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Head-to-head · Directory Software

Brilliant Directories vs HivePress

  • 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
HivePress #8 in Directory Software 7.5/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 6 of 6 features Visit HivePress

Brilliant Directories leads on 0 checks, HivePress 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 HivePress
  • Free trialonly Brilliant Directories
  • Most featuresHivePress · 6 of 6

Brilliant Directories scores higher on our rubric for directory software: 8.7 against 7.5 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #8.

HivePress offers free plan; Brilliant Directories doesn't.

Brilliant Directories is the better fit for membership communities and gated directories. HivePress is the better fit for low-cost open-source directory foundations.

  • Brilliant Directories fits best

    Membership communities and gated directories

  • HivePress fits best

    Low-cost open-source directory foundations

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 ↗ HivePress 7.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.7 7.5
Ranking #3 in Directory Software #8 in Directory Software
Best for Membership communities and gated directories Low-cost open-source directory foundations
Pricing model Paid Free plan + paid
Starting price $40/mo —
Free plan — ✓ (best)
Free trial 7 days —
Money-back guarantee 7 days 30 days
Deployment Cloud Self-hosted
Platforms Web Web
Support Email, Live chat, Tickets, Community, Docs Email, Community, Docs · 24/7
Integrations 5,000+ integrations 5 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Small business, Mid-market
Features Brilliant Directories 0/6 · HivePress 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
  • Free open-source core with custom fields and search filters
  • Front-end submissions, moderation, geolocation, and monetization
  • CSV import/export with WooCommerce payment integration
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 self-hosted WordPress website
  • Paid extensions and themes are separate products
  • All-extension access requires a $99 annual license
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 →

HivePress is an open-source, self-hosted WordPress plugin for creating directories and listing websites. It fits business directories, classified-ad sites, job boards, real-estate listings, and other projects where users need to submit and…

Read the review →
  1. Brilliant DirectoriesDirectory Software 8.77-day trial
  2. HivePressDirectory Software 7.5Free 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

  • HivePress — where it wins

    • Free open-source core with custom fields and search filters
    • Front-end submissions, moderation, geolocation, and monetization
    • CSV import/export with WooCommerce payment integration

    Where it doesn't

    • Requires a self-hosted WordPress website
    • Paid extensions and themes are separate products
    • All-extension access requires a $99 annual license
  • Brilliant Directories8.7/10 · 7-day trial

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

    Visit siteFull verdict →
  • HivePress7.5/10 · Free plan

    A flexible, low-cost foundation for WordPress directories and listing sites.

    Visit HivePressFull 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