Advanced Custom Post Search
by Creare · Forms
A useful plugin for creating search forms & results pages for custom post types & taxonomies.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
D 44/100
Stale · Likely abandoned
Active installs
100+
≈200 estimated
Momentum
+31%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: “custom post type”, “form” and “search” aren't earning a slot. You list them, but you're not in the first 24 results for those searches. WordPress.org counts only your first five tags, so free the slot for a search you can win.
44 health vs 65 average across 2,509 Forms plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →0.4%
of downloads still active
At least 100 of 24.1K lifetime downloads are still running, below its category: the median Forms plugin keeps 1.3%, across 1,668 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Forms plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
High removal-risk signals
63/100Maintenance and integrity signals that tend to precede a WordPress.org removal. Not an official status, a heads-up to act.
- Long abandoned. No update in 12+ years — the top precursor to removal once a vulnerability is found.
- Compatibility drift. Tested only up to WordPress 3.9.40, well behind 6.8.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Under-optimized
Most to gain: Update recency
Updated 4476 days ago, past the ~180 days where wp.org starts discounting
Tested up to WordPress 3.9.40; the current branch is 6.8
3.8★ over 13 reviews, smoothed to 4.04★ and held back under 25 reviews
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
To rank higher: Last updated 4476 days ago — ship an update; wp.org decays a listing's search weight after ~180 days.
Get the full rank-higher report →Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
Not enough tracked days yet to call a direction. Momentum needs at least three keywords measured a week or more apart.
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| custom post type your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| form your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| search your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| taxonomies your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| taxonomy filter your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
1 search this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 0 listed. 1 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 5 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- “custom post type”, “form” and “search” aren't earning a slot. You list them, but you're not in the first 24 results for those searches. WordPress.org counts only your first five tags, so free the slot for a search you can win.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 110 · peaks are release surges
Directory rank
Ranked about #13,300 to #16,400, alongside the other plugins at 100+ installs. Plugins with the same install count swap places between wp.org requests, so this is where most of them sit. Checked monthly, last on 21 Oct 2026.
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
No release in a yearHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
0
releases in the last 12 months
12.3y ago
latest release · v1.2.4 · 30 Jul 2014
6
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 100% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “100+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 7 days ago and the previous band took 2.4 years to cross, so the real count is still just under 200.
Install history since 23 May 2015
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ ahmedmusawir10.6y ago
You can search all you want, it won’t find anything.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ loudivers10.8y ago
This plugin just works. It is exactly as described and does exactly what I needed with no hassle, headaches, or huge amounts of custom code. I tried many different taxonomy filter plugins including premium plugins from code canyon. This plugin far surpassed all other plugins in ease of use. It literally took me 10 minutes to set this up, and I even took the time to build a search results page template that would match the styling of my theme. I highly recommend this plugin.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ zachtelkins10.9y ago
Had wrestled with a couple other search plugins that just simply didn’t cut it. After downloading and working with this plugin, I was able to do exactly what I needed to in regards to being able to search based on custom post types and also is very intuitive when working with taxonomies. Would certainly recommend and will be using it on future sites as well; not to mention, my client was very happy with the easy of use compared to other plugins that are similar.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ moklet11.4y ago
After I had this plugin integrated in my template I found out that no paging functionality is available.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ devgirl11.6y ago
The need to create a custom post type. Don’t install this plugin unless you want to have to do that route.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ lashisu12.2y ago
I was looking for the same what they are providing at the moment. I really liked it.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ _Thomas12.3y ago
Excellent plugin, easy to set up and easy to use. It does exactly what I needed. A huge time saver! Plus, the support is highly reactive and open to suggestions, and that’s a good point to further enhance the plugin.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ mocreate12.5y ago
A dual taxonomy challenge that had much custom code thrown at it replaced in a few minutes with an effective alternative. It’s easy to set up and plays nicely with the blog search. I would pay for this plugin on codecanyon, btw!
Read on wp.org ↗
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 7.2.16 · WP 5.2.4
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
4 of 8 pass · checked 29 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ! Says what it does Short description names no action; say what the plugin does for the site.
- ✓ Has a FAQ 9 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 9 of 9 read like questions a user would type.
- ! Names who it is for One audience phrase ("for developers"); say who the plugin is for and what they use it for.
- ! Names what it works with Names no plugin, service or platform it works with.
- ! Headings and lists 0 headings and 1 list; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ✓ Enough to quote 1,249 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text All 5 tags appear in the text.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-10-24 200+ → 100+ down after 885 days in tier
- 2024-05-22 300+ → 200+ down after 417 days in tier
- 2023-04-01 400+ → 300+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2023-03-31 300+ → 400+ up after 2 days in tier
- 2023-03-29 400+ → 300+ down after 425 days in tier
- 2022-01-28 600+ → 400+ down after 373 days in tier
- 2021-01-20 1K+ → 600+ down
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
-
SearchWP Modal Search Form 5K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags B -
Simple CPT 4K+ installs · 4.2★ · 2 shared tags A -
Improving Search Form Accessibility 700+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags -
MC4WP: Mailchimp for WordPress 1M+ installs · 4.8★ · 1 shared tag A -
Custom Post Type Permalinks 200K+ installs · 4.6★ · 1 shared tag A - M MW WP Form 200K+ installs · 4.1★ · 1 shared tag B
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Advanced Custom Post Search into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/advanced-custom-post-search" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Advanced Custom Post Search — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Advanced Custom Post Search: 100+ active installs, 3.8★ (13 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/advanced-custom-post-search
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