Ivory Search
91Advanced WordPress custom search plugin. Provides Search Form Customizer, WooCommerce Search, AJAX Search &...
Free
100k+ installs 4.9★ (1,560)
SearchWP Live Ajax Search
Template powered live search for any WordPress theme. Does not require SearchWP, but will utilize it if available.
The facts
- Rating
- 4.7★ from 37
- Active installs
- 50k+
- Price
- Free
- Last updated
- 8 Aug 2026
- Added
- May 2014
- Requires WP
- 4.8
- Tested up to
- WP 7.0.4
- Requires PHP
- 5.6
- Downloads
- 1,225,853
Our analysis
AI-assistedSearchWP Live Ajax Search is a WordPress plugin that enables AJAX-powered live search functionality for search forms. It is designed to work with any WordPress theme and allows for significant customization through a template loader, making it suitable for developers who want to tailor the search experience without dealing with complex settings.
While it works best in conjunction with SearchWP, it can function independently. The plugin adds live search capabilities by simply including an HTML5 data attribute in your search form, and it also includes a widget for easy placement of live search forms across your site.
Best for: This plugin is best for developers looking to implement customizable live search on their WordPress sites.
What it does well
- ✓Enables AJAX-powered live search for search forms
- ✓Customizable through a template loader
- ✓Works with any WordPress theme
- ✓Includes a widget for easy form placement
- ✓Does not require SearchWP but integrates well if available
Where it falls short
- •Limited information on specific customization options
- •No details on support or updates beyond the last update date
Verdict
SearchWP Live Ajax Search offers a straightforward solution for adding live search functionality, particularly appealing to developers due to its customization options.
From the developer
Syed Balkhi's own description of SearchWP Live Ajax Search, lightly tidied.
Does not require SearchWP, but will utilize it if available. Full documentation is available at searchwp.com.
SearchWP Live Ajax Search enables AJAX powered live search for your search forms. Designed to be a developer’s best friend, SearchWP Live Ajax Search aims to stay out of your way but at the same time allowing you to customize everything about it. It’s set up to work with any WordPress theme and uses a template loader to display results. The template based approach allows you to seamlessly customize your SearchWP Live Search implementation without messing with dozens of cluttered options.
Works best with SearchWP (but SearchWP is not necessary)
SearchWP Live Ajax Search is best utilized in conjunction with SearchWP, but it is not required. If SearchWP is installed and activated, SearchWP Live Ajax Search can be customized to use any of your search engines per search form.
Customization
You can customize the implementation of SearchWP Live Ajax Search to a great degree, including any number of developer-defined configurations. The results are based on a template loader, allowing SearchWP Live Ajax Search to stay out of your way and letting you write the results template as you would any other WordPress theme file.
Everything is powered by adding a single HTML5 data attribute (data-swplive="true") to the input field of your search form. This happens automagically out of the box for any search forms generated from get_search_form().
Widget support
SearchWP Live Ajax Search ships with a Widget allowing you to insert live search forms wherever you’d like.
Tagged as
purpose
Site Search
feature
AJAX / Live Updates
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