Connections Business Directory was closed on the WordPress.org plugin repository on January 23, 2025 because of an arbitrary directory deletion vulnerability affecting all versions up to 10.4.66. The plugin still exists on the developer’s own site (connections-pro.com) but is no longer available for new installations through WordPress.
If you’re shopping for a directory plugin in 2026, this one is off the table for new builds.
What is Connections Business Directory?
Connections Business Directory was one of the longest-running WordPress directory plugins, released in January 2009 by Steven Zahm. It powered staff directories, address books, business directories, and member directories with 12,800+ paying customers and 1.3 million reported downloads.
The free core lived on WordPress.org and the developer monetized through paid templates and extensions sold annually from connections-pro.com.
The WordPress.org listing went dark on January 23, 2025 after a CVE was reported: insufficient file path validation when deleting a connections image directory let authenticated admin-level attackers delete arbitrary folders on the server. The vendor’s website is still live but the plugin is not available for fresh download through the standard WordPress channel as of May 2026.
Connections Business Directory pros and cons
- Long-running plugin with 16 years of iteration and 414 five-star WP.org reviews before closure
- Developer Steven Zahm was praised personally in dozens of reviews for hands-on support
- Strong fit for non-business directories: staff lists, member rosters, contact databases, church directories
- Currently closed on WordPress.org since January 2025 over a CVE that’s still flagged in Jetpack scanners
- Annual extension model with no lifetime option, called out as “nickel-n-dimer” in WP.org reviews
- Single-developer plugin, no team backup, recovery from the closure has taken over a year
What customers say about Connections Business Directory
“We selected the Connections Business Directory plugin after reading the reviews, the level of author support and the cost. Using the plugin we just finished laying out a number of contractor search portals for our customers which will allow them to search by zipcode radius, or by multiple categories such state and by the types of services offered. I got stuck in a few places while developing it do to my lack of knowledge but the author was very responsive on the forums and pointed me in the right direction, and in a couple of cases even supplied drop in code.”
— allfrom1supply (@allfrom1supply), WordPress.org (January 4, 2024, 5-star)
“This plugin is a real nickel-n-dimer. To get useful basic functions that should be included for free, you have to pay a ton of money for templates and addons. I recommend a pass on this one.”
— Ed G (@ed-g), WordPress.org (February 2023, 1-star)
Frequently asked questions
What is Connections Business Directory?
Connections Business Directory was closed on the WordPress.org plugin repository on January 23, 2025 because of an arbitrary directory deletion vulnerability affecting all versions up to 10.4.66.
How much does Connections Business Directory cost?
Free core (when available). Premium templates and extensions sold annually via connections-pro.com. Pricing is current as of 2026 unless the vendor has delisted the product.
Is Connections Business Directory actively maintained in 2026?
No. Based on public update history and customer reviews, Connections Business Directory has not received a substantive update in over 12 months and should be treated as unmaintained for new projects.
Who is Connections Business Directory for?
Nobody right now. The plugin is closed on WP.org pending the security fix.
Who should avoid Connections Business Directory?
Avoid if You need a secure, maintained, audit-ready directory plugin (which is everyone).
Is Connections Business Directory better than Smart Directory Pro?
It depends on use case. Connections Business Directory costs Free core (when available). Premium templates and extensions sold annually via connections-pro.com. Smart Directory Pro is $99 to $399 per year, includes both theme and plugin, ships AI SEO audit + AI categorisation + AI semantic search out of the box, and is built specifically for local SEO agencies. See the comparison section above for the specifics.
Is Connections Business Directory worth it in 2026?
Connections Business Directory had a good run.
Connections Business Directory vs Smart Directory Pro
This isn’t a comparison anyone should run today. Connections is a security-closed plugin pending an arbitrary file deletion fix.
Smart Directory Pro is a current, maintained, audited theme-plus-plugin product at $99 Basic, $199 Pro, $399 Agency one-time. If you’re already running Connections on a live site, the responsible move is to migrate, not to keep the install up.
SDP imports custom post types and ACF fields cleanly. See the migration paths in the directory plugin comparison.
The bottom line
Connections Business Directory had a good run. Sixteen years, half a million users, a 4.9 rating built on Steven’s personal support work.
The WP.org closure in January 2025 changed everything, and a year later the listing is still down. For any site that needs to clear a security review, ship a fresh build, or pass a client handover audit, this plugin is not a candidate.
Look elsewhere. If you already use it, migrate sooner rather than later.
