Yclas vs WordPress classifieds plugins
A WordPress plugin adds listings to a site you keep running yourself. Yclas is a complete classifieds platform with AI built in, hosted, updated and supported for you.
- 7 AI tools, built inIncluded in WordPress plugins: none. Each one is paid, partial or missing.
- 20 of 27 featuresin the comparison below are paid add-ons, partial or missing in WordPress plugins, each with its source.
- Live in about two minutesHosting, SSL, updates, backups and support are in one monthly price.
- Switch without starting overThe importer brings your listings, users and photos across.
Directorist, HivePress (with the ListingHive theme), Classified Listing (with the Classima theme) and AdForest turn a WordPress site into a classifieds or directory site. They cost little to buy, and you host WordPress and keep it updated. Yclas is a hosted platform built only for classifieds, with one monthly price.
Last checked: 15 October 2026. Facts about WordPress plugins come from its own website; the sources are listed at the end of this page.
AI that does the work for you.
Yclas puts AI into every part of a marketplace: building it, filling it, searching it and keeping it safe. Monthly AI use is included in every plan. Under each one, what WordPress plugins offers.
Describe a change, such as "darker hero, bigger search, rounder cards", and the AI makes it in a draft you preview. 64 ready-made looks and drag-and-drop sections.
Say what your marketplace is for and the AI writes your categories, subcategories, tagline and About page in your language. Live in about two minutes.
Sellers add a photo; the AI writes the title, description and price, and picks the category and fields.
Visitors search the way they talk, such as "red bike under 300 near Valencia", and get the right filters.
Every new listing is checked against your rules for scams, prohibited items, spam and wrong categories. Risky ones wait in your queue with the reason, and buyers are warned when a message asks for gift cards or off-site payment.
On multilingual sites each listing is translated into every site language, with its own page for search engines. 44 languages.
The AI drafts a seller's reply from the listing and the conversation; the seller edits and sends it.
What changes for you.
What you get with Yclas that the WordPress plugins don't include.
Every Yclas plan includes all of these. For WordPress plugins we list what its own website offers, with the price where it is a paid add-on.
| Feature | Yclas | WordPress + plugin |
|---|---|---|
| Selling and money | ||
| Paid listings and memberships | Featured listings, bump to top, paid categories, memberships and coupons, paid into your own Stripe, PayPal or other account | Included Pricing plans (Directorist), memberships (HivePress, $39), featured, top and bump-up (Classified Listing) [9] |
| Offers in the chat | Buyers make an offer; sellers accept, decline or counter; an accepted offer can be paid online | Partly No offers on listings listed; HivePress Requests ($39) lets buyers post requests and receive offers [7] |
| Auctions | Proxy bidding, reserve price, buy-now and anti-sniping | Paid add-on Classified Listing auctions add-on ($39); not in Directorist or HivePress [10] |
| Bookings and rentals | Availability calendar, per day, night or hour, and request to book | Included Directorist Booking extension; HivePress Bookings, $39 [7] |
| Ready for your niche | ||
| Vehicles | Make and model catalogue, VIN decoding, standard vehicle fields, a key specs block, similar vehicles, compare up to 3 side by side and a finance calculator | Partly Directorist Compare Listings; no make and model catalogue or VIN decoding listed [2] |
| Property | Bedrooms, bathrooms, size, energy rating and more, floor plans, a mortgage calculator and a map-first property search | Free add-on Classified Listing Real Estate Agent add-on, free [10] |
| Jobs | Job offers and job seekers kept apart, salary ranges, remote or on-site, and apply with a CV straight to the employer | Paid add-on Job Manager in Directorist and in Classified Listing ($39); CV applications not stated [10] |
| Business directory | Opening hours with "Open now", claim your business, quote requests you can charge for, and events | Included Directorist and HivePress are directory plugins: claims and business hours [2] |
| Buyers and trust | ||
| Messages between buyers and sellers | Built in | Included Directorist Live Chat; Classified Listing chat [2] |
| Reviews and badges | Two-sided reviews and badges sellers earn, such as Fast responder and Top rated | Included Directorist Advanced Review; HivePress Badges, $29 [7] |
| Seller verification | ID and business document checks, and trader details for business sellers | Not offered No ID or business document checks listed |
| Saved searches with alerts | Instant or daily alerts for new matches, by email and push | Included Directorist Search Alert; HivePress Search Alerts, $39 [7] |
| Browser push notifications | For new messages and alerts, with no outside service | Partly Directorist Notifications Pro; not listed for HivePress, and in Classified Listing only through its app [2] |
| Easy and safe sign-in | Google, Facebook, Apple, X, Microsoft and LinkedIn, a code by SMS, one-click email links and two-step login | Paid add-on Social login: Directorist $29 a year, HivePress $29; Classified Listing points to another plugin; no two-step login listed [4] |
| Growth and SEO | ||
| SEO toolkit | Title patterns, redirects and a 404 log, structured data by listing type, sitemaps for every listing and IndexNow | Partly HivePress SEO ($29) or Classified Listing schema markup, usually with Yoast or Rank Math [9] |
| Maps and map search | OpenStreetMap with no API key, or Google Maps; search the area on the map or near a place | Partly Maps with radius search; no search by map area listed [9] |
| Automatic social posting | New listings posted to a Facebook Page, Instagram, X and Telegram | Not offered Not listed by Directorist, HivePress or Classified Listing |
| Webhooks, API keys and MCP | Signed webhooks, scoped API keys, and an MCP server so AI assistants can work with your site | Partly REST API in Directorist and HivePress; no webhooks or MCP listed [5] |
| Running the site | ||
| Hosting, SSL, updates and backups | Included in every plan, with support | Not offered Not included: you run WordPress hosting, updates and backups |
| Moving your site in | An importer for Osclass, Flynax, LaraClassifier and WordPress exports and CSV files, with a dry run and undo | Partly Imports from Google Maps, Google Places and feeds; no importer for other classifieds software listed [2] |
A working site in year one.
