Connect communities with local services
Build a trusted local business directory for your city or region. Help residents find plumbers, photographers, restaurants, and more in their area.
What is a local business directory?
A local business directory is a website that lists the businesses in one town, city or region, such as plumbers, photographers and restaurants, with their contact details and reviews, so residents can find local services in one place.
How do I start a local business directory?
Choose what it will cover (a niche, a place or both), collect a first set of local businesses, and publish them on a site where people can search and compare them. On DirectoryDuck you sign up free, add local businesses from a CSV file or let AI discovery find matches on the web for you to approve, and publish them at directoryduck.com/your-name.
What does it cost to start a local business directory?
You can start for $0: the Free plan includes one directory at directoryduck.com/your-name, 100 listings and 100 starter credits for AI discovery. Featured listings and your own domain start on Starter at $39/mo; Growth is $99/mo (5 directories) and Pro $249/mo (unlimited directories and listings). Paid plans are available now, billed monthly or yearly.
The challenges you face
Finding trusted local providers
Residents struggle to find reliable local businesses for their needs.
Generic national directories
Big platforms lack local context and community focus.
Unverified business listings
No way to know if a business is legitimate or still operating.
Limited local advertising
Small businesses need affordable ways to reach local customers.
How DirectoryDuck helps
Hyper-local focus
Cover specific neighborhoods, cities, or regions with deep local knowledge.
Business verification
Verify a business by email code, website meta tag, or DNS record, and let owners claim their listings.
Community reviews
Build trust with authentic reviews from local customers.
Featured listings for local businesses
Sell featured spots to local businesses: a featured listing shows first, with a Featured badge, until the date you set (Starter and up).
Key features for local business directory
Frequently asked questions
- How do I start a local business directory with DirectoryDuck?
- Sign up free and create your directory. Add local businesses from a CSV file or one at a time, or describe what you want and let AI discovery find matches on the web for you to review. Publish them in one click, and your directory is live at directoryduck.com/your-name, with a page for every published listing.
- What does a local business directory on DirectoryDuck cost?
- The Free plan is $0: one directory, 100 listings and 100 starter credits for AI discovery. Starter is $39/mo (one directory, more listings and monthly credits), Growth $99/mo (5 directories) and Pro $249/mo (unlimited directories and listings); paid plans are available now, billed monthly or yearly.
- Can I put a local business directory on a website I already have?
- Yes. One script tag puts the whole directory on your site, with search, category filters, listing pages and an inquiry form, on every plan today. Widgets show listings, reviews, a star rating, a verified badge, a review form or an inquiry form on any page, and the public REST API returns your listings and reviews as JSON. On Starter and up the hosted page can also run on your own domain.
- How do reviews work in a local business directory?
- Visitors leave a star rating and a written review with the review form widget or the API. Each review waits until you approve it, you can post a public response, and approved reviews show on the listing's page.
- Can I mark local businesses as verified?
- Yes. Verify a listing with a code sent to its email address, a meta tag on its website or a DNS TXT record, or approve it by hand. Verified listings show a Verified badge in your directory and in the badge widget. A business can also claim its listing: it confirms its email address, and you approve the claim.
Before you sell a featured listing
When you compare local business directory software, check how a featured placement is displayed and how the business pays for it. In DirectoryDuck, you sell the spot to the business yourself. DirectoryDuck displays the placement and does not collect the business's payment.
Plan the sale
Decide what the placement includes, how long it will run and how you will collect payment separately. Keep those details clear before offering a featured spot. A listing being published is not evidence that a business has agreed to buy it.
Manage the placement
You choose the listing and its end date. DirectoryDuck displays it first with a Featured badge until that date. Selling the placement and collecting its payment remain steps for you to arrange.
Check that the workflow fits
If you want to run a local directory business with this setup, plan both the directory content and the way you will handle sales. Publishing listings does not itself guarantee visitors, advertisers or income.
Ready to build your local business directory?
Start free today. Import or discover your listings, verify businesses, collect reviews, and publish your directory.