We’ve curated the 20 of the best tools to create your directory website. These tools are all in active development with a team available to provide support.
Jump To:
WordPress Directory Plugins
Using a WordPress directory plugin simplifies the process of creating a directory website. These plugins provide pre-built functionalities like listing submission forms, search filters, and display templates, eliminating the need for extensive coding.
You start by installing and activating the plugin, then customize its settings to match your directory’s purpose. This involves defining listing categories, custom fields, and search parameters. You can then populate your directory with listings, either manually or by allowing users to submit their own.
Many plugins offer monetization options, such as paid listings or advertising. Finally, you can customize the design and layout to match your brand, ensuring a user-friendly and visually appealing directory website.
GeoDirectory
GeoDirectory is a powerful WordPress plugin designed to transform any WordPress site into a robust online directory. It offers extensive features for creating various types of directories, from local business listings to global platforms.
With its scalable architecture, GeoDirectory can handle a large number of listings and high traffic, making it a versatile solution for directory website creation. Key features include a drag-and-drop form builder, advanced search filters, and compatibility with popular page builders, allowing for highly customizable and user-friendly directory experiences.
Business Directory Plugin
Business Directory Plugin is a WordPress plugin designed to help users create various types of directories on their WordPress sites. It caters to a wide range of directory needs, such as local business directories, staff directories, member directories, and even niche directories like restaurant or hotel listings.
The plugin offers features like easy-to-use directory templates, mobile-friendly designs, and options for free and paid listings. It also supports SEO optimization, Google Maps integration, and a rating and review system.
Directorist
Directorist is a WordPress plugin that empowers users to build diverse online directories and classified websites. It’s designed with scalability and user-friendliness in mind, offering features like advanced search filters, customizable fields, and monetization options.
Directorist also emphasizes modern design and compatibility with popular page builders, allowing for flexible and visually appealing directory creation. Furthermore, Directorist has been recognized by awards for it’s performance and commitment to directory solutions.
HivePress
HivePress is a free WordPress directory plugin that offers a modular approach to building directory and marketplace websites. It emphasizes flexibility and customization, allowing users to extend its functionality through a variety of extensions.
HivePress focuses on creating modern and user-friendly interfaces, with a design that adapts well to different directory types. Its core features include customizable listing fields, search filters, and user profiles, and it’s built to be compatible with popular WordPress themes and page builders.
WordPress Directory Themes
Using a WordPress directory theme streamlines directory website creation by providing a pre-designed framework tailored for listings. Unlike plugins, themes handle the overall look and feel, often including specialized layouts, search functionalities, and user interfaces.
You begin by installing and activating the theme, which typically comes with demo content to help you visualize the structure. Customization options within the theme’s settings allow you to adjust colors, fonts, and layouts to match your branding.
Many directory themes integrate with popular directory plugins, enhancing their functionality. You’ll then populate your directory with listings, configure search filters, and set up any monetization features the theme offers.
This approach offers a cohesive design and focused functionality, making it quicker to launch a professional directory website.
MyListing
MyListing is a popular WordPress directory theme known for its versatility and modern design. It caters to a wide range of directory types, from business listings to event directories, offering highly customizable layouts and features.
MyListing emphasizes a user-friendly experience with advanced search filters, interactive maps, and detailed listing pages. It also provides robust monetization options, allowing website owners to generate revenue through paid listings and other features. With its focus on visual appeal and comprehensive functionality, MyListing empowers users to create professional and engaging directory websites.
ListingPro
ListingProWP is a comprehensive WordPress directory theme designed for creating robust and feature-rich directory websites. It’s known for its extensive customization options, including flexible search filters, advanced listing management, and multiple revenue generation tools.
ListingProWP emphasizes a user-friendly experience with intuitive interfaces and mobile-responsive designs. It offers a wide range of pre-built templates and integrates seamlessly with popular plugins, allowing users to build diverse directory platforms, from local business directories to global listing sites.
Listify
Listify is a popular WordPress directory theme renowned for its ease of use and flexibility in building various types of online directories. It offers a clean and modern design, focusing on user experience with intuitive search and filter options.
Listify seamlessly integrates with popular plugins like WooCommerce and Gravity Forms, providing robust monetization and customization capabilities. It’s designed to be mobile-friendly and adaptable, making it a solid choice for creating visually appealing and functional directory websites.
Listable
Listable is a stylish and minimalist WordPress directory theme designed for creating elegant and user-friendly listing websites. It prioritizes a clean and modern aesthetic, focusing on visual appeal and intuitive navigation.
Listable offers seamless integration with WooCommerce, enabling easy monetization through paid listings and other e-commerce features. It also provides customizable listing layouts and search filters, allowing users to tailor their directory to specific niches. With its emphasis on simplicity and design, Listable empowers users to create visually stunning and functional directory websites.
Other WordPress Tools
Building a directory website with alternative WordPress tools like ACF, Crocoblock, and Formidable Forms offers a highly customized and flexible approach. Instead of relying on a dedicated directory plugin or theme, you leverage these tools to construct the directory’s core functionalities.
By combining these tools, you can create a tailored directory website with unique features and a highly customized design. This approach requires more technical knowledge than using a pre-built directory solution but offers greater control and flexibility.
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF)
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) is a powerful WordPress plugin that significantly enhances the flexibility of building directory websites. It allows users to create custom fields for posts, pages, and custom post types, enabling the storage and display of specific data relevant to directory listings.
