Magento 2 search: standard or advanced Comparison of five popular solutions

A powerful search function in your webshop is essential for conversion. Customers want to find what they are looking for quickly - without frustration. But how good is the default search function of Magento 2? And what are the alternatives if you really want to get the most out of search behavior?

In this article, we compare five popular search solutions:

1. Standard search feature of Magento 2
2. Amasty Advanced Search
3. Sooqr
4. Clerk.io
5. Squeezely

1. Standard Magento 2 search feature

The search function that is standard in Magento 2 uses Magento 2 search: standard or advanced Comparison of five popular solutions/Opensearch. This already provides a solid foundation, including:

• Fuzzy search (fault-tolerant search)
• Synonyms
• Relevance based on fields such as name, description and SKU
• Facet filters after search

Benefits:

• Free, integrated by default
• Suitable for small to medium-sized webshops

Limitations:

• No search suggestions during typing
• No visual or personalized results
• No AI or machine learning support

Want your navigation to generate more conversion? Read also our tips for a good webshop navigation.

2. Amasty Advanced Search

Amasty Advanced Search for Magento 2 is a powerful extension to Elasticsearch with additional features.

Benefits:

• Live search results while typing
• Support for CMS pages, blog posts, categories and products
• Priorities adjustable per search source
• Advanced error correction and synonym management

Limitations:

• Requires Elasticsearch/Opensearch and installation via Amasty module
• No out-of-the-box AI or personalization

Suitable for: Web shops that want more than standard search, but still want to stay within the Magento ecosystem.

3. Sooqr

Sooqr is an external search service that offers real-time results and is strongly focused on ease of use and conversion optimization.

Benefits:

• Super fast search results during typing
• Relevance optimization with AI
• Easy integration with Magento
• Visual results (images and price in search menu)
• Analytics & optimization advice included

Limitations:

• Monthly costs (SaaS model)
• External tool, thus dependent on Sooqr infrastructure

This solution fits well with stage 3: choosing in the buying process, where the right search results make the difference between dropping out or converting.

4. Clerk.io

Clerk.io offers AI-driven search and recommendation functionality, including personalization based on customer behavior.

Benefits:

• AI-driven search results
• Personalized search experience based on click and purchase behavior
• Includes cross-sell & upsell features
• Extensive integration with email, recommendations and analytics

Limitations:

• Higher cost (SaaS)
• Dependence on external infrastructure
• Requires good data feed and tagging

Suitable for: Medium to large web shops with a focus on personalization and customer behavior.

More about smart AI tools in e-commerce? Also see: AI for Magento web shops: today's smart tools

5. Squeezely

Squeezely is primarily a Customer Data Platform (CDP), but also offers a Search Personalization module.

Benefits:

• Search results based on customer segmentation and behavior
• Ability to prioritize products based on campaigns
• Integration with marketing automation
• Driving customer value in search results

Limitations:

• Not a full-fledged search engine (builds on existing search functionality)
• More complex to implement (requires segment strategy and tracking)

Suitable for: Web shops that focus on personalization and are already using Squeezely as a marketing platform.

Conclusion: which search solution suits your webshop?

Search solution	Search results while typing	AI / Personalization	Speed	Cost	Ideal user
Magento 2 standard	No	No	Average	No extra	Small to medium-sized webshops
Amasty Advanced Search	Yes	No	Good	Resource	Magento shops that want extensible search
Sooqr	Yes	Limited	Very fast	SaaS	Webshops focused on UX and conversion
Clerk.io	Yes	Yes	Very fast	SaaS	Shops that put personalization first
Squeezely	Depends	Yes	Depends	CDP-based	Shops with a focus on data-driven marketing

Need help making the right choice?

At Vicus, we are happy to help you choose and implement the right search solution. Whether you are looking for speed, AI functionality or maximum conversion - we make sure your search feature really works.

• Contact us for advice