Is Adobe Commerce Live Search Right for Your Store?

Here’s What You Need to Know Before You Choose Algolia, Klevu, or Stay with Elasticsearch

Site search can make or break your conversion rate. If customers can’t find the right product fast, they bounce.

Adobe Commerce Live Search promises a powerful solution—complete with built-in AI, seamless integration for paid Magento 2 users, and no ongoing monthly fees. But how does it stack up against industry leaders like Algolia, Klevu, and Searchspring?

In this deep-dive video, Joseph Maxwell shares five critical factors you need to evaluate before enabling Live Search. He reveals not only the pros and cons, but also a customization superpower hidden in plain sight—one that many merchants and agencies overlook.

Watch the full video (9:49) or keep scrolling for an in-depth written breakdown.

Should You Use Adobe Commerce Live Search?
Adobe Commerce Live Search is fast, AI-powered, and free for paid Adobe Commerce (Magento 2) users—but how does it actually compare to industry leaders like Algolia, Klevu, or Searchspring? Is it smart to switch from Elasticsearch or OpenSearch? Can it really adapt to your catalog needs?
This guide explores the pros, cons, and lesser-known capabilities of Adobe Live Search—so you can decide with confidence.

Choosing the Right Site Search: Live Search vs. Algolia, Klevu & Searchspring

When evaluating Adobe Live Search, it helps to compare apples to apples. Here’s how it stacks up:

Algolia is known for precise control over search logic, merchandising rules, and result weighting.
Klevu shines with intent recognition and handling vague or natural-language queries.
Searchspring offers excellent visual merchandising, boosting collection curation and on-site promotions.

Adobe Commerce Live Search offers similar core features:

✅ Real-time product recommendations

✅ Faceted navigation

✅ Smart search results

…but the key difference is price: Live Search is free for Adobe Commerce users. If budget is a concern and your needs are relatively standard, Live Search may be all you need.

Zero Monthly Fees: The Cost Advantage of Live Search

Live Search is included in Adobe Commerce’s paid licensing model.

That means no monthly subscription—just a one-time implementation cost.

In contrast, platforms like Algolia and Klevu charge ongoing licensing fees, especially for advanced AI-powered features. For cost-conscious merchants, this makes Live Search a strong contender with a fast ROI.

When configured correctly, Live Search can:

Deliver solid performance at no added cost
Replace third-party tools and their support overhead
Offer long-term savings without sacrificing core features

AI-Powered, But Less Manual Control

Adobe Live Search is powered by Sensei, Adobe’s machine learning engine.

It ranks results, handles filters (faceting), and uses shopper behavior to tune relevancy over time.

That makes it easy to set up—but less customizable.

If your merchandising strategy requires granular control over:

Boost/bury logic
Custom rulesets
Result manipulation at scale

…then Algolia is still the superior choice.

But if you’re okay letting AI take the wheel (and your product data is solid), Live Search may work surprisingly well out of the box.

The Overlooked Advantage: Live Search + App Builder

Here’s where Live Search pulls ahead—and most merchants don’t realize it.

Using Adobe App Builder, you can inject custom logic before the search query hits Adobe’s API.

That means you can:

Filter or rewrite search terms in real time
Pull live inventory data directly into search results
Enrich product listings with reviews or external content
Block terms you don’t want customers to see
Use Firefly or GenAI to dynamically adjust results

Unlike third-party tools that require external infrastructure and integration, App Builder lives inside your Adobe ecosystem, meaning fewer passwords, platforms, or points of failure.

This is a major differentiator that turns Live Search from a plug-and-play tool into a powerful, adaptable solution—if you know how to use it.

Algolia gives you control, Klevu interprets intent—but only Adobe Live Search lets you rewrite search behavior from inside the Adobe stack, without adding another vendor.

Known Limitation: Search Data Syncing

Live Search does come with a caveat:

In some cases, we’ve seen syncing issues between Adobe Commerce and Adobe’s Search API, especially with large or highly customized catalogs.

While Adobe continues to improve this, we recommend:

Testing Live Search in a staging environment first
Watching for inconsistencies in indexed data
Validating sync jobs before rollout

This isn’t a widespread issue, but it’s worth flagging—especially for high-SKU catalogs.

AI That Actually Works (And Doesn’t Cost Extra)

Adobe’s AI isn’t just a buzzword.

Live Search uses behavioral signals—browsing patterns, product views, and site interactions—to adjust:

Ranking logic
Filter relevance
Personalized recommendations

You get all of this at no extra cost, while platforms like Algolia charge more for AI-driven results.

This makes Live Search a compelling fit for merchants who want automated optimization without high SaaS fees.

How to Test Live Search on Your Store (No Commitment Required)

The best way to know if Live Search is right for you?

Try it in your own environment.

We help merchants install and configure Live Search in staging using their actual product data—usually in under 8 hours.

You’ll get a real look at performance, accurate search result comparisons, and true clarity on whether or not it’s a long-term fit.

There’s no contract or commitment, no major cost, and no disruption to your live site. If it works, great. If not, you’ll know quickly and move on.