Weedmaps vs Leafly: Which is Better for Cannabis Businesses?
If you are a cannabis business, then you have probably heard of Weedmaps and Leafly. They are both popular cannabis directories that allow businesses to list their products and services. But which one is better? This Leafly vs Weedmaps article will compare them based on traffic, pricing, features, and mobile apps. We will also help you decide which one is better for your business!
Cannabis dispensary owners must engage in internet marketing to increase exposure and grow their client list. However, you don’t want to spend time or money marketing to individuals who aren’t in your area and are not currently seeking marijuana products. This is why it’s critical to create a number of online mentions for your dispensary name, address, and phone number so that search engines may rank your website. So, let’s find out who wins in the Weedmaps vs Leafly challenge.
What Is Weedmaps?
Weedmaps is a popular cannabis dispensary directory that allows businesses and local dispensaries to list their products and services. It was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Irvine, California. Weedmaps has millions of monthly visitors and allows businesses to advertise their products and services for free.
Their app is the primary source of traffic for them. The majority of its visitors search for “dispensary near me” on Google. A potential buyer may learn a lot about a particular brand by examining its pricing, costs, and evaluations after visiting the Weedmaps site. Weedmaps is a fantastic resource for any cannabis or hemp shop. However, it’s so much more than a directory; it’s a global community that brings together many cannabis businesses from all corners of the globe.
Key features of Weedmaps
To better understand the platform, here are its main features that are worth your attention:
- The platform allows businesses to list their products and services for free.
- It has millions of monthly visitors.
- The app is the primary source of traffic for Weedmaps.
- Any business is allowed to advertise on Weedmaps (products and services).
How much does Weedmaps cost?
Weedmaps does not charge businesses to list their products and services. However, they offer paid advertising options starting at $300 per month. There are three options to choose from:
- The Standard Plan: It is entirely free. You get a link to your website, a corporate page, and the opportunity to add a logo.
- The Plus Plan: $300 per month. Aside from basic features, you’ll receive a map market, a basic listing, a product menu, an About us page, and ratings/reviews.
- The Premium Plan: $500 per month. Another alternative with a sales page.
What Is Leafly?
Leafly is a popular cannabis directory that allows businesses to list their products and services. It was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Leafly has millions of monthly visitors and allows cannabis retailers to advertise their products and services for free.
Their main source of revenue comes from display advertising and featured listings. They also provide listing packages, of course. Finally, instead of the traditional cost-per-click method, all of their ad campaigns are based on cost-per-impression.
Key features of Leafly
Here are the platform’s most essential characteristics, which you should be aware of:
- Allows businesses to list their products and services for free;
- Has millions of monthly visitors;
- Offers a paid advertising option starting at $600 per month;
- Provides listing packages;
- Based on cost-per-impression.
How much does Leafly cost?
Leafly does not charge businesses to list their products and services. However, they offer paid advertising options starting at $600 per month. An exciting thing about Leafly is that its model is based on location. The monthly cost can range from $600 to $4,000, depending on where you are.
Of course, Leafly’s advertising cost is much higher than on Weedmaps but at the same time, there are options to get a discount. For example, if your company is already listed there, you’ll save as much as $100. However, before deciding to advertise here, you should consider several factors.
Weedmaps vs Leafly: Comparison
Now that we’ve given you a brief overview of each platform, it’s time to compare them! However, remember that your website should be completely ready to accept new visitors. If you need to know how to achieve this, read about dispensary SEO to promote your brand in search engines.
Here’s a side-by-side comparison of Leafly vs Weedmaps:
Traffic
Weedmaps and Leafly have millions of monthly visitors.
However, it doesn’t mean that all of them will eventually visit your page. That’s why analyzing traffic might be a bit useless. However, this is an essential indicator that should be considered while choosing a directory.
Leafly, in general, has a larger number of visitors than Weedmaps.
The most obvious reason for this is while Weedmaps focuses on dispensaries, Leafly prefers showcasing items. If you are interested in traffic, consider also such data as the average age of the visitors.
Pricing
As we have already mentioned, Weedmaps is a free platform for businesses. You don’t have to pay anything to list your products and services. However, they offer paid options starting at $300 per month. Leafly is also a free platform for businesses. But, if you want to advertise your products or services, get ready to spend at least $600 per month.
It is evident that Weedmaps’ advertising cost is much lower which might be a decisive factor for new or small businesses. At the same time, their traffic is more significant. You need to decide whether this indicator is important for you and how it will influence your approach in the long-term perspective.
Features of Weedmaps vs Leafly
Weedmaps has several features that are worth mentioning. First of all, it is a link to your website. It means that you can attract traffic from Weedmaps to your site, which is great. Secondly, you get a corporate page where businesses can add their logo. Finally, you may also enable your customers to leave reviews of your dispensary and items.
As for Leafly’s features, it has an extensive Strain Database. It is really helpful if you want to find a particular type of cannabis. Customers can also place unlimited online orders via Leafly as they have their delivery service, which is great.
