8 Best Free WordPress Directory Themes for 2024
Most popular free WordPress listing themes to launch a directory website.
Online job boards have grown in popularity since they can put employers in touch with job-seekers from around the world in the blink of an eye. But it’s not only a connection platform that gives hope for unemployed people and helps recruiters in finding the best candidates. For website owners, it’s also a profitable online business that is always in demand. So if you are thinking about launching your own employment website, you should definitely give it a shot.
They say that job board business has been taken away by big websites like Glassdoor, Indeed and LinkedIn. However, there are many niches where small job portals can perform really well and make money for their owners. Moreover, thanks to the content management systems like WordPress, you don’t need any coding skills or a huge budget to get your job portal up and running.
So, all you need to create your own job board website is a working WordPress installation and a well-coded job board WordPress theme. Selecting a proper WordPress theme is really important for future website maintenance and development, so in this article, we are going to compare the most popular job board WordPress themes that you can use to create a job listing website.
So, let’s check some of the best WordPress job board themes!
Most Popular Job Portal WordPress Themes to Choose from in 2021
JobHive
JobHive is a clean and modern job board WordPress theme that goes with all the required features for launching your own job listing website, like custom search filters, location-based search, several monetization models and so on.
JobHive is powered by the HivePress plugin. It’s a free WordPress directory plugin that allows you to create any type of directory and listing websites. It means that there are extra customization options, and there is no risk of losing your data if you ever want to change the theme.
Also, it’s integrated with WooCommerce payment gateways so you can easily monetize your job listing website.
By the way, with JobHive, you can make money with your website in at least two different ways. Firstly, you can charge companies for adding job listings and featuring them. Secondly, you may charge users for viewing certain job details (e.g., phone number or email address).
Please note that JobHive doesn’t have any predefined job listing fields, so you can easily customize the theme by adding your own custom fields and search filters right in your WP dashboard. Also, you can easily set up the templates of your job board website with blocks since JobHive is fully compatible with the Gutenberg page builder, so you can just drag and drop elements to create stunning layouts.
JobHive Extensibility
JobHive is not limited to its core functionality, and you can enhance your job board with different extra features. At the time of writing, there are 7 free and 9 premium JobHive add-ons that you can install in a few clicks just from your WordPress dashboard. Here is the list of add-ons that are included with JobHive for free:
- Memberships – Charge users for viewing job listings or particular details.
- Paid Listings – Charge companies for adding and featuring job listings.
- Messages – Allow users to be in touch with each other via messages.
- Tags – Allow companies to set listing tags.
- Geolocation – Allow users to search job listings by location.
- Favorites – Allow users to keep a list of favorite job listings.
- Reviews – Let users leave reviews and rate job listings.
- Claim Listings – Allow users to claim listings.
You can combine the JobHive add-ons in the way you like in order to get the required functionality for your website. All extensions are lightweight, easy-to-use and fully integrated, so no compatibility issues with JobHive will occur.
JobHive Pricing
The JobHive theme goes for $69. The price includes a lifetime single-site license, unlimited automatic updates and 6 months of premium support. Also, if you want to extend your job board functionality, you may install some of the premium JobHive add-ons. Their price varies from $29 to $39 per license.
JobHive Support
As we mentioned above, if you purchase JobHive, you get 6 months of premium support covering all the issues related to setting up JobHive or fixing bugs. The support is available both via email and a support forum, so you are free to choose a communication channel that is more convenient for you. Keep in mind that support is provided directly by the theme developers, so any issues will be resolved by the people who know their product inside and out.
Additionally, if you need help with the theme installation or custom features for your website, developers offer customization as per requirement.
Key Takeaways
| Price | $69 |
| Extensibility | ✔️ |
| Extensions Included | ✔️ 8 |
| Support Included | ✔️ 6 months |
Jobify
Jobify is probably the most popular job board WordPress theme. It was created by a well-known ThemeForest author, Astoundify. Jobify is a powerful job listing theme that goes with a modern design and features required to get your job portal off the ground, such as front-end listing submission, search bar functionality with filtering, monetization options and so on.
