Top WordPress Directory Plugins for 2024
Are you looking to build a business directory website? Here are the best WordPress directory plugins to get you started quickly.
A directory website aggregates the names, addresses, contact details, and other information of similar individuals or organizations into one location. Examples include real estate listings, blood banks, restaurants, etc. Online directories simplify the process of locating listed services. If you’re using WordPress, you’ll be pleased with the many directory themes and plugins available for building your site. WordPress directory plugins can add a fully-featured directory to your website.
Directory websites are a lucrative venture with multiple revenue-generating opportunities. You can sell ads and listings, charge visitors for access, or set up a booking site. Featured listings, sticky listings, ad space sales, private listings, membership fees, and product promotions are ways to monetize a directory website.
What to Look for in a Directory Plugin
When selecting a WordPress directory plugin, it’s crucial to match its features with your website’s goals and the type of listings you plan to showcase. Here’s a guide to the essential attributes to consider:
- Determine the Purpose: Define your website’s goal. For profit-oriented sites, choose plugins that support paid listings and integrate with payment gateways, offering subscription-based models.
- Map Integration: Choose a plugin with map integration if your directory includes multiple locations. This feature enhances user experience by helping visitors find locations easily.
- Robust Categorization: Opt for a plugin with efficient categorization features to streamline the search process. Easy navigation by business type, location, or service is key.
- Media Support: Visual content is vital. Select plugins that support images and videos to provide a richer user experience.
- Front-end Submission System: Allow users to add listings from the front end to boost engagement and contributions to your directory.
- Flexibility with Form Fields: Customize form fields to fit the unique details of your directory, ensuring it meets your niche’s requirements.
- Monetization Options: For monetization, look for plugins with integrated payment support. Consider those that offer multiple payment gateways and flexible pricing models, such as one-time payments or recurring subscriptions.
Best Free WordPress Directory Listing Plugins
The free directory plugins listed here can help you effectively set up a directory on your website and manage listings. Some plugins are straightforward to set up, while others may require some configuration to fully customize them.
Best Premium WordPress Directory Listing Plugins
If you’re looking for advanced features and enhanced support, premium directory plugins offer more extensive functionalities. Here are some top premium options to consider for purchasing:
1. uListing
Best Designed WordPress Directory Plugin
Looking to save money, time, and energy while creating a business directory or classified ads? uListing is a powerful WordPress directory plugin that makes it easy to set up a comprehensive directory on your WordPress website. Whether you use a free or premium WordPress theme, uListing integrates seamlessly. Its straightforward installation and setup make it ideal for both beginners and experienced users.
With uListing, you gain full customization capabilities. The drag-and-drop builder allows you to create and manage your inventory grids and lists without needing to code. Additional features include advanced sorting options, support for PayPal and Stripe payments, an adjustable quick-search function, and front-end listing submissions. Make a significant impact on your directory website by choosing uListing today.
uListing Plugin Features:
- Category and Sorting Management: Efficiently manage and categorize listings for improved navigation and user experience.
- Search and Filtering Options: Advanced search capabilities and filtering options to help users find relevant listings quickly.
- Payment Options: Accept payments through various gateways like PayPal and Stripe.
- Featured Listing Management: Highlight specific listings for enhanced visibility and monetization opportunities.
- Front-end Submission: Allow users to submit their listings directly from the front end to boost engagement and content generation.
- Fully Customizable Form Fields: Tailor input fields to meet the specific needs of your directory.
- Drag & Drop Builder: Design listing layouts using an intuitive drag-and-drop interface for flexibility in display.
Active Installations: 3,000+
Price: Basic setup is free. The most affordable Pro version for a single site is $54.99, which includes features for business directories, coupons, job boards, and more.
2. Business Directory Plugin
Easiest Plugin to Incorporate a Directory Within Your Existing Website
Looking to enhance your WordPress site with a comprehensive directory? The Business Directory Plugin is a robust option for creating and managing local listings, directory listings, and business provider directories. This plugin simplifies the process of organizing content and making it searchable by users.
Available for both free and paid listings, the Business Directory Plugin supports payments via Stripe and PayFast Gateway, including recurring payments. You can offer multiple fee plans, feature listings for increased visibility, and utilize widgets for featured, latest, random, and search listings. Customizable form fields and reCAPTCHA support are included to reduce spam registrations.
