Directory Easy Review (2026): I Built a Directory on It

I built a test directory on Directory Easy: Diretório Vegano, a directory of vegan brands in Brazil.

It was easy to put together. The developer answered my questions fast. And it's one of the few directory builders still selling a lifetime deal.

It also has one annoyance you should know about before you start. Here's the full picture.

The short version

What it is: a hosted, no-code directory builder with AI tools, built and run by one developer.

Best for: people who want a lifetime deal, and anyone planning to run more than one directory.

Watch out for: Directory Easy doesn't host your images. You connect your own storage or link to images hosted somewhere else.

Verdict: recommended. It's a little behind Directify on features, but it's catching up fast, and the lifetime pricing is hard to beat.

What I built

Diretório Vegano is a directory of vegan brands in Brazil, in Portuguese. It has listing search, a location search, user sign-up and an "add a new listing" button so brands can submit themselves.

Getting from nothing to that homepage didn't take long. You pick a template, set your fields and categories, add listings, and the search, filters and listing pages are built for you.

The site being in Portuguese mattered, too. Directory Easy supports more than 22 languages, so I didn't have to fight the interface to build for a non-English market.

What I liked

It's easy to create. This is the main reason to use it. The builder gets out of your way, and you're working on listings rather than configuration.

The developer actually responds. Directory Easy is run by one person (Mahi Zakariae, who goes by Zach). When I had questions, he replied quickly, and he clearly wants to improve the product. With a small tool, that matters more than a feature list: it tells you whether the thing will still be getting better in a year.

There's a lifetime deal. You can pay once instead of monthly, which is rare among directory builders now. More on the numbers below.

It's built for more than one directory. The Unlimited plans cover as many directories as you want, which is where the lifetime deal really pays off.

What annoyed me

You have to host your images elsewhere. Directory Easy doesn't store images for you. You connect your own storage (its docs list S3 and Cloudinary) or point listings at images hosted somewhere else.

It's a reasonable choice for a small company, because image storage gets expensive fast. But it's an extra setup step on day one, and it's the first thing you'll notice if you're used to platforms that just take an upload.

If you're scraping listing images in bulk, plan where they'll live before you import.

Pricing

The free Starter plan gives you one directory with a watermark and up to 1,000 listings, but no custom domain or payments. Single and Unlimited add custom domains, unlimited listings and payments.

When does the lifetime deal pay off? Against yearly billing, Single Lifetime pays for itself after about 21 months, and Unlimited Lifetime after about 17 months. If you plan to run your directories for longer than that, the lifetime plan is the better deal.

The lifetime prices step up as they sell. Single started at $99 and Unlimited at $199, and both are scheduled to rise again, so the current prices won't last.

There's also a self-hosted option: $999 for the full Next.js codebase, or $1,499 with setup done for you. Every plan has a 7-day money-back guarantee.

What you get

From Directory Easy's own feature list:

• Listings and search: custom fields, filters, location search with distance, and sorting by trending, popular or new.
• Members: user accounts, self-service submissions, claim-your-listing, reviews, favourites and member messaging.
• Making money: featured listings, directory ads, recurring subscriptions and coupons, with payments through Stripe and PayPal.
• Content: a blog, a newsletter builder, CSV import and export, and 22+ languages.
• SEO: structured data, meta tags, SEO-friendly URLs and control over follow or no-follow links.
• AI: one-click directory generation, a content generator, and an OpenRouter integration for access to other AI models.
• Data sync: an optional Google Sheets sync (in beta) that runs every two hours.

What happens if Directory Easy goes away?

This is the fair question to ask about any tool run by one person, and Directory Easy has a better answer than most.

Its lifetime plan terms say that if the company shuts down, or the owner can no longer run it, lifetime users get the self-hosted version by email at no extra cost. You also own your data and can export it at any time.

That doesn't make a small tool risk-free, but it's a real safety net, and it's in writing.

Directory Easy vs Directify

Full disclosure: this site runs on Directify, so I know it well.

Directify is ahead on features today. Directory Easy is catching up quickly, it's cheaper, and Directify doesn't offer a lifetime deal. If you want to pay once and run several directories, Directory Easy is the better fit. If you want the most complete feature set right now and don't mind a subscription, Directify is.

Directory Easy vs MakeADir

MakeADir is the other small, AI-assisted builder in this space. It's monthly only, with payments starting on its $39 plan. Directory Easy includes payments from $11.99 a month and sells a lifetime deal, which makes it the cheaper choice for most people.

Who it suits

A good fit if:

• You want a lifetime deal instead of another subscription.
• You plan to run several directories, so the Unlimited plan makes sense.
• You're building for a non-English market.
• You like the idea of a developer who'll actually answer you.

Look elsewhere if:

• You don't want to set up image hosting yourself.
• You need the widest feature set today rather than in six months.

Frequently asked questions

Is Directory Easy free? Yes, the Starter plan is free for one directory with a watermark and up to 1,000 listings. Custom domains and payments need a paid plan.

Does Directory Easy have a lifetime deal? Yes. Single Lifetime is $199 and Unlimited Lifetime is $349 at the time of writing, and both prices rise as they sell.

Does Directory Easy host images? No. You connect your own storage, such as S3 or Cloudinary, or link to images hosted elsewhere.

Can I take payments? Yes, through Stripe and PayPal, on the paid plans.

Can I export my data? Yes. You own your data and can export it at any time.

Who makes Directory Easy? It's built and run by one developer, Mahi Zakariae (Zach).

Verdict

Directory Easy is easy to build with, fairly priced, and run by a developer who listens. The image hosting is a genuine annoyance, but it's a one-time setup step, not a dealbreaker.

I'd recommend it, especially if you want a lifetime deal or plan to run more than one directory.

Try Directory Easy for free

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Still comparing? The two questions that decide which directory tool you need will narrow it down, and every no-code option is in the no-code directory platforms category.