Best WordPress Directory Plugins in 2026

Data from WordPress.org Updated September 7, 2026 First published September 4, 2026 5 min read

Business listings, classifieds and searchable directories with submissions.

A directory plugin turns WordPress into a listings site: entries with structured fields, a search that filters them, a map, and usually a way for other people to submit and pay for their own listing. It is one of the most complete applications in the plugin world.

Together these 10 plugins run on more than 66,300 active WordPress sites. Ranked from both WordPress.org orderings for "listings", its tag listing and its search results.

On this page

Best for each measure
Quick comparison
The top 10
What moved
How to choose
Head-to-head
How this list is ranked
FAQ
Conclusion
Other rankings

Best Directory Plugin for each measure

One plugin per measure, taken from the same WordPress.org figures as the ranking. A measure with nothing behind it is left out rather than guessed.

Most installed: Directorist
20,000+, active installs reported by WordPress.org
Highest rated: HivePress
4.9 out of 5, from 221 reviews, counting only plugins with at least 50
Most reviewed: GeoDirectory
715 reviews, the largest body of feedback behind a score
Most recently updated: Name Directory
September 6, 2026, the latest release in this list
Longest established: Business Directory Plugin
November 22, 2011, first published on WordPress.org
Best support record: GeoDirectory
6 of 7 resolved, recent threads on the WordPress.org support forum

Directory Plugins compared: rating, reviews, installs

#	Plugin	Rating	Reviews	Active installs
1	Directorist	4.6	697	20,000+
2	GeoDirectory	4.8	715	10,000+
3	Business Directory Plugin	4.6	504	10,000+
4	HivePress	4.9	221	10,000+
5	Classified Listing	4.8	138	9,000+
6	Name Directory	4.9	80	2,000+
7	Simple Link Directory	4.8	121	2,000+
8	Advanced Classifieds & Directory Pro	4.7	96	2,000+
9	Web Directory Free	4.1	20	300+
10	Listdom	4.9	57	1,000+

The 10 best Directory Plugins, ranked by WordPress.org

Ranked from both WordPress.org orderings for "listings", its tag listing and its search results. Arrows show movement against the previous snapshot.

1.Directorist

Directorist: AI-Powered Business Directory, Listings & Classified Ads

4.6 (697) 20,000+ active installs Updated Sep 2, 2026 Tested up to 7.0.4

Build any type of directory website such as a business directory, job directory, classifieds directory, and more with this WordPress directory plugin.

Stats and rankings WordPress.org Website
2.GeoDirectory

GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory

4.8 (715) 10,000+ active installs Updated Sep 2, 2026 Tested up to 7.1

A superb WordPress Business Directory plugin to create a local business directory, classified ads directory, or job listings board.

Stats and rankings WordPress.org Website
3.Business Directory Plugin

Business Directory Plugin – Easy Listing & Member Directories for WordPress

4.6 (504) 10,000+ active installs Updated Sep 1, 2026 Tested up to 7.1 Paid version available

Build a business directory or member directory on WordPress, complete with a listing manager and directory website builder. No developer needed.

Stats and rankings WordPress.org Website
4.HivePress

HivePress – Business Directory, Listings & Classified Ads Plugin

4.9 (221) 10,000+ active installs Updated Aug 26, 2026 Tested up to 7.1

A simple yet powerful plugin to create a business directory, job board, real estate, classifieds, or basically any type of listing website.

Stats and rankings WordPress.org Website
5.Classified Listing

Classified Listing – AI-Powered Classified ads & Business Directory

4.8 (138) 9,000+ active installs Updated Sep 1, 2026 Tested up to 7.1

AI-powered Classified ads & Business Directory plugin for WordPress to build classifieds, listings, real estate & local business directory sites.

Stats and rankings WordPress.org Website
6.Name Directory

4.9 (80) 2,000+ active installs Updated Sep 6, 2026 Tested up to 7.1

Name directory (glossary) with many options like multiple directories, integrated search, non-latin characters, recaptcha, HTML editor and many more.

Stats and rankings WordPress.org Website
7.Simple Link Directory

Simple Link Directory – AI Powered

4.8 (121) 2,000+ active installs Updated Aug 25, 2026 Tested up to 7.1

AI Powered LINK DIRECTORY Plugin for WordPress to Curate Links for Web Directory. Link Management, Directory Listings, Link Archive, Vendor Directory

Stats and rankings WordPress.org Website
8.Advanced Classifieds & Directory Pro

4.7 (96) 2,000+ active installs Updated Jul 14, 2026 Tested up to 7.0.4

Build any kind of directory site: classifieds, cars, bikes & other vehicles dealers site, pets, real estate portal, yellow pages, etc...

