Brilliant Directories vs SilkStart
Brilliant Directories
brilliantdirectories.comSilkStart
silkstart.comSide by side
| Figure | Brilliant Directories | SilkStart |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $40/mo | $241/mo |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 3 | 3 |
| Spec score · Directory Creation And Management Software | 8.8 (#4) | 6.6 (#28) |
| Spec score · Membership Site Platforms | 8.8 (#14) | 7.0 (#82) |
| Content gating | page | page |
| Custom domain | Yes | Yes |
| Founded | 2010 | 2010 |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Member limit | 5000 | 500 |
| Starting price | Essentials costs $40 per month or $240 per year. | 241 |
| Subscription billing | both | both |
Plans
Brilliant Directories
- Essentials$40 a month
- Builder$80 a month
- Pro$120 a month
SilkStart
- Standard$241 a month
- Multi-Chapter$728 a month
- Enterprise/CustomPrice not published
In their own words
Brilliant Directories
Brilliant Directories is a managed web platform for building directory, membership, community, marketplace and premium-content sites. Site owners can create membership plans, import and manage member records, and add custom fields to member forms. Content can be restricted to members or offered through paywalls, with subscriptions charged monthly, yearly or per listing; trials and coupons are also supported. Payment tools connect to Stripe, PayPal and Authorize.net and help manage transactions and past-due payments. Lead-generation tools collect inquiries and let site owners sell leads to members. Email tools handle newsletter subscribers, contact lists and scheduled campaigns. Hosting includes SSL, a global CDN, automatic backups and 24/7 monitoring. The platform also provides a REST API, real-time webhooks, API-key controls and an official MCP for AI agents, and advertises more than 5,000 integrations. Essentials costs $40 a month or $240/year, with capacity for 5,000 members. Builder costs $80 a month or $480/year and supports 25,000 members; Pro costs $120 a month or $720/year and supports 50,000. Every plan includes a free 7-day trial; a free demo offers full access without a credit card.