Aisles / Search and filters / Algolia
Algolia review and real cost
Hosted AI search, filters, merchandising and recommendations for Shopify, billed by usage.
Verdict
Algolia suits stores with a developer on hand that want fast, tunable search and low usage-based prices. The catch: setup is not plug-and-play, support is self-service unless you talk to sales, and the listing has only 43 reviews at 3.6.
Install it if
- Stores with a developer or agency to set it up
- Large catalogues that need fine control over ranking, synonyms and merchandising
- Stores that want usage-based pricing with a free tier
Skip it if
- Merchants who want a no-code, install-and-go search app
- Stores that need fast hands-on support without a paid plan
- Stores that want all app charges on the Shopify invoice
Good
- 300 orders$0Free
- 2,000 orders$0Free
- 10,000 orders$11.50Grow
Algolia bills on search requests and records, and search-as-you-type counts a new request on every keystroke2.
Public prices, billed monthly, checked October 8, 2026.
The eight checks
Algolia passes 5: good, with caveats. What each check means.
- Free to start: passedA Free plan includes 10,000 search requests a month1.
- Prices public at every size: passedGrow's usage rates are published, so all three store sizes can be priced without a quote2.
- Built for Shopify: failedThe listing does not show the Built for Shopify badge1.
- Rated 4.7 or higher: failedRated 3.6 on the Shopify App Store1.
- 500+ merchant reviews: failedOnly 43 reviews on the Shopify App Store1.
- Works with Shopify Flow: passedShopify Flow is listed under Works with1.
- You can take your data: passedAlgolia's Browse API returns every record, and its docs name it as the way to export an index4.
- Security report named: passedAlgolia's trust centre names SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001:20223.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Includes | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Free1,2 | Search and recommendations | 10K search requests, 50K records, 5K recommendation requests and 5K crawls a month |
| Grow | Pay as you go, from $0/month1,2 | Keyword search and browse, query suggestions, 10 rules per index, manual synonyms | 10K searches included, then $0.50 per 1K; 100K records included, then $0.40 per 1K |
| Grow Plus | Pay as you go, from $0/month1,2 | Everything in Grow plus AI synonyms and ranking, advanced personalization, query categorization, 10,000 rules per index | 10K searches included, then $1.75 per 1K; 100K records included, then $0.40 per 1K |
| Elevate | Custom1,2 | NeuralSearch, Smart Groups, real-time personalization, enterprise support plans | Annual plan; quote only |
The Free plan includes 10,000 search requests and 50,000 records a month1. Grow charges $0.50 per 1,000 searches over 10,000 and $0.40 per 1,000 records over 100,0002. Grow Plus, with AI synonyms and ranking, charges $1.75 per 1,000 extra searches2. Search-as-you-type counts every keystroke as a request, so the bill follows typing, not just finished searches2. Elevate is quote only2.
Usage charges: Grow: $0.50 per 1,000 search requests over 10,000 and $0.40 per 1,000 records over 100,000; Grow Plus: $1.75 per 1,000 search requests over 10,0001,2. Algolia bills these separately from your Shopify invoice1.. Free trial: None; a Free plan is available1.
How we worked out the bill
| Store size | Per month | Arithmetic |
|---|---|---|
| Small, 300 orders | $0 | 1,000 search requests and 100 records fit inside the Free plan's 10,000 requests and 50,000 records1,2 |
| Growing, 2,000 orders | $0 | 6,500 search requests and 500 records fit inside the Free plan's 10,000 requests and 50,000 records1,2 |
| Large, 10,000 orders | $11.50 | (33,000 − 10,000 included) search requests × $0.50 per 1,000 = $11.50; 2,000 records are within the 100,000 included2. Search-as-you-type counts a request on every keystroke, so real usage can be several times the query count2 |
What it does
What merchants say
Algolia holds 3.6 from 43 reviews: 27 five-star and 12 one-star1. Long-time users praise the speed, relevance and control over ranking, synonyms and merchandising1. Low ratings say setup is hard without a developer and support is slow unless you pay for it5.
Complaints worth knowing
- Several reviews say setup needs a developer and is not plug-and-play5.
- Merchants on pay-as-you-go plans report slow or no technical support5.
- 28% of the listing's ratings are one star1.
What the developer claims
Numbers the developer publishes about itself. We have not verified them.
- Algolia AI Search "significantly minimizes 'no results'" searches1.
Your data
Algolia's trust centre lists SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001:2022 and ISO 27017, and says its latest SOC 2 Type II report had no exceptions3. The Browse API returns every record in an index, which Algolia names as the way to export it4. Grow offers US, UK and EU hosting2.
App languages: English. Works with: Checkout, Shopify Flow, Shopify Admin. On the App Store since: October 28, 2016.
Other search apps
| App | Checks | 300 orders | 2,000 orders | 10,000 orders |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/8 checks passed | $19 | $19 | $39 | |
| 5/8 checks passed | $159 | $499 | $699 |
Sources
- Algolia AI Search & Discovery - Drive higher conversions and shopper engagement at scale | Shopify App Store, Shopify App Store. Accessed October 8, 2026.
- Pricing, Algolia. Accessed October 8, 2026.
- Trust Center - Algolia, Algolia. Accessed October 8, 2026.
- Browse for records - Algolia, Algolia. Accessed October 8, 2026.
- Algolia AI Search & Discovery reviews (1 and 2 stars, newest first) | Shopify App Store, Shopify App Store. Accessed October 8, 2026.
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