Best Filter and Sort Plugins for WordPress that are Elementor Friendly

In today’s digital age, a website is an important tool for businesses, organizations, and individuals looking to reach a wider audience and build an online presence. Some of the most useful websites, allow visitors to filter the content, to match what they are looking for. This enables that user to really drill down on the information they really want — as well as to make their experience more personal. This kind of functionality goes hand-in-hand with plugins and add-ons used to build dynamic websites in WordPress and Elementor such as e-commerce websites, news sites, and personal portfolios, or online communities, for example, a forum.

That’s where content filtering comes in.

One of the most popular content management systems (CMS) used to build websites is WordPress. It offers a range of plugins that can help website owners filter content on the front end of their site. In this post, we’ll explore the different types of content filtering plugins available for WordPress, with a particular focus on those that work well together with the visual builder Elementor. And though they are a multitude of options out there, our focus will solely be on the best filtering and sorting plugins for Elementor. Isn’t that why you’re here?

Types of WordPress and Elementor Content Filtering Functionality

But first let’s talk about the different types of content filtering features provided by the filtering and sorting plugins available for WordPress and Elementor. Some of the most common include:

1. Category Filters: These plugins allow users to filter content by category. For example, on an e-commerce website, users could filter products by type, such as clothing or electronics.
2. Search Filters: These plugins allow users to search for specific content, such as products or blog posts, by keyword.
3. Date Range Filters: These plugins allow users to filter content by date range, for example, displaying only blog posts from the past month. These are usually represented either by a dropdown or a visual calendar.
4. Price Filters: These plugins are specifically designed for e-commerce websites, allowing users to filter products by price range.
5. Range/Slider Filters: Filter data by using a slider, where the user is offered a minimum and maximum.
6. Geolocation Filters: Display results based on the post’s geolocation information. This allows visitors to see the data closest to them. Useful if you are building a directory or real estate website.
7. Color Filters: Filter data based on the color of a product or image. This can generate some really fun visual results to make your website feel unique.
8. Ratings Filters: Show results based on the rating a product or service has received.
9. Sorting: Overall sorting the results after they’ve been filter based on relevancy, name, distance, then show them either ascending or descending order.

As you can see, the kind of functionality you are able to build with this filter mechanism are endless, so having a filtering an sorting plugin as part of your website-building toolchest is invaluable.

Best WordPress Filtering Plugins

Crocoblock SmartFilters

Crocoblock JetSmartFilters is a content filtering plugin for WordPress that allows users to create custom filters based on categories, tags, custom fields, and more. The plugin offers a range of customization options and is easy to use, making it a good choice for a wide range of websites. Though the filter works seamlessly with Advanced Custom Fields, you can unlock the plugin’s full potential by integrating it with Crocoblock JetEngine. For this reason, if you are thinking of using JetEngine, we recommend you stick within the Crocoblock ecosystem and implement JetSmartFilters.

Pros:

• Customization Options: JetSmartfilters offers a range of customization options, allowing users to tailor the filters to match the look and feel of their website.
• Compatibility: JetSmartfilters is compatible with a wide range of WordPress themes and plugins, ensuring that it integrates seamlessly with your website.
• Advanced Features: Offers a range of advanced features, including the ability to create custom filters based on categories, tags, custom fields, and more.
• Layering: Create a personalized search hierarchy by combining 9 different filter types.
• Elementor Integration: Integrates perfectly with Elementor Pro, providing you with widgets you can drag and drop into your design.
• Indexer Built-In: Showcase only relevant selections for customers to find the desired products in one click.
• Different Filtering Options: Filter on-page using Ajax or by reloading the page.

Cons:

• Learning Curve: The plugin may have a bit of a learning curve for users who are new to content filtering, as it offers a range of advanced features and customization options.
• Performance: It is not the fastest in terms of rendering the filtered results.

Price: $43/year for a single license or $999 lifetime as part of the Crocoblock suite.

Crocoblock’s JetSmartfilters is our go-to WordPress filter plugin. The add-on is highly customizable and though a bit complex to get the hand of at first, it offers a range of advanced features and customization options that is crucial for the creation of advanced websites. For those on a tight budget, the $43/year is amongst the most affordable on this list and if you get it as a part of the bundle, you can have access to JetEngine lifetime for one price. One of the only plugins on this list that gives you that flexibility.

