HivePress Review

HivePress is a free WordPress directory plugin that’s ideal for beginners to set up a small-ish local business directory. It’s easy to use and get started with, the accompanying theme looks great, the team is supportive, and you can even monetize your directory with paid listings if you wanted to.

Please bear in mind though that HivePress is a work-in-progress and there are a few bugs, but the developer is actively working on improving the core plugin and extensions with feedback from users. Our review takes this into account and we’ll update the post as features are added or amended.

The core plugin and free extensions are available from the WordPress plugin repository.

Beginners can build and get their service listing or company directory site up and running in no time by using the HvePress free WordPress listing and directory plugin. You can even monetize the site by selling paid listings on your directory site if you want.

The plugin offers free and premium extensions that allow you to easily extend the core functionality. HivePress allows you to create real estate, service marketplaces, job listings, business directories, or any listing and directory sites.

HivePress team has also created several themes specially designed for certain aspects. Using any of those themes in combination with HivePress can result in a powerful site.

For creating a directory site, there is a free ListingHive theme, RentalHive theme for booking site, for creating an on-demand marketplace like TaskRabbit, the ExpertHive theme is a great addition. For a freelance marketplace like Fiverr, there is a TaskHive theme, and for a job board site, JobHive is a great theme.

HivePress Features

Ordinary WordPress websites can quickly be converted into website packed with options after HivePress has been installed and activated. Some of the plugin most popular features are:

Offers – Service providers can make offers on requests. Each service provider will be given a dashboard to manage all aspects.
Vendors – Add search fields (like location) and custom fields and manage profile.
Requests – Clients can create requests with a budget, due date, time range, and other relevant information included. You can also add search fields and custom fields.
Favorites – Customers can have lists of favorite listings created. This allows them to place orders for the items they desire from favorite taskers.
Commissions and payouts – A default commission rate or custom service fees for each expert can be used. The site owner can allow taskers to request payouts at any time or require a minimum that must be attained before a payout can be requested.
Testimonials – Customer loyalty and trust can be built and grown with enough testimonials. That is why there is an option to display testimonials.
Messages and reviews – Private messages can be sent to taskers by clients before they buy a particular service. Taskers that they’ve worked with can also be reviewed and rated.
Custom fields and categories – This function allows users to assign their own specialty service categories and fields.
WooCommerce integration – HivePress can be used with WooCommerce. Thanks to that integration, you can use a plethora of payment gateways.

HivePress Extensions

HivePress comes with several useful extensions. This allows you to perform various functions. Some extensions are free while others paid:

Memberships – You can make listings available to view for a fee. You can also limit access for all listing pages (which would include both search and category pages), single listing pages, or particular listing attributes. You can even restrict access to submitting reviews or sending messages.
Marketplace – You can create a unique fixed price marketplace or digital download online marketplace.
Requests – A question and answer system is used by default. Using this extension, users can receive offers and make requests.
Search Alerts – An email will be sent when a listing that meets a user’s search criteria is posted.
Social Links – Social links can be added to listing and vendor pages.
Opening Hours – Search listings and other listings can include opening hours.
Statistics – See monthly, weekly, and daily unique listing views.
Tags – Users can assign listing tags for easier listing search.
Paid Listings – Users are charged to add, highlight or renew listings.
Claim Listings – Charge fees for claiming listings.
Authentification – Site visitors can log in using third-party options.
Favorites – Users can create lists with favorite listings.
Reviews – Users can review and rate listings.
Messages – Private messages can be sent and received between users.
Geolocation – Listings can be searched according to locations.
Bookings – Allow users to book listings.

Combining various extensions can help you create a one-of-a-kind website.

How HivePress Works?

Taxonomies and post types are already predetermined in HivePress. The plugin manages its own fields, post type, and categories.

“Listings” are the preassigned post type. “Categories” is the custom taxonomy that is pre-set for Listings. Be noted this is different from the Post Categories.

Traditional Post categories and Listing Categories operate similarly. One distinction with the Listings’ Categories is that you can add images to represent various categories. Those images will be shown on the frontend thanks to the HivePress plugin’s capabilities.

Certain listing information is managed in “Attributes.” This section will contain your custom fields. Basic settings, such as placeholders and field type, are included for each attribute. These attributes can also be altered.

