Lowest monthly cost
MakeADir
Trio is $39/mo for three directories with monetisation included. eDirectory starts at $99/mo for one site — and $199/mo if you want it unbranded.
MakeADir vs eDirectory: which directory platform fits you in 2026?
eDirectory has sold directory software for two decades: hosted plans, a source-code licence and native mobile apps. MakeADir is a newer hosted builder that starts free. Here is what each really costs, what you get for it, and when eDirectory is still the right call.
The 30-second verdict
Three kinds of buyer, three honest answers. Find yourself, then read only the section that proves it.
Native apps or source code
eDirectory
eDirectory's Enterprise plans include an Android and iOS app builder, and a $1,499 one-time licence gets you the PHP source to self-host. MakeADir offers neither.
Try before you pay
MakeADir
MakeADir's Free plan is a live, public directory with no time limit. eDirectory has no free plan — you get a demo, then pay from $99/mo.
Pick the one that matches how you work
No hedging. If the right-hand column describes you, eDirectory is the better buy and you can stop reading.
Choose MakeADir if…
- You want to start without a sales call. Sign up, build on the Free plan, and upgrade when the directory starts earning. No demo booking, no quote.
- You want your brand, not ours, from day one. Branding comes off on Solo at $19/mo. eDirectory's $99 Professional plan shows "Powered by eDirectory"; white-label starts at $199/mo.
- You run more than one directory. Trio covers three sites for $39/mo, and Business covers unlimited sites for $99/mo. eDirectory prices each site separately.
- You want SEO pages generated from your data. Dynamic Collections publishes ranked "Top 10" pages as categories clear your quality bar, and IndexNow pushes every change the moment you publish.
- You want listings that fill themselves. Add a listing from its website URL, pull in real Google Maps reviews, or bulk-upsert from a CSV.
Choose eDirectory if…
- You need native mobile apps. The Enterprise plans include an Android and iOS app builder — something MakeADir doesn't offer.
- You want to own the code. The $1,499 Enterprise Source licence gives you the PHP source and lets you self-host.
- Your site mixes many content types. Listings, classifieds, events, deals and articles are separate built-in modules, each with its own pages and plans.
- You need unlimited listings on one site. Every eDirectory plan has unlimited listings and members. MakeADir plans have content-entry limits (45,000 on Trio, 75,000 on Business).
- You want hands-on onboarding. Training sessions, setup services and migration help are part of eDirectory's offer.
The differences that actually decide it
Everything in the tables below is detail. These six are why people switch.
$39 for three sites vs. $99 for one
eDirectory's entry plan is $99/mo for a single site. MakeADir Trio is $39/mo and covers three directories with Stripe, paid listings, memberships and paid leads.
Start free, no demo required
eDirectory has no free plan; the way in is a guided demo. MakeADir's Free plan is a live public directory with no time limit — validate the niche before you pay.
Unbranded from $19, not $199
Solo removes MakeADir branding for $19/mo. eDirectory's Professional plan carries "Powered by eDirectory"; white-label starts with Enterprise at $199/mo.
Ranked Top 10 pages on autopilot
Dynamic Collections turns your listing attributes into ranked collection pages that appear as categories clear the bar you set. IndexNow tells search engines the moment they go live.
Real Google reviews on local listings
Pull genuine Google Maps reviews onto listings in a couple of clicks, so a new directory doesn't launch with empty review sections.
Describe a page, AI builds it
The AI page builder turns a plain-language description into a finished page from the same blocks you'd drag by hand. eDirectory pages are built in a widget-based editor.
What it actually costs per month
Both are hosted, so there is no plugin stack to price. The real question is which eDirectory tier you would need — so here are both.
| MakeADir (Trio)$39/mo | eDirectory Professional$99/mo | eDirectory Enterprise$199/mo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What one plan gets you | MakeADir (Trio) | eDirectory Professional | eDirectory Enterprise |
| Websites included | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Hosting and SSL | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Payment processing | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Platform branding removed | Yes | No | Yes |
| Listings | 45,000 entries | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Native mobile app builder | No | No | Yes |
| The total | MakeADir (Trio) | eDirectory Professional | eDirectory Enterprise |
| Monthly price | $39 | $99 | $199 |
| Per month, paid yearly | $39 | ~$74 | ~$149 |
| Cost per website | $13 | $99 | $199 |
| Cheapest way to start | Free plan, $0 | Demo, then $99/mo | Demo, then $199/mo |
Where these numbers come from. eDirectory prices are from its pricing page, checked October 2026: Professional Cloud at $99/mo, Enterprise Cloud at $199/mo, 25% off on yearly billing, and an Enterprise Source licence at $1,499 one-time. MakeADir prices are from our pricing page.