Stats and rankings WordPress.org Website
9.Web Directory Free
▲1

4.1 (20) 300+ active installs Updated Aug 31, 2026 Tested up to 7.1

A searchable business directory for WordPress: categories, locations, custom fields. Google, Mapbox or MapLibre maps. Everything included for free, ex …

Stats and rankings WordPress.org Website
10.Listdom
▲2

Listdom: AI-powered Business Directory with Classifieds Ads Listings

4.9 (57) 1,000+ active installs Updated Aug 23, 2026 Tested up to 7.1

Build any WordPress directory or classifieds site with AI. 80+ skins, search builder, user profile, frontend dashboard, Google Maps & reCAPTCHA.

Stats and rankings WordPress.org Website

What changed in the Directory Plugins ranking

Web Directory Free #9 ▲1
Listdom #10 ▲2

How to choose a Directory Plugin for WordPress

1
Front-end submission is the hard part
Letting strangers create listings needs a form, moderation, editing and spam control. Plugins that only support admin entry are a different product.
2
Search and filters carry the site
Location, category, price band and open attributes. A directory whose search is weak has no reason to exist.
3
Maps are a running cost
Commercial map providers bill per load. Check which one the plugin uses and whether an open alternative is available.
4
Decide how it earns before you build
Paid listings, featured placement or claim-your-business flows differ per plugin and are usually the paid tier.

Directory Plugin comparisons: side by side

The top four against each other on installs, ratings, reviews and updates. Each measure names its own leader; there is no overall winner.

How we rank Directory Plugins

WordPress.org publishes two orderings for "listings" and neither is reliable alone. The tag listing covers every tag the directory files these plugins under, "listings", "listing", "directory", "business-directory", "classifieds" and "directory-plugin", and is sorted by active installs, which lets a large plugin carrying one of them loosely sit above the ones the category is about. Its search results are sorted by relevance and carry their own noise. So a plugin is placed here by where it sits across both lists: high in each one lifts it, high in only one does not. We fetch both every day at 03:00 UTC, keep every day's snapshot, and add nothing of our own. No plugin is inserted, removed or sponsored, and each entry shows its position in both lists on its own page. Full methodology.

Directory Plugins FAQ

What is the best Directory Plugin for WordPress?

On WordPress.org's own ranking for "listings", Directorist is #1 as of September 7, 2026, with 20,000+ active installs and a 4.6 out of 5 rating. By rating, HivePress scores 4.9 out of 5 from 221 reviews.

Which Directory Plugin has the most active installs?

Directorist, with 20,000+ active installs reported by WordPress.org as of September 7, 2026. It ranks #1 in this list.

Which Directory Plugin has the highest rating?

HivePress, rated 4.9 out of 5 by 221 reviewers on WordPress.org. Only plugins with at least 50 reviews are counted, so a single 5-star review does not win.

Which Directory Plugin was updated most recently?

Name Directory shipped its latest release on September 6, 2026. 10 of the 10 plugins in this list were updated in the last 90 days, which is the usual sign of active maintenance.

How many Directory Plugins are there on WordPress.org?

WordPress.org lists 257 plugins tagged "listings", "listing", "directory", "business-directory", "classifieds" and "directory-plugin" as of September 7, 2026. This page shows the top 10 in the directory's own order.

Are these Directory Plugins free?

All 10 are free to install from WordPress.org. 1 of them are listed as commercial, meaning the developer sells a paid version or add-ons: Business Directory Plugin.

Can visitors submit their own listings?

In most of these plugins, yes, and it is the feature that separates a directory from a list of posts. What varies is what surrounds it: moderation before publishing, letting the owner edit later, claiming an existing listing, and stopping spam submissions. Check all four, because a submission form without them creates work rather than saving it.

How much do maps cost in a directory?

It depends entirely on the provider. The major commercial map services bill per map load with a monthly free allowance, which a busy directory can exceed. Plugins that support an open map alternative, or that show a static image until someone clicks, keep that bill near zero.

Directory Plugins: the bottom line

As of September 7, 2026, Directorist holds the #1 spot for "listings" on WordPress.org, followed by GeoDirectory and Business Directory Plugin. If install base matters most, Directorist leads with 20,000+ active installs. If ratings matter most, HivePress scores 4.9 out of 5 across 221 reviews.