Directorist vs Directories Pro – A Concrete Comparative Guide

More often than not, it’s not worth picking up a tool based on its popularity. This is why you need to vet their versatility and scalability so that you can go for the one that really suits your needs. Having said that, very few directory solutions are as popular as Directorist and Directories Pro.

But these two tools shine in different hues from their own perspectives. Do you know how they differ from each other? If not, grab a cup of tea and give a shot to this comparative guide so that you can get to know which one gives you the better value for money. Now, let’s get the ball rolling. But before we move any further…

A Brief Intro to Directorist

Directorist is a WordPress-based directory solution that allows you to build any kind of Directory websites such as local business listings, restaurant directory, automobile directory, classified ads, and so many more. Surprisingly, it comes with a free version including two free themes which is enough to create a basic directory website with a few advanced features.

The best part is that it is scalable through a host of premium extensions and themes. If you want to customize with your taste, you can do it very easily with the free directory builder. Additionally, as Directorist comes with16 free Gutenberg Blocks, 17 free Elementor widgets, and 17 premium Oxygen Builder components, you can also feel comfortable if you are using one of these page builders. Last but not least, it can also turn your directory website into a native mobile app.

The tool has more than 9000 active installations with a good 4.7 customer satisfaction rating out to 5 on WordPress.org. Even though Directorist joined the party late, it has gone very far and it’s gaining even more momentum. If you are planning to create a directory website just like yelp.com, or Craigslist, or Google+ places, then it is a go-to-go solution for you.

A Brief Intro to Directories Pro

Directories Pro is another WordPress plugin that enables you to create any kind of directory website just like Directorist. It is a useful directory solution that helps you create directories like Google+ Places or Yahoo or Yelp.com. It also ships with a whole slew of features that makes the plugin versatile and scalable.

Directories Pro ships with notable features like fast loading speed and responsiveness, Advanced Search & Facet Filters, Custom Fields management, Content Display Editor, Paid Listings, Frontend Dashboard, Claim Listings, Multi-Directory support, Frontend Submission & Dashboard, etc. The plugin has 6000+ sales on CodeCanyon with a good 4.8 customer satisfaction rating which indicates it is also a popular directory solution.

If you want to create a premium directory website, you can unhesitatingly go for Directories Pro as it does not come with a free version.

Directorist vs Directories Pro (When They Stand in Toe-to-toe)

You are here because you know there is no one size fits all solution, aren’t you? That’s why we are comparing these two giants so that you can make a better-informed decision. Now, let’s demystify the opposite of the tip of the iceberg based on the following criteria:

1. Free Version Availability
2. Pricing Plans
3. Support Duration
4. Mobile Apps Availability
5. Advanced Form Builder
6. Multi Directory
7. Unlimited Custom Fields​
8. Social Importer
9. CSV Bulk Importer
10. Search with Advanced Filters
11. Ease of Migration and Personalization
12. Frontend Listing Submission and Management​
13. Private Directory
14. Exclusive Plugins
15. Exclusive Themes
16. Page Builder Support
17. WooCommerce Multivendor Plugin Compatibility​
18. Develop Booking System
19. Built-in Checkout and Popular Gateways
20. Earn Through Monetization
21. Live Chat
22. Ads Manager
23. Social Login
24. Face Detection
25. More premium features
26. Integrations
27. Growth Rate
28. Miscellaneous

1. Free version availability

It’s a common scenario in the WordPress industry that most of the premium plugin developers build their solutions based on a scalable core version. In most, if not all the cases the core version comes free of cost, and the premium features ship in the form of paid extensions or modules.

In this regard, Directorist includes a free core version but the Directories Pro does not include a free core version.

Feature	Directorist	Directories Pro
Free version	✔️	❌

2. Pricing plans

Directorist offers 4 pricing plans including a lifetime pricing plan with unlimited sites. The basic plan starts from just $79 (now $55 at a limited time discount offer) per 3 months. However, the most popular plan is the lifetime plan for unlimited sites that costs $999 (now $599 at a limited time discount offer). If you choose the lifetime plan, you don’t have to renew it yearly.

Then again, if you want to save even more, you have the option to pick up the number of sites (for example 1 site or 5 sites to cut the costs.

Directorist pro pricing usually starts from just $79 per 3 months. However, you can get it at $55 per month as of now while I’m writing this article. You can also get the unlimited website plan for a lifetime only at $599 (Usually available at $999).

