PluginScout

Search with Google

by rtCamp · WordPress.org page

v1.2.3 Tested up to WP 6.8.8 PHP 7.4+

Search with Google has 100+ active installs on WordPress.org and 6,301 downloads all time. We have tracked it since September 4, 2026; download trends appear after 30 days of data. The last update was on April 29, 2025, tested up to WordPress 6.8.8.

Search with Google at a glance

Active installs
100+
Total downloads
6,301
Downloads, last 30 days
–
available after 30 days of tracking
30-day growth
–
tracking since September 4, 2026

Is Search with Google well maintained?

Support threads resolved
No open threads
nothing waiting on the WordPress.org forum
WordPress compatibility
Behind
tested up to WordPress 6.8.8, not yet with the current 7.1

Features

The feature list from the plugin's own readme on WordPress.org, trimmed to the essentials.

  • Get Google API key. An API key is a way to identify your client to Google
  • Get Programmable Search engine ID. In Google settings, restrict the Search engine to only search for your one site
  • On WordPress dashboard, set API Key and Custom Search Engine ID in the plugin settings. Dashboard > Settings > Reading > Search with Google Settings
  • Select the search type from Custom Search Site Restricted JSON API or Custom Search API. (Refer Notes section for more details)

Search with Google reviews and ratings

4 reviews on WordPress.org, with the most recent ones as their authors posted them.

All reviews
3.0 out of 5

4 reviews

5★
2
4★
0
3★
0
2★
0
1★
2

  • Does not work at all

    Install, activate, add api key, add engine id, test... Nothing. Complete fail. This is a working CSE setup. Wanted to remove the custom/manual implementation for a working plugin. I will keep looking for a working plugin.

    raywjohnson

  • Does NOT work; never did!

    This plugin does not work and never could have, since the only file is just a placeholder. A total waste of time. It should be removed from the repository immediately!

    Brian Brown, Ph.D.

  • Does what it says on the tin

    Provided you know how to get your API Key and Search engine ID from Google, this couldn't be easier to set up. Compare results with the results in the "Public URL" page at cse.google.com with the plugin switched on or off, and if your site is well SEO-optimised, you'll see much better results with it switched on and properly configured.

    Robert Peake

  • No support.

    Doesn't know whether this plugin works after installation and no support.

    Jero

Details

Replace WordPress default search with server-side rendered Google Custom Search results.

The full description, screenshots and every review live on the WordPress.org page.

Tags

  • cse
  • custom search engine
  • google
  • programmable search
  • search

More from rtCamp

Version
1.2.3
Last updated
Apr 29, 2025
First published
Oct 19, 2020
Requires WordPress
4.8
Tested up to
6.8.8
Requires PHP
7.4
Pricing
Free on WordPress.org

Search with Google FAQ

What does Search with Google do?

According to its WordPress.org readme, Search with Google offers Get Google API key. An API key is a way to identify your client to Google, Get Programmable Search engine ID. In Google settings, restrict the Search engine to only search for your one site, On WordPress dashboard, set API Key and Custom Search Engine ID in the plugin settings. Dashboard > Settings > Reading > Search with Google Settings and Select the search type from Custom Search Site Restricted JSON API or Custom Search API. (Refer Notes section for more details).

How many active installs does Search with Google have?

WordPress.org reports 100+ active installs for Search with Google as of September 7, 2026.

Is Search with Google still maintained?

The last release was on April 29, 2025, more than a year ago. WordPress.org shows a warning on plugins that go this long without an update.

Is Search with Google free?

Search with Google is free to install from WordPress.org. Many plugins also sell a paid version or add-ons.