Directory software comparison
JReviews vs eDirectory for directory websites
JReviews and eDirectory both help you build directory websites, but they fit different buyers. JReviews is an all-in-one, first-party directory and reviews suite that runs inside WordPress or Joomla; Professional bundles every add-on with one-click installation. eDirectory delivers its all-in-one directory product as a separate standalone platform, with cloud plans and a source-license option.
JReviews is directory and reviews software for WordPress and Joomla. Pick it over eDirectory when you want the directory on a WordPress or Joomla site you control, whether that site already exists or you set it up for this. The advantage is the foundation: your hosting, your database, your data, your content pages, your SEO process, and a broad pool of WordPress and Joomla developers and agencies instead of centering the business in a vendor's directory platform. That matters for a dentist directory, winery guide, buyer-review site, kayak-guide directory, vendor directory, or professional trade directory where reviews, custom fields, search filters, owner tools, and SEO control matter as much as the listing database.
Side-by-side comparison
How JReviews and eDirectory stack up for directory owners.
| Category | JReviews | eDirectory |
|---|---|---|
| Product model | Self-hosted, first-party directory and reviews suite for WordPress and Joomla. The directory runs on a standard CMS site you control, so listings, reviews, content pages, templates, SEO work, users, hosting, analytics, backups, and the database stay in one ownable stack. Professional bundles every JReviews add-on with one-click installation. | Standalone directory platform with hosted cloud plans and a source-license option. It packages the directory business in its own product, delivered outside the normal WordPress or Joomla workflow. |
| Pricing | ✓ Standard is $179/year. Professional is $427/year and bundles every premium add-on. MapsPro and PaidListings are paid extras on Standard and bundled on Professional. | Current public pricing lists Professional Cloud at $99/month or $74.25/month billed yearly, Enterprise Cloud at $199/month or $149.25/month billed yearly, and Source License at $1,499 one time. |
| Best fit | Review-led directories, professional directories, trade directories, niche classifieds, travel guides, outdoor guides, and buyers who want an open WordPress or Joomla foundation for the directory, whether they already have a CMS site or are starting fresh. | Directory businesses that want the whole directory operation delivered as a standalone platform instead of built on their own WordPress or Joomla CMS. |
| Platform fit | ✓ Runs inside WordPress or Joomla. That works for existing CMS sites and greenfield builds because you can choose your host, use the wider CMS ecosystem, hire from a large WordPress/Joomla talent pool, and run the directory beside content, landing pages, blog posts, analytics, forms, and SEO work. | Runs as its own directory platform. Cloud plans include hosting and reduce setup decisions for teams that do not want to stand up a CMS; the source-license option can be self-hosted, but the directory is still operated as a separate product beside or outside WordPress or Joomla. |
| Reviews engine | ✓ User and editor reviews, multi-criteria scores, Bayesian ranking, rating histograms, owner replies, threaded review discussions, reviewer ranks, media, and moderation. | Includes listing/member reviews and reply-to-review features. That covers many directory-review needs, while JReviews is stronger when review depth drives trust and ranking. |
| Media depth | ✓ Photos, video (upload your own self-hosted files or embed from YouTube, Vimeo, Dailymotion, Twitch, and Cloudflare Stream), audio, and file attachments — on both listings and reviews. Reviewers, not just listing owners, can attach photos, video, audio, and files to a review. | Listings handle media well — a photo gallery with editor, embedded video, and downloadable file widgets. Reviews and ratings are included, but reviewer-uploaded media on reviews isn't part of the standard review feature. |
| Directory data and search | Multiple directories, listing types, category-specific field groups, conditional fields, keyword search, field-driven filters with instant results, related listings, and side-by-side listing comparisons. | Includes custom listing types, custom fields, unlimited categories, keyword and location search, Elasticsearch, SEO centers, friendly URLs, structured data, and import/export for listings and events. |
| Content modules | Strong when listings and reviews are the core of the site. JReviews' first-party suite handles classified-style listings, event directories, media, inquiries, claims, favorites, comparisons, maps, paid listings, and REST API support inside the same CMS structure, with all add-ons bundled on Professional. | Includes its own standalone modules for listings, members, classifieds, events, deals and offers, banner ads, articles, and blog posts, delivered inside the eDirectory platform instead of your CMS. |
