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In this Webflow review we outline the platform’s features, pricing plans, pros and cons, and how to decide if Webflow is the right tool for your project.

Webflow Review 2023: Pricing, Features, Pros and Cons

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Webflow is a web design and development tool that enables designers and developers to create responsive and dynamic websites without writing code. It offers a visual, browser-based drag-and-drop interface that makes it easy to design and layout web pages, and add and customize web elements like text, images, and buttons. Additionally, it includes a built-in Content Management System (CMS) to manage website content and allows for easy integration with external services and tools. In this review, we'll take a closer look at the features, capabilities, and user experience of Webflow, as well as its pros and cons, to help you determine if it's the right choice for your web design and development needs.

What is Webflow?

Webflow is a browser-based website builder and hosting platform that allows you to create visually appealing, responsive websites without coding knowledge. The platform is suitable for experienced designers and beginners alike thanks to its visual interface and extensive template library. It features comprehensive site-building tools, eCommerce capabilities, and a wide range of integrations.
This review will cover all of Webflow’s features, how to use the platform, pricing plans, pros and cons, and how to decide if Webflow is the best website builder for your project. If you are an individual, freelancer, or member of a larger team, you can compare these features against other platforms like Squarespace and Wix to inform your decision.

Does Webflow host websites?

Yes, in addition to its website building tools, Webflow can also host your website. All you have to do is buy a custom domain name, which Webflow also facilitates within its platform using partners like GoDaddy, and then purchase a site plan that includes hosting. You then connect your custom domain to your Webflow site, and you are good to go.


Overall rating:
4 out of 5
Webflow features:
4 out of 5
Ease of use:
4 out of 5
Pricing plans:
4 out of 5
Security:
5 out of 5
Support:
5 out of 5
Our Webflow rating

Websites made with Webflow

Webflow features a library of websites made using the platform on their website. A few examples of popular brands that use Webflow include Lattice, Mural and DropBox Sign.

Webflow features

Webflow designer

Website designer with a visual drag-and-drop interface and all of the capabilities of HTML5 and CSS, without the coding.

Webflow editor

On-page editing for non-designers to add and update site content without breaking the page design.

Webflow content management system (CMS)

The Webflow CMS offers all the necessary tools to create, modify, customize, format, and manage dynamic content on your site.

Webflow ecommerce

Webflow offers an ecommerce plan so you can set up your online store. Alternatively, you can also choose to use third party integrations like Shopify.

Integrations

A wide library of integrations and plug-ins, including app integrations, content marketing solutions and analytics and targeting tools.

Website hosting

Fast, scalable hosting without the complexities of domain setup. You will need to start with your own domain, which you can also buy inside Webflow through GoDaddy or Google Domains. Average response times are 0.01 seconds, ensuring near-instant page loading times.

Website templates

Over 1000 free and premium responsive Webflow templates for business, portfolio and blog websites.

Security and encryption

Webflow offers secure hosting services and SSL certificates to keep its sites safe from security threats.

Customer support

Webflow’s customer support team is available via email Monday through Friday with response times between 24-48 business hours.

Let's build a roadmap and calculate accurate costs for your Webflow website!

How to use Webflow

Getting started with Webflow

Once you sign up, you will be asked a quick questionnaire. You will answer which title best describes your role, who you will be building websites for, how comfortable you are with HTML and CSS, and what kind of site you want to build today.
After completing the questionnaire, you will enter the Webflow Designer. You will be prompted to follow a tutorial, which is recommended to learn where to find and how to use all of the controls.

After finishing the tutorial, you will be free to start designing your own website either by yourself or using one of the many templates available. You can browse free and premium templates by site category, language, and other features.


Webflow Designer

The Webflow Designer is the visual web design tool that you will use to build your website.

The left side features all of the tools you need to add and edit components. This includes adding elements, adding pages, viewing and adding different assets, and managing dynamic content collections.

The right side features all of the tools you need to style your components. This is essentially a visual way of adding CSS customizations to your pages. You can design each of your elements, add custom settings, edit styles, and add interactions like animations.

You can start adding elements to your blank site or choose to use pre-designed layouts. It helps to have a basic understanding of HTML and CSS if you want to experiment with creating your own elements, which you can learn using Webflow’s library of resources.

Webflow Editor

Once you’ve designed your site pages, you can use the Editor to start editing elements of the pages without breaking the design.


Unlike in Designer, you will not be able to change the design of the page, but you can do things like change the text and fonts in headers and website copy, or replace images. For companies, this is the setting that non-designers can use to update the site. You can manage which team members only have access to the Editor in settings.

