AI Smart Search vs NG: AI Search Bar & Answers
Two Shopify apps, side by side: detected stores, momentum, reviews, plans, listed features and who runs each. Store counts as of Nov 8, 2026.
The short answer
- AI Smart Search is detected on 1.5× as many Shopify stores as NG: 3 vs 2 as of Nov 8, 2026.
- Both list a free plan. Paid plans start at $39/month for AI Smart Search and $19/month for NG.
- AI Smart Search lists 7 features NG’s listing doesn’t mention, including Behavior insights, Custom filters, Filter usage.
Head to head
- United States
- Canada
- United Kingdom
Free
Starter
Pro
Free
- · 100 AI answers per month
- · Insights: searches, clicks, revenue
- · Knowledge base: PDF, DOCX, CSV, URLStyle
- · No overage charges, ever
- · One-toggle setup, clean uninstall
- · Style & tone customization
Starter
- · 1,000 AI answers per month
- · Cached answers don't count against quota
- · Insights: searches, clicks, revenue
- · Knowledge base: PDF, DOCX, CSV, URL
- · No overage charges, ever
- · One-toggle setup, clean uninstall
Growth
- · 5,000 AI answers per month
- · Insights: searches, clicks, revenue
- · Knowledge base: PDF, DOCX, CSV, URL
- · No overage charges, ever
- · One-toggle setup, clean uninstall
- · Search never limited, only answers count
Pro
- · 20,000 AI answers per month
- · Highest AI answer quota available
- · Insights: searches, clicks, revenue
- · Knowledge base: PDF, DOCX, CSV, URL
- · No overage charges, ever
- · One-toggle setup, clean uninstall
Coverage counts what each App Store listing names. Every feature, checked off app by app, is in Shoplist.
See every featureSmart Search adds an AI chatbot to your store that understands what customers are looking for. Instead of browsing and filtering, customers describe what they need in plain language and get instant product recommendations. The assistant knows your full catalog, answers questions about sizing and policies, compares products side by side, and guides customers through variant selection to add items directly to cart.
Your search bar becomes an AI salesperson. When shoppers search, they instantly see products plus a short AI answer recommending relevant products — grounded in your catalog and the knowledge you upload (size charts, shipping & returns, care guides, spec sheets — PDF, DOCX, CSV, or any page URL). Follow-up chips refine conversationally. Add to cart directly from the answer.
- Natural Language Product Search with AI product recommendations.
- In-Chat Add to Cart | Select variants and atc without leaving the conversation.
- Product Comparison | Compare products side by side.
- Brand Training | Teach the AI your policies, sizing, and product details.
- AI answer streams above results, recommending 1-3 products from your catalog
- Knowledge base: upload PDFs, size charts, and FAQs for grounded answers
- Search-as-you-type with conversational follow-up chips and add-to-cart
- Insights dashboard: top searches, zero-result queries, clicks, and revenue
All the numbers
Every figure, side by side
A green dot marks the app ahead on a measured figure. Estimates, gaps and apps that leave no storefront trace never take the lead.
Adoption
| Measure |  AI Smart Search |  NG |
|---|---|---|
| Detected stores | 3(ahead) | 2 |
| Net store change, 28 days | 0 | 0 |
| Stores added, 28 days | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Big-brand share | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Top store categories | Apparel & Accessories | Health & Beauty, Home & Garden |
| Top store countries | United States | Canada, United Kingdom |
Reviews
| Measure | AI Smart Search | NG |
|---|---|---|
| App Store rating | Not published | Not published |
| App Store reviews | Not published | Not published |
| New reviews, 28 days | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Reviewers a year or more in | Not enough data | Not enough data |
Pricing
| Measure | AI Smart Search | NG |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Lowest paid monthly plan | $39/month | $19/month(ahead) |
| Longest free trial | 7 days | Not listed |
| Plans listed | 3 | 4 |
Listing
| Measure | AI Smart Search | NG |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify category rank | #214 | #45(ahead) |
| Shopify App Charts | Not on this week’s charts | Not on this week’s charts |
| Built for Shopify | No | No |
| Launched | May 8, 2026 | Aug 1, 2026 |
| Languages | 1 | 1 |
| Developer | S1C | NextGen Software |
FAQ
AI Smart Search and NG: common questions
- Which is more popular, AI Smart Search or NG?
- AI Smart Search is detected on 1.5× as many Shopify stores as NG: 3 vs 2 as of Nov 8, 2026.
- Is AI Smart Search or NG cheaper?
- Both list a free plan. Paid plans start at $39/month for AI Smart Search and $19/month for NG. Shoplist compares base prices only between monthly plans in the same currency; usage charges and annual plans vary, so check each plan’s limits.
- What features does each app list that the other doesn’t?
- AI Smart Search lists 7 the others don’t mention, such as Behavior insights, Custom filters, Filter usage, Personalized search. A feature missing from a listing may still be supported; this compares what each App Store listing says.
- Where does this comparison’s data come from?
- Shoplist crawls Shopify storefronts to detect which apps each store runs, and reads each app’s Shopify App Store listing for reviews, pricing, features and integrations. Store counts are as of Nov 8, 2026; estimated figures are labeled.
How Shoplist compares apps
Store counts come from Shoplist’s crawl of Shopify storefronts, which detects the apps each store runs; they are as of Nov 8, 2026. Reviews, ratings, plans, features and integrations come from each app’s Shopify App Store listing. 28-day figures are labeled when estimated, and a figure that is missing or estimated never decides who leads. Read the methodology.