10 Best WordPress Directory Plugins to Build a WordPress Directory

Are you looking for the Best WordPress Directory Plugins?

You can create a fantastic directory on WordPress by installing a plugin.

However, these directory plugins can do more than building a Directory site. You can create full-fledged classified sites or user review sites on WordPress.

What are Directories?

An online directory is a website submission service where anyone can add their business sites to get more visibility.

Customers also look for businesses through these directories. The directories also help in link building and getting coverage.

Moreover, you can monetize the directory to earn money. The directory does not even need to be that popular to start earning. All you need is a good backlinking to gain good domain authority. 

Then, you can easily ask for a fee for the listing. Many sites are running this business.

Popular Directories:

• Yelp
• Blograma
• Google Business
• Bing Places
• Foursquare
• Yellow Pages
• Hot Frog

There are thousands of web directories for various types of business.

Standard Features of Great WordPress Directory Plugins

Among so many WordPress Directory Plugins, which one is best for you?

It will depend on the type of directory you are trying to launch. If you are thinking of creating a list where anyone can submit their site without any payment, then the payment method is not a function you need from your directory.

However, if you want to make an online place where users can leave a review for the listing, then you need a user review module in your plugin.

The majority of the plugins offer the core feature at no cost but ask for a little fee for extra functions.

Let’ see a few functions of the plugins that you will need to make a great directory:

#1 Submissions Forms

There must be an option to submit the site for the users and businesses. The process must be visible and straightforward so the people can do it quickly.

There must be a verification process, an option to claim a business page and to make changes to the information if needed.

#2 Payment Collections

A payment gateway is a must if you want to collect payment.

Most of the Directory Plugin offers one or only two payment gateways, and to add more payment methods, one has to get add-ons.

The plugin must enable various payment types – recurring, membership, or yearly, monthly payments. There must be payment methods to buy a featured place in the plugin.

#3 Rating Review System

The user trusts the directory if the users can leave a review on the businesses. 

Moreover, the business also takes the directory seriously if there is a possibility of getting negative reviews.

But it also adds the load of verifying the reviews and deleting the fake ones.

#4 Media Support

A text directory is not enough in the visually advanced world.

People believe in imagery and videos. The brand also wants to share its logo and pics to leverage the internet space completely.

If the plugin does not support media, then the plugin is not worth it to create a directory. However, you can create a list that some people may find useful.

#5 Location-Based

This is an important function for a directory with a high number of listings.

People want to find the shop near them, and location-based listing comes in handy at such times.

#6 Shortcodes

It is essential that you can move or fix the listing wherever you like with the help of shortcodes.

The shortcodes give you more freedom to move your listings and customize their location.

#7 Advanced Search Filter

It is the responsibility of the directory to filter out the unnecessary listings and offer the user what he is looking for.

The more advanced your filters for the searches are, the easier it would be to find the exact site the user needs.

#8 SEO Optimised

SEO is the backbone of Internet traffic.

Your directory needs that free traffic from Google to thrive. Make sure the plugin is optimized for SEO purposes, and create a structured listing that is readable by the bots.

#9 Responsive

More and more users are turning to mobile information search.

An excellent WordPress directory plugin would build a responsive directory for all the devices.

Best WordPress Directory Plugins

1. Business Directory Plugin
2. Geo Directory
3. Advance Classifieds
4. Connections Business Directory
5. Sabai Directory
6. WEB 2.0 Directory Plugin
7. Name Directory
8. LDD Directory Lite
9. Directory Pro
10. BePro Listings
11. Toolset Directory

#1 Business Directory Plugin

Business Directory Plugin offers lots of functions with the free version. It is an excellent WordPress directory plugin to build a simple directory.

The plugin has an excellent support team, and the updates are regular. Business Directory Plugin is a popular and widely trusted plugin for WordPress.

Features of Business Directory Plugin:

• Customizable form fields
• Images with the Listing
• Payment option for the listings via Authorize.net
• Recurring Payment option
• Latest, Featured or Random Listing Widget
• Search Bar
• Recaptcha
• CSV Import and Export
• Yoast SEO compatible
• Fully responsive to the theme
• Integrates with popular plugins

The free version offers all the functions that are required for a basic directory.

For the advanced options, you have to buy modules. A single module will cost you $69, while the price of the complete package is $199 for a year.

Premium Modules:

• 2CHeckout Payment Gateway
• Claim Listing
• Discount Codes
• File attachment 

Check out the site for the complete information.

#2 GeoDirectory

GeoDirectory allows you to turn your WordPress site into a location-based directory in quick steps.

It can build a powerful directory plugin that you can scale to the millions of listings and can surf on the traffic that comes with such listings.

Features of GeoDirectory:

• Location module in the core files
• Front-end drag and drop builder
• Anonymously submission of listings
• Customized form
• Inbuilt form for user reviews
• Ninja form integration
• Compatible with all the themes
• Analytics for the listing owners
• Custom Email templates
• Multilingual compatible

The cost of premium add-ons starts from $39, but you can get membership and access to all the add-ons for only $99.

Premium add-ons are:

• Pricing Manager
• BuddyPress Integration
• Claim Listing
• ReCaptcha

Check out more on the product page.

#3 Advanced Classifieds & Directory Pro

Advanced Classifieds & Directory Pro is a flexible plugin that can build any type of site. This plugin can be used to create movie review sites or food recipe sites or classified.

