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The custom fields are created and managed with a visual form editor. It’s not as sleek as a drag and drop editor, but those who know WordPress should be fine. The fully interactive map is a feature to keep an eye on. With its hover and click animations and draggable areas, it’s easy for users to find the businesses they want. Considering all of the features are included in the base price, you can expect more advanced tools like reviews, ratings, multi-location support, voting, page flagging, email notifications, and media uploads.

You can even set it up to collect recurring payments through either Stripe or PayPal.

Main Reasons We Like This WordPress Directory Plugin:

• All premium features are packaged into one plugin, so you get it all for the low price of $29. This also gives you customer support for six months, which can come in handy for a directory plugin.
• The interactive listing search is sleek and easy to use, with smart searching, contact information and a map with interesting icons.
• The plugin provides interactive filters for limiting searches based on ratings, pricing, location, or date.
• You can insert a multicriteria rating system, where the user can choose something like quality or price and rate each of those categories for a single business or product.
• Users can generate their own content and upload it to their reviews. This is similar to how Amazon lets customers upload images when they write a review.
• The custom fields are implemented using a visual editor. The plugin also provides all the custom fields you would need, like numbers, HTML, image, and section breaks.
• You can create paid listings.
• The plugin has an awesome feature for choosing from 16 custom Google map styles. Some of them have varying colors and overlays, while others feature more playful icons.

6. Web 2.0 Directory plugin

The Web 2.0 Directory plugin is another fine solution found through the CodeCanyon marketplace. It’s a little pricier than the SabaiDirectory plugin, but at $34 you can’t complain. This alternative features Google Maps quite a bit, with maps and marker icons to show off the businesses in your directory. All of the search is done right on the directory homepage, with customizable search options and a tool for honing in on the radius of the user.

Web 2.0 Directory connects with a few payment modules like PayPal and WooCommerce, and you can even link it up with YouTube, and of course, Google Maps. Because of this YouTube integration, you can put both videos and images in your directory listings.

A standout feature from the Web 2.0 Directory plugin involves the different ways to collect money from merchants. Usually, these plugins stick with the recurring model or a one-time fee to post a listing. Web 2.0 Directory takes it to a new level, with payments for listing activations, renewals, upgrades, downgrades, and listing claims. You can also sell packages of listings for companies that might want multiple pages. As you can see, the Web 2.0 Directory plugin seems to focus quite a bit on selling your directory pages.

Main Reasons We Like This WordPress Directory Plugin:

• For only a one-time fee of $34, you receive every feature in the plugin along with six months of support.
• The plugin links to WooComerce for online store functionality, along with PayPal for simpler payments. Stripe is also supported.
• It provides a full rating system for users to go in and rate their favorite (or least favorite) business, then type in a few words about their experience.
• You have the opportunity to sell listing packages and pretty much accept money for any type of action on your directory.
• Both YouTube and Vimeo videos can be shared on listings.
• There’s a tool for visitors to print out or grab PDFs of all the listings.
• The search and Google Maps interfaces combine nicely to create one of the more beautiful customer experiences on this list.

7. Name Directory

Name Directory takes an alternative approach to the usual “business index” plugin. It’s more like a glossary, where the admin generates a list of names or terms and shares them on a page for internal or external use. It seems to make the most sense for when you actually need to make an online glossary of terms, or for when your company wants to list out personal information for employees. The Name Directory plugin is completely free, but you won’t get any support besides the WordPress forums area.

After creating the directory list, the plugin presents a shortcode that you place anywhere on your site, whether it is a widget or post or page. This makes it easy to implement the directory, and you don’t have to start with a completely new website to make it work. There is also a bulk import function for when you have a large list of people, terms, or businesses and don’t want to spend all that time typing it in yourself.

Main Reasons We Like This WordPress Directory Plugin:

• Name Directory is unique on this list, since it’s more of a glossary than a map-based directory. If you’re interested in creating a list of people or terms, along with information about those, this might be the plugin for you.
• You can create multiple directories with the plugin, and each of those directories can be spread throughout your website with the help of the handy shortcodes.
• Most of the design is done for you, so it’s one of the quickest ways to get a directory onto your website.
• A few configuration options are provided, such as the ability to show or hide the title, suggestion form, or search function.

8. LDD Directory Lite

The LDD Directory Lite plugin is an easy to install and free solution for those who want a directory on their WordPress website. The plugin can also be downloaded from the LDD Web Design site, along with the various other extensions for things like social sharing, social logins, imports, exports, and reviews. As mentioned, the core plugin doesn’t have a price tag, but the extensions vary in price. For instance, the Directory Social Share extension is listed as $9.99 and the Directory Social Login option is $19.99. Only five extensions are listed on the site, so you can assume you get most of the features in the core plugin. Not to mention, $10 to $20 is pretty reasonable for an extension.

