Search Regex vs Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter (2026)

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

Search Regex

Search Regex

4.7(97)

100K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 month ago
View Search Regex
VS
Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter

Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter

4.8(262)

80K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 month ago
View Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 262 reviews) while Search Regex leads in active installations (100K+ vs 80K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Search Regex has accumulated 2.4M+ total downloads while Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter has 2.1M+. Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter has a higher support resolution rate (67% vs 0%).

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.7/5Search Regex
Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter4.8/5
Total Reviews
97Search Regex
Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter262
Active Installs
100K+Search Regex
Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter80K+
Total Downloads
2.4M+Search Regex
Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter2.1M+
Support Resolution
0%Search Regex
Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter67%
Last Updated
1 month agoSearch Regex
Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter1 month ago
First Released
2007Search Regex
Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter2012
Age
19 yearsSearch Regex
Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter14 years
WP Requires
6.5+Search Regex
Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter3.5+
PHP Requires
7.4+Search Regex
Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter7.4+
Business Model
FreeSearch Regex
Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & FilterFree
Latest Version
3.4.1Search Regex
Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter4.13.5

Rating Breakdown

Search Regex

4.7/5(97 reviews)
5
86%
4
7%
3
3%
2
1%
1
3%

Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter

4.8/5(262 reviews)
5
89%
4
4%
3
2%
2
2%
1
2%

Recent Reviews

Search Regex Reviews

by hakuna4matata

Handy for search-and-replace, but “Delete Matches” is dangerous

This plugin does a great job when you just want to find and replace text across your site. The interface is clear, the regex support works well, and the preview feature is very useful. However, the

by humananimal

Amazing

Dear John, you are so GODLEY!! thank you for this wonderful super helpful plugin! May I buy you a ticket to Disneyland?? 😉

by kelson

Incredibly powerful!

Incredibly powerful search tool for your dashboard, especially useful if, for example, you’ve moved to a new server (or a new site structure), or someone’s changed their name, or any other reason you

Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter Reviews

by dogma00

Works as advertised & thanks for support!

Already got thanks from a couple of our website users for the “new, fast search”. Special thanks to Ernest for quick support in our a bit peculiar fine-tuning case.

by theschtickler

Long time happy user

This plugin does so much, but more importantly, Ernest and the team provide stellar support, which makes this such a worthy purchase. Have used for 5+ years on various projects.

by toddkarr

Fantastic Plugin and Support!

Ajax Search Pro does exactly what I needed it to do: search a complex database of 23,000 rows with simple user controls. I had a very specific situation and Ernest at Ajax support unfailingly and pati

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Search Regex or Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter more popular?
Search Regex has 100K+ active installations while Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter has 80K+. Search Regex is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Search Regex or Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter?
Search Regex has a 4.7/5 rating from 97 reviews, while Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter has a 4.8/5 rating from 262 reviews.
Are Search Regex and Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter free?
Search Regex is free and Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Search Regex or Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter?
As of April 2026, Search Regex has a 0% support resolution rate while Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter has a 67% rate.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Search Regex was last updated 1 month ago and Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter was last updated 1 month ago.

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