Features of Advance Classified:

• Unlimited listing, categories, & tags
• Advanced search filters
• Listing submissions from front-end
• Shortcode builder
• Payment Gateways
• Featured and widget listings
• Customizable layout and setting
• Videos and graphics
• Backend management interface
• Recaptcha

Many options are free with the plugin, while a lot of them are paid. The price of the paid version is $95 per year.

#4 Connections Business Directory

Connections Business Directory is a simple plugin packed with many amazing features. This directory plugin is flexible, and it is easy to create a simple address book, maintain staff details or members’ directory with it.

Features of Connections:

• Compatible with all popular themes and page builder
• High rates plugin on WordPress market
• Consistent updates
• A dashboard admin page with information
• Approve or hide the entries from the backend
• Add images and logo of a business
• Scalable directories can handle thousands of listing
• Import and Export CSV
• SEO optimized plugin
• Developer friendly coding

The plugin could be integrated with additional extensions. Moreover, there are premium extensions.

Premium extensions:

• Enhanced categories
• Pack of widgets
• Premium templates

Read more about the plugin on their page.

#5 Sabai Directory

It is one of the best premium WordPress directory plugins distributed by the Codecanyon. You will get the plugin for a one-time payment with all the features included.

Features of Sabai Directory:

• Display listing in a grid, or list
• Responsive and adaptable with the theme
• Unlimited custom fields
• Claim listing or add a new one
• Images with the listing
• Multi location enabled
• User reviews
• Bookmark or flag listings
• Admin and user dashboards
• Multiple payment gateways
• CSV Import and exporter

Sabai Directory is rich with many features that you can get only at $29. Moreover, there is six-month support from the developers.

#6 Web 2.0 Directory Free plugin

Another great WordPress Directory plugin is the Web 2.0 Directory Plugin.

It can convert the existing site into a directory, or you can build a directory from scratch. You can create any type of listing site with the plugin, like classifieds, bike directory, college student directory, restaurants, movies, etc.…

There are enough features in this premium plugin for every type of directory.

Feature of Web 2.0 Directory Plugin:

• Ad setting for listings
• Sticky featured listings
• Level wise listing
• User reviews
• Customizable fields form
• SEO friendly structure
• Video and Image attachment
• Print options for listing
• CSV import & export
• Responsive design
• Inbuilt Recaptcha

You can learn more about the plugin on the download page.

#7 Name Directory

Name Directory is more of a glossary than a Directory plugin. The plugin allows you to build multiple directories within the site.

Features of the Name Directory:

• Show/hide title and description
• Subject of the directory
• Horizontal rules between the entries
• Multiple shortcodes
• Suggestion and submission forms
• Display or hide search functions

The Name Directory plugin for WordPress does a specific task with excellence – that is, to make the list of the objects or people with some information about them.

#8 LDD Directory Lite

Another solution for creating a directory on the WordPress platform is the LDD Directory plugin. LDD Web Design creates various plugins for CMSs to make content marketing easy.

LDD Directory allows you to display the directory on any page or post with the help of shortcodes.

Features of LDD Directory Lite:

• Useful tools are free
• Developer friendly coding
• Bootstrap powered
• Completely customizable
• 100% responsive
• Shortcodes
• SEO Optimized
• Lightweight and fast to load
• Custom categories
• Listing Summaries and Descriptions
• Add social links

The plugin is free; however, there are add-ons that you can buy to enhance the functionalities. 

Premium features are:

• Directory social login
• User reviews
• Social share
• Report exports
• Directory import

#9 Directory Pro

Directory Pro is a colorful directory plugin with a professional template.

You can customize the look of the directory however you like. The plugin is full of features and offers much flexibility.

Feature of Directory Pro:

• Fully responsive
• User’s profile
• User’s reviews and rating
• Contact and support form
• Front end submissions and dashboard
• Developers support
• Multiple payment methods
• SEO friendly
• VIP and other badges

You can buy the plugin from the Codecanyon site for $35, and the added support for six months is only $11.25.

This is a one-time payment for such a great plugin.

#10 BePro Listings

BePro software company sells various themes and add-ons. This plugin is highly customizable, and you can install it within seconds.

Features of BePro:

• Import and Export Listings
• Front end submissions
• Google maps
• Multiple categories
• Attach images
• User profiles
• SEO optimized
• Email notifications
• Shortcodes
• Custom posts
• Hooks and Filters

The BePro plugin has various useful features that you can use at no cost.

But the features are limited, and you have to buy the add-ons for many valuable functions.

Premium add-ons are:

• BePro listing Audio
• Listing Documents
• Gallery Add On
• Videos

You can read more about the plugins on the product page.

#11 Toolset Directory

Toolset Directory is a premium plugin with advanced capabilities to build a highly functioning directory. Multiple tools are inbuilt in the Toolset, so you don’t have to install add-ons for more functions.

Features of Toolset Directory:

• Variety of listing like featured & paid
• Custom fields
• Search enabled
• Multiple filters
• Display listing in various ways
• Front end form submissions
• Membership dashboard
• Google Maps
• Shortcodes
• SEO friendly
• Adaptable with all the themes

The price of the Toolset Directory is $149 for the first year, and there is $111 for renewals.

Wrapping Up

Finally, you know now which plugin you need to set up a Business Directory. My advice is to check a few of them and compare them on their own.

Find a plugin that has those features free that you need most. Or get a premium plugin with a one-time fee.

Whichever plugin you choose, you would have to buy a few of the modules, because this is the business model of these plugins. To offer a few important features at zero cost, and then upselling the extra functions.

However, if you want to have a simple basic directory, any plugin would do.