Software, support and the things you need to keep a site online. Hosting for self-hosted software depends on the host you choose, so it is left out of their totals.
WordPress plugins
| Directorist, 1 site, all extensions and themes (listed at $129) [1] | $116 a year |
|---|---|
| HivePress, all extensions (the ListingHive theme is free) [7] | $99 a year |
| Classified Listing bundle, 1 site, all add-ons and themes including Classima [9] | $99 a year |
| Classified Listing mobile app (optional): source code, or built for the stores [12] | $49 to $399 |
| WordPress hosting, domain and SSL | Paid separately |
| Year one | About $99 to $116 + hosting |
Each line is one plugin to choose, not a sum. The yearly plans keep updates and support for a year; Directorist and Classified Listing also sell lifetime licences ($379 and $279 for one site). WPAdverts, another option, starts at $59 a year. AdForest is a theme sold on ThemeForest, which lists its current price.
Yclas
| Starter up to 5,000 listings · $19 a month for 3 months, then $69 a month | $678 |
|---|---|
| Professional up to 100,000 listings · $99 a month | $1,188 |
| Marketplace up to 300,000 listings · $149 a month | $1,788 |
| Included in the price | Hosting, SSL, updates, backups, support |
Year-one totals for each plan, from the pricing page. 15 days free first, with no credit card, and a 30-day money-back guarantee on every plan. Prices in US dollars; EU customers pay VAT unless they add a VAT number.
WordPress plugins and Yclas, point by point.
| Topic | WordPress + plugin | Yclas |
|---|---|---|
| What you install | WordPress, a theme and the plugin, on hosting you choose | Nothing: your site is created when you sign up |
| Software price | Free core plugins; full bundles about $99 to $116 a year for one site | $19 a month for 3 months, then $69 a month (Starter). Every plan includes hosting. |
| Custom design | Theme options, a page builder such as Elementor (Pro from $60 a year), or a developer you hire ($80 to $120 an hour on Codeable) | Included: an AI page builder where you describe changes in words, 64 ready-made looks, drag-and-drop sections, versions and scheduled publishing |
| Server | You rent and run it; the plugins need PHP 7.4 or newer | Included, with SSL on your own domain |
| Updates | You update WordPress, the theme and each plugin | Done for you |
| Backups | A backup plugin or your host | Automatic |
| Taking payments | Through each plugin's paid add-ons, for example HivePress Memberships or Marketplace ($39 each) | Built in: Stripe, PayPal and regional gateways, for featured listings, bump to top, paid categories and memberships |
| Bookings | HivePress Bookings ($39) | Bookings and rentals with an availability calendar |
| Search alerts | HivePress Search Alerts ($39) | Saved searches with instant or daily email alerts |
| AI help | Classified Listing: an AI form generator and Write with AI | Seven AI tools: page builder, site setup, listings from a photo, search, scam checks, listing translation and suggested replies |
| Phones | Classified Listing app from $49 (source code) to $399 (built for both stores) | Mobile-first theme you can add to the home screen; browser push notifications |
| Support | From each vendor, for its own product, while the licence is active | Tickets in English or Spanish on every plan; priority support from our developers on Professional and Marketplace |
Also on every Yclas plan
- 44 languages, right-to-left included, multilingual sites and any currency
- Your own domain with one DNS record, and SSL set up automatically
- 17 payment gateways, including Stripe, PayPal, Mollie, Mercado Pago and Razorpay
- A money wizard that sets up paid posting, featured listings and plans in a few clicks
- Cookie consent that holds back analytics and ad code until visitors accept
- Reporting of illegal listings with a review queue, as the EU Digital Services Act asks
- Captcha with no setup, listing drafts that save themselves, and favourites
- Custom CSS and code, conditional custom fields and a catalogue of add-ons
- Ready-made connections for Zapier, Make, Google Sheets, Mailchimp, Slack and HubSpot
- A share kit with WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram and X buttons and a social image for every listing
The AI features and the page builder work with the Nova theme, the default for new sites. See all features →
Make it yours without hiring a developer.