It is fully integrated with WP Job Manager, the most widespread WordPress job listing plugin. On the one hand, it’s great because this plugin helps you to create a functional job portal in a snap. Also, since the plugin powers most of the job board features, you’ll be able to change your theme in the future if necessary without losing the website data. However, on the other hand, you should bear in mind that WP Job Manager is a thing of the past, and it’s not a reliable option anymore if you’re planning to create your job listing directory.
Jobify is compatible with the Elementor page builder that allows you to use blocks in order to customize website templates to your liking. Also, if you are going to make money with your job listing website, the theme is integrated with WooCommerce, so you’ll be able to process payments on your website without a hitch.
Jobify Extensibility
If you’re building a job board website with Jobify, you can enhance it with Jobify extensions as well as with WP Job Manager add-ons. There are more than 20 add-ons that you can install to extend your job portal functionality, like Statistics, Labels, Claim Listing, etc. But bear in mind that most of the extensions are premium and require purchasing a license. For example, such basic job board features as Favorites, Listing Payments, Private Messages are not available for free.
Jobify Pricing
This job board WordPress theme costs $69 per one-site license. But if you want to build a top-notch job board website with the necessary functionality, you’ll need to buy some of the add-ons. Any Jobify extension goes for $60 per 1-year license.
Jobify Support
If you purchase Jobify, developers guarantee 6 months of premium technical support. Besides direct support, you can find extensive documentation on the official website that can help you to install, set up and customize Jobify by yourself.
Key Takeaways
| Price | $69 |
| Extensibility | ✔️ |
| Extensions Included | ✔️ |
| Support Included | ✔️ 6 months |
Jobmonster
Jobmonster is another responsive job board WordPress theme with all the features you will need to run a successful job board website. One of the main features of this theme is that you don’t have to install a full suite of plugins or third-party services to get the functionality you are looking for.
If you are not tech-savvy, you can import the Jobmonster demo content and start with pre-made layouts. Also, if you want to add or customize some templates, you can easily do it with Elementor or WP Bakery page builders that are integrated with the theme. Additionally, the WooCommerce plugin will facilitate payments and other transactions on your website.
It’s also worth mentioning that Jobmonster supports Google Maps and free open source Bing Maps, allowing job-seekers to search and view job locations in a map interface.
Jobmonster Extensibility
The theme developers do not provide any additional add-ons that you can use to extend your job board’s functionality. However, they ensure that all the essential features are hard-coded into the theme, and there’s no need for extra features.
So, if you are looking to build a job board website with WordPress, Jobmonster can be a solution. However, keep in mind that adding extra functionality to your website will require certain coding knowledge since no extensions are available.
Jobmonster Pricing
You can purchase the Jobmonster theme on the ThemeForest for $55. It includes future updates and 6 months of support from developers. Also, there’s an option to extend support to 12 months for $16.
Jobmonster Support
As we mentioned above, this job portal WordPress theme goes with 6 months of premium support. The support is provided via a forum where registered users with valid licenses can create new topics and get responses from developers.
Key Takeaways
| Price | $55 |
| Extensibility | ❌ |
| Extensions Included | ❌ |
| Support Included | ✔️ 6 months |
JobCareer
JobCareer is another job board WordPress theme that provides job listing functionality on your website without any extra plugins. It’s already packed with the essential job board features like location-based search, job alerts, application deadlines, job suggestions and so on. Such specific job portal features as Indeed job import and the ability to apply with LinkedIn are also included with the theme.
The JobCareer theme is fully integrated with the WooCommerce payment system, so you can easily make money with your job listing website (e.g., by creating and selling listings packages), and WooCommerce will take care of processing payments. Also, it’s good to know that developers offer a free mobile app for JobCareer as well.
This job board WordPress theme is not compatible with the Gutenberg page builder, but there’s a drag-and-drop interface that allows you to construct web pages on your website. Overall, JobCareer may be a good option if you want to launch a job listing directory since it has many specific features that are necessary for getting your job board off the ground.
JobCareer Extensibility
If you are not satisfied with existing JobCareer features and want to add additional functionality, be ready to play around with code since there are no add-ons available. You won’t find any official theme extensions to expand your website functionality.
