I get this question at least once a week in support tickets. Someone buys WPResidence, opens the theme options, sees “Advanced Search” settings, and then stumbles into the Elementor widget called “Search Form Builder.” Confusion kicks in. Which one do I use? Are they the same thing? Will one break the other?
Short answer: they’re two completely different tools that do the same job: help visitors search properties. But where and how you build them is not the same at all.
I’ll be honest, we probably could have named them better. But here we are. Let me break it down so you can pick the right one in under 3 minutes.
The Search Form Builder (Elementor Widget)
This one lives inside Elementor. If your page is built with Elementor, you can drag and drop the Search Form Builder widget anywhere on that page. Header, middle of the content, footer area, wherever you want it.
Here’s what makes it different: all the settings live inside the widget itself. You manage fields, tabs, button settings, and styling right there in Elementor’s sidebar. No jumping to theme options. No guessing which setting controls what.
You can enable tabs with property taxonomies (like Sale, Rent, Commercial), set your search fields, style the button, and control the entire design (colors, spacing, typography) from the Style tab. And since it’s an Elementor widget, you also get the full Advanced layout options (margins, padding, motion effects, responsive visibility).
When to use it: custom landing pages, unique homepage layouts, any page where you need the search form in a specific spot with a specific look. If design control matters to you, this is the one.
I’ve seen people build some really creative setups with it: search forms inside property comparison pages, search embedded halfway down a city guide page, search forms styled to match a specific brand. The widget gives you that freedom.
The Theme Advanced Search
This is the search that’s baked into the WPResidence theme core. It’s been there since before Elementor existed, and it works differently.
You manage it from Theme Options > Search. That’s where you pick from 8 different search form types, set the number of fields, choose how many fields show per row, configure the price slider, and decide which fields appear on the front end.
The display? It shows only in theme media headers. You pick a hero media type for your page, and the advanced search sits inside that header. Either sticky before the header media, or floating on top of it. You can enable it globally from Theme Options, or override it per page by scrolling to the page’s Appearance Options and toggling it there.
One thing that trips people up: the settings in Theme Options do NOT affect the Search Form Builder widget. They’re separate systems. Changing fields in Theme Options changes the theme advanced search only.
Think of this as the search you pick and enable, not the one you design from scratch. You can also drop it into page content as a shortcode or use it as a widget in sidebars.
When to use it: you want a standard, consistent search across your site without building custom layouts. You don’t need pixel-perfect control over placement. You just need a solid search form that works. Most real estate agencies fall into this category. They want a clean search in the header and that’s it.
The Quick Decision Guide
Use the Search Form Builder if:
- You’re building pages with Elementor
- You need the search form in a custom position (not just the header)
- You want full visual control over design and layout
- You’re creating landing pages or unique homepage designs
Use the Theme Advanced Search if:
- You want site-wide search settings managed from one place
- You’re using the theme’s default page layouts
- You need the search in the header/hero area
- You don’t want to mess with Elementor for search functionality
Can you use both on the same site? Yes. Some people use the theme advanced search on their main listings pages and the Search Form Builder on custom landing pages. They don’t conflict. They just don’t share settings.
Bottom Line
If you’re an Elementor user who likes to control every pixel, go with the Search Form Builder. If you want a reliable, set-it-once search that shows up in your headers across the site, go with the Theme Advanced Search.
Don’t overthink it. I’ve watched people spend days agonizing over this when the answer is usually obvious: if you’re already building with Elementor, use the widget. If you’re not, use the theme search. Done.
Pick the one that matches how you build pages, set it up, and move on to what actually matters: getting listings in front of buyers.
If this helped clear things up, share it with someone who’s still confused about which search to use. And if you’re stuck on something specific, drop a comment. I read all of them.
