Best WordPress Directory Plugins
Directories are very useful for finding new businesses or new suppliers based on specific search criteria. Not only that, but directories can also be used by a business to provide an online list of its employees, for example.
There are a myriad of ways to use online directories, and if your site is powered by WordPress website builder and web hosting solution, you can add a directory just by installing a plugin. But which one to use? It’s always the daunting question, so in order to make the selection process easier, we’ve looked at five of the best on offer.
Business Directory Plugin is a good all-rounder. It’s easy to install and configure, and it’s highly customizable. It’s also integrated with Yoast SEO (see our guide to the best WordPress SEO plugins), to easily associate keywords with Google searches. This plugin gives you full image support, is easily scalable, can be monetized, and can even process recurring payments.
Not all features are available to everyone, however – there are three plans, and as usual, the next one at the top of the chain offers more than the one below. The cheapest option is Basic, currently valued at $ 99.50 per year, and allows you to accept payments through PayPal, allows file uploads, and supports category images. Pro ($ 199.50 per year), allows you to integrate Google Maps, allows you to offer your visitors discount codes and enables search filters. And Elite ($ 299.50 per year) includes support for Stripe payments, provides access to all themes, and can be installed on an unlimited number of sites.
Connections Business Directory has a great tip to help you get started using it: it’s free. At least the basic plugin is free, but it’s a good way to include a simple directory on your website.
Developers make their money by offering a range of premium models and expansion packs. These include features such as CSV import, a form for visitors to submit their information to add to your directory, and a custom category or entry order, to allow visitors to list your directory from a specific way rather than alphabetically.
These extensions can be purchased separately or acquired as a bundle (if you’re looking to get a few, a bundle is often the cheapest option). Prices can range from $ 29.99 for all extensions for one site to $ 299.99 for all extensions and templates on an unlimited number of sites.
GeoDirectory is another free plugin that comes with a host of features, some of which would be considered “premium” by others. These include the ability to drag and drop custom fields onto your list, add custom sorting options, check a business’s hours of operation, and even search by proximity. It can also be integrated with Ninja Forms to support an unlimited number of contact forms. You can easily design a complex and comprehensive directory without spending a dime.
There are of course more advanced features that come at a price. These include Location Manager (to turn your local directory into a more global directory), Pricing Manager (to help you monetize your directory), and GD reCAPTCHA (to filter spam).
You can purchase each add-on individually or purchase a subscription that gives you access to all add-ons and models at a discounted price. That would set you back $ 199 per year (other more expensive options are $ 129 semi-annually or $ 99 quarterly), and there is also a one-time lifetime price of $ 995.
Advanced Classifieds & Directory Pro is a pretty powerful plugin, with enough power to let you build a directory (or army of directories), on any topic you’d like to imagine. Best of all, this plugin offers many of its features for free, such as custom fields, front-end list submission, featured lists, and email templates to name a few. You can create quite complex custom directories with this plugin with little effort.
If you want to make money with your directory, you will have to pay for the privilege. Unlike other similar plugins, there is only one plan, which really simplifies everything: an annual subscription of $ 95.88 gives you access to all the premium features which include PayPal and Stripe payment gateways. , WooCommerce integration, and CSV import and export functionality.
Directories Pro is a sleek plugin, and while it doesn’t offer a free option, it’s quite affordable compared to many of its competition. Its use of caching makes it very responsive, both on desktop and mobile platforms. It offers advanced search and filtering, drag-and-drop editing, map integration, CVS import and export, as well as paid listings (although there is a problem with this, see below).
One feature we really liked was the ability to clone a directory to create multiple directories quickly and easily based on the original.
The price of the plugin depends on whether or not you will charge visitors for access to the directory. For free access, it’s $ 39 per year for a single site. Paid access pushes the price up to $ 195.
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