Skip to content 
🚀 Stop the Scrolling Struggle! A Friendly Review of the YITH WooCommerce AJAX Product Filter
Ever landed on a huge online store, searched for something specific, clicked a filter, and then… waited… as the whole page reloaded? It’s like watching paint dry, only less productive. If you run a WooCommerce shop and your customers are doing the digital equivalent of slogging through mud just to find a blue t-shirt in size large, you need to talk about one thing: AJAX product filtering.
And when we talk about a reliable, feature-packed WooCommerce AJAX product filter, one name always pops up: YITH WooCommerce AJAX Product Filter.
This isn’t just a plugin; it’s a customer experience upgrade. So, let’s dive into this review, where we’ll break down exactly what this tool does, who it’s perfect for, and why you should seriously consider adding this ajax product filter for woocommerce to your digital toolkit.
🎯 Who Is This Plugin For?
The target audience for the YITH WooCommerce AJAX Product Filter is clear: Existing WooCommerce Store Owners and E-commerce Developers who have a medium to large catalog of products.
- You’re selling more than 50 different products. If you only sell three items, you don’t need a filter. If you sell 50+ items across multiple categories, sizes, and colors, a filter is a must-have, not a nice-to-have.
- You care about customer experience (UX). You understand that every second of waiting is a moment your customer might abandon their cart.
- You are a YITH ecosystem user. If you already use other YITH plugins (like their Brands Add-on or Wishlist), this plugin integrates seamlessly.
In short, if you want your store to look and feel like an Amazon or an IKEA (fast, sleek, and intuitive), you need this plugin.
🌟 Key Features: Why YITH’s AJAX Product Filter Stands Out
The term “yith woocommerce ajax product filter” is a mouthful, but the features make it worth saying. The core value is that it uses AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) technology, which means when a user clicks a filter (e.g., “Red” or “Under $50”), the product results update instantly without reloading the entire page. Speed is the soul of e-commerce, and this delivers it.
Here are the specific, standout features that make the premium version a game-changer:
- Visual Filters: Beyond Checkboxes
You’re not stuck with boring text links. The premium version allows you to create highly visual and engaging filters:
- Color Swatches: Customers can click a swatch of color (red, blue, green) instead of reading the word. It’s fast, intuitive, and looks modern.
- Label/Image Filters: Use images or stylized labels to filter by material, brand logo, or specific size type (e.g., a small image icon for “Slim Fit”).
- Unlimited Filter Presets
This is where the real power lies. You can create different sets of filters for different areas of your store.
- Need specific filters for the “T-Shirts” category (size, color, material)? You make a preset for that.
- Need a different set of filters for the “Electronics” category (brand, price, review rating)? You make a separate preset for that.
This ensures your users only see relevant filters, dramatically cleaning up the sidebar clutter.
- Mobile Modal Window (The UX Hero)
This is a true standout feature. On mobile devices, filtering can be a nightmare. Most plugins just dump the filters in a huge, ugly block below the product grid.
YITH’s solution? A sleek, mobile-optimized modal window (a pop-up panel). It hides the filters until the user taps a “Filter” button, then opens a clean, full-screen filter panel that feels like a native app. This makes the mobile shopping experience incredibly smooth.
- SEO-Friendly URLs
Wait, a filter that doesn’t mess up your SEO? Yep. Dynamic filtering can sometimes create messy, non-indexable URLs, which is bad for organic traffic. The YITH plugin allows for:
- Clean Permalinks Management: You can choose to keep permalinks short, user-friendly, and SEO-optimized, even when multiple filters are applied. This means Google can still understand and index your filtered product pages, which is huge for long-tail search traffic.
- Advanced Filter Types
It covers all the basics but throws in some premium options too:
- Price Slider: A smooth slider bar for filtering by price range. Visually satisfying and easier than typing.
- Review/Rating Filter: Allow customers to quickly find products with 4 or 5-star ratings.
- In-Stock/On-Sale Filters: Quick buttons to show only products currently available or on discount.
🆚 YITH vs. The Competition
You’re smart. You know YITH isn’t the only ajax product filter woocommerce option out there. So, how does it stack up against popular alternatives like HUSKY (WOOF) or Barn2’s WooCommerce Product Filters?
Feature | YITH WooCommerce AJAX Product Filter | HUSKY – Products Filter (WOOF) | |
Mobile UX | Excellent (Dedicated Modal Window) | Good (Responsive but less custom UI) | Very Good |
SEO Features | Strong (Custom, Clean Permalinks) | Good (SEO URL features available) | Strong (Clean URLs) |
Visual Filters | Excellent (Color Swatches, Labels, Images) | Very Good (Includes visual options) | Good (Focus on standard options) |
Filter Presets | Unlimited Presets for Different Pages | Functional but less centralized | Excellent (Filter groups) |
Pricing | Free version available; Premium ~$90/year | Free version available; Premium ~$42/year | No Free version; Premium ~$79/year |
The Verdict on Comparison
- If your budget is the absolute lowest priority: HUSKY (WOOF) is often the go-to for its low premium price and solid features. However, its interface can sometimes feel a bit dated or less intuitive for beginners.
- If you manage a massive catalog and need deep control: Barn2’s solution is rock solid and known for its performance on huge stores.
If you prioritize the smoothest possible visual and mobile experience: YITH WooCommerce AJAX Product Filter is arguably the most polished and user-friendly, particularly due to that dedicated mobile modal. The pricing is slightly higher than some competitors (around $90/year for a single site license), but you are paying for the polish and the excellent integration into the wider YITH ecosystem.