On the other hand, Directories Pro pricing starts from $39 per 6 months. However, you can extend the support up to 12 months for $29.75 (Now it’s now available only at $12.75)

N.B: Pricing plans from both sides are subject to changes over the time

3. Support duration

Feature	Directorist	Directories Pro
Support Duration	Yearly + Lifetime (Depends on Pricing Plan)	Half Yearly & Yearly (Depending on Pricing Plan

Directorist has both yearly and lifetime pricing plans. Consequently, it provides support on a yearly and lifetime basis.

However, you will only get 1-year support for Connections Business Directory as it only has yearly-based pricing plans.

Directorist usually gives 1-year of support but you can get unlimited support without renewal if you go for the lifetime plan. On the other hand Directories Pro gives only 6 months of support which can be extended up to 12 months for $29.75 (Now at $12.75)

4. Mobile apps availability

Mobile apps of your directory solution indicate how efficiently you can reach more customers. Nowadays, more people are using smartphones than ever before. According to Broadband Search,

If we were to look at these numbers for the United States, about 50 percent of people use a desktop while 46 percent of the market share goes to mobile devices. Tablets make up 4 percent.

The fact from above suggests that you must have an app for your directory website to grow faster, acquire and retain more customers.

Directorist has a full-fledged native mobile app but unfortunately, Directories Pro does not have any mobile app.

Feature	Directorist	Directories Pro
Mobile Apps	✔️ (Android + iOS)	❌

5. Drag & drop directory website page builder

An “Advanced drag and drop directory website page builder” can be a cog in the machine if you are to customize your add listing page, single listing layout, all listing page, and advanced search form builder above all the key pages of your directory website.

Directorist allows you to enjoy a drag-and-drop form builder that helps you to create all these necessary web pages in a playful and smooth way. Similarly, Directories pro comes with a drag and drop content display editor that works well enough to customize the pages. But it is not that extensive and feature-rich like the directory builder of Directorist

Features	Directorist	Directories Pro
Drag & drop based input fields	✔️	✔️
Advanced drag & drop based search form builder facility	✔️	❌
Create and customize the listing card for grid view	✔️	✔️
Single Page Layout and List Layout Builder	✔️	✔️
Personalized builder settings panel	✔️	❌

6. Multi-directory facilities

You may start with one directory type but later may want to expand your business with other categories. In this regard, the multi-directory feature will help you to a great extent. Both of the directory solutions brag about this feature.

Feature	Directorist	Directories Pro
Multi-directory Facility	✔️ (Free)	✔️ (Paid)

7. Unlimited Custom Fields​

If you don’t want to settle in the preset fields, custom fields are the key. To this end, Directorist and Directories Pro both come up with the custom field option with drag and drop functionalities where you can add as many custom fields as you want.

Feature	Directorist	Directories Pro
Custom Fields	✔️ (Free)	✔️ (Paid)

8. Social importer

Social importer lessens the hassle to import business information and events from Facebook, Yelp, or TripAdvisor using just the URL of your page. However, none of the plugins have this feature in place yet.

To get rid of the hassles to import business information from platforms like Facebook, Yelp, or TripAdvisor, a directory solution may have this feature. Unfortunately, none of them has introduced this feature.

Channel	Directorist	Directories Pro
Facebook	❌	❌
Yelp	❌	❌
TripAdvisor	❌	❌

9. CSV bulk importer

You may use other directory solutions and may switch back to another. To this end, you will have to export the data of your current directory website and import it to the new one. Interestingly, both of the directory solutions come up with the CSV Bulk Importer feature.

Feature	Directorist	Directories Pro
CSV Bulk Importer	✔️ (With mapping)	✔️

10. Search with advanced customizable filters

Adding a search option with advanced filters is a bare minimum for a directory website. Fortunately both of the directory tools bolster this feature. You can even customize the search form the way you want. For example, you can decide whether to show or hide a field on the search form.

Both of the tools ship with advanced customizable search filters.

Features	Directorist	Directories Pro
Search Filters	✔️	✔️
Advanced Custom Filters with drag and drop builder	✔️	❌

11. Multiple mapping sources & mapping styles

Each of these directory tools arms you with multiple mapping sources and mapping styles.

Features	Directorist	Directories Pro
Multiple Mapping Source	✔️	✔️
Google Map	✔️	✔️
Open Street Map	✔️	✔️
Customize Map	✔️	✔️

12. Frontend listing submission & guest submission​

With frontend listing submission & guest submission, users can immediately post their listings. It helps you optimize the sales funnel even more. As a result, your users are more likely to become paying customers. Another benefit is that if you restrict your users from logging in to the backend of your website, it decreases the risk of getting hacked.

