Add Beautiful Design and Improve Site Functionality... One Plugin at a Time
In the world of WordPress, tons of new plugins are released daily. In fact, the WordPress Repository alone continues to grow at a remarkable pace, not to mention the hundreds of new plugins released monthly in marketplaces such as CodeCanyon.
But how do you know if the plugins you are viewing are worth your time or money? More so, how do you know if a particular plugin you choose is what you need for your website?
Sure, you can scroll through the hundreds of options, most of which are mixed up even when filters are applied, and view the features they all have, all in hopes you come across one that might be for you. Then you can purchase it, install it, and see how it works. Seems like too much of a gamble and waste of time (not to mention cash) if you ask me.
Instead, why don’t you preview our exclusive Plugins section and see what you can find:
Plugin Roundup Articles. Find organized blog posts grouping similar plugins in one convenient location.
The How and Why. Read in-depth explanations about how to perform certain functions or create specific web designs on your website with plugins. More so, learn why certain plugins are necessary for your website and why the ones we list for you are the very best.
The List Itself. View a screenshot of each plugin’s logo, link to the official page where you can download or purchase it, and read about each plugin’s feature set in a short and concise way so you know immediately if one is right for you.
Out-of-the-box, WordPress comes packed with enough core functionality to give you a good website. But why not make your website great by installing plugins that address pain points, take customization to another level, and just make things easier on both you and your site visitors?
Come visit our Plugins section and get a taste for what’s out there without wading through the thousands of available plugins on the market today. Trust that our experienced team knows what to look for in high-quality plugins, understands what website owners of all kinds are on the lookout for, and finds pleasure in sharing the very best with you so you don’t have to do all the work yourself.
After all, WordPress’ ability to extend far beyond a publishing forum is one of its greatest appeals. And quite frankly, without the addition of WordPress plugins to aid it in its quest for extendibility, you just cannot reach above and beyond what even the stiffest of competition is doing right now. Decide what your website needs to become a standout favorite among your target audience and come see us. We have everything you need in one convenient location so that you can boost your site’s success starting today.
Setting up an online forum on your WordPress website is a great way to build an online community and generate user engagement. They allow users to share ideas, discuss topics, and receive valuable input from other forum members.
WordPress, a comprehensive content management system, offers many high-quality forum plugins to help you set up and start running an online forum. In this post, we’ve rounded up some of the best WordPress forum plugins to help you build a solid online community and highlighted the standout features each one offers.
Let’s go ahead and put everything into context before we begin.
The competition amongst online businesses has only increased over the years. There are more people than ever going into business, all vying for the same customer base. This has forced website owners to up their marketing efforts to stand out. It has also pressured website owners to be more readily available for customer questions, concerns, and complaints to retain their customers’ business.
As a website owner, you must provide site visitors with multiple ways to contact you. In addition, it is crucial you make getting in touch with you as easy as possible for any site visitor, no matter their issue, location on your website, or device they are contacting you from.
Are you planning to create a directory site? As always, WordPress is more than capable of handling the task. However, to get your site up and running efficiently, you’ll need to pick the right directory plugin from the many options available.
This post is designed to make that choice easier.
Here’s what you’ll gain from reading:
Key features to consider when selecting a directory plugin
How to decide if a directory plugin is the right choice for you, or if a WordPress directory theme might be a better fit
A curated list of some of the best directory plugins available
Let’s dive in so you can start building your directory site quickly!
What Should You Look For In a WordPress Directory Plugin?
You’ll want a few essential features when building a directory site, regardless of your niche. These key elements will ensure your site functions effectively and serves your visitors well:
Detailed Search Functionality: A directory is only valuable if users can easily find what they’re looking for. Choose a plugin that offers an advanced search system with plenty of filters to help visitors narrow down their options quickly.
Monetization Options: If you’re aiming to generate income, look for plugins with built-in monetization features. This could include selling paid listings, offering upgrades, or running advertisements directly through your directory.
