Store Locator Plus

Store Locator Plus adds searchable maps and directories of physical business locations to a website or app. It suits organizations managing multiple sites that want control over search and map presentation. The hosted plans pair location tools with fixed map-view quotas; the WordPress plugin instead leaves hosting and Google Maps setup to the site owner.

Overview

You can use Store Locator Plus as a hosted service or as a self-managed WordPress plugin. The hosted edition works with website platforms such as Squarespace, Weebly, Wix, and WordPress, and can be embedded using JavaScript on a website or app that accepts it. The wider compatibility list includes Joomla, GoDaddy, and mobile apps.

Capacity is a central buying consideration: the paid hosted plans range from 150 to 15,000 locations, with custom pricing for more. Map views are capped separately, and extra views incur charges. The maker manages backups, software and hardware upgrades, security work, and performance monitoring for its hosted service. With the WordPress plugin, the purchaser manages the software and must obtain and maintain a Google API key for map services.

Key features

Location tools include unlimited categories, GPS location detection, CSV import and export, scheduled CSV imports, and territory filtering. Together, these suit directories with frequently changing or geographically distributed locations; bulk import and scheduled updates are especially useful when maintaining records one at a time would be cumbersome.

Search forms, results layouts, map colors and elements, and featured locations can be customized. Directory listings, advanced reporting, and clustered map markers add presentation and oversight options. These controls make the service a stronger fit for a branded location finder than a bare map, though the plans differ in which controls they include.

Pricing

The free WordPress base plugin costs nothing. It adds location search and mapping through a shortcode, but add-ons extend its features and it is self-managed; users also need to manage a Google API key. Choose it if you want a no-cost starting point and are prepared to handle WordPress operations yourself.

Advanced costs $5 a month and includes 150 locations, 1,000 map views, basic locator styling, and extra views at $5/1000 views. It is the entry point for a small directory that needs hosted service, but its low location ceiling and basic styling limit its headroom.

Professional costs $35 a month and raises capacity to 5,000 locations and 5,000 map views, with extra views at $5/1000 views. It adds unlimited categories, GPS detection, CSV import and export, full control over the search form and results layout, map styling, featured locations, and directory listings. This is the more suitable tier for a sizable directory that needs bulk management and branded presentation.

Enterprise costs $55 a month and includes 15,000 locations and 8,000 map views, with extra views at $5/1000 views. It includes the Professional feature set, making the additional cost most relevant to organizations that need the higher location and view limits. For the hosted service, the homepage also describes thousands of map views and a Google volume discount of $1 per 200 map views after quota; check how that applies to your usage before choosing on cost alone.

The Premier WordPress subscription includes a priority support forum and live chat access on the maker's Slack channel. The subscription price is custom pricing.

Platforms

Store Locator Plus supports Android, iOS, web, and self-hosted use. Hosted JavaScript embedding suits an existing site or app, while the self-hosted route is specifically a WordPress plugin that the purchaser maintains.

Who it's for

Consider it if your organization needs searchable physical locations, location-management tools, and control over how results appear. The hosted service is the better fit if you prefer the maker to handle backups, upgrades, and monitoring. The WordPress plugin is a better match if you want a self-managed setup and can take responsibility for the Google API key and ongoing maintenance. It is less compelling if your directory exceeds the plan's location ceiling or map-view needs make overage charges hard to predict.

Pros and cons

• Pros: CSV tools, scheduled imports, GPS detection, and territory filtering help manage location data at scale.
• Pros: Search, results, and map styling controls support a location finder that fits an organization's presentation.
• Pros: The hosted service includes maker-managed backups, upgrades, and performance monitoring.
• Cons: Hosted plans cap both locations and map views, and additional views are billed separately.
• Cons: The WordPress plugin is self-managed and requires the user to obtain and maintain a Google API key.

Alternatives

Directory Software is a useful starting point for comparing directory tools. Choose Apache Directory Server instead if you want a free, self-hosted directory server for Linux, macOS, or Windows rather than a location finder. Directify may suit a small directory project: its free plan allows one directory and 10 listings, with templates and a theme editor. Advanced Classifieds & Directory Pro is worth considering for a self-hosted directory where its free Starter plan offers unlimited listings, categories, locations, and custom fields, plus map display and front-end submissions.

Appy Pie AI Directory Website Builder may fit a small web directory that can work within 50 free listings and a basic category filter. Connections Business Directory is a free WordPress plugin suited to managing large numbers of directory entries. GeoDirectory, HivePress, and NexDirectory are other directory options to compare.

Verdict

Store Locator Plus is a strong fit for businesses that need a customizable location finder and want the choice of managed hosting or a self-run WordPress plugin. Its location tools and hosted operations are the main reasons to choose it; fixed view quotas and the self-managed plugin's Google API requirement are reasons to look elsewhere if you want simpler cost planning or less maintenance.