Features include CSV import/export functionality, image uploads, category sorting, and editing capabilities without WP dashboard access for listing owners. The plugin supports quick and advanced search options and is fully responsive and SEO-friendly. It integrates with WPML for multilingual support and popular navigation plugins for ease of use.
Paid add-ons extend functionality with ratings, location-based filtering, zip code radius searches, attachment management, PDF uploads, additional payment gateways, and discount codes.
Main Business Directory Plugin Features
- Monetization Options: Accept payments via Authorize.net, PayPal, or Stripe.
- WPML Support: Create multilingual directories with ease.
- SEO Friendly: Integrates with Yoast SEO and Rank Math for better search engine optimization.
- Location Filtering: Users can filter business listings by location.
- Ratings and Reviews: Enable ratings and reviews with proper schema markup.
- Customizable Form Fields: Fully tailor form fields for listing submissions.
- Image Uploads: Upload images for each listing.
- CSV Functionality: Import and export listings via CSV format.
Active Installations: 10,000+
Price: Free for basic directories. The Pro version starts at $49.50 per year, offering payment support, unlimited listings, file uploads, reviews, and ratings.
3. HivePress
WordPress Directory Plugin with Amazing Ready-Made Themes
HivePress is a versatile WordPress directory plugin perfect for creating marketplaces and classifieds websites. It caters to various industries and niches, making it highly adaptable to your business needs.
With HivePress, customization is effortless. You can choose from dedicated free and premium themes or integrate the plugin into your existing theme. This flexibility allows you to tailor HivePress precisely to your needs.
HivePress offers a range of free and premium extensions, or you can opt for a one-time payment to access all extensions at once—an excellent way to save money.
Ideal for quickly building directories and marketplaces, HivePress provides comprehensive features to support your site’s growth.
Main HivePress Features
- User Registration and Login
- Frontend Listing Submission
- Listing Search and Filter
- User Profiles and Account Settings
- Rating and Review System
- Private Messages
- Favorites and Views Count
- Location-Based Listings
- Listing Categories and Attributes
- Responsive Design
- Integration with WooCommerce
- SEO Friendly
- Customizable and Developer-Friendly
Active Installations: 10,000+
Price: HivePress is a free plugin with many premium extensions and themes available. Extensions start at $39, and themes are priced at $89.
4. GeoDirectory
Best Plugin with Elementor, Gutenberg, and Other WordPress Page Builder Support
GeoDirectory is designed to set up location-based directory websites similar to Yelp, TripAdvisor, and YellowPages. The base plugin is free, but you can enhance its functionality with paid extensions. Note that an API key for Google Maps is required.
With robust features, GeoDirectory supports millions of listings and offers extensive customization options. It includes an intuitive frontend interface for user registration, login, and listing submissions, along with advanced search features based on proximity.
The plugin is responsive, supports multisite installations, and includes a review system, 15+ widgets, and 12+ widget areas. CSV import/export functionality makes managing listings easy. Paid extensions help monetize your site, manage event-based listings, create multi-location directories, and more.
Active Installations: 10,000+
Price: Free with limited functionality. Paid addons start at $19, with bulk packages up to $199 for comprehensive features.
5. Connections Business Directory
Highly Compatible Directory Plugin Optimized for Popular WordPress Themes
Connections Business Directory is a versatile WordPress directory plugin ideal for creating both simple and advanced directory websites, including address books, employee directories, and business directories. The plugin’s base features are robust, but its true power lies in its extensive range of paid extensions.
Highly configurable, Connections Business Directory allows you to create almost any type of directory. It supports CSV import/export, translation into 20+ languages, and offers customizable fields for different types of entries, such as individual, organization, and family. Privacy settings enable control over which fields are visible to users.
Adding a directory to your WordPress site is straightforward with Connections. Use a simple shortcode to display your directory on the frontend, customize it with responsive logos and images, and choose from pre-built templates or customize using shortcode options.
Connections Business Directory is SEO-friendly and integrates seamlessly with most standard WordPress themes. It offers numerous free and paid add-ons to extend its functionality and is developer-friendly with over 180 filter hooks and 300 filters.
