The WordPress directory is a very demanding niche, and it's not surprising. Directory websites have been part of the Internet for a long time and for a good reason. They provide a convenient platform where users can find what they want. It doesn't matter if you're going to find a place to eat, watch a movie, or find other services in a particular area.

Thus, choosing the right directory plugin to build a multivendor website is quite challenging, and it's easy to get lost. I prepared the list of tools that might be helpful for you on the path to your perfect functional business directory website.

The List of Best WordPress Directory Plugins in 2022

Crocoblock

Multivendor Directory Solution by Crocoblock is not a uniform WordPress directory plugin. It incorporates four advanced plugins featuring the functionality required for building a full-fledged multivendor directory website from scratch.

They are JetEngine, JetSearch, JetSmartFilters, and JetReviews. Their names are pretty self-explanatory, so even knowing nothing about Crocoblock, you can understand that each of these plugins will provide the tools for:

• designing website structure;

• adding advanced search;

• incorporating filtering system;

• configuring feedback functionality.

Crocoblock suggests at least eight types of multivendor directory websites you can build with their plugins.

However, I am almost sure that your fantasy goes far beyond these options. And the plugins are also flexible enough to adapt their functionality to the particular needs of your clients.

Also, you get the tools for structuring the content with Custom Taxonomies & Terms by assigning categories and tags and the possibility to configure posts relations, organizing them hierarchically.

Apart from basic things, you get:

• Repeater fields to not to enter the same data manually plenty of times;
• Advanced Listings feature to organize the meta fields and item’s attributes;
• Data Stores feature to create Bookmarks, Favorites, Wishlists;
• Dynamic visibility and conditional logic to hide widgets, sections, and columns;
• Custom searches (by keyword, location, or other parameters);
• Variety of filters, clear navigation, indexer, and AJAX;
• Reviews, ratings, and comments functionality with easy management;
• Frontend forms submission feature;
• PayPal and WooCommerce gateways integrations;
• highly configurable pre-designed dynamic templates that are ready to be used right away; and much more.

The price starts from $91 per year for one website. It is quite reasonable in comparison to competitors. Considering the functionality this solution provides, Multivendor Directory Solution might be one of the best WordPress directory plugins in terms of quality and price. If you want to launch more than one website, choose the Unlimited subscription and pay $186 per year. Crocobock also offers a 30-days money-back guarantee.

Business Directory Plugin

The core of the Business Directory Plugin is free; yet, to extend the functionality, you can buy extra premium modules, depending on the requirements. The primary uses for this plugin are listing businesses, local services, or other businesses in a particular area.

Business Directory Plugin is flexible enough to build an entire multivendor directory website or organize listings and attach a directory to your main website.

If you want to organize the directory to generate recurring sales by incorporating membership, the Business Directory Plugin also provides a specific featured-level module. With it, you can provide unique content to a particular group of your visitors.

Moreover, the plugin even lets you differentiate the payments according to the tiers and features you provide.

Other useful premium functionality you might like:

• Discount codes
• Google Maps integration
• Stripe integration
• File attachments module
• Rating module
• 2Checkout gateway and others

You can buy every addon separately for $69.99 (for a single site) and $139.98 (for multiple websites). Yet, it is more reasonable to purchase a combo pack: $199.99 for a single website and $399.99 for up to five sites.

The Elite package with more advanced features and unlimited websites will cost you $599.

GeoDirectory

The name of the GeoDirectory plugin is also self-explanatory. It allows you to build a location-based business directory (e.g., TripAdvisor, Foursquare, Yelp, etc.).

GeoDirectory features a user-friendly interface, so submitting the listings to the directory will be a no-brainer even for novice users. Like many similar plugins these days, it offers a basic level of functionality. But if you want to add more features or settings, you will need to purchase some of the premium addons available.

Point the listings on the map and allow users to search for necessary businesses, locations, etc. Using GeoDirectory, you can integrate payment gateways, design multi-location directories, and showcase event listings.

First, let's look at some of the most powerful built-in features:

• Theme compatibility. GeoDirectory promises to work with almost any theme.
• 10+ widgets. They allow you to create a directory using the widget settings page on the toolbar and drag-n-drop interface.
• Notifications. They can be configured by any directory administrator using shortcodes.
• Add as many listings as you want to the catalogue with minimized SQL connections. You can have millions of listings without overloading your site.
• Plugin compatibility. GeoDirectory is designed to work with popular SEO plugins, with a particular focus on permanent link structures. It also works with WPML, which allows you to create a multilingual directory.
• Set up the submit form. Add new fields, change their order, and do whatever you want, according to the needs of the catalogue you are creating.

