ACF: Better Search vs Ivory Search
Compare WordPress plugins and tools side by side. Pick products with “Compare” in the software directory.
| Feature | ACF: Better Search v4.5.1 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free · ★ 4.9/5 Visit Details | Ivory Search v5.5.20 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.9/5 Visit Details |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Active installs | 40,000+ | 90,000+ |
| Last updated | August 18, 2026 | October 21, 2026 |
| Editions | ACF: Better Search | Ivory Search · Ivory Search Pro ($) · Ivory Search Pro Plus ($) |
| Pros | Works through the normal WordPress search; Choose which ACF fields are searched; Option to match whole phrases | Several search forms, each set up separately; Widget, shortcode and menu search options; Search form customiser in the admin |
| Cons | Needs Advanced Custom Fields installed; Slower on large sites since it queries post meta; Donation prompts appear in the admin and readme | WooCommerce SKU search and stemming need Pro Plus; Advanced options are locked behind upgrade prompts; Freemius telemetry prompt on activation |
| Mentioned in our posts | 1 | 1 |
| More features | ||
| Other features | Choose which ACF fields are searched, Adds matches on ACF meta to the search query, Joins post meta into the search query, Whole phrase matching option, Settings page for the search options, Removes duplicate posts from results | Custom search forms, Search form shortcode, Search widget, Search item for menus, WooCommerce SKU search ($), Word stemming in search ($), Upgrade prompts for locked features |
| Integrations | ||
| E-commerce | — | WooCommerce |
| Plugins | Advanced Custom Fields | — |
| Requires WordPress | 5.0 | 3.9 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 5.2.4 |
| Tested up to | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Phones home | No | Only if you agree |
| Shortcodes | — | 1 |