Key Features of Connections Business Directory
- Supports CSV Import/Export
- Customizable Fields for Entries
- Privacy Settings for Custom Fields
- Responsive Design with Customizable Templates
- SEO Friendly and Theme Compatible
- Extensive Free and Paid Add-Ons Available
- Developer-Friendly with Multiple Filters
Active Installations: 10,000+
Price: Free base plugin. Paid extensions start at $29.99 for a single website, with premium templates available for $59.99.
6. Advanced Classifieds & Directory Pro
Versatile Plugin for Comprehensive Directories and Classifieds
The Advanced Classifieds & Directory Pro (ACADP) plugin is ideal for creating diverse types of directory websites, including car listings, real estate, travel, restaurants, reviews, and yellow pages. It offers flexible organization across categories and subcategories with customizable fields.
ACADP includes features like location settings, a search widget, customizable layouts, various revenue options, and email notifications. Start your directory website easily by downloading and activating ACADP, and explore its powerful features for organizing and monetizing your listings.
Key Features of Advanced Classifieds & Directory Pro
- Flexible Directory and Classifieds Organization
- Customizable Fields and Layouts
- Location and Region Settings
- Search Widget and Revenue Options
- Payment Methods and Email Notifications
- Easy Setup and Activation
Active Installations: 4,000+
Price: Free base plugin. Premium features such as payment gateways, paid listings, WooCommerce integration, and CSV import/export are available for $95.88/year.
7. Directorist
Exclusive Directory Plugin with Premium Themes Available for Purchase
Directorist is a versatile WordPress directory plugin designed for various business needs. It offers numerous features that make setting up a directory platform straightforward and efficient. With regular updates, Directorist ensures your platform remains modern and functional.
Unique features of Directorist include featured listings, monetization options, an attractive design, email notifications, a responsive layout, and unlimited custom fields. Whether you are a beginner or a professional, Directorist simplifies the process of building and managing your directory website.
Active Installations: 10,000+
Price: The base plugin is free on the WordPress repository. Premium extensions and themes can be purchased for $99/year, which includes access to all extensions and themes. This package offers features such as paid listings, payment gateways, and more.
8. Name Directory
Ideal Plugin for Creating Glossary-Type Pages on Your Website
Name Directory is a user-friendly WordPress directory plugin perfect for building glossaries or index pages with search functionality. After installation, the plugin integrates seamlessly into your WordPress sidebar, offering easy access to its features.
The Name Directory plugin allows you to create multiple directories or glossaries, customize layouts, enable search functions, and choose various display options. It also supports translations and letter-based sorting, making it a top choice for glossary-style directories.
Active Installations: 10,000+
Price: Completely free and open-source, offering essential directory features without any cost.
Premium Directory WordPress Plugins
While there are numerous free directory plugins available, premium plugins offer additional features, greater support, and enhanced functionality. Explore some top-selling premium directory plugins to find the best fit for your needs.
9. Sabai Directory Plugin
The Most Popular Premium Directory Plugin for WordPress
Sabai Directory is a comprehensive and feature-rich premium business directory plugin that helps create various stunning directories on WordPress. It offers versatile display options, including beautiful list, grid, and map views, enabling users to switch seamlessly between list and map modes for a more interactive experience.
The plugin comes with a user-friendly dashboard for managing listings and bookmarks, allowing users to save and organize reviews, listings, and photos. Sabai Directory includes advanced search capabilities, letting users filter listings by keywords, category, distance, and location. One of its most appealing features is its community-driven approach, allowing the creation of local directories similar to Google+ Places, Yelp, and Yahoo! Local.
With support for multiple locations, users can upload photos for each listing and provide directions using integrated maps. The plugin supports featured listings, custom single page listings, and pricing tables, making it ideal for monetization. Additional features include a contact form and 27 customizable email notifications for interacting with listing owners. The plugin is compatible with RTL languages, CSV import and export, and integrates with BuddyPress user profiles and activities.
Main Sabai Directory Features
- Interactive Listing Search
- Responsive and Flat Design
- Interactive Filters
- Multi-criteria Rating and Rating Charts
- User Generated Content
- Custom Fields
- Custom Map Styles and Interactive Maps
- Paid Listings
- Voting and Review System
- Listing Bookmarking Functionality
- Pricing Tables
- WooCommerce Integration
With its Visual Form Builder, you can add custom fields and filter results efficiently. The plugin includes a fully interactive map feature, displaying details on hover, and supports embedding into any page using a shortcode. Users can choose from 16 different Google Map types and customize marker icons for maps. Sabai Directory also supports multiple payment gateways and currencies, facilitating a smooth purchasing process.