The prices are as follows: 4-months membership will cost you $99 (billed every four months); for six months, you will have to pay $129, and a yearly subscription costs $199. The Lifetime license is $995.

Sabai Directory

Plugins such as Sabai Directory come with fully interactive maps. You can add listing information that will be displayed when you move the cursor over a marker. The search results can be updated when the user drags the map, and the autofill function means that the user enters less text. You can always return to the listing view.

Thus, Sabai Directory is an excellent tool for building location-based multivendor directories and displaying data on a convenient interactive map.

Sabai Directory is a very flexible and highly customizable plugin that allows setting custom fields, configuring taxonomies, defining user roles, adding view filters, and much more. On the one hand, Sabai is not for a novice user; still, you can learn the functionality quickly, having only some basic coding and WordPress backend knowledge.

It has a long feature list, but the most prominent are as follows:

• Rating and review module
• Custom pricing for paid listings
• Variety of custom Google Maps styles and markers
• 25+ email notifications
• Payment gateways that include Stripe and PayPal

Also, Sabai Directory allows to incorporate advanced search and filtering with autosuggestions and provides a separate dashboard for the users to see their feedback, bookmarks, etc.

Sabai Directory costs $29 (regular license); if you want Sabai to be the part of the end product that you will sell, the extended license ($150) is required.

Connections Business Directory

Connections is one of the powerful WordPress directory plugins to build almost any multivendor website or directory. Connections Business Directory is lightweight, highly configurable, and demonstrates high compatibility.

Connections also come with templates, which you can use as a layout for your listings. If you don't know where to start your multivendor website design, you can use one of these templates.

Connections provide extended privacy settings, where you can configure privacy levels for any custom field, for instance, to hide business phone numbers or some internal messages.

The premium extensions list also include:

• CSV Import feature; ROT13 Email Encryption to avoid spammers;
• SiteShot feature to display a thumbnail of the directory entry's website;
• Custom Category Order to organize your categories peculiarly;
• and many others.

It is worth noting that the Connections Business Directory plugin is helpful for developers who want to incorporate it into some specific system or adjust for a whole new directory. Thus, there are plenty of APIs to try. The core plugin is also free here; you can access some free features, like toolbars, logins, and birthday emails. But other advanced addons cost $5-$15.

Advanced Classifieds & Directory Pro

Advanced Classifieds and Directory Pro (ACADP) is a handy tool for building a powerful multivendor website. It provides a set of unique features that simplify building an advanced directory. You will find customizable settings and layouts within the plugin to facilitate listings showcase and multifunctional widgets to build a multivendor website without a line of code. They are WordPress-compatible and convenient enough even for beginners.

The ACADP widgets are designed explicitly for displaying listing-related information. They also include tools for developing understandable navigation and transparent content structure.

To organize it, you will have unlimited categories and category levels to make your content visually appealing. ACADP also provides various custom fields to enhance the listings and add all the required attributes (e.g., text area, radio, select list, input box, etc.). The plugin allows you to add as many custom fields to your categories as you need.

Provide advanced search/filtering using the corresponding widgets and set up the search by various parameters, such as keyword, category, location, price, custom fields.

Other premium features are the following:

• Advertiser and user profile functionality;
• Email notifications;
• Possibility to create user collections (bookmarks, wishlists);
• Advanced listings;
• and others.

ACADP offers three subscription options: you can pay monthly/yearly or get a lifetime license. The plans are:

• Starter: Includes free core plugin and one site with unlimited listings.
• Professional: $9.99/month, $95.98/year (all the features that are in the Starter plan, plus advanced ones, such as Listings Slider/Carousel; CSV Import/Export; Multiple categories);
• Lifetime: $289.99 includes all starter features and payment gateways.

To get more websites (up to 5), you will need to pay more accordingly. ACADP also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for all plans and a 20% discount on the lifetime plan.

Web 2.0 Directory

Web 2.0 Directory will help create any multivendor website or business directory: real estate, yellow pages, a catalogue of cities and companies, etc. You can add different types of content: ads, organizations, cars, etc., with the help of the Custom Post Type feature and structure your website correctly. Also, the plugin is compatible with WooCommerce that gives even more possibilities for monetization. It allows you to manage items and orders, connect different payment methods, add coupons and discounts.

