diff --git a/src/components/node/NodePreviewCard.vue b/src/components/node/NodePreviewCard.vue
index 437803ab245..fed51f8e606 100644
--- a/src/components/node/NodePreviewCard.vue
+++ b/src/components/node/NodePreviewCard.vue
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@
       </p>
 
       <!-- Badges -->
-      <div class="flex flex-wrap gap-2 empty:hidden">
-        <NodePricingBadge :node-def="nodeDef" />
+      <div class="flex flex-wrap gap-2 empty:hidden overflow-hidden">
+        <NodePricingBadge class="max-w-full truncate" :node-def="nodeDef" />
         <NodeProviderBadge :node-def="nodeDef" />
       </div>
 
diff --git a/src/components/searchbox/v2/NodeSearchCategorySidebar.vue b/src/components/searchbox/v2/NodeSearchCategorySidebar.vue
index fad96faf613..aac33d660af 100644
--- a/src/components/searchbox/v2/NodeSearchCategorySidebar.vue
+++ b/src/components/searchbox/v2/NodeSearchCategorySidebar.vue
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <template>
-  <div class="flex min-h-0 flex-col overflow-y-auto py-2.5">
+  <div ref="sidebarRef" class="flex min-h-0 flex-col overflow-y-auto py-2.5">
     <!-- Preset categories -->
     <div class="flex flex-col px-1">
       <button
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
         :node="category"
         :selected-category="selectedCategory"
         :selected-collapsed="selectedCollapsed"
+        :show-chevrons="isHovered"
         @select="selectCategory"
       />
     </div>
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@
 </template>
 
 <script setup lang="ts">
+import { useElementHover } from '@vueuse/core'
 import { computed, ref } from 'vue'
 import { useI18n } from 'vue-i18n'
 
@@ -64,6 +66,9 @@ const selectedCategory = defineModel<string>('selectedCategory', {
   required: true
 })
 
+const sidebarRef = ref<HTMLElement>()
+const isHovered = useElementHover(sidebarRef)
+
 const { t } = useI18n()
 const { flags } = useFeatureFlags()
 const nodeDefStore = useNodeDefStore()
diff --git a/src/components/searchbox/v2/NodeSearchCategoryTreeNode.vue b/src/components/searchbox/v2/NodeSearchCategoryTreeNode.vue
index 7d23d57c320..4f6ecf8006c 100644
--- a/src/components/searchbox/v2/NodeSearchCategoryTreeNode.vue
+++ b/src/components/searchbox/v2/NodeSearchCategoryTreeNode.vue
@@ -1,32 +1,47 @@
 <template>
-  <button
-    type="button"
-    :data-testid="`category-${node.key}`"
-    :aria-current="selectedCategory === node.key || undefined"
-    :style="{ paddingLeft: `${0.75 + depth * 1.25}rem` }"
+  <div
     :class="
       cn(
-        'w-full cursor-pointer rounded border-none bg-transparent py-2.5 pr-3 text-left text-sm transition-colors',
-        selectedCategory === node.key
-          ? CATEGORY_SELECTED_CLASS
-          : CATEGORY_UNSELECTED_CLASS
+        isExpanded &&
+          hasChildren &&
+          'flex flex-col rounded-lg bg-secondary-background'
       )
     "
-    @click="$emit('select', node.key)"
   >
-    {{ node.label }}
-  </button>
-  <template v-if="isExpanded && node.children?.length">
-    <NodeSearchCategoryTreeNode
-      v-for="child in node.children"
-      :key="child.key"
-      :node="child"
-      :depth="depth + 1"
-      :selected-category="selectedCategory"
-      :selected-collapsed="selectedCollapsed"
-      @select="$emit('select', $event)"
-    />
-  </template>
+    <Button
+      type="button"
+      variant="muted-textonly"
+      size="unset"
+      :data-testid="`category-${node.key}`"
+      :aria-current="selectedCategory === node.key || undefined"
+      :class="categoryButtonClass"
+      :style="{ paddingLeft: paddingLeft }"
+      @click="$emit('select', node.key)"
+    >
+      <i
+        v-if="showChevrons && hasChildren"
+        :class="
+          cn(
+            'pi pi-chevron-down shrink-0 text-[10px] transition-transform',
+            !isExpanded && '-rotate-90'
+          )
+        "
+      />
+      {{ node.label }}
+    </Button>
+    <template v-if="isExpanded && hasChildren">
+      <NodeSearchCategoryTreeNode
+        v-for="child in node.children"
+        :key="child.key"
+        :node="child"
+        :depth="depth + 1"
+        :selected-category="selectedCategory"
+        :selected-collapsed="selectedCollapsed"
+        :show-chevrons="showChevrons"
+        @select="$emit('select', $event)"
+      />
+    </template>
+  </div>
 </template>
 
 <script lang="ts">
@@ -45,26 +60,43 @@ export const CATEGORY_UNSELECTED_CLASS =
 <script setup lang="ts">
 import { computed } from 'vue'
 
+import Button from '@/components/ui/button/Button.vue'
 import { cn } from '@/utils/tailwindUtil'
 
 const {
   node,
   depth = 0,
   selectedCategory,
-  selectedCollapsed = false
+  selectedCollapsed = false,
+  showChevrons = false
 } = defineProps<{
   node: CategoryNode
   depth?: number
   selectedCategory: string
   selectedCollapsed?: boolean
+  showChevrons?: boolean
 }>()
 
 defineEmits<{
   select: [key: string]
 }>()
 
