Looking for Vertex AI Search Competitors? Here Are 8 Game-Changing Options

Sometimes your existing website search solution doesn’t quite cut it. While Vertex AI Search is a powerful tool, other solutions might better suit your business needs.

However, when you’re picking a Vertex AI Search alternative, the number of options can become overwhelming. Scrolling through product websites, each highlighting their accomplishments, and pondering over often confusing pricing structures takes a lot of time and effort.

To lift this burden off your shoulders, we have prepared an article that introduces the top 8 Vertex AI Search competitors. But that is not all. We are going to look at their features, pros and cons, as well as pricing to help you make the best-educated decision.

Why companies need advanced site search & discovery

You might be asking yourself why your e-commerce business needs a search solution anyway. Let’s go over the most pressing reasons why you should invest in e-commerce search and discovery software.

Improved customer experience through precision and speed

Customers don’t appreciate their time wasted. They value convenience, speed, and streamlined experiences.

Advanced website search solutions use algorithms to deliver results almost instantly. Additionally, using AI and natural language processing helps the software understand users’ search intent and retrieve highly relevant results even for vague or complex queries.

This reduces friction during the shopping process, leading to improved satisfaction and loyalty to your brand.

Higher conversion rates with personalization

63% of marketers in the U.S. claim that an increased conversion rate is the top benefit of personalization. AI-driven search can analyze user behavior and deliver tailored results that fit customers’ exact needs.

Besides allowing shoppers to quickly find relevant items, you can also recommend products a particular customer might enjoy. This results in higher average order values through upselling and cross-selling. Additionally, eliminating “No Results” pages by suggesting trending or related products helps ensure shoppers don’t leave your store empty-handed.

KiK: A real-world example of how a search solution makes a difference

KiK, a prominent German discount retailer, implemented Luigi’s Box Search and Analytics. This enhanced search accuracy, introduced advanced analytics, and allowed effective product merchandising and ranking.

Using Luigi’s Box led to a 27% increase in direct conversion rates, a 14% rise in assisted conversions, and a 31% boost in average cart value. Overall, KiK’s online shopping experience improved significantly, with a 55% increase in total cart value.

Increased customer retention

When you create seamless customer experiences, they are more likely to continue shopping with you. If you want to keep your customers engaged and willing to spend more, optimizing their experience is a must.

Data supports this, as 80% of consumers said they exited a website due to a poor search experience.

Gain insights through analytics

Analytics are often an integral part of advanced website search tools. They allow you to track what users search for, what they click on, and what they struggle to find. Based on this behavioral data, you can identify trends, remove bottlenecks, prevent gaps in inventory, and even introduce new products or content that addresses customers’ needs.

Key search features to consider

When picking a Vertex AI Search alternative, having a list of the most important features comes in handy. Here are the tools your new website search & discovery solution should include.

Full-text search

Full-text search allows your search solution to retrieve results that contain all or some of the words from a user’s query. It allows them to search for specific words, phrases, or terms within product descriptions, titles, metadata, and other textual content.

This allows for more precise searching even with complex queries. Additionally, users do not have to alter their language to perform effective searches, and they have a more intuitive experience.

Autocomplete and predictive search

These features suggest search terms or specific products as users type, making the experience more streamlined. Additionally, they help reduce errors, making searches more effective.

Naturally, users enjoy having these options available. In fact, autocomplete can increase your online sales by up to 24%.

Natural Language Processing (NLP)

In a nutshell, NLP allows search engines to understand user intent and the context behind their queries. This significantly improves accuracy.

For example, think of a conversational query, such as “shoes for running in winter”. Instead of returning results for generic running shoes or unrelated winter footwear, the website retrieves results for insulated, waterproof running shoes. This is possible thanks to NLP interpreting the intent—running shoes that are suitable for winter.

Synonym and typo handling

Users often make small spelling mistakes or use alternative terms when searching for products. Synonyms and typo-handling features ensure they receive relevant results despite errors or different terminology.