Custom Fields: Custom fields are essential to tailor your directory to your niche. Make sure your plugin allows you to add custom fields that capture all the necessary information for your specific type of directory.
Google Maps Integration: Especially for local directories, Google Maps integration is crucial. It enables users to find listings based on proximity, a must-have for location-based directories.
Also, when creating your directory site, please remember that you can use a dedicated theme, a plugin, or sometimes both. Choosing the right tool will depend on your specific needs and the level of customization you require.
Should You Use a Plugin or Theme for Your Directory Site?
If you’re creating a site that’s 100% focused on its directory functionality, you might be better off going with a dedicated directory theme. While such themes are less flexible for non-directory uses, they’re built from the ground up to match the directory functionality. That means everything looks perfect from the minute you install the theme… which isn’t always the case with plugins.
If you use a plugin, you add functionality to a non-directory theme. That is, you’re retrofitting. Plugins are your best bet if you need to add directory functionality to an otherwise standalone site. But you may need custom CSS to make your directory site look just right.
What Are The Best WordPress Directory Plugins?
Now that we’ve covered the preliminary information, let’s discuss some of the top directory plugins on the market. I’ll try to give you both free and premium options.
1. Sabai Directory Plugin for WordPress
Sabai Directory Plugin is a highly popular premium directory solution available on CodeCanyon. It has over 7,300 sales and maintains a solid 4.5-star rating. Its popularity is due to its extensive feature set, which offers the flexibility that directory websites often require.
One of the standout features of Sabai Directory is its custom field functionality. You can easily add custom fields using a visual form editor, giving you complete control over the data you want to display on listing pages. Visitors can search through these fields and other criteria like keywords, categories, distance, and location. This flexible search functionality ensures that users can find what they’re looking for quickly and easily.
The plugin offers multiple display options for your listings, including list, grid, or map views. The interactive map view allows visitors to refine their search by moving the map, dynamically providing more location information. Sabai Directory also supports paid listings, enabling you to create custom plans and allowing business owners to manage their listings via a dedicated dashboard.
Additional features include voting, featured listings, directions, and more, making Sabai Directory a comprehensive option for any directory site. Priced at $29, it offers excellent value with its robust capabilities.
Business Directory Plugin is a flexible directory solution with a free core plugin and a range of paid add-ons. It’s a great starting point if you want to create a directory without upfront costs, offering several essential features in the free version.
The free version allows you to customize your listing forms by adding and editing form fields. Users can submit and manage their listings directly from the front end, making controlling their information easy. The search form is also customizable, allowing you to hide or display specific fields to offer the filtering options your visitors need. The listing page includes a sorting bar to help users quickly sort and refine search results.
The free plugin also includes basic monetization, enabling you to create paid listing packages and accept payments through Authorize.net.
Paid add-ons unlock additional features, such as displaying business locations on Google Maps, support for multiple payment gateways, claimed listings, and discount codes. With these add-ons, you can expand the functionality of your directory based on your needs.
GeoDirectory is another directory solution offering a free core plugin with various premium add-ons. The free version is designed to create directories based on a single city or location, making it a great starting point for local directories.
You can build custom front-end submission forms using the drag-and-drop form builder, which includes 13 different custom field types. Users can easily submit their listings, and while you can create search and filter options for these fields, this feature is only available with one of the premium add-ons.
GeoDirectory’s free version also includes several Google Maps widgets to display your listings, with additional map-related features available through premium add-ons. You can monetize your directory by offering premium listings with another paid add-on.
Other premium features include user reviews, BuddyPress integrations, event listings, and more. While GeoDirectory’s free version doesn’t offer as much functionality as Business Directory Plugin, it’s highly extensible through add-ons, although costs can accumulate depending on how many features you need.
Web 2.0 Directory Plugin is a premium directory solution available on CodeCanyon. With a robust 4.5-star rating and over 4,400 sales, it’s a popular choice for those seeking robust directory features for their WordPress site.
