Replacing Crocoblock and Jet with custom WooCommerce filtering

Part of the measured guide: WordPress speed optimisation — what actually moved the numbers.

You can replace Crocoblock’s JetSmartFilters and JetSearch with a few hundred lines of custom code, and on a large catalogue it is usually faster, lighter and more reliable. Here is why we did it on a recent 1,500-product WooCommerce build, and what the custom version gained.

Why replace Jet filtering at all?

JetSmartFilters and JetSearch are capable plugins, but they are general-purpose: built to filter almost anything, so they load a lot to do it, and they tie your product filtering to the Crocoblock ecosystem and its update cycle. On a shop where filtering is core to how people buy, that weight and that dependency sit on every category page.

What custom filtering replaced

On a recent build, filtering had run on JetSearch and JetSmartFilters. We replaced both with filtering written into the theme: subcategory pills with live counts, attribute dropdowns for metal, stone and the rest, active-filter chips, and a clear-all. It updates the product grid over AJAX without reloading the page, and it writes shareable URLs so a filtered view can be linked or bookmarked. No Jet plugins, no Crocoblock dependency.

Is custom filtering better than a plugin?

For a serious catalogue, usually yes, on the things that matter. It loads only what the filter needs, it has no plugin framework behind it, and it cannot break when Crocoblock pushes an update. The trade is that it is bespoke code someone has to maintain, so it suits a site a developer looks after rather than one an owner tweaks alone. That choice, who maintains the site, is the one we work through in page builders vs custom themes.

Does filtering over AJAX hurt SEO?

Not if you build it properly. The filtered views use real, shareable URLs through query parameters, and the unfiltered category pages stay fully crawlable, so Google still sees your whole catalogue. The AJAX is an enhancement layered on top of real pages, not a replacement for them.

FAQ

Can you replace Crocoblock with custom code?

Yes. On a recent build, a few hundred lines of theme code replaced JetSearch and JetSmartFilters entirely, including category pills, attribute filters and search.

Is custom WooCommerce filtering faster than a plugin?

Generally, because it loads only what it needs and carries no plugin framework. On a large catalogue, where filtering runs on every category page, that difference is felt.

Will custom filtering break my SEO?

Not if filtered views use real URLs and your category pages stay crawlable. Build it as an enhancement on top of real pages and Google still indexes the catalogue.

Need filtering like this on your own catalogue? It’s part of the ecommerce work I build every month.