YITH Ajax Search Premium replaces the default WooCommerce search with a live AJAX-powered search bar. As customers type, the plugin displays product suggestions, categories, and popular searches in real time without page reload. The search covers products by name, SKU, description, category, and tags, with configurable result layout showing product images, prices, and ratings. This plugin is part of the YITH Premium Plugin Family — a collection of over 66 WooCommerce plugins by the same developer.
Competitive Features
- Live AJAX search — results appear as customers type, with configurable search delay for performance optimization
- Multiple search sources — search by product title, SKU, description, short description, category, tag, and custom attributes
- Category filtering — let customers narrow search results by product category directly from the search bar
- Product image and price display — show product thumbnails, prices, ratings, and availability badges in search results
- Autocomplete suggestions — display popular products and search terms when the search field is focused
- Responsive design — touch-friendly search layout for mobile devices with full-screen mode on small screens
- Multilingual support — compatible with WPML and Polylang for multilingual stores
Key Features
- Search history — show recent searches for returning customers to speed up product discovery
- SKU search — let customers find products by their SKU number, essential for B2B and wholesale stores
- Result customization — control the number of results displayed, thumbnail size, and which product details to show
- Exclusion rules — exclude specific products, categories, or tags from search results
- Search analytics — track what customers are searching for with the built-in search statistics dashboard
- Shortcode and widget — add the search bar via widget, shortcode, or Gutenberg block anywhere on the site
- Lightweight performance — loads asynchronously with minimal impact on page speed
Comparison with Competitors
YITH Ajax Search Premium vs WooCommerce Product Search (by WooCommerce)
| Feature | YITH Ajax Search Premium | WooCommerce Product Search |
|---|---|---|
| Live AJAX results | Yes, instant | Yes |
| SKU search | Yes | No |
| Category filtering | Yes | No |
| Search analytics | Yes | No |
| Product images in results | Yes | Yes |
| Autocomplete suggestions | Yes | No |
| Mobile full-screen mode | Yes | No |
YITH Ajax Search Premium vs Ivory Search
| Feature | YITH Ajax Search Premium | Ivory Search |
|---|---|---|
| AJAX search | Yes | Yes |
| WooCommerce integration | Native | Plugin-based |
| Category filter | Yes | Yes |
| SKU search | Yes | Yes (Premium) |
| Search history | Yes | No |
| Multilingual ready | Yes, WPML | Yes |
| Active installations | 30,000+ | 100,000+ |
Recommended Stack — combine Ajax Search with Ajax Product Filter to give customers both search and filtering capabilities, covering all product discovery scenarios in your store.
Official Changelog
Version 2.28.0
Release Date: August 15, 2026
- New: WooCommerce 11.0 compatibility.
- New: YITH plugin framework update.
- Fix: Category filter display on mobile.
Version 2.27.0
Release Date: July 10, 2026
- New: WordPress 6.9 compatibility.
- Improvement: Search result rendering speed.
- Fix: Special character handling in search queries.
Version 2.26.0
Release Date: June 5, 2026
- Improvement: Search relevance algorithm.
- Fix: HPOS compatibility improvements.
- Fix: Template override caching issue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can customers search by SKU?
Yes. The plugin supports searching by product SKU in addition to title, description, and attributes. This is especially useful for B2B stores and shops with large product catalogs.
Does the search index include product categories?
Yes. You can configure the search to include product categories and tags, and customers can filter results by category directly from the search dropdown.
Is the plugin compatible with multilingual sites?
Yes. YITH Ajax Search Premium is fully compatible with WPML and Polylang, allowing you to set up search for each language in your store.
Can I customize the appearance of search results?
Yes. You can control thumbnail size, result count, which product details to display (price, rating, stock status), and the overall styling through the plugin settings panel.
Does the plugin slow down my site?
No. The plugin loads scripts asynchronously and uses AJAX for search requests, so it does not affect page load times. Search data is cached for optimal performance.
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