Integrating FacetWP with Pods allows you to build powerful, AJAX-based filtering for your custom content. However, because Pods handles data differently than standard WordPress meta in some configurations, there are specific technical requirements you should know.
This is EXACTLY the same product as distributed by the developer. Sales Page
Core Versions: FacetWP v4.0+ requires PHP 7.0+ and WordPress 5.0+.
Integration Add-on: While FacetWP used to have a dedicated “Pods Integration” add-on, it was retired on May 1, 2023.
Note: You can still use Pods with FacetWP, but the “bridge” is now largely built-in or handled via standard meta fields.
Storage Type: FacetWP only supports Meta-based Pods.
Unsupported: “Table-based” pods (Advanced Content Types / ACTs) are not indexed by FacetWP because they exist in custom database tables rather than the standard wp_postmeta table.
FacetWP can index most standard Pods field types when they are stored as metadata:
Basic: Text, Website, Phone, Email, Number, Currency.
Choices: Dropdown, Multi-select, Checkboxes, Radio Buttons.
Date/Time: Date, Time, and Date/Time fields.
Relationships: Relationship fields (including Bi-directional) are supported.
Pro Tip: In the FacetWP “Data Source” dropdown, look for the “Pods” heading to select these fields directly for the most reliable results.
To ensure your Pods content shows up in filters, check these settings within the Pods Admin:
Exclude from Search: This must remain unchecked. FacetWP (by default) only indexes post types that are searchable.
Enable Archive Page: Enable this if you want to use the facet on a standard WordPress archive template.
REST API: It is generally recommended to enable “Show in REST API” for better compatibility with modern block-based builders using FacetWP.
Term Custom Fields: Pods allows you to add custom fields to Taxonomy Terms. FacetWP cannot index these directly. You will typically need a small PHP snippet (facetwp_index_row hook) to pull that term meta into the index.
Manual Re-indexing: If you change a relationship in Pods, FacetWP might not “see” the change until the post is saved or a manual re-index is triggered in Settings > FacetWP.
Create Facet: Go to Settings > FacetWP > Facets.
Select Source: In the Data Source dropdown, scroll past “Custom Fields” until you see the Pods section.
Display: Use the FacetWP Listing Builder or a shortcode like [facetwp facet="your_facet_name"] on your Pods archive page.
