Search & Replace vs WP Extended Search (2026)

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

Search & Replace

Search & Replace

4.3(282)

100K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 year ago
View Search & Replace
VS
WP Extended Search

WP Extended Search

4.9(72)

20K+ active installs

Free

Updated 3 months ago
View WP Extended Search

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, WP Extended Search has a higher user rating (4.9/5 from 72 reviews) while Search & Replace leads in active installations (100K+ vs 20K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Search & Replace has accumulated 3.2M+ total downloads while WP Extended Search has 348K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.3/5Search & Replace
WP Extended Search4.9/5
Total Reviews
282Search & Replace
WP Extended Search72
Active Installs
100K+Search & Replace
WP Extended Search20K+
Total Downloads
3.2M+Search & Replace
WP Extended Search348K+
Support Resolution
N/ASearch & Replace
WP Extended Search0%
Last Updated
1 year agoSearch & Replace
WP Extended Search3 months ago
First Released
2007Search & Replace
WP Extended Search2014
Age
19 yearsSearch & Replace
WP Extended Search12 years
WP Requires
4.0+Search & Replace
WP Extended Search4.9+
PHP Requires
5.6+Search & Replace
WP Extended Search7.0+
Business Model
FreeSearch & Replace
WP Extended SearchFree
Latest Version
3.2.3Search & Replace
WP Extended Search2.2.1

Rating Breakdown

Search & Replace

4.3/5(282 reviews)
5
75%
4
6%
3
5%
2
4%
1
11%

WP Extended Search

4.9/5(72 reviews)
5
93%
4
4%
3
0%
2
1%
1
1%

Recent Reviews

Search & Replace Reviews

by pmheart6

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

by Denny Müller

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

by Artneo

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

WP Extended Search Reviews

by Mark

Fantastic plugin! Works, and works well. Bravo. 👏

WordPress default search is absolutely terrible. This plugin dramatically improves the search capabilities of WordPress.

by james4311

Works brilliantly with Pods

Works brilliantly! Simple to set up and supports custom post types and custom fields created with Pods.

by karll10

Fantastic plugin

Fantastic plugin, got me out of a serious issue I was having with search functionality. Works flawlessly, highly recommend. Thank you…

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Search & Replace or WP Extended Search more popular?
Search & Replace has 100K+ active installations while WP Extended Search has 20K+. Search & Replace is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Search & Replace or WP Extended Search?
Search & Replace has a 4.3/5 rating from 282 reviews, while WP Extended Search has a 4.9/5 rating from 72 reviews.
Are Search & Replace and WP Extended Search free?
Search & Replace is free and WP Extended Search is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Search & Replace or WP Extended Search?
Support resolution data is not available for all plugins. Check each plugin's WordPress.org support forum for current response quality.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Search & Replace was last updated 1 year ago and WP Extended Search was last updated 3 months ago.

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