Webflow CMS

Not to be confused with the Webflow Editor is the content management system (CMS), which is the tool used for managing collections of content, typically blog content. You can access the CMS in either Designer or Editor mode by navigating to CMS Collections from the left toolbar.


The CMS is where all of the dynamic content on your website is collected and maintained. You can choose where the content is placed on your website, and each time the content is changed, it will update on those pages automatically.

You can create collections of blog posts, team members, job postings, or whatever you want for your website.

Each piece of content in a collection contains a couple of required fields, namely the URL slug and the title. After that, it is up to you to define which fields you want to add. These fields can include plain or rich text, video, single images or galleries, and filtering tools.

How much does Webflow cost?

Webflow pricing plans

Webflow’s plans are divided into two categories, Site plans and Workspaces.
Site plans are further separated into General and Ecommerce, while Workspaces are for in-house teams or freelancers & agencies.

Site plans:

General site plans:

General site plans are suited for all websites outside of ecommerce, although ecommerce integrations are still available to use. Webflow offers one free plan and a number of tiered paid plans.
Starter
  • webflow.io domain
  • 50 CMS items
  • 50 lifetime form submissions
  • 1 GB bandwidth
Free
Basic
  • custom domain
  • 500 CMS items
  • 500 monthly form submissions
  • 50 GB bandwidth
$14/month
CMS
  • custom domain
  • 2,000 CMS items
  • 1,000 monthly form submissions
  • 200 GB bandwidth
  • 3 content editors
$23/month
Business
  • custom domain
  • 10,000 CMS items
  • 2,500 monthly form submissions
  • 400 GB bandwidth
  • 10 content editors
$39/month

Ecommerce site plans:

The ecommerce site plans are essentially enhanced versions of the CMS and business plans with the addition of ecommerce features.
Standard
  • 500 ecommerce items
  • 2,000 CMS items
  • 2% transaction fee
  • all CMS plan features
$29/month
Plus
  • 5,000 ecommerce items
  • 10,000 CMS items
  • 0% transaction fee
  • all Business plan features
$74/month
Advanced
  • 15,000 ecommerce items
  • 10,000 CMS items
  • 0% transaction fee
  • all Business plan features
$212/month

Workspaces:

Workspace plans are designed for small or large companies that need to grant access, or seats, to multiple team members. There are plans for in-house teams and freelancers & agencies, respectively.

For in-house teams:

Starter
  • one seat
  • two unhosted sites
  • two Agency or Freelancer Guests
Free
Core
  • three seats
  • ten unhosted sites
  • custom code
  • code export
  • billing permissions
  • two Agency or Freelancer Guests
$19/month
Growth
  • nine seats
  • unlimited unhosted sites
  • custom code
  • code export
  • billing permissions
  • two Agency or Freelancer Guests
  • publishing permissions
$49/month
Business
  • unlimited seats
  • unlimited unhosted sites
  • custom code
  • code export
  • billing permissions
  • Agency or Freelancer Guests
  • publishing permissions
  • advanced security
  • performance
  • customer success
  • page branching
Custom

For freelancers & agencies:

Starter
  • one seat
  • two unhosted sites on webflow.io domains
  • two Agency or Freelancer Guests
Free
Freelancer
  • three seats to build your team
  • ten unhosted sites on webflow.io domains
  • full CMS access on unhosted sites
  • free guest access in client Workspaces
$16/month
Agency
  • nine seats to scale your team
  • unlimited unhosted sites on webflow.io domains
  • full CMS access on unhosted sites
  • free guest access in client Workspaces
  • the ability to manage publishing permissions for your team
$35/month

Which Webflow plan should I choose?

For most freelancers and small businesses, a free basic plan or CMS plan offers sufficient features to meet their needs. As an individual or blogger, you may want to start with the free Starter plan to see if you like the visual editor and CMS as compared to competitors like Wordpress.
Large businesses have more options to consider. If you need to provide access to multiple members of your team, you will have to opt for a Workspace plan. The main differences between plans include:
  • The number of seats, or, team members who can work on the website simultaneously
  • The number of sites that can be created
  • Whether custom embed code can be added to your sites
  • Whether you can control access to sensitive controls like billing information or publishing
  • Whether your site HTML and CSS code can be exported for developers and as backups
  • Enhanced security and customer support
If you have an ecommerce business, you will need to choose an Ecommerce plan to access all of the previous features with the addition of ecommerce functionality. Which plan you choose will depend on the number of seats you require and which of these features are necessary for your business.

Webflow pros and cons

Webflow is a powerful all-in-one website platform that is ideal for all different types of websites. Still, it has its benefits and drawbacks in comparison to other website builders. Here is a look at the main pros and cons.

