Understand Directorist’s
Core Features

Yes, both are available in the free version. Custom fields let you add unlimited input types to your listing form — you can choose from 9 different field types and also use custom fields as search filters for more accurate results. Multi-directory lets you create entirely separate directory types on one site, each with its own form, fields, and layout, either built from scratch or imported. These are two of the most powerful core features Directorist offers for free, with no paid plan required.

In most cases, yes. Directorist is built to integrate with your existing theme rather than replace it. It's confirmed compatible with popular themes like Astra, Avada, and Divi, and works with any well-coded WordPress theme. You can also personalize the directory using 25+ Elementor widgets and a wide range of shortcodes and parameters to match your site's existing design. If you're using a niche or custom-built theme, the best approach is to try the free plugin first — since it's a zero-cost download, you can test compatibility before committing to a paid plan.

Yes, all three. Directorist includes 25+ dedicated Elementor widgets for building and customizing your directory pages visually in real time. Divi is supported both through general theme compatibility and the dedicated Directorist Divi Integration extension, which gives you native Divi 5 modules for full drag-and-drop control. Gutenberg is also supported, with blocks available for directory pages. All these integrations are designed to let you build your directory without touching code.

Directorist is built specifically for scale — the plugin is described as highly optimized with minimal memory consumption and efficient database query execution designed to handle large listing volumes. In practice, performance at scale depends more on your hosting environment (server resources, caching setup, database optimization) than on Directorist itself. On a well-configured server with a caching plugin, Directorist sites regularly run tens of thousands of listings without issue. If you're planning a very large directory — hundreds of thousands of listings — we recommend reaching out to the support team to discuss your hosting setup before you launch.

Yes, and it's a free feature. Directorist includes a CSV Bulk Importer that lets you migrate thousands of listings in just a few clicks. You can map any field types from your existing data to Directorist's listing fields, making it flexible regardless of where your data is coming from — whether it's another directory plugin, a spreadsheet, or an exported database. For importing from Google Maps or RSS feeds like Craigslist, the Directorist Listing Importer extension (available on paid plans) handles automated feed imports as well.

Yes. Multi-directory is one of Directorist's core free features. You can create as many separate directory types as you need on a single WordPress installation — for example, a restaurant directory, a job board, and a real estate listings section all running together on one site. Each directory type gets its own custom form, fields, layout, and search filters. You can build each type from scratch or import one. There's no cap on how many directory types you can create.

Yes. With the Pricing Plans extension (included in all paid memberships), you can create multiple listing packages with different benefits and price points — including a free tier. This lets you run a freemium model where basic listings are free but premium placements, featured spots, or additional fields require payment. You can also combine this with recurring subscription plans, pay-per-submit options, and featured listing upgrades — all running simultaneously so listing owners can choose the plan that fits their needs.