A directory plugin is a local directory that lists a variety of businesses in various fields and niches in one’s community.
It can take the form of a yellow-pages format business directory, medical practitioner’s listings, real estate websites listing, or even listing for restaurant businesses in your locality or niche.
The best example of a business directory is Yelp! the infamous review site.
If looking for a directory plugin to utilize on and monetize your website, look no further. Right here is a compilation of 7 of the best business directory plugins.
1. Formidable Forms
Formidable is a powerful WordPress business directory that can create both applications and listings.
Firstly, it has the simple drag and drop feature that is fast in creating the directory and other elements. It has a “views” function that allows one to display information in different styles.
It is up to you to decide which display suits your website and the users’ needs.
Formidable also includes a calculator feature from WordPress that helps in building calculator forms in the directory.
This calculator feature has the ability to create forms that can compute simple and intricate calculation techniques, methods and formulas like advance loan interest rates or mortgages.
Formidable is also integrated with Mailchimp for running a mail list to utilize in email marketing.
This plugin allows one to create superior forms and easily add them to a website. The best part?
Listings can be seamlessly integrated with a WordPress page. Formidable also allows the creation of a variety of surveys and polls for your users.
And, it has numerous templates.
When tasked with monetization, Formidable Forms has numerous means. It is fully compatible with payment platforms like WooCommerce, WMPL, PayPal, Authorize.net, and Stripe.
This allows one to set up and offer paid services like paid subscriptions for users.
Lastly, Formidable has subscription plans costing between $48.36/year and $399.5/year. The plans come with one year of support each and are billed annually. Additionally, the premium comes with many more add-ons that increase functionality and features to a given web directory.
You can check out Formidable forms here.
2. Business Directory Plugin
The Business Directory Plugin allows one to make website directories with lots of ease. It also works well with most WordPress websites.
And for that, it is a very popular WordPress plugin with at least 20,000 active installations every year.
This plugin boasts eight directory templates and availability in some languages. It supports CSV files which means that one is able to export and import CSV files- very useful when creating directories from already-existing information and data.
It also has a feature that allows for backup and migrate which allows exporting of categories, settings and any other such data to the loud or different website altogether.
It has features that allow one to add as many or as few custom fields as is needed. Talk about complete field control!
It comes with an integration of Google Maps all while allowing reCAPTCHA security authorization and validation.
And to allow for greater user engagement with the directory, it gives the option of utilising the reviews and rating add-on.
The Business Directory Plugin comes with integrated payment systems like Stripe, PayPal and Authorize.net.
This feature is useful in offering paid, free, or recurring plans to users who want to be hosted on the directory.
A Business Directory plugin subscription will cost somewhere between $99.5/year and $299.5/year. Each subscription plan also comes with a year’s worth of support.
You can check out Business Directory Plugin here.
3. Directories Pro
This WordPress plugin allows one to make multiple web listings on a single website. It boasts features that make it suited for listings of many types.
This cements it top on the list of the most flexible WordPress plugins available in the market.
Content display is a feature that Directories Pro is big on. It allows customization of online directories to high specificity. The Content Display Editor allows this by employing the drag and drop feature on a variety of fields without the need to alter the code.
To promote responsive and fast loading web directories, this plugin caches both desktop and mobile versions of web data.
In this way, loading times significantly improves with the entire listing’s performance being optimized.
Directories Pro has advanced search filters for website visitors. These filters also have the auto-suggest feature which improves user experience.
It also allows users to rate listings and submit reviews without having to create an account or even log in.
This increases user engagement while encouraging visitor interaction with the web directory which then improves it with time.
When it comes to monetization, this plugin is integrated with PayPal and Stripe to convert all those pleased visitors.
When it comes to money out your pocket, Directories Pro is on the higher side. A regular licence will go for $39 with six months of support.
This support feature is extendable to 12 months for an additional $12.75. The extended licence goes for $195 with support of six months and an extension of 12 months for an extra $63.75.
4. Sabai Directory
Sabai Directory is one of the premium WordPress plugins used in making business directory web listings.
The listings created with this plugin can take appearance from a list of 16 different interactive Google Maps styles.
It also has features like email notifications, different media uploads, and ratings and reviews.
The creation of the forms is very streamlined. It allows the creation of custom fields given the visual forms editor that Sabai offers.
The users of the web directory can then use the created front-end forms to upload their listings with much ease.
It also allows for rating and reviewing of already-existing business listings on one’s website.
As for monetization, Sabai is powered by PayPal and Stripe which allow creation of an income online for hosting businesses on the directory.
When it comes to cost, the regular licence goes for $29 with six months’ worth of support.
There is an extended Licence for $150 also with six months’ worth of support, extendable to 12 months for $9 more.
All licences come with all the addons which means one never spends any more money on specific add-ons after the initial purchase.
5. Web 2.0 Directory
The Web 2.0 Directory plugin is among the flexible WordPress platforms particularly useful in making directories of any version.
It can be integrated with map markers and Google Maps to enable listings of local businesses.
It features media-based templates compatible with Vimeo and YouTube making it ideal for visual directory types. The front-end dashboard makes it extremely easy for users to manage and submit listings.
This plugin is compatible with payment platforms like PayPal and Stripe to allow offering of free and/or paid listings to visitors.
Its payment feature allows setting up monetization services like renewal fees, package deals, and activation that optimize earnings for the host.
As for cost, Web 2.0 directory plugin allows will cost $39 for a regular licence with 6 months’ worth of support.
Support can also be extended to 12 months for $12.75 extra. The level of monetization that this plugin offers makes it worth checking out.
6. LDD Directory Lite
LDD Directory Lite is among the most flexible plugins which can create listings of a variety of types. It is fully customizable and can also be downloaded- for free!
Its ease of use is unmatched. All one needs to do is add a shortcode to a webpage or post on a WordPress website; then the plugin automatically generates the directory to appear exactly where it was placed.
The paid-for add-ons are many and equally easy to use.
LDD Directory Lite is easily integrated with any WordPress theme while being mobile friendly given Bootstrap being included in the plugin.
Additionally, this plugin has the capability to generate different listings like simple employer names directory or even advanced classifies.
The core of the LDD Directory Lite is indeed free. But to get the most out of it, one might need to purchase relevant add-ons ranging between $10 and $20 each.
7. Connections
Connections is one of the powerful plugins from the WordPress directory plugins catalogue.
It houses a variety of customizable fields that are useful in creating almost any type of web listing.
It offers a lot more privacy settings. The owner or the users of the directory can set varying privacy levels for relatively sensitive fields like internal messages and business phone numbers.
Connections offers shortcodes that have extensive choices that touch up the appearance of one’s business directory.
Display on the front end could never be easier. All one needs is to include a shortcode to the directory page.
The Connections plugin does not disappoint in the area of templates. It has a library of pre-built templates from which one can choose the layout for their web directory.
Connections core can be downloaded for free. However, premium extensions need be bought for $5-$10.
Conclusion: Best WordPress Business Directory Plugins
WordPress has a range of business directory plugins that are compatible with most WordPress websites and themes.
All come with high levels of ease of use and range from paid to priced plans.
It is from a business directory that users are able to find details like images, location, contact information and location of various businesses on a list.
One is also able to offer more exposure by allowing users to list their businesses.
All this hosting on the directory site is, of course, at a fee.
A sure way to make money in the online business scape.
You want a business directory plugin that allows you to do just this.
Thank you for sharing this, Bruno. Stumbled upon this article really timely as I’m just starting out in building my own website and boosting my online presence.