ChatGPT said:
Here’s a refined overview of WooCommerce Better Compare v1.6.4:
🧪 What It Is
A premium WooCommerce plugin (developed by weLaunch / CodeCanyon) that allows customers to compare multiple products side-by-side. It dynamically loads comparisions via an AJAX-powered floating bar and customizable comparison table. You decide which data (attributes, price, dimensions, reviews, custom meta, taxonomy, etc.) is included. Themeco+11welaunch.io+11Empire GPL+11
📅 Version 1.6.4 Highlights
- Released June 21, 2023
- Improved AJAX-loaded comparison functionality and support for filtering data to highlight key differences WeaDown
🎯 Core Features
- Compare Any Data: Choose which product fields—attributes, price, custom meta, taxonomy—to include in comparison tables welaunch.io+1WeaDown+1
- AJAX Compare Bar: Sticky bar preserves selections across pages & categories Theme Canal+4welaunch.io+4WeaDown+4
- Customizable Compare Table: Sort columns, highlight differences, hide similarities; fully styled with 50+ design options Empire GPL+2welaunch.io+2WeaDown+2
- Shortcode Support: Insert comparison tables anywhere—custom pages, blog posts—for SEO value welaunch.io+1WeaDown+1
- “Compare Similar Products”: Automatically show comparable items on single product pages from the same category WeaDown+2welaunch.io+2Empire GPL+2
- Custom Meta & Taxonomy Support: Compare custom fields and taxonomy terms, alongside attribute groups via integration WordPress.org+7welaunch.io+7BeRocket+7
👍 Pros & ⚠️ Cons
✅ Pros
- Highly flexible: you control exactly what is compared and how it displays
- Smooth user experience via AJAX sticky bar
- SEO-friendly by embedding comparison tables on pages
- Supports custom fields and taxonomy—great for complex product setups
⚠️ Cons
- Premium plugin (approx. $79), with dependency on updates and support
- Heavy reliance on AJAX and styling options: may require performance tuning
- Not free—though alternatives exist in WordPress.org for basic comparison features
🆚 Alternatives Worth Considering
- Products Compare for WooCommerce (BeRocket): free, widget/toolbar/popup support, popup compare table and URL-based comparison; compatible with many Woo extensions Theme Canal+7WordPress.org+7WordPress.org བོད་ཡིག+7Empire GPL+6welaunch.io+6Theme Canal+6
- YITH Compare: classic WooCommerce plugin with a popup compare table, shortcodes, and widget support
- Custom-coded solution: ideal for stores needing very specific comparison logic or integration
🛠️ Setup Tips
- Install & activate the plugin.
- In settings, select product data to display (attributes, price, custom fields).
- Style the compare bar and table to match your theme.
- Use shortcode
[better_compare]to create static compare pages (great for SEO). - Test frontend: ensure bar persists across pages, tables render correctly, and custom fields work.
- Add caching or script minification to maintain performance.
✅ Final Summary
WooCommerce Better Compare v1.6.4 offers a powerful, user-friendly product comparison experience—allowing flexible selection of product data, beautiful AJAX UI, and SEO-optimized tables. If you need rich compare functionality and are comfortable investing in a premium plugin, this is a top choice. For simpler needs or free use, the BeRocket plugin is a solid alternative.
Would you like help with installation, styling the UI, setting up compare pages, or testing performance? Just let me know! 😊