FacetWP

FacetWP is a popular content filtering plugin for WordPress that allows users to filter content by multiple criteria, including categories, tags, date ranges, and custom fields. With its extensive customization options and adaptable nature, the plugin is an ideal solution for a diverse range of websites. FacetWP is one of the original plugins in this space, so it is widely supported and has a very large community of users.

Pros:

• Advanced Filtering: FacetWP allows users to filter content by multiple criteria, making it easier for users to find the content they’re looking for.
• Customization Options: Customize the filters to align with the unique appearance and style of your website.
• Performance: FacetWP is optimized for performance, ensuring that it does not slow down your website and negatively impact user experience.
• Easy to Use: The plugin is easy to set up and use, making it a good choice for users who are new to content filtering.
• Lighting Fast: FacetWP is one of the faster WordPress filtering plugins on this list.
• Tons of UI choices: FacetWP provides a bunch of UI options to create any type of filtering scenario.
• Support and Documentation: FacetWP offers good support and documentation, so you can easily troubleshoot any issues and get help when needed.
• Developer Hooks: If you are a developer, you can extend the existing functionality using their hooks.
• Add-Ons Available: There are numerous add-ons available for this plugin that help extend the functionality, beyond the already impressive feature set.

Cons:

• Cost: FacetWP carries a premium price, so it may not be a good choice for users who are on a tight budget.
• Elementor Support: Unfortunately there are no native FacetWP widgets for use in Elementor. However, thanks to FacetWP’s shortcode support, you can use Elementor’s built-in shortcode widget to add much of the needed functionality.

Price: Starting at $99/year for 1-3 websites; $249/year for 20 sites. This is one of the more expensive filtering plugins on this list.

All in all, FacetWP is a highly customizable and flexible content filtering plugin for WordPress that offers a wide range of advanced features and customization options. Though the plugin is easy to use, it may not be the best choice for users on a tight budget. However, the company’s outstanding support and extensive library of free add-ons, puts this one on our short list.

Search & Filter Pro

Search & Filter Pro is one of the oldest and most popular content filtering plugin for WordPress that allows users to easily search and filter content on the front end of their website. The plugin offers a range of customization options, but it’s backend interface is by far the most dated. Once you figure it out though, it enables you to do some complex front end filtering. If you have time and don’t mind getting your hands dirty give this one a shot.

Pros:

• Blazing Fast: Search & Filter Pro comes with a built in cache, so even the most complex queries are fast.
• Dynamic Filters: Filters reload based on the current search – meaning users’ won’t get pages with zero results. Some of the other options on this list, fail at this important usability feature.
• Good Support and Documentation: Search & Filter Pro offers good support and documentation, so you can get the help you need.
• Compatibility: The plugin is compatible with a wide range of WordPress themes and plugins.
• Affordable: At $29/year, this is one of the most affordable options on this list.
• Elementor Support: This plugin has Elementor support out of the box, but the implementation is a bit quirky and requires some trial and error.

Cons:

• UI: The UI feels dated, so you’ll be referencing the documentation often to make sure you get the features you want working appropriately.
• Development: It feels as if development for this plugin has slowed significantly over the past few years. However, the company recently launched V3 in beta.

Price: $29/year for 1 site license; $75/year for unlimited websites.

Due to the recent delays in development and no clear roadmap, it is difficult to fully recommend this one. However, if you are building a website that requires some simple filtering and sorting, Search & Filter Pro does provide the goods at a rock bottom price. Here is hoping that development continues as we’ve always been big fans of this plugin.

Gridbuilder WP

Gridbuilder WP allows you to create sophisticated grid designs with dynamic, real-time filtered searches for your online store, blog, portfolio, and other types of websites. The most interesting part of Gridbuilder WP are some of the advanced layouts that are achievable using the plugin. In particular, we love how easy it is to create Masonry, Justified, Metro and Carousels with all the built-in functionality. There are roughly 20+ facets, allowing you to create powerful filtering mechanisms, with more facets on the way.

Pros:

• Modern User Interface: We really like the way the plugin is designed on the backend, making the creation of the filters an enjoyable experience.
• Customization Options: You can customize the look and feel of your filters and even create completely custom cards for the results.
• Good Support and Documentation: GridBuilder WP offers good support and documentation, so you should not feel alone when adding filtering functionality to your website.
• Compatibility: This plugin is fully compatible with any WordPres theme.
• Lightbox Built-in: The plugin comes with Lightbox built in, so your results can open up in a responsive popup.
• Elementor Compatibility: Although there are no official built-in widgets for Elementor for each facet, you can use shortcodes to achieve any functionality.