Other benefits include:

• Submit their listing with just an email
• Submit from frontend dashboard which looks cooler than the dull default WordPress dashboard
• Manage their submitted listings from the front end.

Not only Directorist but also Directories Pro comes with this necessary feature:

Features	Directorist	Directories Pro
Frontend Listing Submission​	✔️	✔️
Guest Posting	✔️	✔️
Frontend Listing Management	✔️	✔️

13. Private directory

Do you want to generate leads for your email list? Then this is the way to go. You can simply restrict your users from seeing your website’s listings to the logged-in users only. Bingo! People will inundate your database with their names and emails. Cool, right?

Directorist allows you to enjoy this prerogative while Directories Pro doesn’t.

Features	Directorist	Directories Pro
Private Directory	✔️	❌

14. Exclusive plugins

Plugin integration allows you to extend your directory website’s usability more.

Directorist has a bunch of 30 extensions. They are:

• MailChimp Integration
• Multidirectory Linking
• BuddyPress Integration
• BuddyBoss Integration
• Oxygen Page Builder Integration
• Authorize.net Payment Gateway
• Directorist Coupon
• Directorist Ads Manager
• Compare Listings
• Rank Featured Listings
• Booking (Reservation & Appointment)
• Live Chat
• Mark as Sold
• Social Login
• Post Your Need
• Listings with Map
• Image Gallery
• Listing FAQs
• Listings Slider & Carousel
• Google reCAPTCHA
• Business Hours
• Claim Listing
• Stripe Payment Gateway
• PayPal Payment Gateway
• Pricing Plans
• WooCommerce Pricing Plans
• And more

Currently, Directories Pro is fully paid. All of its features come in the form of core features.

Feature	Directorist	Directories Pro
Plugin Integrations	✔️	Not Applicable

15. Exclusive themes

Themes are like the catalyst to attract and convert users with their spells. Here are a few interesting facts:

Apart from all other WordPress themes, Directorist, has the following themes integrated:

• OneListing (Free)
• Directoria (Free)
• OneListing Pro
• dPlace
• dRestaurant
• dRealEstate
• dCar
• dDoctors
• dLawyers
• DList
• DService
• Direo
• And more

As of now, Directories Pro does not have any integrated themes on its website. It usually supports the normal WordPress themes.

Feature	Directorist	Directories Pro
Theme Integrations	✔️(12)	❌

16. Page builder support

Recently, people love to design their website using page builders like Elementor, Oxygen Page Builder, Gutenberg block editor, Visual Composer, Beaver Builder, Brizy, etc. Each of the directory tool support different page builders.

Feature	Directorist	Directories Pro
Page Builder Support	✔️ (Elementor, Oxygen Builder, Gutenberg)	✔️ (Elementor, Divi, Oxygen Builder)

17. WooCommerce Multivendor Plugin compatibility​

If your directory tool has compatibility with popular WooCommerce based multivendor plugins like Dokan, WC Marketplace, WCFM, WC Vendor, or YITH WooCommerce Multivendor, you can operate your directory business and multivendor business together.

Feature	Directorist	Directories Pro
Compatible with popular multi-vendor plugins like Dokan, WC Vendors, WC Marketplace, WCFM, YITH WooCommerce Multivendor.	✔️	❌

18. Develop booking system

If you plan to create a booking based directory you must ensure the following features:

• Restaurant Reservation
• Doctor Appointments
• Service Booking
• Event Ticket Booking
• Hotel and Apartment Renting

Directories Pro does not have any built-in Booking system, though Directorist has the Booking system as an extension.

Feature	Directorist	Directories Pro
Booking System	✔️	❌

19. Built-in checkout & popular gateways

The directory solution you choose should have multiple payments gateways to receive payments. It is necessary to stop cart abandonment.

Payment Gateways	Directorist	Directories Pro
PayPal	✔️	❌
Payfast	❌	❌
Stripe	✔️	❌
WooCommerce Payment Gateway	✔️	✔️
Bank Transfer	✔️	❌
Authorize.net AIM	✔️	❌

20. Earn through monetization

The more ways you have to monetize your directory website, the more revenue you can generate.

Features	Directorist	Directories Pro
Paid Listings	✔️	✔️
Featured Listings	✔️	❌
Rank Featured Listing	✔️	❌
Claim a Listing	✔️	❌
EU VAT Compliance	❌	❌
Pay Per Submit	✔️	❌
Google AdSense	✔️	❌
Subscriptions	✔️	✔️
Recurrent Payment Option	✔️	❌
Users Can Post Their Any Kind of Need or Service	✔️	❌
Charge for upgrading or downgrading listings	❌	✔️

21. Private Live Chat

Most, if not all websites have these features on their website these days. With Live Chat, visitors can chat with the listing owners. Consequently, your website becomes engaging and dynamic. Here is a fact to consider:

Retaining paid customers is way much harder for the listing owners than acquiring new ones for them. Giving private live chat support to customers will allow listing owners to satisfy and retain their existing customers.

