Search Everything
by Sovrn · Search
Also makes 2 other plugins · 11K+ installs across the portfolio →
Search Everything increases WordPress' default search functionality in three easy steps.
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 53/100
Stale · Likely abandoned
Active installs
10K+
≈15K estimated
Momentum
+18%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: “category exclusion”, “category search” 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.
53 health vs 63 average across 979 Search plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →0.8%
of downloads still active
At least 10K of 1.3M lifetime downloads are still running, in line with its category: the median Search plugin keeps 0.7%, across 645 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Search 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 8+ years — the top precursor to removal once a vulnerability is found.
- Compatibility drift. Tested only up to WordPress 4.7.39, 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 3259 days ago, past the ~180 days where wp.org starts discounting
Tested up to WordPress 4.7.39; the current branch is 6.8
4.1★ over 86 reviews, smoothed to 4.10★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
To rank higher: Last updated 3259 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| category exclusion your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| category search your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| search your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| search highlight your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| tag search your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
2 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 0 listed. 2 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
- “category exclusion”, “category search” 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 1.2K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
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
9.6y ago
latest release · v8.1.9 · 31 Mar 2017
66
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 94% 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 “10K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 11 months ago; the previous band took 21 months to cross, which places it about 50% of the way through.
Install history since 4 Mar 2021
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ Erik Harris3.7y ago
As others have noted, this plugin has been abandoned, and has broken sites’ search functions for quite some time. Don’t install this, and if you have it installed, delete it.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ delphineous5.5y ago
I am updating my rating for this plug-in. The Search Everything plug-in used to work great and allow my Easy Digital Downloads content to be fully searchable. It appears that the functions which this tool uses have been deprecated since it stopped working with a recent WordPress update. Reinstalling doesn’t fix the issue. This plug-in has been abandoned and does not work on modern WordPress installations.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ jvwx5.7y ago
When the plugin is active, a backend search on the Orders page of WooCommerce always loads zero results. It’s just a custom post type so I’m not sure what the issue is but be aware if you use Woo. /wp-admin/edit.php?s=MySearchPhrase&post_status=all&post_type=shop_order
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Chad Reitsma6.8y ago
Throws a fatal error when adding a new post with WP 5.3. We commented out the action on line:935 – which might break some functionality of the plugin, but at least we can add blog posts. This topic was modified 6 years, 6 months ago by Chad Reitsma.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Paul Scollon8.1y ago
This plugin is completely outdated and breaks several other plugins, including Advanced Custom Fields. It should be removed from the directory. DO NOT USE.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Svensonsan8.2y ago
As the developer mentioned in a pinned feedback in the support section: This plugin receives no more support or development.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Aldoseri8.3y ago
While it’s a nice plugin, it also create a conflict in the database. You’ll start seeing DB error in other plugins. This is an old plugin and should be updated. at its current state it’s harmful to your wordpress installation
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Anonymous User 78233318.5y ago
simple and easy
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 8.1.9 Fixed a search issue that caused all results to be returned regardless of the options. 8.1.9
- — Version 8.1.8 Fixed a migration/update issue 8.1.8
- — Version 8.1.7 Compatibility with WordPress 4.7 Security update: resolve SQL injection vunerability related to WP 4.7 8.1.7
- — Version 8.1.6 Security update: filtering out empty search strings that could enable sql injections 8.1.6
- — Version 8.1.5 Compatibility with PHP 7 Bypassing highlighting in dashboard searches 8.1.5
- — Version 8.1.4 Removed unnecessary styles on frontend Fixed php notice showing up sometimes Czech language added 8.1.4
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceAll 4 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (8.1.9). Sites still on an older version should update.
- 2017-03-20 CVE-2017-18571 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command Affects <= 8.1.6 Patched in 8.1.7
- 2016-06-10 CVE-2016-10917 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command Affects < 8.1.6 Patched in 8.1.6
- 2014-02-11 CVE-2014-2316 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command Affects < 7.0.3 Patched in 7.0.3
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
CVE records: Copyright 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE terms of use.
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 7.2.16 · WP 5.3
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 62 languages, 3 at 90% or more
Plus 38 more locales with partial translations.
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 31 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 7 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 6 of 7 read like questions a user would type.
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ! Names what it works with Names no plugin, service or platform it works with.
- ✓ Headings and lists 4 headings and 2 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 1,566 characters of description.
- ! Tags match the text Only 2 of 5 tags appear in the text ("category exclusion", "category search", "tag search" missing).
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2025-11-26 20K+ → 10K+ down after 617 days in tier
- 2024-03-19 30K+ → 20K+ down after 430 days in tier
- 2023-01-14 40K+ → 30K+ down after 519 days in tier
- 2021-08-13 50K+ → 40K+ down after 365 days in tier
- 2020-08-13 60K+ → 50K+ down after 207 days in tier
- 2020-01-19 70K+ → 60K+ down after 232 days in tier
- 2019-06-01 80K+ → 70K+ down after 318 days in tier
- 2018-07-18 90K+ → 80K+ down after 847 days in tier
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).
-
WP Extended Search 20K+ installs · 4.7★ · 3 shared tags B -
EchBay Search Everything 200+ installs · 3.7★ · 3 shared tags C -
AddSearch 100+ installs · 3.9★ · 2 shared tags D -
Search Regex 100K+ installs · 4.6★ · 1 shared tag A -
Relevanssi – A Better Search 100K+ installs · 4.7★ · 1 shared tag A -
Search & Replace 100K+ installs · 4.3★ · 1 shared tag C
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Search Everything into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/search-everything" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Search Everything — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Search Everything: 10K+ active installs, 4.1★ (86 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/search-everything
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