Smart Directory Pro pricing is $99 Basic (1 site), $199 Pro (5 sites) and $399 Agency (unlimited sites) per year, as an annual licence with a 14-day refund. Pick Basic for one directory, Pro for up to 5 sites with the AI SEO tools and Local Roundups, and Agency for unlimited sites, a multisite dashboard and white label.
The 60-second answer: which tier is right for you?
- One directory, focused on listings, claims and reviews: Basic at $99 per year.
- 1 to 5 directories, wants AI SEO tools, Elementor widgets and programmatic SEO pages: Pro at $199 per year.
- 6+ directories or client work, wants white label and a multisite dashboard: Agency at $399 per year.
Pro is the natural fit for most growth-focused directories. It covers the full Pro feature set across 5 sites.
What you get at each tier
Basic: $99/year, 1 site
- Theme and plugin delivered together
- Listings, categories and a frontend submission form
- Email-verified claim listing flow
- Reviews with moderation and owner replies
- CSV import with AI column mapping and duplicate skipping
- AI semantic search
- Standard local SEO schema
- 14-day refund
Basic gives you a complete working directory on one site. Best fit: operators who want to launch one directory and validate the niche.
Pro: $199/year, 5 sites
Everything in Basic, plus:
- AI SEO audit on claimed listings
- 5 AI content tools: AI FAQ generator, AI categorisation, AI meta generator, AI tag suggestions and AI content enricher
- Local Roundups: programmatic SEO pages that rank your listings into “best X in Y” pages. See the programmatic SEO directory guide.
- EDD listing packages for selling featured or paid listings
- Elementor widgets
- News Engine
- 5 site activations instead of 1
Pro covers operators managing 1 to 5 directories with the full Pro feature set. At $199 per year for 5 sites, the per-site cost is $39.80 per year.
Agency: $399/year, unlimited sites
Everything in Pro, plus:
- Unlimited site activations
- White label for client work
- Multisite dashboard for managing your directories in one place
Agency covers portfolio operators and agencies running more than 5 directories. Pro and Agency share the same feature set; Agency adds scale and branding.
Full feature matrix
5-year total cost: Smart Directory Pro vs alternatives
At current list prices, Smart Directory Pro comes to $495 (Basic), $995 (Pro) or $1,995 (Agency) over 5 years. Renewal prices can change, so treat these as estimates based on today’s list prices.
SDP Pro costs more than Directorist and HivePress over 5 years and less than the GeoDirectory membership on a per-site basis once you run several sites. The case for SDP is what Pro includes: an AI SEO audit, 5 AI content tools, Local Roundups, Elementor widgets and a theme, all in one licence.
For the full directory builder comparison, see our 9 best directory website builders guide.
Upgrade path: Basic → Pro → Agency
You can move up a tier as your directory grows. Check your account or contact support for the current upgrade options.
What’s not included
To set expectations clearly:
- Hosting. Smart Directory Pro runs on your own WordPress host, so budget for hosting separately. Directory sites benefit from a quality managed host.
- AI provider usage. AI features use your own AI provider key, so any usage is billed by that provider.
- Custom development. For bespoke features, ask about the Custom Directory service, quoted per project.
- Booking engine. For reservation-based directories, pair SDP with a dedicated booking tool.
14-day refund policy: how it works
Every Smart Directory Pro purchase comes with a 14-day refund window. Request a refund through the support page within 14 days of purchase.
Use the time to install on staging, run the setup wizard, import test data and check that Smart Directory Pro fits your build. You can also see Smart Directory Pro running on a live directory before you buy.
Common questions before purchase
- Can I switch tiers later? Yes, you can move up a tier as you grow. Contact support for help with any tier change.
- Does it work with Elementor? Yes, Elementor widgets are included from the Pro tier.
- What hosting should I use? A quality managed WordPress host. Directory queries are heavier than a typical blog.
- Can I move the licence between sites? Yes. Deactivate on the old site, then activate on the new one from your account.
- What happens if my licence expires? The installed version keeps running. New updates need an active licence.
Who should pick which: 4 operator profiles
- Building a single directory for a niche you care about
- Managing 1 to 5 directories where SEO growth is the goal
- Running 6+ niche directories or client builds that need your own branding
- A single high-volume directory focused on local search traffic
- → Basic at $99 per year (1 site; move up later if it grows)
- → Pro at $199 per year (5 sites, AI SEO tools, Local Roundups, Elementor)
- → Agency at $399 per year (unlimited sites, white label, multisite dashboard)
- → Pro at $199 per year for Local Roundups and the AI SEO audit
What auto-renewal looks like in practice
Smart Directory Pro is an annual licence at $99, $199 or $399 per year, and it auto-renews each year. You can turn auto-renew off from your account at any time.
The annual licence funds ongoing updates, WordPress compatibility and security fixes. If you turn auto-renew off, your installed version keeps working after the paid year ends.
For the broader comparison against SaaS platforms (Brilliant Directories at $97 per month, eDirectory from $99 per month) and other WordPress directory plugins (GeoDirectory membership at $229 per year, Directorist Pro from $118 per year on renewal), see our WordPress vs SaaS directory cost comparison.
See it in action
These short clips show what each tier includes, from core claims and imports on Basic to Local Roundups on Pro.
How much does Smart Directory Pro cost?
$99 Basic (1 site), $199 Pro (5 sites), $399 Agency (unlimited sites), each per year as an annual licence with a 14-day refund.
Which Smart Directory Pro tier should most people pick?
Pro at $199 per year suits most growth-focused directories. It adds the AI SEO audit, 5 AI content tools, Local Roundups, EDD listing packages and Elementor widgets across 5 sites.
When should I pick Agency at $399 instead of Pro at $199?
Pick Agency if you run more than 5 directory sites, need white label for client work, or want the multisite dashboard. Pro and Agency share the same feature set otherwise.
Does Smart Directory Pro auto-renew?
Yes. The licence auto-renews annually, and you can turn auto-renew off from your account.
Is there a free trial of Smart Directory Pro?
There is a 14-day refund window instead. Install on staging, import your data and confirm the fit inside that window, and see the live demo at mk.directory.
Can I upgrade from Basic to Pro or Pro to Agency later?
Yes, you can move up a tier as you grow. Contact support for the current upgrade options.
How many sites can I install Smart Directory Pro on?
Basic covers 1 site, Pro covers 5 sites and Agency covers unlimited sites. Move a licence by deactivating on one site and activating on another.
Is hosting included with Smart Directory Pro?
Hosting is separate. Choose a quality managed WordPress host.
What’s not included in Smart Directory Pro?
Hosting, your AI provider’s usage costs, a booking engine and custom development. Custom work is available as a quoted service.
How does the 14-day refund work?
Request a refund through the support page within 14 days of purchase.