Personalized recommendations

Providing your customers with personalized product recommendations is invaluable. It not only encourages upselling and cross-selling, but it also significantly impacts customer experiences and improves retention. Data shows that 56% of online shoppers are more likely to return to a site offering tailored product suggestions.

Advanced analytics and reporting

When you consistently track search performance and customer behavior, you can make truly data-driven decisions. From identifying gaps to optimizing your offerings, using analytics data improves search functionality and leads to an improved shopping experience.

Front-end integration

Front-end integration enables you to embed the search engine directly into the user-facing components of your website. Why is this so important? This method is often done without coding on your part, eliminating the need for an entire IT team to carry out software implementation.

Mobile optimization

In 2023, approximately 30% of global online shoppers globally used mobile commerce on a weekly basis. This underscores the significance of your search solution working seamlessly on mobile devices.

Integrations

Think of integrations as a bridge connecting various software components (external applications, infrastructure, cloud services, etc.) into one unified ecosystem. They enable these components to communicate seamlessly, leading to more streamlined operations.

Vertex AI Search leverages advanced natural language processing and machine learning including vector search, to understand user intent and deliver highly relevant search results across structured and unstructured data.

As part of the Vertex AI platform, Vertex AI Search works best when integrated with other Vertex AI tools, such as Vertex AI Workbench, Vertex AI Pipelines, Vertex AI Models, Cloud Natural Language API, and more.

Overall, Vertex AI Search is a powerful tool designed to handle huge amounts of data. It offers a wide range of capabilities, making it a great option for large enterprises. Its advanced features are particularly suited for companies with the resources to invest in it.

Additionally, Vertex AI Search is best suited for businesses with strong internal IT teams that can manage the solution independently with minimum input from the provider’s customer support teams.

8 best Vertex AI Search competitors

So what else is out there? In the following sections, we are going to discuss the top 8 Vertex AI Search competitors, so you can pick one that best fits your business.

1. Luigi’s Box

Luigi’s Box is a well-known search and recommendation software provider tailored to e-commerce businesses. Officially launched in 2016, Luigi’s Box offers years of experience and expertise to deliver AI-powered solutions, helping more than 3,500 retailers skyrocket conversions in their e-shops.

Key features

Luigi’s Box’s advanced features span everything from faceted filtering to machine learning and behavioral recommendations.

• AI-driven Search
• Autocomplete
• Predictive Search
• Multilingual Search
• Typo correction
• Voice Search
• Search Analytics
• Artificial intelligence and machine learning
• Personalized product Recommender
• Dynamic filters
• Merchandising
• No-code self-service integration

Customer support

Luigi’s Box customer support is renowned for going the extra mile and treating each customer as a priority. They provide 24/7 customer service, and you can reach them through various communication channels, such as phone, email, and chat. If you wish to troubleshoot independently, there is a robust knowledge base full of informative guides. If you want to contact support, simply visit the Contact Us page.

Pricing

Luigi’s Box pricing depends on your requirements, page views, and the type of integration you prefer. This is a basic overview of pricing options for the Search:

• Self-Integration costs €140/month paid annually for 50,000 pageviews.
• For Custom Integration, contact Luigi’s Box’s team for a custom quote.

You can check out all the pricing plans to get a better understanding of all the options available.

2. Azure AI Search

Azure AI Search is an enterprise-grade knowledge retrieval system from Microsoft. It mainly powers advanced retrieval-augmented generation applications and enterprise search engines.

Key features

• Indexing features
• Linguistic analysis
• Vector and hybrid search
• Applied AI and knowledge mining
• Free-form text search
• Filters and facets
• Programmability

Customer support

Azure AI services provide self-help resources in the Azure portal, various support plans, and community support via Microsoft Q&A and Stack Overflow. Users can submit feature requests through the Azure feedback portal and stay updated on any news through the Azure blog and updates.