+const hasChildren = computed(() => (node.children?.length ?? 0) > 0)
+
 const isExpanded = computed(() => {
   if (selectedCategory === node.key) return !selectedCollapsed
   return selectedCategory.startsWith(node.key + '/')
 })
+
+const paddingLeft = computed(() => {
+  if (hasChildren.value && showChevrons) return `${0.5 + depth * 1.25}rem`
+  return `${0.75 + depth * 1.25}rem`
+})
+
+const categoryButtonClass = computed(() =>
+  cn(
+    'w-full justify-start rounded py-3 pr-3 font-normal hover:text-foreground',
+    selectedCategory === node.key && CATEGORY_SELECTED_CLASS
+  )
+)
 </script>
diff --git a/src/components/searchbox/v2/NodeSearchContent.vue b/src/components/searchbox/v2/NodeSearchContent.vue
index 49bc9230dff..3d79570310b 100644
--- a/src/components/searchbox/v2/NodeSearchContent.vue
+++ b/src/components/searchbox/v2/NodeSearchContent.vue
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
       <NodeSearchFilterBar
         class="flex-1"
         :active-chip-key="activeFilter?.key"
+        :applied-filters="filters"
         @select-chip="onSelectFilterChip"
       />
     </div>
diff --git a/src/components/searchbox/v2/NodeSearchFilterBar.vue b/src/components/searchbox/v2/NodeSearchFilterBar.vue
index 21c995808ce..df1d82f767a 100644
--- a/src/components/searchbox/v2/NodeSearchFilterBar.vue
+++ b/src/components/searchbox/v2/NodeSearchFilterBar.vue
@@ -1,27 +1,28 @@
 <template>
   <div class="flex items-center gap-2 px-2 py-1.5">
-    <button
+    <Button
       v-for="chip in chips"
       :key="chip.key"
       type="button"
+      :variant="chipVariant(chip.key)"
+      size="unset"
       :aria-pressed="activeChipKey === chip.key"
-      :class="
-        cn(
-          'cursor-pointer rounded-md border px-3 py-1 text-sm transition-colors flex-auto border-secondary-background',
-          activeChipKey === chip.key
-            ? 'bg-secondary-background text-foreground'
-            : 'bg-transparent text-muted-foreground hover:border-base-foreground/60 hover:text-base-foreground/60'
-        )
-      "
+      :class="chipExtraClass(chip.key)"
       @click="emit('selectChip', chip)"
     >
       {{ chip.label }}
-    </button>
+      <span
+        v-if="appliedFilterCounts[chip.key]"
+        class="ml-0.5 text-xs opacity-80"
+      >
+        ({{ appliedFilterCounts[chip.key] }})
+      </span>
+    </Button>
   </div>
 </template>
 
 <script lang="ts">
-import type { FuseFilter } from '@/utils/fuseUtil'
+import type { FuseFilter, FuseFilterWithValue } from '@/utils/fuseUtil'
 import type { ComfyNodeDefImpl } from '@/stores/nodeDefStore'
 
 export interface FilterChip {
@@ -35,11 +36,14 @@ export interface FilterChip {
 import { computed } from 'vue'
 import { useI18n } from 'vue-i18n'
 
+import Button from '@/components/ui/button/Button.vue'
+import type { ButtonVariants } from '@/components/ui/button/button.variants'
 import { useNodeDefStore } from '@/stores/nodeDefStore'
 import { cn } from '@/utils/tailwindUtil'
 
-const { activeChipKey = null } = defineProps<{
+const { activeChipKey = null, appliedFilters = [] } = defineProps<{
   activeChipKey?: string | null
+  appliedFilters?: FuseFilterWithValue<ComfyNodeDefImpl, string>[]
 }>()
 
 const emit = defineEmits<{
@@ -69,4 +73,29 @@ const chips = computed<FilterChip[]>(() => {
     }
   ]
 })
+
+const appliedFilterCounts = computed(() => {
+  const counts: Record<string, number> = {}
+  for (const filter of appliedFilters) {
+    counts[filter.filterDef.id] = (counts[filter.filterDef.id] ?? 0) + 1
+  }
+  return counts
+})
+
+function chipVariant(chipKey: string): ButtonVariants['variant'] {
+  return activeChipKey === chipKey ? 'inverted' : 'outline'
+}
+
+function chipExtraClass(chipKey: string) {
+  const isActive = activeChipKey === chipKey
+  const hasApplied = (appliedFilterCounts.value[chipKey] ?? 0) > 0
+
+  return cn(
+    'flex-auto px-3 py-1',
+    isActive && 'border border-solid border-base-foreground',
+    !isActive &&
+      hasApplied &&
+      'bg-base-foreground/10 border-base-foreground text-base-foreground'
+  )
+}
 </script>
diff --git a/src/components/ui/button/button.variants.ts b/src/components/ui/button/button.variants.ts
index faf9a4444b9..fce6fc9bab1 100644
--- a/src/components/ui/button/button.variants.ts
+++ b/src/components/ui/button/button.variants.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ export const buttonVariants = cva({
         'text-muted-foreground bg-transparent hover:bg-secondary-background-hover',
       'destructive-textonly':
         'text-destructive-background bg-transparent hover:bg-destructive-background/10',
-      'overlay-white': 'bg-white text-gray-600 hover:bg-white/90'
+      'overlay-white': 'bg-white text-gray-600 hover:bg-white/90',
+      outline:
+        'border border-solid border-muted-foreground bg-transparent text-muted-foreground hover:border-base-foreground/60 hover:text-base-foreground/60'
     },
     size: {
       sm: 'h-6 rounded-sm px-2 py-1 text-xs',
@@ -47,7 +49,8 @@ const variants = [
   'textonly',
   'muted-textonly',
   'destructive-textonly',
-  'overlay-white'
+  'overlay-white',
+  'outline'
 ] as const satisfies Array<ButtonVariants['variant']>
 const sizes = ['sm', 'md', 'lg', 'icon', 'icon-sm'] as const satisfies Array<
   ButtonVariants['size']