Mobile App
Weedmaps has a mobile app for both Android and iOS. The app is well-designed and allows mobile users to find dispensaries near them. It also provides strain information, product details, and reviews.
Leafly also has a mobile app for both Android and iOS. The app is designed to help customers find strains, products, retailers, and doctors. It also allows businesses to advertise their products and services.
Search features
Weedmaps has a search feature that allows customers to find dispensaries near them. The search results are based on the customer’s location. Filters are available in the main map search tool, such as visitor demographic, age limitations, and amenities like wheelchair accessibility.
Leafly also has a search feature that allows customers to find strains, products, retailers, and doctors. The search results are based on the customer’s location. You’ll also be able to get discovered by local consumers looking for particular strains on Leafly’s wide strain database. Both services are extremely helpful for local dispensaries.
The product menu features
Weedmaps allows businesses to showcase their products on their menus. Customers can filter products by type, such as edibles, tinctures, topicals, and more. You can also add product photos, descriptions, and reviews.
Leafly’s product menus include more sophisticated search options, allowing you to filter by strain type, most popular strains, price, quantity, brands, and THC content. When you click on a product, you’ll get an enlarged image, a description, and a detailed user review section.
Listing process
Weedmaps has a simple listing process. You need to create an account and fill out the form. The approval process is usually quick, and you can start promoting your products and services immediately.
Leafly’s listing process is more detailed. You need to provide more information about your enterprise, such as business hours, website URL, menus, and more. The approval process can take up to a week.
In both cases, you can contact a support team if you have any questions or concerns. They will also help you fill out the forms if this is necessary.
Leafly or Weedmaps: Which one is better for the cannabis business?
| Weedmaps | Leafly | |
| Traffic | Millions of visitors monthly | Higher in comparison to Weedmaps |
| Features | All the main features for directories | More features in comparison to Weedmaps |
| Price | Free. Paid options starting with $300 | Free. Paid options starting with $600 |
| Mobile App | Available for iOS and Android | Available for iOS and Android |
| Search features | Based on the customer’s location | Helps to find strains, products, retailers, and doctors |
| Product menu features | Various filters to search for products | Allows more specific search |
| Listing process | Fast and simple | A bit complicated and takes up to a week |
There is no easy answer to this question. Both platforms have their advantages and disadvantages. And it is difficult to decide which one is better in a pair of Weedmaps vs Leafly. It would help if you decided which factors are more essential for your business. For example, if you’re looking for a platform with more referral traffic, then Leafly is the better option. However, if you’re on a tight budget, Weedmaps might be a better choice. In any case, both platforms can be beneficial for your cannabis business.
It is also essential to consider that Weedmaps’ traffic is more targeted towards cannabis businesses while Leafly’s is more general. Therefore, if you want to attract customers who are specifically interested in buying cannabis products, Weedmaps is a better platform. On the other hand, if you’re looking to reach a wider audience, Leafly might be a more suitable option. Meanwhile, Weedmaps is more like Google Maps than anything else – it’s a consumer search engine that directs marijuana users to local dispensaries where they may purchase cannabis. People use search terms to get to pages on Weedmaps, which is why the phrases they choose are so revealing.
Despite the fact that Leafly receives three times as many monthly visits as Weedmaps, it places a greater emphasis on cannabis information and strain reviews. If you are a dispensary looking to get in front of potential customers, it may be worth paying for an advertising spot on Leafly. However, if you run a seed bank or other type of business in the cannabis industry, Weedmaps could be a better investment since it will put your business in front of people who are already searching for what you offer.
Leafly receives a large number of visitors, but it is primarily from viewers of their video content and other instructional material as well as their strain database. This makes sense since they are a go-to source for cannabis information. However, if you are looking to advertise your dispensary or product on Leafly, be aware that you will be competing for attention with a lot of other businesses.
In the end, it really depends on what type of business you have and what your goals are. If you want to reach as many potential customers as possible, Leafly is the better platform. However, if you’re looking to target cannabis consumers specifically, Weedmaps is the way to go. So, it is essential to consider all the features important specifically to your business when comparing Weedmaps to Leafly.
Leafly vs Weedmaps: In Conclusion
To sum up, both platforms have their pros and cons. It would help if you considered what is more important for your business before making a decision. If you want to reach a wide audience, Leafly is the better option. However, if you’re looking to target cannabis consumers specifically, Weedmaps is the way to go.
In any case, both platforms can be beneficial for your cannabis business. Don’t forget about preparing your website for new visitors. Search engine optimization specialists will help you do everything necessary to make it user-friendly and available for indexing by crawlers. If you are ready to grow and expand your brand, consider these directories and choose one as soon as possible to start promoting your business.
We've helped dozens of clients achieve remarkable results by increasing organic traffic and revenue for their online businesses. Let us put our expertise to work for you and help you reach new heights of success.
Andrew Shum is an experienced digital marketing expert. He specializes in helping businesses within the marijuana industry market their products and services online. With years of experience in creating marketing strategies for cannabis-related businesses, Andrew has a proven track record of success.