Pros of Webflow

No-code website development

Thanks to its visual interface, both developers and non-developers can build websites in Webflow. HTML, CSS and Javascript are automatically generated, so developers can also edit the code directly as needed.

Free and premium templates

Over 1500 free templates and over 2000 premium templates for your Webflow site. The free templates are more modern than those at Wordpress, and the premium ones are excellent.

Ideal for diverse website types

Webflow has features and plans to support blogs, portfolios, ecommerce sites, and business websites.

Extensive library of integrations

In case Webflow's editor doesn't offer a feature you need, the platform provides a variety of third-party integrations including analytics and targeting, anti-spam, app integration and automation, asset management, and content marketing tools.

Cons of Webflow

Steep learning curve for non-designers

Webflow positions its product as an alternative to site builders like Squarespace and Wix. However, even without coding, using the Webflow Designer without any experience may be a hassle for the average person who is looking to quickly set up their website. (That said, templates are available for easier setup.)

Desktop-only interface

If you are a blogger, you may expect the ability to write and upload content on mobile. Unlike Wordpress, Webflow does not have a mobile app, so all design and content updates must be done on desktop.

Cannot edit auto-generated code

Webflow doesn't offer the ability to customize websites at the code level. It is only possible to modify code through the Embed Code component.

Limited ecommerce capabilities

Even the top tier of Webflow’s ecommerce plans limits the number of product listings, where Shopify does not. Other ecommerce-specific features like dropshipping support and its own payment processor are lacking.

Is Webflow good for SEO?

Search engine optimization (SEO) is important for most websites, especially businesses. Webflow has a number of features specifically designed for SEO to ensure that your website is properly indexed and more likely to rank well in Google.
Custom SEO settings like title and meta tags can be added for each product, page and category. You can also add alt text descriptions for pictures used in CMS content.
Enabling auto-generated sitemaps will automatically add new pages to your sitemap whenever you publish new pages. This allows Google’s crawlers to easily find and index every page on your site so that they appear in Google search. Additionally, you can add auto-generated 301 redirects.
You can set global canonical URLs for pages with similar content so that search engines know which page to index, avoiding penalization for duplicate content.
Google Analytics can be connected in the general settings of your website so you can view your search analytics within the platform.

Webflow alternatives

You will likely want to compare Webflow against other platforms before deciding where to build your project. Here are a few alternatives with their benefits and drawbacks to inform your decision.

Wix

Unlike Webflow, Wix largely relies on pre-designed templates. This means that you will not have full customization capabilities for your website like you would in Webflow. However, this also means your website will be easier to set up. If design customization is not as important to you as ease of use, then Wix is a worthwhile option.

Squarespace

Squarespace offers even less design customization than Wix. Templates are highly curated, so you can set up your website in a few clicks and focus on uploading content like blogs and videos. Squarespace is generally agreed to have better templates than Wix, however, so it is an appealing option if you are looking for very simple site setup.

Wordpress

If you are a blogger, you may be considering Webflow vs. Wordpress. While Wordpress is primarily a content management system (CMS), you can also use it to build websites. Like Webflow, it offers a range of custom templates, or themes. Unlike Webflow, Wordpress is free to use with as many pieces of content as you want— although you will need your own web hosting.

Shopify

For ecommerce stores, Webflow’s main competitor is Shopify. As a platform focused on ecommerce, not website building, Shopify only offers pre-made site themes. While Webflow does have a Shopify integration, hosting your website on Shopify comes with certain advantages, like unlimited products and dropshipping support.

Final thoughts

Is Webflow worth it?
Webflow is an excellent all-in-one website builder that can be used to create beautiful, professional websites. Business websites, portfolios, blogs, and ecommerce stores are all supported by Webflow’s wide range of features and customization options.

For individuals
Whether Webflow is the best website builder for your project comes down to how comfortable you are using its visual Photoshop-like interface and working in the Designer to build your site. If you are already competent in coding basics or willing to learn, then you will likely find the tools a delight to use.
If, however, you are a complete beginner with no desire to learn how to build websites, then a platform that allows you to set up a website in a few clicks, like Squarespace, may be ideal. The downside is that you will be extremely limited in the functionality of your website by using a platform that relies on fully templated websites.

For businesses
For most businesses, Webflow is an outstanding option. For medium to large companies, Webflow facilitates a simple and collaborative workflow for different members of the organization. Designers will enjoy the ease of use creating in the visual editor without any need to rely on backend coding. Marketers and other team members also benefit from the simple Editor features and CMS. Overall, Webflow is an excellent choice.

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