With WordPress plugins, a design beyond the theme's options usually means paying a developer or designer. Yclas includes a page builder you use yourself: describe what you want, or change it by hand.
The Yclas page builder
- Describe the change in plain words, such as "darker hero, bigger search, rounder cards", and the AI makes it in a draft you preview before you publish.
- Start from 64 ready-made looks for cars, property, jobs, services, equipment and more, then change colours, fonts, buttons and spacing.
- Build pages from a library of sections: hero with search, categories, latest listings, how it works, locations, map, text, image and text, features, testimonials, FAQ, stats, call to action and logos, plus custom code sections for anything else.
- Drag sections into place, edit text right on the page, and check it on desktop, tablet and phone, next to your live site.
- Write and rewrite text with AI, and use free photos from Pexels and Unsplash or your own.
- Add pages, save blocks to reuse, undo any step, restore an earlier version, schedule publishing up to 90 days ahead, and share a preview link for 7 days.
Included in every plan. Want us to do it for you? Our team also does custom design and development.
The usual route with WordPress plugins
| Elementor Pro, a WordPress page builder [15] | from $60 a year |
|---|---|
| Directorist done-for-you setup (pricing plans, reviews, up to 5 custom features and pages) [1] | $999 |
| A WordPress developer on Codeable [16] | $80 to $120 an hour |
Hourly work adds up with every change: a new section, a seasonal banner or a fix after an update is another job to brief, wait for and pay for.
Moving from WordPress
Yclas reads a WordPress database export with listings from Directorist, HivePress, Classified Listing or AdForest.
- Export your WordPress database as a .sql or .sql.gz file, the kind phpMyAdmin or your hosting panel makes.
- Start a free trial, choose "I already have a site" in the sign-up wizard, and upload the export in Move your site to Yclas.
- Match the fields, check the dry run (a preview with any errors, nothing is saved yet), then import.
Your listings come across with their categories, prices, locations and photos (the featured image and attachments), and so do user accounts. Passwords are not copied: imported users set a new one. For WPAdverts or another plugin, use the CSV import, which takes listings and users from a spreadsheet. You can undo the latest import within 7 days.
When WordPress plugins may be the better choice
- Your site already runs on WordPress and you want listings inside it, next to your blog or shop.
- You want the WordPress ecosystem: thousands of plugins and many developers who know it.
- You are happy to keep WordPress, the theme and the plugins updated and backed up, or you pay someone to.
- You already pay for hosting and want the lowest software cost.
If none of these fit, and you would rather spend your time on your marketplace than on a server, try Yclas.
Is a WordPress plugin cheaper than Yclas?
On the price tag, yes: a full plugin bundle costs about $99 to $116 a year for one site, against $19 a month for 3 months, then $69 a month for Yclas Starter. The plugin price doesn't include hosting, backups or keeping WordPress updated. Yclas includes those, plus support on every plan.
Can I move my listings from Directorist, HivePress, Classified Listing or AdForest?
Yes. Export your WordPress database as a .sql or .sql.gz file and upload it in Move your site to Yclas. Listings, categories, photos and user accounts are imported after a dry run you can check. For other plugins, such as WPAdverts, use the CSV import.
Can I keep my WordPress blog?
Yes. Keep your blog on WordPress and link to your Yclas marketplace on its own domain or subdomain. Yclas sites also have their own blog, pages and FAQ if you want everything in one place.
Do I need hosting for Yclas?
No. Hosting, SSL, updates, security fixes and backups are part of every plan. You start on a free yourname.yclas.com address and can connect your own domain on any paid plan.
Sources
Checked on 15 October 2026. Prices change: the vendor's own page is always the latest word. If something here is out of date, tell us and we'll fix it.
- Directorist pricing
- Directorist extensions
- Directorist AI and AI Search ($29 a year for one site)
- Directorist Social Login ($29 a year for one site)
- Directorist REST API reference
- Directorist on WordPress.org: 20,000+ installs, PHP 7.4+
- HivePress extensions and the All Extensions bundle
- HivePress on WordPress.org: 10,000+ installs, free ListingHive theme
- Classified Listing Pro pricing (RadiusTheme)
- Classified Listing add-ons and their prices (RadiusTheme)
- Classified Listing features: Write with AI, AI Semantic Search (RadiusTheme)
- Classified Listing mobile app pricing (RadiusTheme)
- Classified Listing on WordPress.org: 9,000+ installs
- WPAdverts pricing
- Elementor pricing: plans from $60 a year
- Codeable pricing: WordPress developers at $80 to $120 an hour
- Yclas pricing
Product names belong to their owners and are used only to identify the products compared. Yclas is not affiliated with them.
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