Sabai Directory is effectively a legacy product in May 2026. The plugin still sells on CodeCanyon at $25 with 9,414 lifetime sales and a 4.53 rating across 683 reviews, but the last update shipped in April 2024, and the original developer onokazu now openly recommends new buyers pick the newer Directories Pro instead.
If you’re choosing a directory plugin today, this one is a museum piece.
What is Sabai Directory?
Sabai Directory is a CodeCanyon-only WordPress directory plugin first released in 2013. It powers business directory websites with frontend submission, claim listings, paid packages, reviews, custom fields, and Google Maps integration.
The architecture predates the WordPress custom-post-type approach most modern directory plugins use, which is part of why the developer started shipping the newer Directories Pro in 2018.
The product page itself recommends Directories Pro for new users, citing the move to native WordPress custom post types and taxonomies. The last shipped update was April 23, 2024, which addressed WordPress embedding and PHP 8 compatibility.
There has been no further activity in over a year.
Sabai Directory pros and cons
- Lowest entry price in the directory space at $25 one-time
- 13-year track record and 9,414 sales mean it works on a baseline level
- Same developer as Directories Pro, so the patterns are familiar if you migrate
- No major update since April 2024, effectively unmaintained
- Custom architecture that doesn’t use native WP custom post types, harder to extend
- Developer publicly recommends Directories Pro over this plugin on its own listing page
What customers say about Sabai Directory
Public commentary on Sabai Directory is dominated by older CodeCanyon discussion threads. Recurring themes across the support comments include 500 errors on certain submission forms, missing export features in later versions, and confusion when migrating to PHP 8.
The plugin’s own author has recommended migration to Directories Pro since 2018, so most active sentiment has moved to that product. See the CodeCanyon comments page for the historical discussion.
The aggregate rating of 4.53 stars sits on a base of 683 reviews collected mostly between 2014 and 2022. There is very little post-2024 review activity, which is typical for a legacy CodeCanyon product whose author has moved focus to a successor plugin.
Frequently asked questions
What is Sabai Directory?
Sabai Directory is effectively a legacy product in May 2026.
How much does Sabai Directory cost?
$25 USD Regular License, $105 USD Extended License (one-time, includes 6 months support). Pricing is current as of 2026 unless the vendor has delisted the product.
Is Sabai Directory actively maintained in 2026?
Yes. Sabai Directory ships updates on a current release cadence as of 2026. Verify the most recent version date on the vendor’s listing before purchase.
Who is Sabai Directory for?
Existing Sabai Directory users maintaining a live site, not new builds.
Who should avoid Sabai Directory?
Avoid if You’re starting a new directory in 2026 (the developer points you to Directories Pro instead).
Is Sabai Directory better than Smart Directory Pro?
It depends on use case. Sabai Directory costs $25 USD Regular License, $105 USD Extended License (one-time, includes 6 months support). 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 Sabai Directory worth it in 2026?
Sabai Directory had a good 13-year run but is finishing its life cycle.
Sabai Directory vs Smart Directory Pro
This is a generational comparison, not a feature one. Sabai Directory was built before native WordPress custom post types became standard for directory plugins.
Smart Directory Pro is built on the modern stack with AI SEO audit, programmatic SEO pages, and 7 active AI features. If you’re already on Sabai Directory and considering an upgrade, SDP is a current-decade option.
If you want to stay in the SabaiApps lineage, the developer themselves point you at Directories Pro, not back at this plugin.
The bottom line
Sabai Directory had a good 13-year run but is finishing its life cycle. The developer recommends new buyers pick a different product.
The last update is more than a year old. The architecture is dated.
The price is low for a reason, and that reason is the plugin is no longer where Sabai Apps is investing development time. If you already run it on a working site, keep it patched and plan a migration.
If you’re choosing a directory plugin today, look at literally anything else, including the developer’s own newer product.