You can:

• [ ]connect the necessary addons (payment gateways, rating module, etc.) easily;
• [ ]set up the catalogue page and listings (number of listings on the home page, feedback form, bookmarks, views, comments, bread crumbs, gallery, lightbox);
• [ ]create a search form, map, the content of information letters, currency, etc.

After you complete all the basic settings, your site is ready to incorporate ads. A convenient visual builder allows you to customize the main menu and widgets. For example, you can add Search, Categories, Recent Ads, List of Locations to widgets.

Apart from that, you can use other useful Web 2.0 Directory features, such as:

• Insert video
• Add rate plans and subscriptions
• Provide additional user fields
• Configure custom search
• Embed Google Maps
• Bookmarks for announcements
• Add spam protection with reCaptcha

After installing WooCommerce, you will be able to manage orders and products, set up additional payment gateways available, make scheduled sales, create sales reports, provide refunds to users, etc. The prices are $39 for a regular license and $280 for an extended license (if you want the user to pay to use the end product).

Classified Listings

Classified Listings allows users to build a multivendor website with no coding knowledge. The plugin is designed to be flexible and fully functional. The installation process and submission forms configuration are very quick and easy. Besides, the Classified Listings plugin is also well optimized, so it won’t influence your website’s conversion.

The dashboard provides you with email notification functions. You can also monetize your listings and integrate the PayPal payment system provided by the plugin. Moreover, the plugin is also compatible with almost any topic, so you don't need to install a theme specifically for the business catalogue. In addition, provide your viewers with a grid or compact viewing functions and many sorting and filtering options. Although managing the directory itself is pretty simple on the backend, managing the interface list for individual users is easy.

Key features:

• Unlimited number of user fields;
• Amazing interface panel;
• Enumeration threshold, duration, and image size control;
• reCAPTCHA spam protection;
• and others.

Pricing:

• Small Business — $149 per year for five websites;
• Agency Unlimited Use — $349 per year for unlimited websites;
• Agency Lifetime Unlimited Use — $799.

Directorist

Directorist plugin can be used to design user-friendly and impressive directories and multivendor websites of different types with minimal effort. Its settings are easy to use and understand. The design itself is completely responsive and compatible with mobile, tablet, and desktop devices.

Directorist also enables essential configuration functions for an external user. You can even enable automatic email notifications for the visitors’ convenient communication. Using the Directorist, you can enable the listing expiration date and the list update functions.

In addition, it ensures that old listings don’t overload and clash with your site over time. Using the payment functions of the Directorist, you can include a section of favorite lists that will appear on top of other listings. In addition, Directorist also allows you to use custom slugs for various list pages.

You can change the slugs for categories, tags, locations, specific listings, and more.

The key features are:

• Possibility to monetize selected listings;
• Backend management;
• Email notifications are enabled;
• Advertiser and user profile;
• Easy to configure and manage;
• Custom slugs for each catalogue page.

Directorist provides two alternatives (yearly and lifetime) that include priority support, premium themes, and 20+ advanced extensions.

Within the yearly one, you can pay for:

• One website — $99
• Five websites — $179
• Unlimited websites — $299

The lifetime plans are the following:

• One website — $249
• Five websites — $399
• Unlimited websites — $799

They include all the yearly features, lifetime updates, and priority support.

Name Directory

Name Directory is not a classic business directory plugin. If you are a novice user and don’t know where to start building, you can try Name Directory to design a more basic database. Yet, you can also create WordPress listings, detailed glossaries, and business indexes.

The primary advantage of this plugin is the possibility of creating several directories. You can incorporate the indexes created for different purposes on the same site using shortcodes and configure them separately.

Name Directory allows you to embed a search on top of the default WordPress search engine. Thus, you can combine the rest of your site with your WordPress Directory in an accessible way. It simplifies navigating and managing your indexes, glossaries, or whatever. Name Directory also allows you to customize the directory you built and apply a variety of layouts.

More features are as follows:

• Allows users to display/hide parts of the listing
• Excellent filtering functions
• Easy-to-use AJAX-enabled administration interface
• Default WordPress search engine embedding feature
• CSV files import
• Language support

Wrapping Up

That’s it for my review of directory plugins to build a multivendor website. These plugins provide sufficient flexibility, so you can use them for different purposes. They help to build a more organized index for your site, configure and manage it easily.

Build any directory — real estate, restaurants, employees database, and others conveniently.

If you have already used some of these plugins, feel free to share your experience and thoughts with me.