18.4
Vespa is an AI search platform for online, data-driven applications, combining retrieval, ranking, machine-learning inference, and real-time serving.
Open sourceWebAPILinux
Best Search Engine Software in 2026
Search engine software helps you add search to websites, apps and data services. Options in this category can run on the web, Linux, self-hosted systems, APIs, macOS or Windows. Compare pricing, licensing and deployment before you choose. Free plans, free trials and open-source code are available across the category.
28.2
Algolia is an API-first search solution that combines keyword and semantic methods to return relevant results.
Free planAndroidiOSWeb
37.8
Apache Solr is a free, open-source search platform built on Apache Lucene, with full-text, vector, and geospatial search.
Free planOpen sourceWebAPILinux
- 4
Typesense
Typesense is an open-source search engine for adding search to a website or app.
Free planWebAPILinuxmacOS7.3Free plan - 5
Meilisearch
Meilisearch is a search engine that developers can add to a website or application, either by self-hosting or using its cloud service.
Free planWebAPILinuxmacOS7.2From $20 a month - 6
Elasticsearch
Elasticsearch is an open-source distributed search and analytics engine for applications involving speed, scale and AI.
WebAPILinuxSelf-hosted6.7From $99 a month - 7
Manticore Search
Free planWebAPILinuxmacOS6.7Free plan - 8
OpenSearch
OpenSearch is a community-driven, open-source suite for ingesting, searching, visualizing, and analyzing data.
Free planWebAPILinuxmacOS6.7Free plan - 9
Redis Insight
Redis Insight is a free developer tool for working with Redis through a graphical interface and command line.
Free planWebLinuxmacOSSelf-hosted6.7Free plan - 10
Quickwit
Quickwit is a free, open-source search and analytics engine for querying data stored in cloud or shared storage.
WebAPILinuxmacOS6.4 - 11
ParadeDB
ParadeDB adds full-text and vector search, filters, facets, and joins directly to PostgreSQL through the pg_search extension.
Free planAPILinuxmacOSSelf-hosted6.2Free plan - 12
Sphinx
Sphinx Technologies
4.3
Choosing well
Match the platform to your setup
Check whether the service fits your environment: web, Linux, self-hosted, API, macOS and Windows support appear across this category.
Compare free and paid terms
Free plans are available from tools such as Algolia, Apache Solr, Elasticsearch, Meilisearch, Manticore Search, ParadeDB, Redis Insight, Sphinx and Typesense.
Paid pricing differs. Elasticsearch and Meilisearch list 14-day trials, while Elasticsearch starts paid service at $99 per month, Meilisearch at $20, Typesense at $22 and Vespa from $0.05.
Check code and licensing needs
Open-source code can matter when you need to inspect, modify or host the search system yourself. Quickwit lists open source in its pricing note.
Read the licence and deployment terms before adopting a tool for a product or internal service.
Choose a hosting approach
Self-hosted and Linux options suit teams managing their own infrastructure. Web services and APIs can fit projects that prefer a hosted or application-connected setup.
Review documentation and platform details for the operating system and integration style you plan to use.
Questions people ask
Is Android support listed for these search tools?
No Android app details are provided in the facts. Check the product’s platform information if you need to administer or use search from an Android phone.
Can I start with a free plan?
Free plans are offered by tools in this category, including Algolia, Apache Solr, Elasticsearch, Meilisearch, Manticore Search, ParadeDB, Redis Insight, Sphinx and Typesense.
Which tools list a free trial?
Elasticsearch and Meilisearch list 14-day trials in their pricing notes.
Are open-source options available?
Yes. Quickwit lists open source, and the category includes open-source code as an available option. Check the licence before changing or redistributing code.
What platforms are covered?
The listed platforms include web, Linux, self-hosted systems, APIs, macOS and Windows. Check individual product details for your intended setup.