However, in the case at hand, the job listing theme is already packed enough for building a job portal with WordPress, so if you don’t need some extraordinary features, you should be okay with existing functionality.
JobCareer Pricing
The JobCareer price is $69 for one license. As well as with most of the themes on ThemeForest, you’ll get 6 months of support, and future theme updates included.
JobCareer Support
First of all, developers provide customers with an extensive knowledge base that is filled in with various topics that facilitate the process of setting up the theme. Also, there is a support ticket system, where users can create new tickets, and developers answer technical questions about the theme’s features or assist with reported bugs. Additionally, support is provided via WhatsApp.
Bear in mind that JobCareer premium support goes with the theme for 6 months.
Key Takeaways
| Price | $69 |
| Extensibility | ❌ |
| Extensions Included | ❌ |
| Support Included | ✔️ 6 months |
WorkScout
WorkScout is one more job board WordPress theme developed with the WP Job Manager. Nevertheless, it’s a highly functional theme that goes with a modern design and user-friendly interface. What we liked about this theme is – users’ dashboards that are specially dedicated to a job board website and have most of the necessary sections (e.g., job alerts, resumes section, bookmarks, etc.).
The theme is compatible with WPBakery Page Builder, which has an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, so it won’t be an issue for you to build new pages or customize existing ones using blocks. In addition, thanks to WooCommerce integration, you’ll be able to use payment gateways that are popular in your country.
Overall, the WorkScout theme combines all the features that you may need to create a job listing website with a professional design. But don’t forget that it’s based on the WPJM plugin that went out with the ark.
WorkScout Extensibility
This job portal WordPress theme is extensible by design since it’s powered by the WP Job Manager plugin. Developers mentioned that all WPJM add-ons (like Resume Manager, Job Alerts, Paid Listings Application, Application Deadline, Bookmarks, Job Applications) are included with the theme based on the GPL license.
However, you should be aware that you won’t get auto-updates to those add-ons without a WPJM core add-on bundle license. It means that you’ll get all the necessary features and add-ons when you purchase the theme, but you’ll have to pay if you want them to function correctly.
WorkScout Pricing
You can purchase this job board WordPress theme for $69 per regular license. Also, in order to get updates for WPJM add-ons that are included with the theme and power most of the WorkScout features, you’ll have to buy a core add-on bundle. The membership plan for this bundle goes for $125 / year.
WorkScout Support
The premium theme support is available for 6 months after purchase. On their website, developers ensure that they usually provide support within a few hours. Additionally, users can use the theme documentation that has many issues already covered.
Key Takeaways
| Price | $69 |
| Extensibility | ✔️ |
| Extensions Included | ✔️ |
| Support Included | ✔️ 6 months |
Careerfy
Careerfy is a versatile job board WordPress theme that allows you to launch a job listing website hassle-free. It’s bundled with lots of useful features for a job portal website like the ability to set application deadlines, a resume builder tool, geolocation search functionality, job alerts and so on.
If you don’t want to start your job listing website from scratch, there are more than a dozen different demos that you can import, which means that there’s a high chance that you’ll find a suitable design for your website. However, if you want to create your own layouts or customize the pre-made ones, you can easily do it with Elementor or WPBakery page builders that are integrated with the theme.
Also, it’s worth mentioning that developers put a special emphasis on communication between recruiters and job seekers. They integrated Careerfy with the video conferencing platform Zoom, allowing candidates to schedule interviews in a calendar and create zoom events for meetings without leaving the job board website.
Careerfy Extensibility
As reported by developers, Careerfy goes as an all-in-one job board WordPress theme with all the necessary features. That means that there are no official add-ons for enhancing your job listing website. But you won’t probably need any extensions since almost everything you’ll need to get your job board up and running is already included with the theme.
Careerfy Pricing
The price for this theme is $89 for a lifetime license. It’s a relatively high price compared to the previously listed themes, but you have to keep in mind that Careerfy includes the WP Bakery Page Builder ($45) and the Slider Revolution plugin ($29) that you can use for free.
