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Head-to-head · Directory Software

Brilliant Directories vs Directorist

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 7 checks side by side
Higher score Brilliant Directories #3 in Directory Software 8.7/10 7-day trial Free trial✓ 0 of 6 features Visit site
Directorist #7 in Directory Software 7.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 6 of 6 features Visit Directorist

Brilliant Directories leads on 0 checks, Directorist on 1, and 6 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 7 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreBrilliant Directories · 8.7/10
  • Free planonly Directorist
  • Free trialonly Brilliant Directories
  • Most featuresDirectorist · 6 of 6

Brilliant Directories scores higher on our rubric for directory software: 8.7 against 7.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #7.

Directorist offers free plan; Brilliant Directories doesn't.

Brilliant Directories is the better fit for membership communities and gated directories. Directorist is the better fit for self-hosted multi-directory WordPress projects.

  • Brilliant Directories fits best

    Membership communities and gated directories

  • Directorist fits best

    Self-hosted multi-directory WordPress projects

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Brilliant Directories 8.7/10 Visit ↗ Directorist 7.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.7 7.6
Ranking #3 in Directory Software #7 in Directory Software
Best for Membership communities and gated directories Self-hosted multi-directory WordPress projects
Pricing model Paid Free plan + paid
Starting price $40/mo $129/yr
Free plan — ✓ (best)
Free trial 7 days —
Money-back guarantee 7 days 14 days
Deployment Cloud Self-hosted, Cloud
Platforms Web Web
Support Email, Live chat, Tickets, Community, Docs Tickets, Live chat, Docs, Community
Integrations 5,000+ integrations 8 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features Brilliant Directories 0/6 · Directorist 6/6
Custom listing fields Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Search and filters Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Location features Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Public submissions Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Paid listings Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Import and export Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Specs
Listing limit Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Recurring billing, coupons, trials, and prorated upgrades
  • Gated pages, member permissions, and searchable profiles
  • REST API, webhooks, MCP, and no-code integrations
  • Unlimited custom fields, advanced search, geolocation, and radius search
  • Supports multiple directories, paid listings, payments, and CSV migration
  • Integrates with Elementor, WooCommerce, WPML, BuddyPress, and Mailchimp
Cons
  • Starts at $40/month with no free plan
  • Advanced analytics and developer tools require the Pro plan
  • Annual pricing is shown as 50% discounted without regular amounts
  • Requires a WordPress site and self-hosted setup
  • Paid annual plans start at $129 per site per year
  • One-time Agency pricing covers 20 sites rather than unlimited sites
Our verdict

Brilliant Directories is a hosted platform for membership websites, online directories, communities, and premium-content sites. It brings together member profiles, dashboards, permissions, recurring payments, searchable listings,…

Read the review →

Directorist is a WordPress plugin for creating and managing online directories across niches such as businesses, services, real estate, jobs, restaurants, and classified ads. It combines a drag-and-drop directory and form builder with…

Read the review →
  1. Brilliant DirectoriesDirectory Software 8.77-day trial
  2. DirectoristDirectory Software 7.6Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Brilliant Directories — where it wins

    • Recurring billing, coupons, trials, and prorated upgrades
    • Gated pages, member permissions, and searchable profiles
    • REST API, webhooks, MCP, and no-code integrations

    Where it doesn't

    • Starts at $40/month with no free plan
    • Advanced analytics and developer tools require the Pro plan
    • Annual pricing is shown as 50% discounted without regular amounts

  • Directorist — where it wins

    • Unlimited custom fields, advanced search, geolocation, and radius search
    • Supports multiple directories, paid listings, payments, and CSV migration
    • Integrates with Elementor, WooCommerce, WPML, BuddyPress, and Mailchimp

    Where it doesn't

    • Requires a WordPress site and self-hosted setup
    • Paid annual plans start at $129 per site per year
    • One-time Agency pricing covers 20 sites rather than unlimited sites
  • Brilliant Directories8.7/10 · 7-day trial

    A hosted directory platform for gated memberships, payments, content, and email.

    Visit siteFull verdict →
  • Directorist7.6/10 · Free plan

    A broad WordPress directory toolkit with a free plan and paid features for growing projects.

    Visit DirectoristFull verdict →

More comparisons

All directory software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update