Pricing

Azure AI Search’s products differ based on the region. Here are their main plans with prices specific to the Central US:

Free tier

• Storage: 50 MB
• Indexes: Up to 3
• Scale: Not available
• Cost: $0/month

Basic plan

• Storage: 15 GB (up to 45 GB per service)
• Indexes: Up to 15
• Scale: Up to 9 units (3 partitions, 3 replicas)
• Cost: $73.73/month

Standard plans (S1-S3)

• S1 Storage: 160 GB (up to 1.9 TB per service) – $245.28/month
• S2 Storage: 512 GB (up to 6 TB per service) – $981.12/month
• S3 Storage: 1 TB (up to 12 TB per service) – $1,962.24/month
• Indexes: 50-200 per service
• Scale: Up to 36 units (12 partitions, 12 replicas)

Storage-Optimized plans (L1 & L2)

• L1 Storage: 2 TB (up to 24 TB per service) – $2,802.47/month
• L2 Storage: 4 TB (up to 48 TB per service) – $5,604.21/month
• Indexes: Up to 10
• Scale: Up to 36 units (12 partitions, 12 replicas)

3. Coveo

Established in 2006, Coveo is a well-known AI search and recommendation software. They aim to help large enterprises become business-to-person and tap into the experience economy using AI.

Key features

• AI-powered recommendation engine
• Advanced search and ranking
• Natural language processing
• Real-time reporting and analytics
• Autocomplete
• Merchandising capabilities
• AI and machine learning

Customer support

Coveo offers extensive self-service resources such as documentation, community forums, and training materials. Premium customers receive support from dedicated customer success managers and enjoy faster response times. Support is available through email, a ticketing system, and a support portal, with phone assistance for high-priority cases in higher-tier plans.

Pricing

Coveo offers two main pricing tiers.

• Pro: 100K queries per month with three cloud connectors.
• Enterprise: unlimited cloud connectors with deep learning capabilities.

Both plans come with custom pricing.

4. Amazon Kendra

Amazon Kendra is an AI-powered enterprise search service by AWS. Kendra integrates with various data repositories, such as file systems, databases, and cloud storage, making it easier to search for information scattered throughout the cloud.

Key features

• Intelligent search
• Generative AI
• Incremental learning
• Domain optimization
• Search analytics dashboard
• Query autocompletion
• Connectors

Customer support

Amazon Kendra is supported through AWS’s support system, which offers multiple support plans:

• Developer Support
• Business Support
• Enterprise On-Ramp
• Enterprise Support

Additionally, users can access self-help resources, submit support cases through the AWS Support Center, and leverage AWS Partner Network (APN) consultants for specialized guidance.

Pricing

Amazon Kendra’s pricing is based on the number of documents and queries you need. They offer three main pricing plans:

• The GenAI Enterprise Edition costs $0.32 per hour for basic storage and queries, with up to 20,000 documents or 200 MB of extracted text.
• The Basic Enterprise Edition costs $1.4 per hour for up to 100,000 documents or 30 GB of extracted text.
• The Basic Developer Edition costs $1.125 per hour for up to 10,000 documents or 3 GB of extracted text.

There are additional charges for extra storage and queries, and a $30 per month fee for using connectors.

The Basic Developer Edition and the GenAI Enterprise Edition plans come with a free trial that provides free usage of up to 750 hours for the first 30 days.

5. Dataiku

Dataiku is a platform for Everyday AI established in 2013. This collaborative AI platform helps businesses work with data more efficiently. Dataiku integrates with different data sources and provides visual interfaces for creating data pipelines.

Key features

• Generative AI
• Machine learning
• MLOps (Machine Learning Operations)
• Data visualization
• Analytics
• REST API
• Encryption

Customer support

Dataiku offers comprehensive customer support through several channels. Their support includes access to a knowledge base full of articles, documentation, and FAQs. They also provide email support for issues that require more personalized assistance. Additionally, Dataiku offers professional services such as consulting and training, as well as a community forum where users can collaborate and exchange insights.

Pricing

Dataiku offers three main pricing options:

• Free Trial of Dataiku Cloud for 14 days
• Free Edition with up to 3 users on Mac, Linux, or virtual machines
• Paid Editions require you to reach out to Dataiku’s sales team to get a quote

6. Algolia

Algolia is a French software company that helps businesses provide optimized search experiences on their websites or apps. Since 2012, Algolia has established itself as a heavy hitter in the world of SaaS.