| Maps and location | MapsPro adds map displays, map landing pages, proximity search, multiple map providers, custom markers, batch geocoding, and GPX/KML/GeoJSON route files with elevation charts. It is a paid extra on Standard and bundled on Professional. | Includes Google Maps integration, location search, user location detection, nearby results, and regional directory configuration as part of the broader platform. |
| Monetization | PaidListings gives JReviews a serious directory-revenue layer: paid submissions, paid upgrades, subscriptions, featured placement, category-specific plans, per-plan field and media limits, expirations, coupons, taxes, and order/account pages. It is a paid extra on Standard and bundled on Professional. PayPal ships with PaidListings; Stripe, Mollie, and Coinbase require separate payment-handler add-ons. | Bundles more monetization modules inside its standalone platform, including paid listings, subscriptions, banner ads, deals, event promotion, invoices, and revenue reports. |
| Mobile and API | JReviews serves mobile visitors through the responsive web directory inside WordPress or Joomla, which is how most directory audiences will use the site. The REST API add-on is a paid extra on Standard and bundled on Professional; it can support custom integrations or custom app projects. JReviews does not ship a first-party mobile app builder, so a native app is a separate requirement from the core JReviews use case. | Cloud and source-license plans list Android and iOS app builder access and Open API support inside the eDirectory platform. That can matter when a vendor-provided native app is truly part of the plan, but it still brings the normal app-store requirements: owner developer accounts, app builds, store review, and ongoing updates. |
| Ownership tradeoff | You keep the directory in your own WordPress or Joomla site instead of a separate platform login and stack. That gives you CMS-level control over content, templates, search visibility, integrations, hosting, analytics, backups, maintenance, and the directory database. | You get an all-in-one directory product delivered as a standalone platform. Cloud plans reduce setup decisions; the source license gives more control for teams ready to manage a separate directory stack and data lifecycle. |
When JReviews is the better pick
Choose JReviews when the directory should run on WordPress or Joomla instead of becoming a separate platform. A publisher adding a local guide, an agency building several client directories, a professional association starting from zero, or a niche review site with editorial content can stand up a standard CMS once and keep the directory, articles, landing pages, theme or template work, CMS users, analytics, backups, and SEO work in one place.
Choose JReviews when reviews are part of the product, not an afterthought. User and editor reviews, configurable rating criteria, rating histograms, owner replies, threaded review discussions, reviewer ranks, and ranking that accounts for both score and review count matter when visitors are choosing dentists, guides, vendors, venues, products, or service providers based on trust.
Choose JReviews when the listing data has to match the market. Different listing types, category-specific fields, conditional fields, keyword search, field-driven filters, claims, inquiries, media, related listings, and side-by-side comparisons let each directory use the fields its buyers actually search by. MapsPro and PaidListings are paid extras on Standard and bundled on Professional when location search, map pages, paid submissions, subscriptions, featured placements, and payment workflows need to become part of the business model.
When eDirectory is the better pick
Choose eDirectory only when the requirement is the entire directory business delivered as a standalone platform instead of a directory and reviews suite built on your own WordPress or Joomla CMS. That is a different buying context from choosing WordPress or Joomla as the foundation for the site, the content, the SEO process, and the directory database.
If the question is "Which standalone platform can run the whole directory business for us?", eDirectory belongs on the shortlist. If the question is "How do we build a serious directory and reviews site inside WordPress or Joomla, with CMS control and deeper reviews?", JReviews is the better comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Is JReviews an eDirectory alternative?
Yes, when you want an all-in-one directory and reviews suite on a WordPress or Joomla foundation you control instead of a standalone directory platform. JReviews is strongest for CMS-owned directories where custom fields, search filters, reviews, claims, inquiries, maps, and paid-listing options are central. eDirectory fits a different buyer: someone who wants the whole directory operation delivered outside their own WordPress or Joomla CMS.
