Free vs Paid Business Directories
What the verified dataset actually records about directory submission models, including how often pricing is undisclosed.
Introduction
The most useful finding in this dataset is not the split between free and paid. It is how often the answer is neither: a large share of directories, including several of the best known, do not publish their listing pricing at all.
Where that is the case the submission model is recorded as Unknown. That is deliberate. Assuming a free tier exists because a directory has a prominent "get listed" button would be a guess, and a guess about cost is exactly the kind of thing a reader would act on.
Evidence base
Evidence base: 23 of 64 verified directories in the PetroHrys dataset are recorded as free to submit to. Every figure and table on this page is generated from those records at build time. Fields that were never established are shown as Unknown rather than filled in.
Who should use these
Anyone budgeting directory work, and businesses deciding whether a paid listing is justified.
Comparison
| Directory | Country | Category | Scope | Submission | Verification required | Review system | PetroHrys Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Companies House Register | united-kingdom | government | national | Free | Yes | No | 95 |
| ABN Lookup | australia | government | national | Free | Yes | No | 93 |
| Search ASIC registers | australia | government | national | Free | Yes | No | 92 |
| Baza Internetowa REGON | poland | government | national | Free | Yes | No | 91 |
| L'Annuaire des Entreprises | france | government | national | Free | Yes | No | 91 |
| Veřejný rejstřík a Sbírka listin | czech-republic | government | national | Free | Yes | No | 91 |
| USPTO Trademark Search | united-states | government | national | Free | Yes | No | 89 |
| Python Package Index (PyPI) | global | developer | global | Free | Yes | No | 88 |
| Search for a Federal Corporation | canada | government | national | Free | Yes | No | 88 |
| WordPress Plugin Directory | global | developer | global | Free | Yes | Yes | 87 |
| crates.io | global | developer | global | Free | Yes | No | 86 |
| NuGet Gallery | global | developer | global | Free | Yes | No | 85 |
How to read this list
Start with everything genuinely free, since it costs only time. Treat paid listings as advertising and evaluate them as such — with a defined objective — rather than as a checkbox. Where pricing is Unknown, ask the directory directly before committing.
Frequently asked questions
Why is pricing Unknown for so many directories?
Because it is not published on the pages that were verified. The dataset records what an official source stated; it does not infer pricing from the presence of a signup button.
Are paid listings worse than free ones?
Not inherently. Paid inclusion is penalised in the editorial score under accessibility, but paid enhancement of an otherwise free listing is treated far more leniently.
Related reading
Editorial references
Every directory named on this page has its own page recording what was verified, when, by whom, and from which source. Scoring is documented in How the PetroHrys Score Works, and the verification standard in How Directories Are Verified.