Careerfy Support
If you purchase the Careerfy theme, you’ll have 6 months of premium support from developers. There’s a support ticket system on the official website, where users can open new tickets if they have some issues with setting up the theme.
Key Takeaways
| Price | $89 |
| Extensibility | ❌ |
| Extensions Included | ❌ |
| Support Included | ✔️ 6 months |
Nokri
Now let’s take a look at one more decent job board WordPress theme – Nokri. It’s a standalone theme that comes with all the features and tools you may need to create a well-functioning job board website with WordPress. Among the theme’s features, there are search filters, job suggestions, a resume builder, bookmarks, social login, etc.
If you don’t want to create layouts on your website by yourself, there are 10+ Nokri demos, and you can import any of them to get started with pre-made templates. Keep in mind that the available templates cover not only the homepage of a website but also the other job board pages, like the user dashboards, company information pages, candidate profile pages and so on. But if you are a more experienced user and want to start from scratch, you can create your own layout using blocks, thanks to the integration with the Elementor page builder.
Additionally, there are Nokri mobile apps that you can purchase in order to create mobile versions of your job portal on iOS and Android platforms. Moreover, developers provide Zoom meeting API integration to allow job seekers and companies to have interviews at any time, at any place.
Nokri Extensibility
Nokri doesn’t have any extensibility options that allow you to enhance your job listing website with some extra features. However, on the official website, the theme developers ensure that it’s a complete job board theme with all the necessary features, so the default functionality will probably be enough to launch a job portal with WordPress.
Nokri Pricing
This job portal WordPress theme is available on ThemeForest for $69 per license. Since no extensions or third-party plugins are required for getting your job board off the ground, it’s a final price for your job listing theme.
Nokri Support
First of all, you can use the theme’s documentation that covers most of the topics, intended to help you with setting up Nokri properly. Also, once you buy the theme, you’ll get premium support for 6 months provided via the support ticket system.
Key Takeaways
| Price | $69 |
| Extensibility | ❌ |
| Extensions Included | ❌ |
| Support Included | ✔️ 6 months |
Jobseek
Jobseek is another WP Job Manager-integrated job board WordPress theme. The theme goes with some basic job portal features like searching and filtering job listings, location-based search, etc. That’s why it may be an option for small recruiting agencies or employment websites.
The theme is fully compatible with WPBakery Page Builder, which allows you to create stunning website content with simple drag and drop. Also, Jobseek is integrated with WooCommerce, so you’ll have access to dozens of payment gateways, and it won’t be an issue to monetize your job listing website.
You may give it a shot if you need a website with basic job board features. However, in order to get a better idea of the theme functionality, we recommend checking its two different demos before purchasing it.
Jobseek Extensibility
Since this job board WordPress theme is based on the WPJM plugin, you can use the plugin’s add-ons to enhance your website. Also, keep in mind that you’ll have to pay for premium WPJM extensions that are not included with the theme if you want to get functionality like on the demo website. For example, the listed below add-ons are not packed with the theme:
- Applications – Allow candidates to apply to jobs using a form.
- WC Paid Listings – Paid listing functionality powered by WooCommerce.
- Resume Manager – Add a resume submission form to your site.
- Bookmarks – Allow logged-in candidates and employers to bookmark jobs and resumes.
- Job Alerts – Allow registered users to save their job searches and create alerts.
- Application Deadline – Allow companies to set a closing date.
Jobseek Pricing
The Jobseek theme costs $39 for a regular license. However, bear in mind that you’ll need to purchase some WPJM add-ons if you want to create a well-functioning employment website. The price for add-ons varies from $19 to $49 for a one-year license. Also, there’s an option to buy a core add-on bundle and get all the necessary features for $125.
Jobseek Support
You can rely on premium support for 6 months from the purchase date. The support includes helping with technical questions, fixing bugs, assistance with reported issues and help with included third-party assets.
Key Takeaways
| Price | $39 |
| Extensibility | ✔️ |
| Extensions Included | ✔️ |
| Support Included | ✔️ 6 months |
JobRoller
JobRoller is the job board WordPress theme created by the AppThemes team. The theme goes with a more traditional and simple design, without any frills or excessive features, so it may be a good choice if you want to create a classic website with essential job portal features.