Active Installations: 9,200+
Price: $29
10. Directory Pro
Directory Pro helps you build responsive layouts for your directory while allowing you to make money by selling listings innovatively.
With Directory Pro, you can build stunning and responsive directory layouts, offering various subscription options for users. Users can choose from daily, weekly, monthly, or annual subscriptions, or opt for one-time payments. The plugin allows you to offer free or paid trials and customize user roles according to different packages. Subscriptions can include services like adding a listing, accessing the site, making reservations, or purchasing a VIP badge.
Directory Pro supports custom post types and is SEO-friendly, fully responsive, and WPML compatible. It integrates seamlessly with WPBakery Page Builder and MailChimp. Users can easily add or edit listings from their ‘My Account’ page and make payments through PayPal or Stripe. Additionally, they can contact listing owners through a messaging feature. The listing details page can be placed on a touch slider for easy viewing on mobile devices.
For new listings, you can add badges and specify the display duration. The plugin also includes seven pricing tables, two signup styles, coupons for signup, 11 email templates, and numerous other features and settings to customize your directory.
Active Installations: 1,800+
Price: $39
11. GravityView
The Best Tool if You Are Already Using the GravityForms Plugin
Many website owners use Gravity Forms to add forms such as Contact Forms to their websites, collecting significant amounts of data. The GravityView plugin allows you to display this data effectively in Table view, List View, Data tables, and Google Maps, transforming it into a functional directory. With a paid add-on, you can quickly set up a paid directory, enabling new monetization opportunities.
GravityView makes it easy for administrators to manage entries. You can search, sort, and filter entries, as well as approve or reject them. Highlight entries in the Admin Panel to feature them prominently on your site. Users and admins can edit entries directly in Gravity Forms, and the plugin supports the upload of multiple media types like images, audio, and video, which can be displayed in a gallery format. The drag-and-drop builder facilitates easy content layout, and users can rate entries, providing a robust user experience.
This plugin integrates well with other Gravity plugins such as GravityFlow, Gravity PDF, and GFChart, extending the capabilities of your form data. GravityView also supports integration with DataTables for higher-tier licenses, allowing for live browsing, filtering, and sorting of entries. With a paid add-on, you can import entries from CSV files, making data management seamless. The plugin offers high customization and comes with a 30-day refund guarantee, ensuring customer satisfaction.
Active Installations: 500+
Price: $69 (billed annually)
12. Classifier
Classifier is the go-to WordPress plugin for creating classified ads websites. If you are planning to build a classified directory, Classifier is a versatile and user-friendly option. This plugin can accommodate both niche and generic directories, allowing you to target a specific industry or offer a platform for various businesses, agencies, and freelancers to submit their listings.
Key features of the Classifier plugin include private chat, multiple home page designs, several search page layouts, a comprehensive review system, and a user-friendly dashboard. Whether viewed on desktop or mobile devices, your directory will function smoothly and maintain compatibility across major web browsers. Explore the demo to see Classifier’s capabilities in action.
Active Installations: 400+
Price: $59
13. Directories Pro
Directories Pro is widely recognized as the best directory WordPress plugin for SEO.
With Directories Pro, you can create any type of directory, whether it’s a Yelp-like local business directory, a user directory, a property directory, or any other type you can envision. The plugin ensures your directory is mobile-ready, fast-performing, and compatible with all web browsers, enhancing user experience and SEO.
Features of Directories Pro include advanced search with filtering options, custom field management, a powerful content editor, customizable maps, and a frontend user dashboard. The plugin also supports paid listings, CSV import and export capabilities, a robust review system, and integration with Better Notification for WordPress. Directories Pro aligns with modern SEO practices and web standards, making it a comprehensive solution for directory needs.
Active Installations: 6,700+
Price: $39
In Conclusion
Developing a directory from scratch can be both costly and time-consuming. WordPress directory plugins like Classifier and Directories Pro make it easier and more affordable for anyone to start their directory listing website. If you prefer a WordPress theme to manage your directory, explore our list of recommended themes. For a specialized classifieds directory, consider themes tailored specifically for that purpose.
If your favorite plugin isn’t on this list, feel free to mention it in the comments section.
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