This question has troubled many directory masters. Well, here’s my honest opinion and description. PHPLD is a more used script then eSyndicat. The free and the pro version. Weirdly, PHPLD is a bit lower in features then eSyndicat BUT it’s the easiest script that I ever modified. So that’s one point for PHPLD.
eSyndicat has alot of interesting features that phpld doesn’t have, but a considerable part of the features that lack in PHPLD can be installed freely (their awesome forum, has all mods in it). I especially like the editor signup and news section in eSyndicat, wich is not available as mod in PHPLD (yet). So a point for eSyndicat.
Another thing is that you can find more specialists & designers in PHPLD then in eSyndicat. That’s the main reason I don’t use eSyndicat. It was almost impossible for me to find someone to code my eSyndicat template at a reasonable price.
It has also come to the Price. A price for a single domain license without linkback in PHPLD is 75$, while its 49$ on eSyndicat. But if you want to linkback to PHPLD, you will pay 50% of the eSyndicat license for a copy. It’s difficult to say wich is better when it comes to price. On Dp, someone (under username Greg-J), mentioned that if needed in bulk, eSyndicat is cheaper since for 149$ you get unlimited domain licenses. In breath value-for-price just depends on how you want to use it etc.
In breath, what can I say. If you’re a starter, and you don’t need the pro version of eSyndicat, it’s much too complicated for you and you won’t find budget specialists. However, with PHPLD, you can start a directory in minutes giving it a nice look and an adecvate number of categories. If you want to test the limits of the possibilities of a directory, I recommend eSyndicat (sorry David), but PHPLD can be easily modified to your needs too. Both scripts are great, both rule the market, and the most important - Google likes them both.
Because they lack of features. I don't say the PHPLD 2 (neather eSyndicat) is bad, but I do say that it's pointless to use it if you can just give 25$ and use it at its full capability.
Well this is tutorials section and that is why we are thinking on this kind of issues.
I think first of all this article itself is copied and you have forgotten to add the source link of it. So next time please do add that source link. Morphmaster is mentioning it above but still you are not noticing it. The section here is not for deciding which script is better. Why free scripts are not good. etc.
Please try and stick to the topics and make some webmaster's life easier.
For the discussion. I do have a reply to this:
- Some people don't have $25.
- Some people do have $25 but don't want it to be spent on a script.
- Some people do have $25 and do want to spend it on script but want to test it first.
- The above message is in fact encouraging people to pay for those scripts. Can we consider this as advertisement.
In fact we love to hear your ideas. And that is why maybe Morphmaster didn't deleted this thread. But please try to stick to the topic and lets not copy paste articles without the owners permission. If you have written the article its all right. But if you even take it from some source which does allows you to use it at some other place then please mention the source link for reference.
This article is mine mate. And adsblog used to be my blog where I ALSO posted this article. I posted it on other forums too, a while ago, but since I'm a new member here.
That's why the other moderator deleted it, cos I sent him a PM telling him same.
And regarding your 25$ idea. I just have a simple reply. If a person doesn't have 25$ to spend, or doesn't to spend like you said, then its pointless to create a directory.
Why would it be pointless to create a directory with a free script.
Here is an example when I created a directory in Oct 2005 http://www.ruuz.com at that time there was no paid version of phpLD available and believe it or not this directory has earned more then 4K's in last 2 years. I have also seen many paid directories feeling like little babies in front of some of the free scripts directories. Everything doesn't lies in the script itself marketing and efforts are also going to be a major factor for any site.
According to your advices if a person thinks then starting a namepros is just a matter of buying a vBulletin. Is it? Can a person create a namepros with a copy of vBulletin. I don't think so. But yes I have seen many vBulletin forums going down and I have seen many phpBB's hitting the top level in the market.
Yes Nick, I don't think that a person would build namepros with only vbulletin. But if a person would really want to build namepros, then he would surely spend 160$ for a copy. Because, big money, big investment, big site.
eSyndicat vs. PHPLD 