With ACF, you can add fields for business hours, contact information, location details, and any other unique attributes required for your directory. This plugin seamlessly integrates with WordPress themes and plugins, providing a highly customizable solution for tailoring directory listings to specific needs and creating a richer user experience.
Crocoblock
Crocoblock is a suite of WordPress plugins designed to empower users to build dynamic and complex websites, including robust directories. It provides a comprehensive set of tools, most notably JetEngine, that facilitate the creation of custom post types, custom fields, and dynamic content display, essential for directory websites.
With Crocoblock, you can create intricate search and filtering systems, interactive maps, and highly customized listing layouts. The plugin’s modular design and compatibility with Elementor allow for a visually driven and code-free approach to building professional directory platforms.
Formidable Forms
Formidable Forms is a versatile WordPress plugin that extends beyond simple contact forms, making it a valuable tool for building directory websites. Its ability to create custom forms with advanced features, such as conditional logic and database integration, allows for robust listing submission and management.
You can use Formidable Forms to collect detailed information from users, create searchable databases of listings, and even integrate with payment gateways for paid directory submissions. The plugin’s flexibility and powerful features make it a strong choice for creating dynamic and interactive directory experiences.
Hosted SaaS Directory Services
Brilliant Directories
Brilliant Directories is a comprehensive, all-in-one platform for creating and managing online directory websites. It offers a wide range of built-in features, including member management, lead generation tools, payment processing, and SEO optimization.
Brilliant Directories aims to simplify the process of launching a professional directory, providing customizable templates and a user-friendly interface. It’s designed to handle various directory types, from local business listings to niche membership sites, with a focus on monetization and community building.
eDirectory
eDirectory is a robust and scalable directory software platform designed for creating feature-rich online directories. It offers a comprehensive suite of tools for managing listings, events, articles, and classifieds, along with advanced search and filtering capabilities.
eDirectory emphasizes monetization, providing various options like paid listings, banner advertising, and subscription plans. It’s built to handle large databases and high traffic, making it suitable for both local and global directory projects.
Community Box
Community Box is a platform designed to create online community directories with a focus on local engagement and resource sharing. It provides tools for building interactive maps, listing local businesses and services, and facilitating community events.
Community Box emphasizes simplicity and ease of use, aiming to connect residents and promote local commerce. It offers features for user-generated content, event calendars, and communication tools, making it a suitable option for neighborhood associations, chambers of commerce, and other community-focused organizations.
EmbedDirectory
EmbedDirectory simplifies the process of creating and embedding online directories directly into existing websites. It focuses on providing a lightweight and flexible solution, allowing users to quickly generate directory listings and integrate them seamlessly.
EmbedDirectory emphasizes ease of use and customization, offering options to tailor the look and feel of the directory to match existing brand aesthetics. With its focus on embeddable directories, it’s a practical choice for businesses or organizations seeking to add listing functionality to their websites without the complexity of building a full-fledged directory platform.
Directory Scripts Software
Directory scripts like GoClixy and phpListings offer self-hosted solutions for building directory websites, providing full control over data and server environments.
While they offer customizable features like listing fields and search options, they require technical expertise in PHP and database management for setup and modifications. These scripts provide core directory functionalities and monetization options, but users must handle server maintenance and security.
phpListings
phpListings is a self-hosted PHP directory software that empowers users to create and manage online listing websites. It offers a range of features, including customizable fields, category management, and user account control.
Being self-hosted, phpListings provides full control over the directory’s data and server environment, allowing for greater flexibility and customization. It’s a solution tailored for those seeking a more hands-on approach to directory management, with a focus on core listing functionalities.
GoClixy
GoClixy is a self-hosted PHP directory software designed to create various types of online directories. It offers features like customizable listing fields, advanced search options, and user management tools. GoClixy allows for flexible customization and control, as it’s a self-hosted solution.
It provides options for monetization through paid listings and advertisements. GoClixy is designed to be a versatile solution for users looking to create and manage their own directory platform.
No-Code Website Builders
Appy Pie
Appy Pie is a no-code website builder that enables users to create directory websites without any programming knowledge. It offers drag-and-drop functionality and pre-built templates, simplifying the process of designing and launching a directory.
Appy Pie provides tools for creating listing forms, search filters, and user profiles, allowing for customizable directory structures. It also includes features for integrating maps, payment gateways, and other essential directory functionalities, making it a viable option for those seeking a quick and accessible way to build an online directory.
Softr
Softr is a no-code website builder that excels at creating dynamic web applications, including directory websites, by leveraging data from Airtable or Google Sheets. It allows users to build interactive directories with features like search filters, listing details, and user profiles, all without writing code.
Softr’s strength lies in its ability to quickly transform spreadsheet data into functional web interfaces, making it ideal for creating data-driven directories. It offers customizable templates and design options, enabling users to create visually appealing and user-friendly directory experiences.
MakeADir
MakeADir is specifically designed as a no-code directory builder, simplifying the process of creating online directories. It offers a user-friendly interface with pre-built templates and customization options, allowing users to quickly set up their directory structure and design.
MakeADir focuses on core directory functionalities, such as listing management, search filters, and category organization. It aims to provide a straightforward solution for individuals and businesses looking to create and manage online directories without requiring any technical expertise.