Best Shopify Search Apps Compared [2022]

Shopify has a minimal search tool right out of the box, which doesn’t exactly meet consumer expectations these days. For instance, its filter feature is severely lacking and can’t handle complex filtering requests. Shopify also offers little to no help in suggesting, predicting, and correcting search results, and while you can refine and customize the default search mechanism using liquid, it can be an arduous process with a learning curve you might not be ready for.  

To provide a truly intuitive search experience with relevant results, you can make use of third-party search solutions that are easy to set up and use in your store. Let’s compare three popular third-party search tools so you can improve customer experience without adding a technical burden to your plate.

Sajari

Sajari presents itself as a multipurpose search system with heavy emphasis on using natural language processing (NLP) to deliver better search results. Setting it up is a simple matter, and it’s blazingly fast for indexing your collections and products.  

Features  

Sajari powers your store’s search with a smart search system that offers search suggestions and corrects spelling while giving you complete control over how your search will appear to end users.

It offers rank and rule based search optimization and gives you deep insights into your search analytics along with the ability to modify, test, and continuously improve the search mechanism through A/B testing.  

Differentiator  

Sajari is great if you want a deep level of customization over your search system, have big plans to scale your online store in the future, want detailed analytics to drive conversions, and utilize A/B testing. Its basic plan is priced at $1979/month and more or less provides everything you need.

Price: From $19/month (maximum 20,000 queries) to custom enterprise solutions for 250,000+ queries

Free Trial? Yes – 180 days

Average Shopify Rating (out of 5 stars): 5.0 (4 reviews)

Main pros:

– Offers in-depth search analytics along with the ability to modify, test, and improve via A/B testing

– Includes autocomplete and spelling correction (typo tolerance) out of the box

– Built-in relevance settings for anyone to adjust search algorithm to improve rankings based on product and site data such as best selling, highest rating, biggest margins, etc.

– Ability to add synonyms and rules

– Offers dynamic drag-and-drop interface to create fully customizable and precise filters and facets to narrow down search results

– Offers search suggestions and corrects spelling as consumers search

– Gives you complete control over how your search will appear to consumers

– Allows you to configure NLP settings

– Provides a modern default interface design for search results pages as either overlays (modals) or more traditional, paginated search results

– Enables you to remove their logo from your search system and integrate more than one domain   

– Available REST API and front-end design libraries

– The youngest of the three tools

– Not very many reviews yet on the Shopify App Store

Searchanise  

Searchanise is an e-commerce-centric search system that seamlessly integrates with several online stores, like Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce. Once you install its Shopify app, it almost instantly adds a search widget and a search page with filters to your store.  

Features  

Searchanise offers a customizable search engine, with filters and promotional tools you can integrate with your store. It also offers dedicated search insights and a diverse pricing structure, making it highly affordable.  

Differentiator  

Searchanise is the best solution for you if you have a relatively small store, want unlimited search queries, and want to integrate a search system right away with little to no customization.

Price: From free (maximum 25 products) to custom enterprise solutions for 150,000+ products

Free Trial? Yes – 14 days

Average Shopify Rating (out of 5 stars): 4.8 (1107 reviews)

Main pros:

– Offers unlimited search queries no matter your plan

– Offers a customizable search engine, with filters and promotional tools

– Offers filters right out of the box without any additional configurations

– Offers dedicated search analytics

– Boasts a diverse pricing structure, making it highly affordable

– Claims to have most affordable enterprise pricing among its competitors

– Is ideal for relatively small stores

– Provides personalized search results that suggests specific products based on consumer interactions with your inventory

– Enables changes to widget appearance with no coding

– Supports many different e-commerce platforms

Any cons?

– The in-app dashboard gets dinged in reviews as being a little complicated  

Boost Commerce  

Boost Commerce is a Shopify-focused search system that uses a set of customizable tools and a wide range of filters to provide the most relevant search results. Its interactive setup tutorial makes it easy to add a comprehensive search system to your store within minutes.  

Features  

Boost Commerce uses a set of search tools like a suggestion dictionary, synonyms, and stop words to optimize search results in contrast to using Natural Language Processing. It also has a unique redirect feature that can programmatically redirect a customer to a relevant page based on the search query.

Boost Commerce is rapidly adding lots of new features, such as metafields, custom range sliders and product visibility.  

Differentiator  

Since Boost Commerce uses carefully crafted search tools in place of Natural Language Processing, it’s a great choice if you want full control over your search results without getting into complex technicalities. Its pricing plan varies over a large range of products, so you’re sure to find one that’s right for your store.

Price: From $19/month (maximum 1,000 products) to $379/month (maximum 50,000 products)

Free Trial?: Yes – 14 days

Average Shopify Rating (out of 5 stars): 4.9 (950 reviews)

Main pros:

– Has a unique redirect feature that directs customer to relevant pages based on the search query

– Is quickly adding lots of new features, such as metafields, custom range sliders, and product visibility

– Offers a varied pricing plan with a large range of products

– Provides intuitive in-app tutorials and a step-by-step guide to using it efficiently

– Provides search analytics

– Offers merchandising for targeting specific products to a well-defined audience
– Integrates with a variety of other apps, for solutions like product reviews and wishlists

– Offers responsive, helpful support from a team that receives solid reviews

– Uses a suggestion dictionary, synonyms, and stop words to optimize search results in contrast to using NLP (a pro if you want some control without complex technicalities)

Any cons?

– Requires some extra effort for the initial setup of its filters

– Uses a suggestion dictionary, synonyms, and stop words to optimize search results in contrast to using NLP (a con if you prefer more granular control)

Best Shopify Search Apps

Every customer wants a seamless user experience, and every store owner wants to deliver it. Shopify lacks that on its own, but third-party search tools make it easier to help customers find what they’re looking for. The perfect search solution will never exist, but it’s possible to find something that enhances search results, provides analytics on customer search behavior, gives you full control over your store’s search appearance and functionality, and doesn’t charge you for things you won’t use.

Searchanise and Boost Commerce have been on the Shopify store the longest and have the most reviews. While not as configurable as Sajari, they work well, particularly on small stores. Each of them offers a free trial, so I recommend you install all three before deciding which is best for your store.