Welcome to Priceless Picks, where we’re uncovering and celebrating the best free plugins that offer immense value to you, the WordPress user.
To kick things off, I’m focusing on one of my go-to tools for database management, Better Search Replace. Although this isn’t a plugin I use regularly, when I do, it saves me countless hours and headaches, especially when handling site migrations and large-scale content updates.
That also explains why it has 1 Million active installations on the plugin repo.
What is Better Search Replace?
Better Search Replace is a plugin designed to help you perform search and replace operations within your database without needing much technical knowledge at all.
It’s an essential tool for anyone managing large WordPress sites, especially if you need to update URLs, fix typos, or replace outdated content across multiple posts and pages.
It’s a real timesaver when migrating sites, changing domains, or making global content changes without touching the database manually or making the changes one at a time.
Key Features
There are a few key features for which I keep coming back to this plugin from time to time, especially when migrating websites (or parts of websites) from staging to live.
- Bulk Search and Replace
You can instantly search and replace text, URLs, or any database content in bulk across your entire website, including posts, pages, and any custom post types. - Dry Run
Test your changes before pushing them live with a “dry run” feature that shows you exactly what will be replaced in the database, ensuring you don’t make any accidental changes. - Selective Tables
Choose which database tables to target. This gives you more control over what gets updated but you do need some knowledge of what those tables are and what they do. - Multisite Support
If you’re running a WordPress multisite installation, Better Search Replace supports search and replace operations across your entire network, saving you tons of time. - No SQL Knowledge Required
Unlike some other solutions that require database access and writing SQL queries (which I’m no expert in), Better Search Replace gives you the power of database manipulation in a user-friendly interface that even those without much technical knowledge can understand.
Why It’s a Priceless Pick
Better Search Replace is my first priceless because of how much time and effort it has saved me in the past. The first time I migrated a WordPress site from staging to live, I started updating URLs manually, one by one. This was many years ago, so you can excuse the ignorance.
It only took a few minutes for me to start looking for a better solution and that’s when I came across Better Search replace.
Whether you’re moving your WordPress site to a new domain or just trying to update product names across your blog, this plugin does it all without requiring technical expertise.
Its “dry run” feature ensures you can see the potential changes before committing, which can be a lifesaver when dealing with complex databases or you just want to double check your work. It’s saved me from making silly mistakes a couple of times.
Beyond migrations, this plugin is perfect for cleaning up old or outdated content and fixing errors quickly across multiple posts or pages.
How It Works
Using Better Search Replace is pretty simple, there isn’t much to it. Here’s a quick look at how it works in just 5 steps.
Step 1: Install the Plugin
Go to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress dashboard, search for Better Search Replace, and click on the Install Now button, followed by Activate.
Step 2: Choose Search & Replace Terms
Once activated, go to the plugin’s settings from Tools > Better Search Replace, enter the text or URL you want to search for and what you’d like to replace it with.
Step 3: Select Database Tables
Choose which database tables to apply the search and replace operation to, such as wp_posts, wp_options, or custom tables related to plugins.
Step 4: Dry Run
Before applying the changes, select the “Run as dry run” option to see what changes will be made based on your selections without actually updating the database.
At this point, you’re also presented with two other options as seen in the above screenshots:
- Case-Insensitive: By default, searches are case-sensitive, so you can check this option to turn that off.
- Replace GUIDs: By default, this is unchecked, meaning all database columns titled ‘guid’ will be skipped.
Step 5: Make the Changes
Once you’re happy with the results of the dry run, go ahead and run the full search and replace operation to update your site. Make sure the “Run as dry run” option is now unchecked to run it for real.
Final Thoughts
Better Search Replace has become one of my go-to tools for database management and site migrations. Its ease of use and ability to perform complex tasks without needing SQL knowledge makes it invaluable for both non-developers like myself as well as experienced developers.
What about you? Have you used Better Search Replace on your WordPress site? How did it help you? I’d love to hear your experience and any recommendations for other Priceless Picks you think I should feature on WP Mayor.