Which is better, JReviews or eDirectory?
JReviews is usually the better pick when you want the directory on WordPress or Joomla, reviews are a major trust signal, and the directory needs custom fields, field-driven search, owner tools, CMS control, first-party add-ons, and an ownable data stack. eDirectory fits a different buyer: someone who wants the whole directory delivered as a standalone platform instead of building on their own WordPress or Joomla CMS.
Is eDirectory SaaS or self-hosted?
eDirectory offers both cloud service plans and a Source License. The public pricing page lists cloud plans with hosting included, plus a Source License with PHP source-code access and eDirectory hosting or self-hosting options. JReviews is self-hosted software that runs inside your own WordPress or Joomla site.
How does eDirectory pricing compare with JReviews?
JReviews Standard is $179/year. Professional is $427/year and bundles every premium add-on. Current eDirectory public pricing lists Professional Cloud at $99/month or $74.25/month billed yearly, Enterprise Cloud at $199/month or $149.25/month billed yearly, and Source License at $1,499 one time. The pricing models are different: JReviews is annual CMS software; eDirectory cloud plans bundle hosting and platform services.
Which has the stronger reviews system?
JReviews is stronger when reviews drive the directory. It supports user and editor reviews, configurable multi-criteria ratings, Bayesian ranking, rating histograms, owner replies, threaded review discussions, reviewer ranks, media, and moderation. eDirectory includes listing/member reviews and reply-to-review features, which may be enough when reviews are one part of a broader directory platform.
Does JReviews have maps and location search like eDirectory?
Yes, through MapsPro. It adds map displays, map landing pages, proximity search, multiple map providers, custom markers, batch geocoding, and GPX/KML/GeoJSON route files with elevation charts. MapsPro is a paid extra on Standard and bundled on Professional.
Can JReviews support paid listings like eDirectory?
Yes. PaidListings handles paid submissions, paid upgrades, one-time and recurring plans, category-specific plans, paid fields and media limits, expirations, coupons, taxes, and order/account pages. PaidListings is a paid extra on Standard and bundled on Professional.
Does JReviews include classifieds, events, articles, and deals like eDirectory?
JReviews can power classified-style directories, event directories, media-rich listings, reviews, claims, inquiries, favorites, comparisons, maps, paid placement, and content-rich pages inside WordPress or Joomla. Its add-ons are first-party, and Professional bundles them with one-click installation. eDirectory delivers classifieds, events, deals, banner ads, articles, and blog posts as modules inside its separate standalone platform. The difference is where the suite lives: inside your CMS with JReviews, or inside eDirectory's product.
What if I need a mobile app for my directory?
For most directory projects, a responsive web directory inside WordPress or Joomla is the mobile experience that actually gets used. JReviews is built for that: visitors can browse, search, filter, review, and contact listings from the site without the owner taking on a separate native app project. The JReviews REST API add-on is a paid extra on Standard and bundled on Professional for custom integrations or custom app projects. A vendor app builder is relevant when a native app is truly required, but the app-builder checkbox is not the whole job: Apple Developer Program membership is $99/year, Google Play registration is a one-time US$25 fee, and the owner still has to handle app builds, store review, account access, and ongoing updates.
Can I evaluate JReviews before buying?
Yes. The hosted WordPress demo is available at wp-demo.jreviews.com and the hosted Joomla demo is available at demo.jreviews.com. Current JReviews plans also include a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Related solutions
- JReviews for professional and trade directories Build searchable profiles for lawyers, contractors, consultants, suppliers, or trade-association members with custom fields, claims, inquiries, and review workflows.
- JReviews for travel directories Create city guides, restaurant directories, hotel listings, and attraction guides where visitors filter by location, category, amenities, and review criteria.
- JReviews for classifieds directories Run classified-style directories for rentals, used cars, gear, jobs, or equipment with structured listing fields, media, expirations, and paid placement options.