diff --git a/.changeset/orange-dancers-occur.md b/.changeset/orange-dancers-occur.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0283ffb634
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/orange-dancers-occur.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/create-app': minor
+---
+
+Add search plugin to default template for CLI created apps
diff --git a/packages/create-app/package.json b/packages/create-app/package.json
index 64f7e83ae4..52691fc2ee 100644
--- a/packages/create-app/package.json
+++ b/packages/create-app/package.json
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
     "@backstage/plugin-register-component": "^0.2.5",
     "@backstage/plugin-rollbar-backend": "^0.1.5",
     "@backstage/plugin-scaffolder": "^0.3.4",
+    "@backstage/plugin-search": "^0.2.4",
     "@backstage/plugin-scaffolder-backend": "^0.3.5",
     "@backstage/plugin-tech-radar": "^0.3.1",
     "@backstage/plugin-techdocs": "^0.5.0",
diff --git a/packages/create-app/src/lib/versions.ts b/packages/create-app/src/lib/versions.ts
index 84f015509c..df8b9c01ea 100644
--- a/packages/create-app/src/lib/versions.ts
+++ b/packages/create-app/src/lib/versions.ts
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ import { version as pluginRegisterComponent } from '@backstage/plugin-register-c
 import { version as pluginRollbarBackend } from '@backstage/plugin-rollbar-backend/package.json';
 import { version as pluginScaffolder } from '@backstage/plugin-scaffolder/package.json';
 import { version as pluginScaffolderBackend } from '@backstage/plugin-scaffolder-backend/package.json';
+import { version as pluginSearch } from '@backstage/plugin-search/package.json';
 import { version as pluginTechRadar } from '@backstage/plugin-tech-radar/package.json';
 import { version as pluginTechdocs } from '@backstage/plugin-techdocs/package.json';
 import { version as pluginTechdocsBackend } from '@backstage/plugin-techdocs-backend/package.json';
@@ -75,6 +76,7 @@ export const packageVersions = {
   '@backstage/plugin-rollbar-backend': pluginRollbarBackend,
   '@backstage/plugin-scaffolder': pluginScaffolder,
   '@backstage/plugin-scaffolder-backend': pluginScaffolderBackend,
+  '@backstage/plugin-search': pluginSearch,
   '@backstage/plugin-tech-radar': pluginTechRadar,
   '@backstage/plugin-techdocs': pluginTechdocs,
   '@backstage/plugin-techdocs-backend': pluginTechdocsBackend,
diff --git a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/package.json.hbs b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/package.json.hbs
index f284f2da0f..1746f171c9 100644
--- a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/package.json.hbs
+++ b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/package.json.hbs
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
     "@backstage/plugin-tech-radar": "^{{version '@backstage/plugin-tech-radar'}}",
     "@backstage/plugin-github-actions": "^{{version '@backstage/plugin-github-actions'}}",
     "@backstage/plugin-user-settings": "^{{version '@backstage/plugin-user-settings'}}",
+    "@backstage/plugin-search": "^{{version '@backstage/plugin-search'}}",
     "@backstage/test-utils": "^{{version '@backstage/test-utils'}}",
     "@backstage/theme": "^{{version '@backstage/theme'}}",
     "history": "^5.0.0",
diff --git a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/App.tsx b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/App.tsx
index 4f5c4edea0..2e250a94a1 100644
--- a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/App.tsx
+++ b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/App.tsx
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import { Router as CatalogRouter } from '@backstage/plugin-catalog';
 import { Router as DocsRouter } from '@backstage/plugin-techdocs';
 import { Router as RegisterComponentRouter } from '@backstage/plugin-register-component';
 import { Router as TechRadarRouter } from '@backstage/plugin-tech-radar';
+import { SearchPage as SearchRouter } from '@backstage/plugin-search';
 
 import { EntityPage } from './components/catalog/EntityPage';
 
@@ -54,6 +55,10 @@ const App = () => (
             path="/register-component"
             element={<RegisterComponentRouter catalogRouteRef={catalogRouteRef} />}
           />
+          <Route
+            path="/search"
+            element={<SearchRouter/>}
+          />
           {deprecatedAppRoutes}
         </Routes>
       </SidebarPage>
diff --git a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/sidebar.tsx b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/sidebar.tsx
index db73e706b1..a5595e2c09 100644
--- a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/sidebar.tsx
+++ b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/sidebar.tsx
@@ -20,10 +20,12 @@ import {
   SidebarContext,
   SidebarSpace,
 } from '@backstage/core';
+import { SidebarSearch } from '@backstage/plugin-search';
 
 export const AppSidebar = () => (
   <Sidebar>
     <SidebarLogo />
+    <SidebarSearch />
     <SidebarDivider />
     {/* Global nav, not org-specific */}
     <SidebarItem icon={HomeIcon} to="./" text="Home" />