String locator vs WP Extended 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, WP Extended Search has a higher user rating (4.9/5 from 72 reviews) while String locator leads in active installations (100K+ vs 20K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. String locator has accumulated 1.4M+ total downloads while WP Extended Search has 348K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | String locator | WP Extended Search | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.6/5 | ► | 4.9/5 |
| Total Reviews | 124 | ◄ | 72 |
| Active Installs | 100K+ | ◄ | 20K+ |
| Total Downloads | 1.4M+ | ◄ | 348K+ |
| Support Resolution | N/A | 0% | |
| Last Updated | 1 year ago | ► | 3 months ago |
| First Released | 2013 | 2014 | |
| Age | 13 years | 12 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.9+ | 4.9+ | |
| PHP Requires | false+ | 7.0+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 2.6.7 | 2.2.1 |
Rating Breakdown
String locator
WP Extended Search
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, String locator averaged approximately 270 daily downloads while WP Extended Search averaged 57.
Recent Reviews
String locator Reviews
Great
Great
Great for support
I’ve used this plugin now a dozen times to track down plugins conflicts for my customers. Truly one of the best debug utilities, up there with Query Monitor!
A translation passepartout
Some plugins don’t allow translations in a standard way. For those, there is String locator.
WP Extended Search Reviews
Fantastic plugin! Works, and works well. Bravo. 👏
WordPress default search is absolutely terrible. This plugin dramatically improves the search capabilities of WordPress.
Works brilliantly with Pods
Works brilliantly! Simple to set up and supports custom post types and custom fields created with Pods.
Fantastic plugin
Fantastic plugin, got me out of a serious issue I was having with search functionality. Works flawlessly, highly recommend. Thank you…
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is String locator or WP Extended Search more popular?
Which has better ratings — String locator or WP Extended Search?
Are String locator and WP Extended Search free?
Which plugin has better support — String locator or WP Extended Search?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.