Overview

“Filter Everything” is a highly versatile WordPress plugin designed to add advanced filtering capabilities to any type of content, with a strong focus on WooCommerce products. Developed by Stepasyuk and available in both free and premium (PRO) versions, it’s marketed as “the most universal filters plugin for WordPress and WooCommerce.” It allows users to filter posts, pages, custom post types, and products by virtually any criteria, making it a powerful tool for improving content discoverability and user experience on websites.

Key Features

1. Universal Filtering: Filters any post type (e.g., WooCommerce products, blog posts, recipes, real estate listings) using any criteria, such as categories, tags, custom taxonomies, WooCommerce attributes, custom fields (including those from Advanced Custom Fields), price, stock status, and more.
2. Flexible Display Options: Supports multiple filter styles like checkboxes, radio buttons, dropdowns, labels, color swatches, and range sliders (e.g., for price or numerical values).
3. SEO-Friendly URLs: The PRO version generates clean, indexable permalinks (e.g., /color-blue/brand-acer/) for filtered results, boosting search engine visibility for long-tail keywords.
4. AJAX Support: Offers optional AJAX filtering for real-time updates without page reloads, though this can be toggled off if preferred.
5. Sorting and Search: Allows sorting of filtered results (e.g., by price, date, popularity) and includes a search-by-keyword feature within filtered content.
6. Page Builder Compatibility: Works with major page builders like Elementor, Divi, WPBakery, and Oxygen, though full support for custom queries often requires the PRO version.
7. Customization: Provides widgets, shortcodes, and hooks for developers to integrate and tweak filters, plus options like collapsible filters, tooltips, and hierarchical term displays.
8. Mobile Optimization: Features a responsive design with a special bottom widget for mobile users to enhance navigation.

Pros

• Versatility: Its ability to filter anything—not just WooCommerce products—sets it apart from many competitors. It’s ideal for diverse sites like directories, blogs, or e-commerce stores.
• Free Version Generosity: The free version, available on WordPress.org, offers robust functionality (e.g., basic filtering, AJAX, widgets), making it accessible for small sites or testing.
• SEO Benefits: The PRO version’s clean URLs and indexing capabilities are a big win for driving organic traffic to filtered pages.
• User-Friendly: The interface mimics WordPress’s native style, reducing the learning curve, and extensive documentation is available.
• Performance: Well-coded and lightweight, with AJAX and lazy loading options to maintain site speed.
• Support: Premium users get priority support, and the developer is praised for responsiveness in forums and updates (e.g., the January 2025 update added rounded color swatches and fixed Elementor compatibility).

Cons

• Free Version Limitations: The free version only filters native WordPress loops (main WP_Query), so custom queries (common with page builders) require the PRO upgrade.
• Setup Complexity: While basic filters are easy to configure, advanced setups (e.g., custom fields, specific page targeting) can be tricky without reading the documentation or trial-and-error.
• Styling Constraints: Default filter styles are minimalist and functional but lack extensive built-in customization. CSS knowledge is needed for significant design changes.
• Future Date Issue: Some users note it struggles with filtering by future dates (e.g., upcoming events), limiting its use for certain applications.
• Support for Free Users: Free version support relies on community forums, which may not be as fast or detailed as premium support.

Pricing

• Free Version: Available on WordPress.org with core filtering features, suitable for basic WooCommerce or blog setups.
• PRO Version: Starts at $40 for a 6-month license (one site), with renewals for updates and support. Multi-site licenses are available, though exact pricing may vary—check FilterEverything.pro for the latest.

Who It’s For

• E-commerce Owners: Perfect for WooCommerce stores needing detailed product filters (e.g., by price, color, size, brand).
• Content Creators: Bloggers or portfolio owners can filter posts or media by categories, tags, or custom fields.
• Developers: Offers hooks and overrides for custom solutions, appealing to those building complex sites.
• SEO Enthusiasts: The PRO version’s URL structure is a boon for targeting niche search terms.

Comparison to Alternatives

• The Grid: While “The Grid” focuses on layout and display with some filtering, “Filter Everything” is all about deep filtering functionality, not presentation. They could complement each other.
• Essential Grid: More established with broader adoption, but “Filter Everything” offers more filtering flexibility and cleaner SEO URLs in its PRO version.
• WOOF (Husky): A WooCommerce-specific filter plugin with similar features, but “Filter Everything” extends beyond products to all post types and has a slight edge in customization options.
• Search & Filter: A free alternative with strong post filtering, but it lacks the PRO-level SEO features and WooCommerce-specific optimizations of “Filter Everything.”

Verdict

“Filter Everything” is a standout choice for anyone needing a robust, flexible filtering solution for WordPress. The free version is a great starting point for simple sites, while the PRO version unlocks its full potential for e-commerce, SEO-driven projects, or complex content filtering. It’s not the flashiest in terms of design out of the box, and it may require some setup finesse for advanced use, but its power and adaptability make it a top contender. If you need to filter diverse content types or optimize for search engines, it’s hard to beat—especially at its price point.