Directorist does have this feature in the form of extension whilst Directories Pro is yet to include this essential feature.

Feature	Directorist	Directoreis Pro
Private Live Chat	✔️	❌

22. Ads manager

You can not just go for a typical directory tool. With an Ads Manager option, you can earn from the ads on your directory website, by showing ads on targeted pages. With Directorist Ads Manager, you can do this from a single dashboard, and boost your earnings 10X with our powerful yet easy-to-use monetizing features.

Feature	Directorist	Directoreis Pro
Google AdSense	✔️	❌
Facebook Ads	✔️	❌
Affiliate Marketing	✔️	❌

23. Social login

The Social Login feature lessens the hassle of the registration process as it does not need any email verification or so. All the users have to do is to click on a button and Presto! They are signed up & logged in with just a single click.

Again, Directorist ships with this amazing feature while Directories Pro is yet to deliver this feature.

Feature	Directorist	Directories Pro
Social Login via Gmail	✔️	❌
Social Login via Facebook	✔️	❌

24. Face detection

Face Detection tool can be an amazing feature for user directory websites. What it does is it correctly crops and positions a person’s face so that it fits in the frame. Neither of them is yet to have this feature.

Feature	Directorist	Directories Pro
Face Detection	❌	❌

25. More premium features

Some other salient premium features of a directory solution should include features as:

Features	Directorist	Directories Pro
Business Hours or Operational Hours	✔️	✔️
Mark as Sold	✔️	❌
Spam Protection	✔️	✔️
Listing FAQs	✔️	❌
Image Gallery	✔️	❌
Listings Slider & Carousel	✔️	✔️
Compare Listings	✔️	✔️
WPML Support	✔️	✔️
RTL Support	✔️	✔️

26. Integrations

When your business directory solution has integrations with many other platforms, you can enjoy flexibility.

Directorist has integration with the following platforms:

• Google Map Integration
• Open Street Map Integration
• Yoast SEO Integration
• Rank Math SEO Integration
• Theme integrations
• BuddyPress Profile Page integration
• BuddyBoss Profile Page Integration
• WPML integration
• WooCommerce Subscription Integration (upcoming)
• MailChimp Integration
• Elementor Integration
• Oxygen Builder Integration
• Gutenberg Integration
• GamiPress Integration

And Directories Pro contains the following integrations:

• Google Map
• Open Street Map
• WooCommerce my-account page integration
• BuddyPress profile page integration
• Ultimate Member profile page integration
• PeepSo profile page integration
• WPML Integration

27. Miscellaneous

A standard directory tool should include these miscellaneous yet essential features:

Features	Directorist	Directories Pro
Right to left language compatibility like Arabic, Aramaic, Azeri, etc.	✔️	❌
Rating & Reviews	✔️	✔️
Guest Submission	✔️	✔️
Private Directory	✔️	❌
Custom Badges	✔️	❌
GDPR Ready	✔️	✔️
Renew Listings	✔️	✔️
Email Notification	✔️	❌
Scheduling Task (Admin can fix the time frame after which submitted listings will be expired.)	✔️	❌
Save & Bookmark	✔️	✔️
Easy Setup Wizard	✔️	✔️
Direction & Contact	✔️	✔️
Invoice	✔️	✔️
Tax Ready	✔️	❌
Flag & Report	✔️	❌
Super Responsiveness	✔️	✔️
Author Public Profile	✔️	❌
Elementor Page Builder Widgets	✔️	✔️
Custom user Registration and Login	✔️	❌
Social Media Share	✔️	❌
Events Manager	✔️	✔️
EU VAT Compliance	✔️	❌
Franchise Manager	❌	✔️

Final Verdict

These two directory solutions glitter equally but differently from their position. We suggest you use the free version first before making any purchasing decision. Unfortunately, Directories Pro does not come up with any free version.

However, if you are using Directories Pro or Directorist, make sure you share your experience in the comment section below. If you liked our posts, don’t forget to subscribe to our blog so that we can notify you once any post is published. Directorist is now on Twitter & Facebook! You can also join the Directorist Community for sharing your thoughts and experiences relating to the directory niche. Come and join us to see what we’re up to.