When a shopper lands on your Shopify store, the very first thing they often do is search. If they can’t find what they’re looking for in a few seconds, they leave. Shopify’s default search is functional, but it’s far from perfect. It misses synonyms, struggles with typos, and lacks control/merchandising features. Say you want to promote a certain brand, or new arrivals, it will be hard for you to do it on your shopify default store search.
That’s where Shopify search provider apps come in. These apps supercharge your store’s search bar with AI, autocomplete, filters, synonyms, and merchandising – turning casual visitors into happy buyers.
In this guide, we’ll break down the best Shopify search apps, what makes them different, and how to choose the right one for your business.
Why You Need a Shopify Search Provider App
A poor search experience can cost you real money.
30–40% of eCommerce visitors use search, and they’re 2–3x more likely to buy when search works well.
Larger and more prominently placed search bar increases the Odds of people starting with a search.
Shopify’s default search often fails on simple queries like:
Misspellings (nikes shoes vs Nike shoes)
Synonyms (sofa vs couch)
Context (red running shoes for men under $100)
Without a smart search system, you risk high bounce rates, abandoned carts, and lost sales.
Best Shopify Search Provider Apps (2025 Edition)
Here are some of the leading apps that Shopify merchants use to deliver better search experiences:
1. ExpertRec Search & Discovery
Best for: Stores that want AI-powered search at an affordable price.
Features:
Autocomplete and typo correction
AI synonyms & semantic/vector search
Voice and image search
Smart merchandising & product ranking controls
Filters and faceted navigation
Personalized recommendations
Deep analytics on “no results” queries
Upgrade to Agentic search using ChatGPT apis – needs a seperate license.
Pricing: Starts at $49 a month, with a 14-day free trial.
💡 Why ExpertRec? Unlike enterprise players, ExpertRec is simple to set up, works out of the box, and scales from small stores to large catalogs.
Combo plan can offer more control on collection pages, brand pages, recommendation widgets, bundling products etc.
2. Algolia
Best for: Developers and large enterprise stores.
Features: API-driven search, fast indexing, typo tolerance, personalization.
Pricing: Can get expensive as queries scale. Every indexing operation and search is metered.
Recommended if you have developer bandwidth. It is an YC company, so we have our respect Algolia. Just keep your price reasonable.
3. Searchspring
Best for: Merchants who want advanced merchandising control.
Features: Search, filters, personalized recommendations, strong analytics.
Pricing: Used to offer plans starting at $699. Unfortunately, they got bought over by a Private Equity (ouch). Now price is not public.
4. Klevu
Best for: AI-driven semantic search.
Features: Natural language processing, recommendations, smart filtering.
Pricing: They started at $499. Unfortunately, they got bought over by the same Private Equity (ouch ouch). Now price is not public.
5. Doofinder
Best for: Easy-to-use AI search for SMBs.
Features: Synonyms, filters, product ranking, promotions.
Pricing: Usage-based pricing model. Traffic volume is metered.
Review: Support might be one issue and Lack of customization the other.
How to Choose the Right Shopify Search Provider
When evaluating Shopify search apps, consider:
Catalog size: Does it scale with 100 products or 100,000?
Search intelligence: AI, semantic, typo handling, synonyms.
Customization: Can you design the search UI to match your brand?
Merchandising: Ability to boost/promote products.
Analytics: Insights into queries, “no results,” and user behavior.
Pricing: Is it affordable as your store grows?
Why ExpertRec is a Strong Choice
If you want AI search without enterprise-level pricing, ExpertRec stands out:
Plug-and-play setup (no coding required).
AI-powered search with voice, image, and semantic capabilities.
Real time sync with Shopify.
Personalized recommendations and merchandising built-in. (Combo plan)
Advanced analytics to fix “no results” queries and optimize sales.
Affordable, transparent pricing with a free trial.
👉 Try ExpertRec free for 14 days and see how much smarter search can increase your conversions.
FAQs
1. What is the best Shopify search provider app?
It depends on your needs. ExpertRec is a strong choice for both affordable enterprise-grade search. They have never had a down time.
2. How do I add advanced search to Shopify?
Simply install a third-party search app from the Shopify App Store. Most integrate in minutes.
3. Can I get AI search on my Shopify store?
Yes. Providers like ExpertRec and Klevu offer AI/semantic search that understands customer intent.
4. Do Shopify search apps slow down my site?
A well-optimized provider won’t. ExpertRec, for example, runs on a fast CDN to keep your site quick.
Conclusion
Shopify’s built-in search gets the job done for basics, but if you want to increase sales, reduce bounce rates, and delight customers, you need a dedicated Shopify search provider app.
Among the options, ExpertRec balances powerful AI features with ease of use and fair pricing — making it a great choice for most merchants.
🚀 Ready to transform your store’s search? Start your free ExpertRec trial today.
Looking for the best Shopify search providers apps? Compare top apps like Algolia, Klevu, and ExpertRec. Discover why ExpertRec is the smart, AI-powered choice for growing Shopify stores.
