Search and replace for WordPress
— without touching the database.
Easy Search Replace finds and replaces text, links, HTML, and URLs across your entire WordPress site in real time. No database changes, reversible anytime — and with Pro's Live Preview, you see exactly what will change before you save.
Free forever on WordPress.org · No credit card required · Set up in under a minute
Easy Search Replace finds and replaces text, links, HTML, and URLs on your WordPress site at render time — with no database changes and instant reversibility. Free on WordPress.org (no credit card required); Pro adds live preview, regex, CSS selector targeting with a visual picker, scheduling, role and device targeting, rule analytics, and cache-aware mode.
Everything search and replace
should do, in one WordPress plugin.
From simple text swaps to advanced regex, scheduling, and role-based targeting — all without modifying your WordPress database.
Text & HTML replace
Find and replace any text, HTML tags, attributes, or inline styles across posts, pages, custom post types, widgets, and menus.
Link & URL replace
Update old URLs, broken links, HTTP→HTTPS, or affiliate links site-wide. Works on internal and external links.
Regex patterns PRO
Use full PHP regex to match dynamic patterns. Multiline matching is enabled by default for complex replacements.
CSS selector targeting PRO
Limit replacements to .site-footer, #main, or any element — or skip the typing and point-and-click it with the Visual Picker.
Reversible anytime
Toggle any rule on or off. Original content is never modified — your database stays untouched. Restore with one click.
Lightning fast
Built on the WordPress HTML API for near-zero memory overhead. No extra database queries. Caching-friendly by design.
Scheduled rules PRO
Run rules only on specific dates, times, or weekdays. Perfect for promos, seasonal banners, and timed campaigns.
Role & device targeting PRO
Show different replacements to admins, editors, or guests. Target desktop, mobile, or tablet separately.
Live Preview PRO
Test rules — even unsaved ones — against any page and see exact match counts before anything goes live. Zero-surprise editing.
Rule Analytics PRO
See how often every rule actually matches. Spot dead rules after theme updates before your visitors do.
Cache-aware PRO
Scheduled and audience rules work correctly with WP Rocket, LiteSpeed & friends — caches purge automatically when rules change.
What people use
Easy Search Replace for.
Remove footer credits
Theme-locked footer text like "Powered by Theme" — removed or replaced site-wide without editing any files.
Rebrand a WordPress site
Old company name → new name. Across posts, pages, menus, and meta in one rule. Instant, reversible.
Fix broken links at scale
Domain migration or affiliate program change. Update thousands of URLs instantly without touching the database.
Replace HTML tags or attributes
Switch deprecated tags, add rel="nofollow" to links, update class names, or inject attributes globally.
Seasonal promotions
Schedule banner text, promo codes, or holiday messages to appear and disappear automatically on specific dates.
WooCommerce & plugin text
Update product descriptions, button labels, notices, or any plugin-generated text without writing a single hook.
Install, configure, done.
Install from WordPress.org
Search "Easy Search Replace" in your wp-admin Plugins menu. One-click install, no setup wizard needed.
Add a find/replace rule
Type what to find, what to replace it with. Pick scope — posts, pages, specific URLs, or everywhere. Save.
Preview, then go live
Pro users can Live Preview match counts on any page first. Save, and your site renders the replaced version — database untouched, reversible anytime.
Every plan includes all features.
Pick by how many sites you need.
Start with the free version — no credit card required, up to 10 rules. Upgrade any time for unlimited rules and every Pro tool below.
| Feature | Single Site | 5 Sites | Unlimited |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matching | |||
| Regex & advanced patterns ? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 'Match between' mode ? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CSS selector targeting ? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Targeting & Scheduling | |||
| Scheduled replacements ? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| User role targeting ? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Logged-in / guest targeting ? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Device-based targeting ? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Import & Export | |||
| Exclusion rules ? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| JSON & CSV import / export ? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bulk CSV import ? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Workflow & tools | |||
| Unlimited rules ? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Live Preview ? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Visual Selector Picker ? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rule Analytics ? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Recipe Library & Regex Tester ? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rule Sync between sites ? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cache-Aware Mode ? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Support | |||
| Priority email support ? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
The best search and replace
plugin for WordPress?
Most "search and replace" tools rewrite your database permanently — great for migrations, risky for everyday edits. Easy Search Replace works on the rendered output instead, so every change is reversible and nothing in your database is touched.
| Capability | Easy Search Replace | Better Search Replace | Velvet Blues Update URLs | DB search-replace (WP-CLI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Changes the database | No — output only | Yes, permanent | Yes, permanent | Yes, permanent |
| Reversible with one click | Yes | Needs backup | Needs backup | Needs backup |
| Replace text & HTML | Yes | Yes | URLs only | Yes |
| Target by CSS selector | Yes | No | No | No |
| Regex & scheduling | Yes (Pro) | No | No | Regex only |
| Role / device targeting | Yes (Pro) | No | No | No |
| Preview before saving | Yes (Pro) | Dry run only | No | Dry run only |
| Per-rule match analytics | Yes (Pro) | No | No | No |
Different jobs, different tools: for a one-time domain migration, a database tool like Better Search Replace or WP-CLI is the right call. For ongoing, safe, reversible front-end edits — footer credits, link swaps, seasonal text — Easy Search Replace is purpose-built and never risks your data.
Common questions about
Easy Search Replace.
Does this plugin modify my database or theme files?
No. All replacements happen in the output buffer at render time. Your database and files stay exactly as they are. Deactivate the plugin and everything reverts instantly.
Can I remove theme footer credits?
Yes — it is one of the most popular use cases. Enter the exact footer text in the Find field, leave Replace empty, and optionally set a CSS selector like .footer-credit or .site-footer to be precise. The credit disappears without touching any theme files.
What is the difference between Free and Pro?
Free handles plain text, link, HTML, and URL replacements with targeting by post type, post ID, URL, and CSS selector. Pro adds regex pattern matching, "match between" mode, scheduled rules, user role and device targeting, exclusion rules, bulk import/export, and priority email support.
How is this different from Better Search Replace or a database search-and-replace?
Database tools like Better Search Replace permanently rewrite your saved content and cannot be undone without a backup. Easy Search Replace works on the rendered output instead, so nothing in your database changes and every rule is reversible with a single toggle. It is the safer choice when you are not certain a replacement is final.
Will this slow down my WordPress site?
Performance impact is negligible. Replacements run once per request on the rendered HTML, and if you use a caching plugin the replaced output is cached — so repeat visits have zero overhead.
Does it work with WooCommerce, Elementor, Divi, and page builders?
Yes. The plugin operates on the final rendered HTML output, so it works with every theme, page builder, and plugin — including WooCommerce, Elementor, Divi, Beaver Builder, and Avada. If it renders on the front end, it can be replaced.
Can I schedule replacements to run on specific dates?
Yes, with Pro. You can set rules to activate only on certain dates, times, or days of the week — useful for seasonal banners, promotional messages, and any time-sensitive content that needs to appear and disappear automatically.
Can I target replacements by user role or device?
Yes, with Pro. Show different content to admins, editors, subscribers, or guests, and target by device — one version on desktop and another on mobile or tablet.
Does Pro support regex (regular expressions)?
Yes. Pro enables full PHP regex with multiline matching on by default. You can use capture groups, lookaheads, and all standard regex syntax for complex pattern matching across your site output.