How we test, rate and make search solutions comparable
Every search solution is tested hands-on by our e-commerce experts, not from spec sheets and marketing material. Ratings follow unified criteria so all solutions are held to the same standards. Every rating is human, based on professional knowledge and grounded in decades of project experience.
Each criterion is scored on a simple 0 to 2 scale:
The criterion is fully implemented.
Present partially or with limitations.
Not available.
A solution’s overall score is the unweighted average across all rated criteria, mapped to 0–100%. Only criteria that were actually rated count. We also show transparently how many of the catalog criteria have been rated (coverage). Usually we rate all criteria before publishing the results.
Each criterion is prioritized by our experts. It helps you interpret the results, but it is a label, not a multiplier: the priorization does not change the overall score. But we also show the coverage for each of the three priorization grades.
Fundamental for a good onsite search.
Clear added value, should be present.
A useful addition, not essential.
How we evaluate search solutions
Search logic, synonyms, ranking, autocomplete and result merchandising.
Architecture, performance, indexing and data management of the search.
Filter and facet navigation to narrow down results.
Configuration, control and maintenance of search in the backoffice.
AI-driven and generative search plus personalization by user behavior.
Tracking, analysis and quality assurance of search results.
Hosting, support, security and data protection.
More than 100 individual criteria
Evaluated by e-commerce experts with decades of experience
Open frameworks like Solr, Elasticsearch, OpenSearch and Vespa are not finished products. What they deliver depends entirely on implementation and team, so a rating would be misleading. We list them as reference technologies.
Read more in the FAQ →We are happy to explain our methodology in detail and support your selection.
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