The plugin allows adding customizable content fields to give your listings flexibility. You can also order listings and enable visitors to search by these custom fields, which is especially helpful for niche directories. The search functionality integrates with the Relevanssi plugin to enhance WordPress’s default search capabilities.
Web 2.0 Directory Plugin supports displaying listings on a map, making it an excellent option for local directories. On the monetization front, you have various options, including selling sponsored listings, offering “listing boosts,” and integrating ads to generate revenue.
The Web 2.0 Directory Plugin is a solid option for building a local directory with customizable features and flexible monetization options.
The plugin is priced at $34 with standard Envato licensing.
Advanced Classifieds & Directory Pro is another directory plugin that offers a robust free core version with paid add-ons to extend its functionality. The free version is particularly strong, making it an excellent option for those with tight budgets.
In the free version, you can add unlimited custom fields to your listings and include any fields in the search widget, allowing for highly customizable search options. It also supports unlimited locations with Google Maps integration, perfect for directories spanning multiple areas.
Users benefit from personal accounts where they can manage, edit, or delete their listings. You can also charge for featured listings and recurring fee plans, though the recurring fee feature requires a premium add-on. Payment gateways like Stripe and PayPal also require premium add-ons, but local payment methods are available in the free version.
Overall, Advanced Classifieds & Directory Pro offers a lot of functionality at no cost, with the option to expand through premium features as your needs grow.
Focusing on your specific needs is essential when choosing the right directory plugin because you only need one. So, how do you decide?
Business Directory Plugin is an excellent choice for those seeking a feature-rich free option. Its free version is highly flexible, and you may only need a few premium add-ons to meet your needs fully. Advanced Classifieds & Directory Pro is another good, though slightly less popular, free option.
If flexibility is your top priority, GeoDirectory offers many add-ons, giving you significant control over your site’s functionality. However, keep in mind that the cost of add-ons can accumulate quickly.
For affordable, feature-packed options, Sabai Directory Plugin and Web 2.0 Directory Plugin from Code Canyon provide solid functionality without the hefty price tag. Both are well-rated and suitable for users who want flexibility without overspending.
One of the biggest problems with online businesses is that they aren’t very personal. Prospective customers often have a ton of questions that they’d (ideally) like answered in real time. For this reason, delivering value and providing a memorable user experience every single time is essential.
Rather than expecting your visitors to interact with you through contact forms and by submitting query tickets, you could consider offering online chat support. This would allow you to provide timely answers to interested prospects and potentially convert them to loyal customers.
In 2013, before we launched Nimbus Themes, we compiled a list of all the features we needed from an eCommerce solution. The ability to create memberships was paramount, as was a solution that managed all aspects of credit card vaulting so we didn’t have to worry about losing customer data. We came up with about ten requirements, and I began sorting through all the eCommerce solutions available to us. You’d be amazed how quickly you can discard most shopping cart options if you’re organized about what you need. In the end, we found a solution that was perfect for us called Cart66 Cloud. It met all our business requirements, and we liked the developers behind the service.
You need a powerful calendar plugin if you regularly schedule meetings, host events, or book client appointments through your WordPress website. It’ll help you stay organized and better manage upcoming events.
Fortunately, WordPress offers a wide range of premium-quality calendar plugins that automate event management and display listings.
As website owners, it’s easy to get lost in perfecting the design and adding functionality—selling products, booking appointments, or hosting events. However, one crucial aspect that is often overlooked is the security of our website. In a digital world filled with potential threats, website safety should be as important as its appearance or features.
Let me tell you why FAQ plugins will make your life easier…
If you’re running any kind of business, you probably get a lot of questions from your customers. And while you’ll certainly get the occasional oddball question, I’m willing to bet that you mostly get asked the same questions repeatedly. As a freelancer, I experience this firsthand when clients inquire about my services.
Search engines drive a significant portion of web traffic to most websites, and ranking well can make all the difference in visibility. When someone searches for a keyword or phrase, the results appear instantly, and you want your website to be among the first they see—not buried on page 10, where few will venture.
Epicurean Theme