12 Best WordPress Directory Plugins

Directories are essentially databases created for the convenience of the user.

Adding a directory to your WordPress website may seem like an easy job at first glance. Simply install one of the many great WordPress plugins on your website and you’re good to go.

In reality, the process is somewhat more complicated. You have to figure out what kind of information your directory will provide, what its functionalities will be, and what audience your directory will target.

There are many different types of online directories that you can do. Looking for an internal directory to help your team navigate important company information? Or an external directory to promote businesses and help your visitors find what they are looking for?

In this article, we will show you the 12 best WordPress directory plugins that you can use for your website.

What to look for in a WordPress directory plugin?

Having an online directory doesn’t mean you should strive to be as big as the Yellow Pages or Yelp. It can be as small or as large as you need.

Essentially, directories are similar to search engines: they provide the relevant information that the user is looking for on a specific topic, such as a business or a location. All this information is collected in databases and classified according to the purpose of the directory.

However, the results displayed by directory sites are not based on keywords. Instead, they are sorted based on the categories and subcategories of the user’s search intent, such as locations or user reviews. Hence the importance of choosing the right directory plugin.

This is what you should look for in a WordPress directory plugin.

Customizable form fields

Being able to customize form fields is a must when creating an online directory. It is the only way to adapt the search and submission forms to the category of your ad.

Without customizable form fields, you may not be able to add essential information or search terms to your listings. This can make your directory trivial, as users won’t find the information they’re looking for.

media support

Having a WordPress directory that supports media is important. For example, being able to view images within a restaurant directory or real estate directory can influence a visitor’s decision.

This applies to brand logos, which are considered the face of the company. For example, many business owners might choose another directory if yours can’t display their logo.

monetization options

Most likely, you are creating a directory website to make a profit. However, that will not be possible if your website is not designed to accept payments.

To ensure that your website becomes a reputable profitable business, you need to make sure that the WordPress directory plugin you choose includes payment gateways. This way, you can offer paid listings, memberships, and other paid services relevant to your user base.

Technical support

Technical support is essential if you do not have the necessary knowledge on the subject. It’s the only way to get help if the directory plugin stops working and you can’t get it to work again.

Otherwise, you will have to hire a professional developer, which will be an additional budget expense.

The best directory plugins for WordPress

Now that we’ve covered what you should look for in a directory plugin, it’s time to take a look at what the current market has to offer.

Here is a list of the best WordPress directory plugins:

1.

Everest Business Directory is an advanced WordPress plugin primarily used for physical business listings. It comes with fully customizable form fields for creating custom forms on the front end and has a convenient control panel on the back end that is very easy to use. It also comes with a quality security validation and directory notification system.

This directory plugin includes two layouts for directory display: a list design yun grid layout. It also includes 10 ready-to-use templates (five of each design).

The Everest Business Directory comes with three Directory Details layouts – layouts that display detailed information about the items on your listing. All designs include an image, description, and contact information.

From a technical point of view, the Everest Business Directory plugin includes an advanced user-friendly control panel that can be used to edit and delete listings. The control panel allows you to create a directory listing of any kind with just a few clicks, making Everest Business Directory one of the easiest directory plugins to use.

You can buy the regular license of the Everest Business Directory plugin for 21 dollars, which includes six months of support. Or choose an extended support license for 27 dollarswhich includes support for 12 months.

What makes it stand out?

This is what makes Everest Business Directory one of the best WordPress directory plugins:

• Customizable submission forms on the front-end
• Integration with Google Maps
• reCaptcha security validation
• Directory expiration feature
• Intuitive directory control panel
• Directory management notifications

two.

The Business Directory plugin has over 20,000 active installations, and is a popular WordPress directory plugin that allows you to create website directories with ease.

It offers complete control of the fields, as it allows you to add as many custom fields as you need. You can also create a directory by importing existing data, as this plugin allows you to import and export CSV files.

As for monetization, the Business Directory plugin allows you to set up payment systems with , and . You can use this feature to offer free and paid plans to your customers and even set up recurring payments.

The business directory plugin also comes with a migration and backup feature that allows you to export all settings, categories, and other data. You can then save it as a backup or import it to another website.

The price of this directory plugin varies depending on the subscription, from $99.50 per year until $299.50 per year.

What makes it stand out?

Here is a collection of features and benefits that put this WordPress plugin on our list:

• Eight directory templates
• Supports CSV files
• Integrated payment gateways
• Google Maps integration
• Ratings & Reviews Plugin
• reCaptcha security validation
• Available in multiple languages
• Works with most

3.

Connections Business Directory is a directory plugin for WordPress gratuitous developed to be as configurable as possible. It is suitable for both internal and external directories and can be adapted to display any type of data that is needed, such as names, companies and other information.

This WordPress plugin comes with a couple of directory templates free and six advanced premium templates. In case you can’t find anything that suits your directory’s requirements, you can use the Template Customizer to adapt one of its templates to your needs.

The same goes for plugin extensions, as the Connections Business Directory offers several extensions. free that can improve the process of listing and managing your directory. There are also plenty of premium plugins that you can purchase individually or as a bundle.

On a more technical level, the Connections Business Directory plugin is easy to develop. Its code is open source and .

This plugin has a granular and flexible template engine, which is also upgrade-safe. This is a great feature if you are a developer or have the technical knowledge to make custom changes to the code if the need arises.

Connections Business Directory is a WordPress plugin gratuitous. However, there is a wide collection of paid extensions, ranging from $2.99 until the $14.99 each.

What makes it stand out?

A summary of the features and benefits that Connections Business Directory offers:

• free use
• Private and public directory entries
• Import and export of CSV files
• Template customization
• Free and paid templates
• Wide selection of extensions
• Open Source

Four.

GeoDirectory is a WordPress plugin that allows you to create advanced location-based business directories. It features highly optimized database structures that can accommodate fast and efficient scaling.

GeoDirectory is also available as a WordPress directory plugin gratuitous. However, the directory will be limited to a single city and will include only the core features of the plugin.

If you want to extend it to multiple locations, you’ll need to purchase the premium Location Manager add-on for a price starting at $39 for a single website or buy a .

To create a directory, users will need to submit listings through a front-end submission form that you can customize extensively. To make the customization process easier, this directory plugin offers a drag and drop form builder.

GeoDirectory offers a variety of plugins and extensions available to enhance your directory website.

For example, the events plugin allows you to create event listings, and the real estate theme provides the tools to make a real estate directory. There is also dummy data available to create advanced classifieds directories.

To get the best out of the GeoDirectory plugin, you need to subscribe to their affiliate program which starts at $99 for four months and goes up to 995 Dollars for a subscription forever.

What makes it stand out?

This is what makes GeoDirectory probably the best WordPress directory plugin on the market:

• A free basic plugin available
• Suitable for fast climbing
• Compatible with most themes and website builders
• Highly optimized database structures and queries
• Includes a drag and drop form builder for custom fields
• Integrates with Google Maps

5.

LDD Directory Lite is one of the best flexible directory plugins that can create listings of any kind. It is fully customizable and can be downloaded for free.

Just add a shortcode to a post or web page on your WordPress website, and it will automatically generate the directory to appear where you placed it.

This plugin…