✅ Pros and Cons: A Balanced Look
No plugin is perfect. To give you the full picture, here are the ups and downs of opting for this particular woocommerce ajax product filter:
👍 The Pros
- Unmatched Mobile Experience: The dedicated modal window on mobile is a huge conversion-booster.
- Visually Stunning Filters: The color swatches, labels, and image options instantly make your store look professional and modern.
- YITH Ecosystem Integration: If you already use other YITH products, the compatibility is flawless.
- Easy Preset Creation: The ability to create specific filter groups for specific shop sections is incredibly powerful for cleaning up the user interface.
- SEO-Friendly Filtering: You don’t have to sacrifice your search engine rankings for better UX.
👎 The Cons
- Pricing is on the Higher Side: At approximately $90/year, it’s more expensive than some competitors like HUSKY (WOOF) or Filter Everything, which may be a hurdle for small startups.
- Can Be Resource-Intensive: While AJAX is fast, on very large stores (tens of thousands of products) on low-quality hosting, any advanced filter plugin, including this one, can cause a performance hit if not configured properly.
- Feature Overload for Beginners: The sheer number of customization options (presets, layouts, mobile settings) might be overwhelming for a brand new WordPress user.
👨💻 How to Get Started with the YITH WooCommerce AJAX Product Filter
The installation is straightforward, but setting up your first filter requires a few key steps. Don’t worry, it’s not rocket science, just a bit of logical organization!
Step 1: Install and Activate
- Download & Install: Upload the plugin ZIP file (or install the free version from the WordPress repository).
- Activate: Click the “Activate” button. You should now see a YITH menu item in your WordPress dashboard.
Step 2: Ensure Attributes are Set Up
This is the most common mistake! The plugin filters by the data you already have. Before you create a filter for “Color,” you must make sure you have:
- A Product Attribute called “Color” created under Products > Attributes.
- Terms (values) added to that attribute (e.g., “Red,” “Blue,” “Black”).
- Your products are assigned those attributes.
Step 3: Create a Filter Preset
- Navigate to YITH > AJAX Product Filter.
- Go to the Filter Presets tab and click Add Preset. Give it a logical name (e.g., “Main Shop Filters”).
- Click Add a new filter within the preset.
- Filter Name: e.g., “Shop by Color.”
- Filter Taxonomy: Select the attribute you want to filter by (e.g., pa_color).
- Filter Type: Choose the display style (e.g., Color Swatches or Checkbox).
- Customization: Set colors for your swatches, toggle the “Allow multiple selection” option, and set whether to hide “Empty Terms” (filters with no products).
- Repeat for all the filter types you need (Price Slider, Size, Category, etc.).
Step 4: Insert the Preset on Your Shop Page
You have two main ways to display the filters:
- Widget: Drag the YITH Product Filter widget into your WooCommerce sidebar (if your theme supports it).
- Shortcode/Block: For custom pages or Elementor/Gutenberg/Divi layouts, use the dedicated YITH block or copy the preset’s shortcode and paste it exactly where you want the filters to appear.
Step 5: Configure General Settings
In the main settings area, decide on the Filter Mode. You can choose between:
- Instant AJAX filtering: Products update the second a user clicks a filter (fastest UX).
- Apply Filters Button: Users must select multiple filters and then click an “Apply” button (better for server load if you have hundreds of filter terms).
💡 Final Recommendation: Is the Investment Worth It?
If you are a serious e-commerce store owner looking to professionalize your customer experience and improve conversion rates, the answer is a resounding Yes.
The YITH WooCommerce AJAX Product Filter is a premium tool that delivers a premium experience. While the annual subscription cost is noticeable, the return on investment (ROI) from a better user experience, faster product discovery, and reduced bounce rate will easily cover it.
It’s not just about filtering; it’s about making large product catalogs manageable and enjoyable. The focus on visual filters, custom presets, and especially the best-in-class mobile solution, puts it slightly ahead of the pack for general-purpose, polished WooCommerce stores.
Our advice? Use the free version to test basic compatibility with your theme. If it works, upgrade to the premium version to unlock the features that really drive sales—the Color Swatches, the Price Slider, and the beautiful mobile modal.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Is there a free version of the YITH WooCommerce AJAX Product Filter?
A: Yes! A fully functional, but basic, free version of the plugin is available on the WordPress repository. It includes basic AJAX filtering by categories, tags, and attributes, but it lacks the visual appeal (swatches, labels) and the advanced features (mobile modal, price slider, SEO customization) of the premium version.
Q2: Will this plugin slow down my website?
A: All AJAX filtering adds some load, but the yith woocommerce ajax product filter is generally well-coded. The biggest factor is your hosting and the size of your product catalog. On decent hosting, the speed increase from avoiding full page reloads dramatically outweighs any minor load increase. Make sure to use the “Hide empty terms” feature to keep the filter lists clean and fast.
Q3: Is it compatible with page builders like Elementor or Divi?
A: Yes, the premium version is designed to be highly compatible with all popular WordPress page builders, including Elementor, Divi, and Gutenberg. You can typically insert the filters using a dedicated block or a shortcode on any custom page layout you build.
Q4: How much does the premium version cost?
A: The standard single-site license for the premium YITH WooCommerce AJAX Product Filter is typically priced around $90 per year. This includes one year of updates and support. Licensing tiers for 6 or 30 sites are also available for developers or agencies.
.