Key features

• Full-text search
• Highlighting and snippeting
• Advanced language processing
• Typo tolerance
• Geo-awareness
• Faceting and filtering
• Personalization

Customer support

Algolia’s customer support is available through email with standard response times. Higher-tier pricing plans offer premium support, including 24/7 email and phone assistance, faster response times, and dedicated support engineers. Additionally, Algolia offers extensive documentation and a community forum for users who prefer self-help options.

Pricing

Algolia’s services are available in four main pricing plans. Each of them includes features from previous tiers, plus additional ones.

• Build: Includes up to 10,000 search requests per month. This tier is free.
• Grow: This tier is free or pay-as-you-go, based on your usage.
• Premium: Includes AI features and merchandising. Reach out to Algolia’s team to get a quote.
• Elevate: Includes full AI offering including NeuralSearch. Reach out to Algolia’s team to get a quote.

7. Databricks

Founded in 2013, Databricks serves as a unified analytics platform that enables data scientists, engineers, and analysts to collaborate on big data and AI projects. This open-source platform is mostly used for big data analytics, data science, and machine learning tasks across various industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, and entertainment.

Key features

• Artificial intelligence
• Machine learning
• Data warehousing
• Real-time analytics
• Business intelligence
• MLflow pipelines
• Delta Lake (data engineering)

Customer support

Databricks offers various support plans, including Business, Enhanced, Production, and Mission Critical. Higher-tier plans provide 24/7 support, faster response times (within 15 minutes for critical issues), and proactive monitoring. Support includes access to a dedicated messaging channel for troubleshooting. The number of technical contacts and support hours varies based on the plan.

Pricing

Databricks offers a pay-as-you-go pricing model with no upfront costs. You pay for the products you use based on per-second granularity. The platform covers various products such as Data Engineering, Data Warehousing, Interactive Workloads, and Generative AI, each priced differently (e.g., Data Engineering starts at $0.15/DBU, Generative AI at $0.07/DBU).

Additionally, Databricks provides discounts for larger usage commitments through Committed Use Contracts. There are also add-ons for services like data transfer, storage, and collaboration.

8. Qdrant

Qdrant is an open-source vector search engine designed for high-performance similarity search. It helps developers build applications that can efficiently search and retrieve vectorized data, such as text, images, or other multimedia, based on their semantic similarity.

Key features

• Semantic search
• Multimodal search
• Recommendation system
• Multi-vector support
• Anomaly detection
• Hybrid search for text
• Advanced indexing

Customer support

Developers can access assistance and collaborate with others via Qdrant’s active Discord server. Users can email the dedicated support team for Qdrant Cloud-related issues. General inquiries submitted through the contact form are typically answered within 48 business hours. Additionally, Qdrant provides documentation and tutorials.

Pricing

Qdrant offers three pricing models:

• Managed Cloud: Starts at $0 with a free 1 GB cluster. It provides fully managed services, including high availability, backup, disaster recovery, and zero-downtime upgrades.
• Hybrid Cloud: Starting at $0.014 per hour, this tier allows users to connect their own clusters (from any cloud, on-premise, or edge locations) to Qdrant’s managed services.
• Private Cloud: Pricing is custom and available upon request. This option provides full control by deploying Qdrant on-premise or air-gapped infrastructure for maximum data sovereignty. It includes all Hybrid Cloud features with complete autonomy over database clusters.

Conclusion

While Vertex AI Search has many powerful features and great qualities, it simply doesn’t work for some businesses. Using the right search solution can be truly transformative for your conversions, ROI, and customer relationships.

You can use this article as a guide to help you asses each solution’s unique strengths, features, and pricing structures. Whether you pick an e-commerce powerhouse like Luigi’s Box, an enterprise giant like Azure AI Search, or a developer-friendly open-source solution like Qdrant, there is something for every business need.

Frequently asked questions