JobRoller comes with some primary features for building a job listing website like location search, frontend forms, an ability to create custom job types, etc. In addition, the theme includes separate search filters and tools for both job seekers and employers. Also, job seekers have their own profiles where they can upload CVs that can be located by employers.
Keep in mind that developers didn’t mention anything about WooCommerce compatibility, so you’ll probably have to play with settings or buy some add-ons in order to make money with your employment website.
JobRoller Extensibility
The theme is extensible by design and can be expanded by using any of the many child themes and extensions available from the AppThemes marketplace. Some of them allow you to insert adverts into your site or populate your job site with listings from Careerjet and Simplyhired.
We recommend visiting the AppThemes marketplace to check out all the available extensibility options.
JobRoller Pricing
JobRoller goes for $69 per lifetime license for unlimited websites. However, please note that you’ll be receiving automatic updates only for 12 months. In order to keep the theme up to date, you’ll have to pay $29 each year.
Additionally, if you need some add-ons, you can purchase them on the official theme website. They range in price but don’t go anywhere above $49 for a lifetime license (with 12 months of automatic updates).
JobRoller Support
With this job board WordPress theme, you’ll get 12 months of premium support provided via the support forum. Additionally, customers can take advantage of the available documentation that covers many different topics and FAQs.
Key Takeaways
| Price | $69 |
| Extensibility | ✔️ |
| Extensions Included | ❌ |
| Support Included | ✔️ 12 months |
Cariera
Finally, we get to Cariera, one more job board WordPress theme based on the WP Job Manager plugin. The theme provides the templates while the plugin powers the necessary job board functionality. It means that with Cariera, you’ll have almost the same job board functionality as with any other previously listed theme that is powered by WPJM.
Cariera is fully integrated with Elementor and WPBakery page builders, so you’ll be able to create new templates using your favorite drag-and-drop feature. The theme is also compatible with WooCommerce, which allows you to monetize your website by creating and selling different listing packages through your website.
Additionally, please note that this job board WordPress theme comes with 12 different unique homepages, so you’ll have a range of options to choose from.
Cariera Extensibility
You can easily expand the theme’s core functionality by installing some of the WPJM add-ons. There are dozens of different extensions, so you can easily enhance your website in the way you like. However, the theme developers stated that there’s no need to buy any additional plugins to get the same functionality as on the demo website. So the existing features should be enough to launch a well-functioning job board.
Cariera Pricing
This job portal WordPress theme is available on ThemeForest for $79. Also, if you want to extend your website’s functionality by installing some of the WPJM extensions, be ready to pay from $19 to $49 per add-on (1-year membership plan).
Cariera Support
The theme itself and the included plugins are directly supported by Cariera developers for 6 months. So if you have any troubles with setting up the theme, feel free to contact the theme support team.
Key Takeaways
| Price | $79 |
| Extensibility | ✔️ |
| Extensions Included | ✔️ |
| Support Included | ✔️ 6 months |
Final Thoughts
That’s all! We hope this review of the most popular job board WordPress themes will help you pick the best one with all the job listing features required for your website. Once you pick a theme, you can start building and customizing your job board website. However, we recommend paying attention to the following criteria when choosing a job board theme:
- Premium support (what’s the support period).
- Plugins that are included with the theme (whether you have to purchase them separately or not).
- Integration with page builders (whether you can use layout blocks or have to mess with shortcodes).
- Job board plugin (which plugin powers the main functionality and check whether it’s reliable and and up-to-date).
Those are some of the main points that you need to keep in mind when looking for a job listing theme for your website.
Finally, bear in mind that you can try using the JobHive theme along with the free HivePress plugin if you want to build a job portal website with WordPress. They are both lightweight, easy-to-use and suitable for building a job board website for any niche. Also, in order to get a better understanding of JobHive and its features, we’ve prepared a detailed overview of this job board WordPress theme, so feel free to check it.
Additionally, you may want to check our overviews of the:
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