currently it appears you need to enter Edit to apply any changes. I have the need to hide hundreds of pages in a very large website and it would be so handy
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Search Exclude or Hide from Search more popular?
Which has better ratings — Search Exclude or Hide from Search?
Are Search Exclude and Hide from Search free?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.