Webflow has removed the coding requirement of a website, meaning you do not need a developer to ‘code’ to create your website. It is referred to as a ‘code free’ tool, and quickly allows users to build a site without the typical bottlenecks in a more traditional website project.
Webflow has carved its position as a suitable option for many small to medium websites due to its rich features set, focusing more attention on user experience and front-end optimisation (rather than code in the backend). It does have a steep learning curve if you want to do more advanced animations and load effects, but for basic content editing, we’d consider it to be one of the easier platforms to use. Is it right for your project? That really depends on what you need now, and what you plan on doing with your website in the next few years.
Webflow is a cloud-based platform, which means you can access it from any device with an internet connection. It also offers a variety of technical features to make your web design and development work easier and more efficient. With Webflow and the team at Dapth, we can help you design visually stunning, responsive websites without writing a single line of code. Our Webflow creatives can collaborate directly with your team in real-time using built-in team features. Webflow allows us to simply integrate with other tools and platforms and with simple hosting infrastructure, together we can publish your new looking website straight to the world with Webflow's fast and reliable servers. But that's not all! Webflow also offers:
Webflow provides a visual drag-and-drop editor for designing the layout, styling, and behaviour of your website. You can add and customise elements such as text, images, videos, forms, and buttons without writing any code. Webflow also offers advanced design features:
Webflow offers built-in features for collaborating with your team, including:
Webflow also integrates with other tools and platforms, such as:
Webflow’s pricing model (although initially confusing to some), is great. They bundle the cost of hosting and SSL certificate into one price. That saves time later on monitoring and renewing SSL certificates. Billing can then be automated and it all be one less thing to worry about. It also means you don’t need to host separate development environments as that can all be done within your one project. You can publish your site to the Webflow server with a single click, and it will be live and accessible to the public. Webflow also offers a variety of hosting options, including:
There are many choices for a CMS (content management system) that may be considered similar to Webflow. These typically include WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace. Each platform has its own pros and cons. The starting point should always be a quick roadmap on what you need for a website in the immediate, and what you may need in the future. The main thing to avoid is needing to rebuild a website every few years, the selected platform should be able to evolve with your needs as they grow (hopefully you are planning on growth – whatever that looks like for you). Here is a quick look at Webflow compared to Wix, WordPress and Squarespace.
Wix is another cloud-based CMS that offers a visual editor and pre-designed templates. It is considered to not be as flexible as Webflow in terms of design and customisation, especially for the user experience elements. Webflow is a better choice for those who want more control over the look and feel of their website and plan to evolve the site, optimising user interactions while still having a simple content editing functionality. Webflow requires a bit more technical knowledge to use than Wix, but overall it is a more powerful platform that also has the ability to add custom code for anything extra you may want to add.
WordPress is a popular open-source CMS that is known for its extensive plugin library and customisability. It can be more complex to use than Webflow and may require some coding knowledge. WordPress relies on plugins, and typically gets hard to use (and slow) as the site grows and evolves. Webflow is a more user-friendly option for those who want a visual drag-and-drop editor and don't want to deal with the technical aspects of website development. If you have used WordPress, Webflow offers an experience similar (we say this lightly) to the Beaver or Elementor theme builders.
Squarespace is a popular CMS that offers a variety of templates and design options. Squarespace offers a larger selection of templates than Webflow, however Webflow enables users to build custom templates, which Squarespace does not. Squarespace has a pretty great set of e-commerce features, including inventory management, shipping and tax calculations, and payment gateway integrations. Webflow also offers e-commerce features, but it is not yet as comprehensive as Squarespace (or many other e-Commerce specific website platforms). Squarespace has a built-in blogging platform that allows users to easily create and manage blog posts. Webflow does not have a specific built-in blogging platform, but it can mimic the approach with the CMS database features and page templates (in combination with automation).
When it comes to building a website, there are so many options to choose from. We’ve only lightly touched on options like Squarespace, Wix and WordPress. It is overwhelming. Some specialise in specific features, while others are more focussing on specifics (like Shopify for eCommerce). There pricing also varies, so comparing apples with apples seems impossible. While all these platforms offer tools for designing and building websites, they have some key differences that may make one a better fit for your needs than the others.
For example, Squarespace is known for its user-friendly interface and pre-designed templates, but it may not be as flexible in terms of design customisation. Wix is also user-friendly, but it does not have as many advanced design features as Webflow. WordPress is a powerful open-source CMS that is probably the most well known (due to its age) but it hasn’t evolved with modern frameworks and needs of the digital era (like all-in-one hosting and SSL certificate management), and it can be more complex to use for those new to the website world. Webflow stands out as a user-friendly, all-in-one platform that offers a visual drag-and-drop editor, advanced design features, integrations with other tools, with fast and reliable hosting.
The starting point is a conversation with someone who has exposure and experience across multiple technologies, with direct access to developers to ask the trickier (and more technical) questions. Speak to any of our team today for some help creating transparency.
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