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The dtSearch Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about dtSearch in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.

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ToolGPANovember 2026

dtSearch

The Insider’s Guide

Windows full-text search for terabytes of documents and email

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among desktop utilities, read from dtSearch’s own pages.

Made by dtSearch Corp. · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com

1.8GPA

Contents

  1. 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
  2. 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
  3. 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
  4. 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
  5. 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
  6. 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
  7. 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

ToolGPA put this guide together from dtSearch’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on dtSearch’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.

Part 01 · Overview

Welcome

What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first

1.8

GPA, above 1 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade

dtSearch is a text-retrieval product that indexes folders, email with attachments and databases and searches them with more than 25 search options. The Desktop edition is for one person on Windows; Network, Web, Engine and Publish editions serve organizations and developers.

To get you started, here are 9 things to know about dtSearch, taken from its own pages and our grades.

You choose folders to index, and the search syntax has a learning curve.
From our grade for ease of use
  1. 1

    Best for searching terabytes of documents and email on Windows

    dtSearch indexes folders, email with attachments and databases and offers more than 25 search options, with a Desktop edition for one person on Windows.

  2. 2

    What it costs

    Paid plans start at $249 single user.

  3. 3

    You can try it first

    30-day evaluation of dtSearch Desktop/Network.

  4. 4

    It runs on Windows

    Windows.

  5. 5

    Terabyte indexer

    A single index can span over a terabyte of text across folders, email and online data.

  6. 6

    25+ search options

    Includes phrase, boolean, fuzzy and other search types, plus forensics-oriented options.

  7. 7

    Many data types

    Reads PDF, Microsoft Office, OpenOffice, email with nested attachments and more through its own document filters.

  8. 8

    A 1.8 GPA, above 1 of 186

    That is against the other desktop utilities we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.

  9. 9

    Your call

    It depends on the utility: a converter or a calculator is an afternoon.

dtSearch at a glance

Pricing
Free trial, from $249 single user
Free plan
No
Free trial
30-day evaluation of dtSearch Desktop/Network.
Runs on
Windows
Made by
dtSearch Corp.
Category
Desktop Utilities
Our grade
1.8 GPA, weak

The report card

Best for searching terabytes of documents and email on Windows

dtSearch indexes folders, email with attachments and databases and offers more than 25 search options, with a Desktop edition for one person on Windows. It costs $249 for a single user, and renewal costs are not on the page.

ToolGPA report carddtSearchGraded Nov 13, 2026
SubjectGradeComment
Value for moneyD$249 for a single user, with a minimum of one year of support and updates. That is several times this category's one-time middle of $19.99, and renewal is not stated.
Free plan and trialCA 30-day evaluation of Desktop and Network. The listing does not say whether it needs a card.
FeaturesBA terabyte indexer, 25+ search options, many data types, a spider and network and developer editions. The listing names no gap in the core job.
Ease of useCNo store rating is on record. You choose folders to index, and the search syntax has a learning curve.
Platforms and integrationsDDesktop and Network editions need Windows. Nothing for Mac or phones.
Grade point averageWeak, out of 4.01.8

An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.

Who dtSearch is for

  • Fits if you search very large piles of documents and email on Windows
  • Works for legal and records teams, which the forensics edition targets

Who it is not for

  • Pricey if you are one person: $249, and the forensics license is $1,225 a year
  • Not for you if you use a Mac, as Desktop and Network need Windows
  • Skip it if you want a known renewal cost, because the page does not say what it is
  • Watch out: all prices are marked subject to change, with a currency selector on the store page

Good to know

Good for

  • Lawyers and investigators searching large document sets
  • Organizations that need a shared search index on a network
  • Developers who want to embed a search engine

Worth knowing

  • The Desktop and Network editions require Windows.
  • Support and updates are included for a minimum of one year; the page does not say what renewal costs.
  • The forensics license is priced per year and is much higher than the single-user license.
  • All prices are marked as subject to change, with a currency selector on the store page.

Part 02 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

$249

To start

dtSearch is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $249 single user.

The listing does not say whether it needs a card.
From our grade for free plan and trial

  • Desktop, single user

    $249

    per license; includes support and updates for a minimum of one year

    One person may use it on up to two computers.