You can use the HivePress attribute settings to decide if you want specific attributes to be used as a search option. You can control how those search options will be shown. They can also be used as sorting options if you prefer.

HivePress Gutenberg blocks. — HivePress works great with Gutenberg.

Elementor, Beaver Builder, and other page builders can be integrated with HivePress. It also works very well with Gutenberg.

Maps

The free extension “Geolocation” lets HivePress users add map locations for listings. Google Maps is the only map option available. HivePress settings will need API key information for this function to work correctly.

After the API key has been entered, you can perform the following tasks:

The frontend search form can be used to search for listings by location.
The backend will add a Location field (attribute) to all listings.
The frontend “Add Listing” form will have a Location field.
Location listings on the frontend will also show a Google Map view for that location.
Listing searches will have a Location field added to them.
Listing search results include a Google Map box.

Adding Photos & Videos

Images can be added using the form that’s included in the frontend submission form. The “Add Media” button on the description field will allow images to be integrated.

It doesn’t appear that HivePress has any settings or limitations for file weights, dimensions, or the amount of photos that a listing can have. There isn’t a separate field for videos right now, so they can be embedded in the listing description field.

Email Notifications

HivePress includes several core optional email notifications sent to the listing owner. Some of them are User Registered, Listing Approved, Listing Rejected, and Listing Expired.

If you want to send these kinds of notifications, it is recommended to also use SMTP plugin.

Private Messaging

To enable a private messaging system, you will need free “Messages” extension installed.

A “Reply to Listing” button will appear after this extension has been activated. Listing owners will receive messages as a comment on a particular listing. These comments will remain private, and the general public won’t be able to read or react to them.

Paid Listings

The free “Paid Listings” extension has to be installed before you can charge clients for listings. WooCommerce integrates with this free extension, and you will need it if you want to accept online payments and use the shopping cart feature.

WooCommerce, HivePress, and the Paid Listings extension can help you convert your website into a paid listing site.

Viewing All Listings

An “All Listings” page can also be assigned in HivePress. It will include sort, filter, and main search tools. You can create a blank page from scratch or use any existing page as the Listings Page under the HivePress settings.

The Listings Page has some primary layout settings, such as displaying Category pages and setting the number of regular listings and featured listings to include.

Front-end Listing Submission

A frontend submission form is included with HivePress. You can go into the Settings menu to activate or deactivate this feature.

Users can access this by registering for an account and then logging in once their account is created. A single listing category can be selected on the first screen. Images and additional listing information can be added on the second screen. You can also set that the listings need to be manually approved.

User Profiles & Edit Listings

Listing owners can alter their listings on the frontend. The “My Account” will show all listings after the user has successfully logged in.

Each listing can be deleted or adjusted as needed. The user can also change their profile settings from the frontend, like name, email and password, and profile image.

Front-end Search & Filter

A nice thing about the Listings page is that it has its own built-in filter and search functions. A location and keyword search form are on top of the Listings page. If your site has activated the Geolocation extension, the location search field will be active. Frontend settings allow you to assign attributes as a filter or sort choices.

User Reviews & Ratings

The free “Reviews” extension lets HivePress users rate and review listings. HivePress settings will have a brand new “Reviews” tab added after that extension has been activated.

Users will need to log in before they can leave a rating or write a review. These options will be available on the frontend listings.

Reviews can be seen as comments on the backend. Listings can be sorted according to the rating on the Listings/search page.

Verified / Claim Listings

The free “Claim Listings” extension must be downloaded and activated before users can claim or verify listings. Unclaimed listings will show a “Claim Listing” link on the frontend.

Managing Claims can be done in a new HivePress Settings tab that will appear. Claims can be approved manually if you prefer.

Featured Listings

The core HivePress plugin has a Featured Listings feature. Admins can set the listing as “featured.”

In the HivePress Settings menu, you can set the number of Featured listings displayed on a page. All featured listings will be shown first on a listing search before any other listings that meet the user’s search criteria.

Social Login

The free Authentification extension can be used to add a social login function. API credentials for each service must be added. You can do this by going into the HivePress Settings menu and selecting the “Integrations” option.

HivePress Pricing

HivePress plugin is free. There’s no charge to download and install the HivePress plugin. But some extensions are paid. Seven extensions are free, and nine are paid extensions. Each extension is good for use on one website. The prices for paid extensions range from $29 to $39.