Introduction
When selecting a full-text search system, there are various options available. This page compares Fess with major search solutions, explaining the characteristics and appropriate use cases for each.
Note
This comparison is based on information as of January 2026. For the latest features and changes, please refer to each project’s official documentation.
Fess vs OpenSearch/elasticsearch Standalone
Overview
OpenSearch and elasticsearch are powerful search engines, but using them standalone requires additional development to create a complete “search system.” Fess uses OpenSearch/elasticsearch as its backend while providing a complete search system out of the box.
Comparison
| Feature | Fess | OpenSearch/elasticsearch Standalone |
|---|---|---|
| Search UI | ✅ Built-in | ❌ Requires development |
| Admin UI | ✅ Web-based admin panel | ❌ Requires development or separate tools |
| Crawler | ✅ Built-in (Web/File/DB) | ❌ Requires development or separate tools |
| Deployment time | Minutes (Docker) | Weeks to months (including development) |
| Customizability | Medium (JSP/CSS customization) | High (fully custom development possible) |
| Initial cost | Low | High (development costs) |
| Operational cost | Low to Medium | Medium to High |
| Scalability | High | High |
| Required skills | Basic IT knowledge | Programming & search engine expertise |
When to Choose Fess
When you need to build a search system quickly
When development resources are limited
When standard search features are sufficient
When web crawling and file search are the main use cases
When to Choose OpenSearch/elasticsearch Standalone
When you need a completely custom search experience
When integrating search into an existing application
When special search logic is required
When your team has search engine expertise
Tip
After deploying Fess, you can also build a custom search UI using the API. Consider starting with Fess and customizing as needed.
Fess vs Apache Solr
Overview
Apache Solr is a Lucene-based open source search platform. It offers high customizability, but requires more expertise for deployment and operation compared to Fess.
Comparison
| Feature | Fess | Apache Solr |
|---|---|---|
| Search UI | ✅ Built-in | ❌ Requires development |
| Admin UI | ✅ Intuitive Web UI | △ Technical Admin UI |
| Crawler | ✅ Built-in | ❌ Requires separate tool (Nutch, etc.) |
| Setup difficulty | Low | Medium to High |
| Documentation | ✅ Comprehensive | ✅ Comprehensive |
| Cloud support | ✅ Docker/Kubernetes | ✅ SolrCloud |
| Community | Japan-focused | Global |
When to Choose Fess
When Web/File crawling is the main use case
When GUI management is important
When ease of deployment is a priority
When to Choose Solr
When you already have Solr expertise
When SolrCloud distributed search is needed
When specific Solr plugins are required
Fess vs Google Site Search / Custom Search
Overview
Google Site Search (GSS) was discontinued in 2018. The successor, Google Custom Search (Programmable Search Engine), has limitations. Fess is an ideal migration target from GSS.
Comparison
| Feature | Fess | Google Custom Search |
|---|---|---|
| Ad display | ✅ None | ❌ Displayed (free tier) |
| Data location | ✅ Self-managed | ❌ Google servers |
| Index control | ✅ Full control | △ Limited |
| Customization | ✅ Freely customizable | △ Limited |
| Internal content search | ✅ Supported | ❌ Not supported |
| Monthly cost | Server costs only | Free (with ads) to paid |
| Search relevance tuning | ✅ Detailed tuning possible | △ Limited |
When to Choose Fess
When you don’t want to display ads
When internal content should be searchable
When you want control over search results
When you want to manage data yourself
Tip
With Fess Site Search (FSS), you can implement site search by simply embedding JavaScript, just like Google Site Search.
Fess vs Commercial Search Products
Overview
Compared to commercial products like Microsoft SharePoint Search, Autonomy, and Google Cloud Search.
Comparison
| Feature | Fess | Commercial Products (General) |
|---|---|---|
| License cost | ✅ Free (OSS) | ❌ Expensive |
| Vendor lock-in | ✅ None | ❌ Yes |
| Customization | ✅ Source code available | △ Limited |
| Feature richness | ○ Basic to intermediate | ✅ Advanced features |
| Support | △ Community + Commercial | ✅ Vendor support |
| AI/ML features | △ Basic suggest | ✅ Advanced AI features |
| Enterprise integration | ○ Major systems supported | ✅ Broad integration |
When to Choose Fess
When you want to minimize costs
When you want to avoid vendor lock-in
When basic search features are sufficient
When you want to leverage open source
When to Choose Commercial Products
When advanced AI/ML features are needed
When comprehensive vendor support is required
When integration with existing commercial ecosystems is needed
Note
The commercial version of Fess, N2 Search, provides additional enterprise features and support.
Selection Guidelines
Use the following flowchart to select the optimal solution:
Do you have sufficient development resources?
│
┌─────┴─────┐
│ │
Yes No
│ │
▼ ▼
Are requirements → Consider Fess
specialized?
│
├── Yes → OpenSearch/elasticsearch standalone
│ or commercial products
│
└── No → Is Fess sufficient?
│
├── Yes → Fess
│
└── No → Re-evaluate requirements
Summary
Fess is an optimal choice as a “ready-to-use search system” for many cases.
Fess Strengths:
Deploy in minutes
Build search system without development
Open source and free
Next Steps:
Try Fess with the Quick Start
Evaluate against your requirements
Consult Commercial Support if needed