  • Desktop, annual investigative

    $1,225

    per year, for one individual

    For forensics and e-discovery use; can be moved between machines and includes a personal-use single-user license.

  • Network, multi-user

    $200

    per seat, for 5 to 24 seats

    Price per seat falls with volume, to $175 for 25 to 99 seats and lower beyond that.

Trying it first

30-day evaluation of dtSearch Desktop/Network.

Read from dtsearch.com on Nov 13, 2026.

Part 03 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

1

Place it runs: Windows

Windows full-text search for terabytes of documents and email. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, file management.

The listing names no gap in the core job.
From our grade for features
Terabyte indexer
A single index can span over a terabyte of text across folders, email and online data.
25+ search options
Includes phrase, boolean, fuzzy and other search types, plus forensics-oriented options.
Many data types
Reads PDF, Microsoft Office, OpenOffice, email with nested attachments and more through its own document filters.
Spider
The built-in Spider can add local and remote web content to a search.
Network edition
Lets many users search an organization's shared indexes at once.
Developer products
An Engine SDK for Windows, Linux and macOS and a Web edition are sold separately.

Where it runs

  • Windows

What it works with

  • Microsoft Office
  • SharePoint
  • Azure
  • AWS

dtSearch is made by dtSearch Corp.

Part 04 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

1/186

Other desktop utilities it is graded above

dtSearch's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 1 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 2.

It stands best on features (B, above 113 of 186) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 187 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. dtSearch’s own letter is outlined.

  • DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 186
  • CFree plan and trialAbove 8 of 186
  • BFeaturesAbove 113 of 186
  • CEase of useAbove 5 of 186
  • DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 186

Keep it, or make your own?

Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.

Your call

It depends on the utility: a converter or a calculator is an afternoon.

dtSearch sits between: not beyond making, and not a weekend's work either. What you would give up is listed below. Whether that is worth the price is your call.

What you could not

  • A file manager working directly on your disk.
  • A real app for Windows. Something home-made would be a web page.
  • The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.

What this rests on. dtSearch’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.

Part 05 · Alternatives

The alternatives

The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side

X1 Search, Copernic Desktop Search, Lookeen and Everything

The 4 tools dtSearch is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

Part 06 · Questions

Quick answers

The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two

11

Questions, each answered in a line or two

The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.

Is dtSearch free?

No, dtSearch is a paid product, but you can try it first. 30-day evaluation of dtSearch Desktop/Network.

How much does dtSearch cost?

dtSearch lists 3 plans. Desktop, single user: $249 per license; includes support and updates for a minimum of one year.

What platforms does dtSearch work on?

dtSearch is available on Windows.

Does dtSearch have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. dtSearch is listed for Windows.

Does dtSearch have an iPhone app?

No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. dtSearch is listed for Windows.

Is dtSearch open source?

dtSearch is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.

What does dtSearch integrate with?

dtSearch's listing names Microsoft Office, SharePoint, Azure and AWS. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.

Who makes dtSearch?

dtSearch is made by dtSearch Corp.

What are the alternatives to dtSearch?

The closest alternatives to dtSearch in our directory are X1 Search, Copernic Desktop Search, Lookeen and Everything.

How does dtSearch compare with other desktop utilities?

dtSearch's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 1 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 2.

Could I make my own version of dtSearch?

It depends on the utility: a converter or a calculator is an afternoon. dtSearch sits between: not beyond making, and not a weekend's work either.

Where this guide comes from

The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from dtSearch’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from dtSearch Corp.'s own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.

Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by dtSearch Corp. Prices change, so check dtsearch.com before you buy.

Part 07 · About

About ToolGPA

Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

7,721

Tools graded, in 95 categories

ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.

Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.

  • 7,721

    tools graded

  • 95

    categories

  • 739

    price changes on record

  • 579

    apps priced in 12 countries

What else is on toolgpa.com

Scan for the live page

Prices and grades as they are today

Quoting this guide?

Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:

ToolGPA, "dtSearch: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/dtsearch

Know someone choosing between desktop utilities?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/dtsearch/guide

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See our other guides

The best-graded desktop utilities after dtSearch, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

ToolGPA

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Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›

Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what dtSearch’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. dtSearch is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by dtSearch Corp. Prices and plans change: check dtsearch.com before you buy.