With LDD Directory Lite you take a shortcode and add it to any page or post on your website. This automatically generates the directory, making for one of the more lightweight, yet powerful solutions on this page. You can customize the look and feel of the WordPress directory plugin however you want and connect to Google Maps and a social media website.

The WordPress directory plugin has a clean and somewhat modern design, and it’s mainly for those who don’t want to mess with too many features. It gets the job done and doesn’t weigh down your website.

Main Reasons We Like This WordPress Directory Plugin:

• Most of the directory tools are completely free in the core plugin.
• The five extensions are easy on the wallet and there’s a chance you don’t even need them.
• The directory is created instantly with the help of a shortcode. On the frontend, your users can view directory listings and click through without any clutter.
• The WordPress directory plugin integrates with some social tools and Google Maps.
• You can customize all of the email notifications and maintain listings from the backend.
• Website users are able to customize their own listings from the frontend.

9. Directory Pro

Consider the Directory Pro plugin if you’re interested in an almost playful, yet professional, design with an advanced payments system that accepts bids and other interesting payment methods. This is a WordPress directory plugin that’s sold through the CodeCanyon marketplace. Therefore, you pay $34 as a onetime fee, then you can upgrade your support length to 12 months for $11.25. The listing plugin seems to work best for local or worldwide business placement, with a beautiful page for your listing and a spot for companies to manage how their online presence looks.

The standout feature involves how you earn money with the plugin. You can basically charge for your listing through a variety of ways, including through a bidding system or when people book appointments. You can also charge folks when they make reservations, view listings, claim listings, or even just to access the website. The bidding module works by asking companies to put in a certain number they’re willing to pay to be seen higher in the directory.

Main Reasons We Like This WordPress Directory Plugin:

• The plugin is affordable and it offers a colorful interface with powerful features.
• It has certain badges for new listings, along with buttons for saving favorites and items that people are interested in.
• You can make money through several methods. One of these is the bidding system.
• Make an unlimited number of subscriptions for the companies listed on your site.
• The plugin integrates with the Visual Composer plugin, so you don’t have to know much about coding.
• Directory Pro also combines well with tools like PayPal, Stripe, WooCommerce, and MailChimp.

10. BePro Listings

The BePro Listings plugin is free, but the BePro Software company sells both themes and add-ons to expand the functionality of your WordPress directory. For example, one of the themes sells for $4.99 and turns your entire site into a classifieds platform. The add-ons seem to hover around $20, and they provide tools for galleries, documents, audio, video, vehicle listings, and real estate. We like the plugin for brands in those particular niches, but it’s also useful if you’re trying to make a directory with a significant amount of media support.

When you take a look at the BePro Listings demos, it’s clear that there are few limitations when uploading your media. You might have to grab an add-on to implement audio, video, interactive maps, and more, but many of the companies already using the plugin have created highly visual listings.

Main Reasons We Like This WordPress Directory Plugin:

• The core plugin is free, then you might pay for an add-on for more media support.
• A shortcode generator is provided for separating certain directory features on different pages. For instance, you might only need a listings page on one page and a Google Map on another. The shortcodes allow you to do this.
• Create unlimited payment packages and accept those payments through the BePro Cart plugin.
• Users can submit and manage their own listings through the frontend of your site.
• Several templates are provided for making your directory, and you also have the option to buy a theme for a niche market.

Which WordPress Directory Plugin is Right for You?

We have ten viable WordPress directory plugins on this list. Hopefully, we’ve trimmed down your list quite a bit, but you might still be wondering which of these is the perfect solution for your website.

• The cheapest WordPress directory plugin – Most of them come with free core plugins, then you have to pay for extensions. If you don’t plan on buying extensions, opt for a free solution. Otherwise, the directory plugins sold on CodeCanyon give you the best bang for your buck.
• The best value – Sabai Directory.
• For multiple payment collection methods – Web 2.0 Directory plugin.
• For making your directory as powerful as Yelp – Business Directory Plugin or Sabai Directory.
• For offering the best local directory – GeoDirectory.
• If you’d like to make more of a glossary – Name Directory.
• If you need great media support without a high price tag – BePro Listings.
• For a super lightweight directory – LDD Directory Lite.

That’s it! If you have any other questions about the best WordPress directory plugins, or you’d like to share your own experiences with the options above, let us know in the comments.