The honest caveat. eDirectory's plans have no listing cap, and MakeADir's do — if one site will hold more than 75,000 entries, that matters more than price. The $1,499 source licence also looks cheap next to a subscription, but you then provide or pay for hosting, and eDirectory lists ongoing support and version upgrades as extras.
Feature by feature
Only rows where the two genuinely differ, plus a few where people assume they do. "Not listed" means we couldn't find it on eDirectory's public feature pages.
| MakeADirfrom $0 | eDirectoryfrom $99/mo | |
|---|---|---|
| Getting live | MakeADir | eDirectory |
| Free plan with a live public site | Yes | Demo only |
| AI setup assistant | Yes | Yes |
| Hosting and SSL included | Yes | Cloud plans |
| Websites per subscription | 1, 3 or unlimited | 1 |
| Filling it with listings | MakeADir | eDirectory |
| CSV import with upsert | Yes | Import / export |
| Add a listing from its website URL | Yes | Not listed |
| Google Maps reviews on listings | Yes | Not listed |
| Owner claim listings | Yes | Yes |
| Getting found | MakeADir | eDirectory |
| Structured data and XML sitemaps | Yes | Yes |
| IndexNow submission on publish | Yes | Not listed |
| Auto-generated ranked Top 10 pages | Yes | Not listed |
| AI internal linking as you publish | Yes | Not listed |
| Making money | MakeADir | eDirectory |
| Paid listings and featured spots | Yes | Yes |
| Recurring membership plans | Yes | Yes |
| Charge listing owners per lead | Yes | Lead-gen form |
| Banner ads | Yes | Yes |
| Deals and coupons | No | Yes |
| Content, apps and code | MakeADir | eDirectory |
| Events and classifieds modules | No | Yes |
| Native Android and iOS app builder | No | Enterprise plans |
| Full source code | No | $1,499 licence |
| Connect external tools and AI agents | MCP server | Open API (Enterprise) |
Where eDirectory is the better answer
Not the things both platforms do well. The three reasons eDirectory still wins for the right project.
Native apps in the stores
If a branded app on the App Store and Google Play is a requirement — tourism boards and chambers often ask for one — eDirectory's Enterprise app builder delivers it. MakeADir is responsive web only.
Source code you own
The $1,499 Source licence gives you the PHP code and the choice to self-host. No hosted platform, MakeADir included, offers that.
Many content types, no caps
Listings, classifieds, events, deals and articles as separate modules, with unlimited listings and members on every plan. For a big multi-purpose city guide, that breadth is hard to match.
Already running an eDirectory site?
Three steps. For a few hundred listings it is an afternoon; allow a full day if your listings carry a lot of custom fields.
Export and map
eDirectory exports listings and events from the site manager. Download the MakeADir template, line your fields up against it, and add custom attributes for anything that doesn't fit. About 45 minutes.
How import worksImport, check, re-import
Upsert matches on listing name, so you can re-run the same import as many times as it takes to get it right. Minutes per run.
Redirect and resubmit
301 your old URLs to the new ones. IndexNow pushes every change the moment it goes live, so search engines usually catch up in days. About an hour.
Questions worth asking before you switch
The objections that come up most, answered straight.
Isn't the $1,499 source licence cheaper over time?
On sticker price, after about three years of Trio. But with the source licence you then provide hosting, technical support beyond the included period is extra, and eDirectory lists version upgrades as requiring a support package. Add those up before you compare.
Does MakeADir have a mobile app?
No native app. Every MakeADir directory is responsive and works well in a phone browser. If a branded app in the App Store and Google Play is a hard requirement, eDirectory's Enterprise plans are the better fit and we'd rather tell you that now.
Can MakeADir handle events or classifieds?
Not as dedicated modules. You can model them as listings with custom attributes — dates, prices, condition — and build pages around them with the page builder, but eDirectory's purpose-built events and classifieds go further.
Will I lose my rankings when the URLs change?
Not if you redirect. Set 301s from every old URL to its new one before you switch the domain over. MakeADir ships structured data, auto-generated sitemaps and IndexNow submission, so the new URLs are usually discovered within days. Expect a short dip while redirects are processed, then recovery.
Do I need the $39 plan?
Only if you charge for something. Solo at $19/mo covers a custom domain, the AI assistant, analytics and IndexNow, with branding removed. Trio at $39/mo is where Stripe payments, paid listings, memberships, paid leads, custom forms and claim listings switch on — and it covers three sites.
Can I try it before migrating anything?
Build the whole thing on the Free plan first — one site, 100 entries, the page builder, custom attributes and MCP access, on a free subdomain. Import a slice of your listings, see how the pages look, and only then decide. Paid plans add a 7-day trial and the Free plan needs no card.
So, which one?
If you want a directory live this week at a fraction of the price — and the option to run several — take MakeADir. If you need native mobile apps, the PHP source, or a site that mixes listings, classifieds, events and deals as first-class modules, eDirectory sells things MakeADir doesn't, and the premium buys them.