Cons:

• Limited Elementor Functionality: Though you can use the shortcodes and/or the Facet add-on functionality, the widget is a bit on the clunky side.

Price: $49/year for 1 site; $99/year for 3 sites; $249/year for unlimited sites. There is also a discount for renewals, which is a nice bonus.

GridBuilder WP is one of our favorites from this list. It looks modern, works very fast, and the developer is always actively adding functionality and features. Though the initial cost is on the higher side, the functionality it provides is more than worth it. Definitely one we can highly recommend.

Filter Everything Pro

The name speaks for itself. Filter Everything Pro is a complete filter package for WordPress. In fact, this article would be three times as long if we wanted to list everything this plugin does. But aside from providing you with a plethora of filtering capabilities, the plugin works smoothly, though definitely not the speediest one from this list.

Pros:

• All the Filter Options You Could Need: Filter Everything Pro lets you filter for any type of criteria you can imagine and any filter view.
• Top Notch Post Type Support: All custom post types are supported.
• Documentation: Filter Everything Pro offers good documentation, so you can reference many of the features and how they are implemented.
• Compatibility: This plugin ensure seamless integration with your website as the plugin is designed to work with many popular WordPress themes and plugins.
• Supports Pretty URLS: One of our favorite features in the ability for the filter and search returns to be easily readable URLs.
• Elementor Compatibility: Although this plugin is compatible with Elementor, it does not offer plug-and-play functionality.

Cons:

• Cost: Although the plugin is fairly priced given the incredible amount of options, Filter Everything Pro does not offer an unlimited site option.
• Envato: You can only purchase this plugin through Envato, so support is limited to the Envato forum.

Price: $40 per website (includes all future updates)

Given all of the features, options and functionality, that Filter Everything Pro offers, this is one of the most powerful Search, Filter and Sort tools for WordPress period. However, the documentation and support leave a lot to be desired as you are relegated to a third-party website.

Things to Consider When Selecting a Filtering Plugin

When choosing a content filtering plugin for your WordPress website, in particular one that is meant to interact with Elementor, there are several important things to keep in mind.

1. Compatibility with your theme: Prior to purchasing, make sure that that the plugin you choose is compatible with your WordPress theme – most should be.
2. Ease of use: You want to choose a plugin that is easy to use and set up, so you can quickly and easily filter your content on the front end of your website. If a friendly modern interface is important to you, make sure you look at their documentation section to see examples of the backend.
3. Customizability: You’ll want to make sure that the plugin filters are highly configurable so you can tailor the filters to match the look and feel of your website.
4. Performance: Though you can usually overcome this with a speedy web hosting, choose a plugin that is optimized for performance so the end user has a good experience with the website you are building.
5. Support and documentation: Without a doubt, the most important thing is to choose a plugin that is in actively development and that the developer answers questions from their customers. Good documentation is also important so you can develop your website without waiting for support to answer your question. Support should always be last resort.
6. Trial Periods or Money Back Guarantees: Make sure you are able to fully test the plugin before you have to commit to paying for your license. A solid money back guarantee or at least a 14 day trial period is a must to make sure you’ve thoroughly tested the product.

By considering these points when selecting a content filtering plugin for your WordPress website, you can help ensure that you have chosen the right plugin for your particular needs.

Conclusion

To wrap up, content filtering and sorting is an important tool for improving the user experience on your WordPress and Elementor website; making it easier for visitors to find what they’re looking for. Whether you’re running an e-commerce website, a news site, or a portfolio, there are a number of WordPress plugins available to help you filter content on the front end of your site. We hope that our recommendations help steer you in the right path!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most budget-friendly Search Filter and Sort plugin for Elementor or WordPress?

If you are on a tight budget and need only a license for one website, Search and Filter Pro is the most affordable option. However, we recommend you extend your budget slightly and go for something with better support such as JetSmartFilters, Gridbuilder WP, or Filter Everything Pro.

What Filter and Sort Plugins are Compatible with Elementor?

All filters listed on this article are compatible with Elementor. However, JetSmartFilters provides the best integration via dedicated Elementor Widgets.

Are Gridbuilder WP, FacetWP, or Filter Everything Pro compatible with JetEngine?

According to the developers all of these plugins support all custom post types, so JetEngine should be supported. When in doubt, reach out to the developer prior to purchasing.

Have a suggestion? Did we miss something? Be sure to reach out and let us know!