Webflow is an innovative platform, but it isn’t for everyone. Before diving into a complex web design journey, consider these Webflow alternatives that can be a better choice for you based on different scenarios.
One of the most popular web development software is Webflow. It works as an in-browser design system to create visually appealing, no-code websites.
Although it’s marketed as a DIY web design platform, it’s extremely challenging for an amateur to design a website on Webflow without extensive learning.
There are several other reasons Webflow might not be the most suitable software for you. We will list them in this article, accompanied by the 6 best alternatives to webflow in 2022 and their use cases tailored to specific business purposes.
Buckle up because you’re in for an informative ride toward making an informed decision.
So let’s get started!
What Kind of Users Should Opt for Webflow?
You first need to understand the type of audience Webflow is aimed at. Since it’s designed for them, it caters better to their needs. If you’re one of them, you might find your resonance with the platform. The three types of people that should opt for Webflow:
- Professional developers or designers with advanced tech skills who want to use custom code on an existing website builder platform
- Enterprises that require teams to collaborate on a project basis with other teams from the company or with clients (Webflow has specific team areas where you can share the website and suggest changes)
- Users who like to be innovative with their designs and prefer visual development over other factors
These might sound unique, but here’s the catch: You can find Webflow alternatives that target each category and more.
Why and When Do You Need Webflow Alternatives?
E-commerce
Let’s clarify that Webflow is not the best platform for creating an e-commerce website. E-commerce businesses have a set of essential prerequisites that need to be delivered by their website.
While Webflow can be used to build an e-commerce website, it will cost you more money and time and hinder your accessibility since the payment gateways are limited, it does not support POS (point of sale), and it has less to offer for dropshipping businesses.
A solution could be to integrate Webflow with Shopify, but using other platforms as an e-commerce Webflow alternative is better. (There’s a list for that ahead)
Blog-only websites
Multiple websites use Webflow for blogging. And yes, it works well. But if it’s only to run a blog, there are better options than Webflow, and a great free option would be WordPress.
Additionally, Webflow does not have the option of adding or removing subfolders in your URL slug. You can have only one folder.
You can have example.com/blog/post-title or example.com/category/post-title. However, if you wish to make categories in the blog and then lead to posts, like example.com/blog/category/post-title, you won’t be able to do that.
If your website has hundreds of articles and you continue to post new ones every day, they will also belong to the same folder, and you’ll have to add a 301 redirect for each post every single time. It’s disorganized and unnecessary, and Webflow has not addressed it yet. So it’s better to find more organized Webflow alternatives.
Large web framework
Did you know that Webflow has a page limit? Well, now we’re telling you it does.
For organizations and enterprises that offer a wide range of services or target audiences globally, 100 pages on a website simply won’t help. Webflow isn’t supported for large website frameworks, and even though it is customizable, the platform is not designed for large web frameworks.
Not many businesses are concerned about the page limit since small-scale start-ups won’t need 100+ pages on their website. But if you know your website will be gigantic, it’s better to look for Webflow alternatives.
Not hiring a professional Webflow developer
As industry professionals, we see business owners trying to design their Webflow website without knowing how it works, and guess what? It always ends with a loss of money and precious time.
There are more technicalities to designing a business website with or without Webflow. A website designed by an inexperienced person would result in being:
- Not user-friendly
- A visual mess
- Not compatible with mobiles and other devices
- Low scaling
- Bad at CSS classing
- Not SEO friendly
This is not just a handful of bullet points. This is what a ruined business looks like in today’s digital landscape. Even if you’re using a Webflow template or showcase, you need to hire professionals to make it work the way it should.
If you’re not keen on hiring professionals to do your Webflow development, you shouldn’t be considering using Webflow at all. Instead, there are more easy-to-use Webflow alternatives that you can consider.
Short on budget
This is especially the case for small businesses and start-ups. You’re probably generating less or no revenue and need to make a website. Also, add digital marketing costs to it, and you’d be short on money before starting.
The professional version and hosting for Webflow are not exactly cheap. It is not too expensive either. However, if you wish to save money, there can be better alternatives to webflow.
If you want more effective solutions for web development, WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace make it to the list of cheaper Webflow alternatives.
Welp, I’ve already named about 4 Webflow competitors. So without further ado, let’s move on to our complete list of alternatives.
6 Best Alternatives to Webflow
To summarize, before going into detail, all of the software in this list have the same customization freedom, stunning visuals, and competitive functionality. As a bonus, they are cost-effective and easier to use.
We will state all their pros and cons and what scenarios they fit the best so you can choose your Webflow alternatives based on facts and individual demands.
WordPress
Is WordPress still the number one web development platform? Yes, yes it is.
WordPress is open-source and free software for web development with 10,000 different themes and 55+ plug-ins. It is the most popular web builder and CMS (Content Management System). Currently, 42% of all websites online are powered by WordPress, one of the leading Webflow alternatives.
