Run the diagnostic before reading the list. In your analytics, find what share of sessions use search and what share of those return nothing.
If under a few percent of sessions search, the opportunity is small whatever you install. If the zero-result rate is high, read that report first — a good share of it is usually fixable for free by changing product titles and adding synonyms.
The options
Searchanise — the pragmatic default for a themed Shopify store with a few thousand products. Installs quickly, good synonym and merchandising tooling, predictable pricing.
Algolia — infrastructure rather than an app. Excellent relevance, programmable, built for headless front ends. Requires real implementation and the operations-based pricing can grow.
Klevu — strong on AI-driven relevance and discovery, positioned between the two on effort and cost.
Boost AI Search and Filter — widely used, strong on filtering specifically, which is frequently the actual requirement rather than search.
Shopify Search and Discovery — free, first-party, handles synonyms, filters and some merchandising. Try this before anything paid.
| Best for | Watch | |
|---|---|---|
| Search and Discovery | Free first move | Limited at large catalogue |
| Searchanise | Most themed stores | Less deep than Algolia |
| Boost | Filtering-led catalogues | Search less strong |
| Klevu | Discovery and relevance | Mid-tier cost |
| Algolia | Large catalogues, headless | Implementation cost |
The free Shopify Search and Discovery app covers synonyms, filters and product boosting. A surprising number of stores paying for search have never installed it.
Talk it through
Send us your zero-result report.
We will tell you how much is a free fix and whether a paid search platform is justified for your catalogue size.
Get a readA real read within one business day — not a sales call.
About the author
Manpreet Singh
Manpreet Singh is the founder of Proscube, an ecommerce growth studio. He leads the studio's Shopify and Shopify Plus engineering, headless builds, CRO, and its work on AI engine optimization, and writes its guidance on how to grow a DTC brand without wasting money. He works directly with founders — no account-manager layers between you and the people doing the work — and would rather tell a client not to build something than sell them work they don't need.
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