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Best Search Engine Software in 2026

Search tools can put search functionality into websites, applications, services, and self-hosted systems. The products listed support web, Linux, macOS, Windows, API, or self-hosted deployments.

  1. 1

    Apache Solr

    Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+3

    Solr combines varied search modes with distributed operation, administration, and listed security capabilities.

    9.2 Free plan Visit site
  2. 2

    Vespa

    Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+3

    Vespa offers varied search and ranking methods alongside self-managed and cloud deployment paths.

    8.5 From $0.05 Visit site
  3. 3

    Algolia

    Free plan AndroidAPIExtension+2

    Algolia pairs search APIs and developer libraries with tools for ranking, personalization, analytics, and merchandising.

    7.7 Free plan Visit site
  4. 4

    Elasticsearch

    Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+1

    Choose Elasticsearch for real-time search and analytics across varied data types, with deployment choices ranging from self-managed to serverless.

    7.5 Free plan · paid from $99/mo · 14-day trial Visit site
  5. 5

    Manticore Search

    Free plan APILinuxMac+3

    Manticore Search offers a broad set of text and vector search capabilities with multiple deployment options.

    7.5 Free plan Visit site
  6. 6

    Meilisearch

    Free plan APILinuxMac+3

    Meilisearch offers multiple search approaches and deployment choices, with a free self-hosted option and paid cloud service.

    7.4 Free plan · paid from $20/mo · 14-day trial Visit site
  7. 7

    OpenSearch

    by OpenSearch
    Free plan APILinuxMac+3

    OpenSearch provides a free search and analytics suite with ingestion, visualization, and machine-learning capabilities.

    7.3 Open source Visit site
  8. 8

    ParadeDB

    Free plan APILinuxMac+1

    ParadeDB adds broad search and indexing options within PostgreSQL, with a free Community edition for single-node use.

    7.2 Free plan Visit site
  9. 9

    Quickwit

    Free plan APILinuxMac+2

    Quickwit offers an open-source way to search and analyze data in cloud storage, with multiple deployment and ingestion options.

    7.1 Open source Visit site
  10. 10

    Typesense

    Free plan APILinuxMac+3

    Typesense combines conventional search controls with a range of AI search capabilities and lets teams choose local, server or hosted deployment.

    7.0 Free plan · paid from $22/mo Visit site
  11. 11

    Sphinx

    by Sphinx Technologies
    Free plan
    5.4 Visit site

#1Places #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 on this list can be bought by the makers of the software on it. See the price

Compare free-plan availability, trial terms, and open-source licensing. Also check supported platforms, deployment requirements, and paid entry prices before choosing.

Questions

Is search engine software available at no cost?

Free plans are listed for tools including Apache Solr, Elasticsearch, Meilisearch, and Redis Insight. Review the terms and limits for the tool you choose.

Which search tools list open-source code?

Quickwit is listed with an open-source pricing note. Check the licence for any tool whose code you need to read or change.

Do any tools offer a free trial?

Elasticsearch and Meilisearch list 14-day trials.

Which environments support these search tools?

The category includes tools for web, Linux, self-hosted setups, APIs, macOS, and Windows.

What starting prices are listed for paid plans?

The listed starting prices are $99 per month for Elasticsearch, $20 per month for Meilisearch, $22 per month for Typesense, and $0.05 for Vespa.

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