Ivory Search vs Search Exclude
Compare WordPress plugins and tools side by side. Pick products with “Compare” in the software directory.
| Feature | Ivory Search v5.5.20 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.9/5 Visit Details | Search Exclude v2.6.8 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free · ★ 4.8/5 Visit Details |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Active installs | 90,000+ | 50,000+ |
| Last updated | October 21, 2026 | October 5, 2026 |
| Editions | Ivory Search · Ivory Search Pro ($) · Ivory Search Pro Plus ($) | Search Exclude |
| Pros | Several search forms, each set up separately; Widget, shortcode and menu search options; Search form customiser in the admin | Simple per-item checkbox in editor, list, quick and bulk edit; Block editor sidebar control included; Free, with no paid tier in the code |
| Cons | WooCommerce SKU search and stemming need Pro Plus; Advanced options are locked behind upgrade prompts; Freemius telemetry prompt on activation | Only changes WordPress's built-in search results; Promotional notices for other QuadLayers products appear in admin |
| Mentioned in our posts | 1 | — |
| More features | ||
| Other features | Custom search forms, Search form shortcode, Search widget, Search item for menus, WooCommerce SKU search ($), Word stemming in search ($), Upgrade prompts for locked features | Exclude checkbox in post and page editor, Column and quick edit toggle on list screens, Bulk exclude or include from list screens, Filters the main search query, Block editor sidebar control, Settings page under Settings menu, REST endpoint for settings |
| Integrations | ||
| E-commerce | WooCommerce | WooCommerce |
| Plugins | — | bbPress |
| Requires WordPress | 3.9 | 4.7 |
| Requires PHP | 5.2.4 | 5.6 |
| Tested up to | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Phones home | Only if you agree | No |
| External services | — | quadlayers.com |
| Shortcodes | 1 | — |