Advantages of WordPress:
- Cost-friendly because it’s free
- User-friendly and easy to customize
- All web data and control belong to you
- Open-source CMS software
- 55+ plugins (both free and paid)
- 10,000 themes
- Create multilingual sites with 65 languages (input and translators)
- Suitable to create a website for every niche and business category
Webflow Vs WordPress:
Compared to Webflow, WordPress offers all its features for free. In contrast, a single plan of Webflow is up to $12 or more based on your type of subscription. There are many themes and templates to choose from on both platforms, but WordPress has more variety in the free category than Webflow.
Even if you hire a professional web developer, a WordPress website will cost you less than a Webflow website overall, with the same functionality or even better.
Wix
Wix is our runner-up, only second to WordPress in the list of Webflow alternatives. It is a personalized platform for web development and design. It works based on its own Artificial Design Intelligence (ADI) software and offers an in-built logo maker.
Advantages of Wix:
- Highly personalized and customizable
- User-friendly
- Artificial Design Intelligence system
- Offers a lot of integrations with other apps
- A diverse range of templates
- Advanced built-in SEO tools
- Editor X – a special CSS based responsive editor to design webpages
- Versatile options for e-commerce websites
Webflow Vs Wix:
Wix comes second because it costs more than WordPress and nearly as much as Webflow. There is a free plan but it includes Wix ads. The greatest advantage Wix has over Webflow is its user-friendliness and ADI software.
Even if you don’t know the type of design you want, all you have to do is fill out a questionnaire, and the AI will build a website closest to your requirements. You can use Wix to DIY your website if you don’t want to hire professionals.
However, beware that Wix is extremely difficult to migrate to other web development software if you change your mind. You will also have to add the content every time you change a template manually.
Squarespace
Squarespace is a complete package for your small business or start-up. It covers everything from award-winning templates and customer support to an intuitive, user-friendly system. It’s just as good as any DIY web development platform as Webflow alternatives.
It also handles all the requirements for a new web set up on a single platform including hosting, domain registration, email marketing, and even customization of site/business logos.
Advantages of Squarespace:
- Amazing templates that need minimum customization
- Award-winning portfolio designs
- Responsive web design structure
- Built-in integrations with other apps
- One-stop solution to web development
- User-friendly
Webflow Vs Squarespace:
In terms of scalability, Webflow and Squarespace are not great options. You can not build large websites on either platform without your design going haywire. Squarespace is a bit rigid with its templates, and you will need some basic coding knowledge to make edits to the templates.
In terms of pricing, Squarespace has almost identical plans to Webflow. By far, the most unique advantage Squarespace has to offer is its versatility in supporting a range of business websites and niches and the way it serves as an all-in-one platform for web development.
Zyro
Zyro offers an exclusive set of AI tools on its platform. In terms of functionality, Zayro is similar to WordPress. It also has one of the best prices in the market and is one of the budget-friendly Webflow alternatives.
With Zyro, you can build a website, a portfolio, an online store or any other website in less than an hour. It’s what they claim, not us.
Advantages of Zyro:
- Offers free and reliable web hosting
- Unique AI tools (AI logo maker, slogan maker, content generator, heat map, and more)
- Fast and responsive websites
- User-friendly
- Cost-effective
- Supports e-commerce and multiple other business niches
- Multilingual websites that are SEO-friendly
Webflow Vs Zyro:
Zyro is great for anyone who wants to start small and simple. If you want to build a professional portfolio or a website at your convenience and at an affordable cost, Zyro would be a better choice than Webflow.
For the limited price you pay, Zyro offers many helpful features such as their AI tools, free and stable hosting, an SSL certificate, and a great UI for web editors.
Shopify
Shopify is an incredible platform for e-commerce businesses. It supports e-commerce businesses with its extensive POS (point of sale) options and provides all the necessary features with an e-commerce website would need on one platform.
With its versatile product category features and the possibility to integrate with hundreds of other apps, Shopify is arguably the best and most well-renowned platform for e-commerce businesses and designing e-stores. It can also be regarded as one of the top e-commerce Webflow alternatives.
Advantages of Shopify:
- Specially tailored for e-commerce website development
- Integrations with hundreds of other apps
- User-friendly front-end and back-end development
- Great for dropshipping businesses
- Multilingual with up to 20 languages available
- Customizable with 10,000+ themes and templates (free and paid)
Webflow Vs Shopify:
Compared to Webflow, Shopify offers more features for online businesses and entrepreneurs. It’s also simpler to customize and set up. Although it’s not as budget-friendly as other options, Shopify can help you have a great start to your first online business.
The visuals in Webflow are superior to Shopify. However, Shopify is a platform better suited for e-commerce because it also is tailor-made and has in-built payment processing methods, unlike Webflow.
Weebly
You might call Weebly a spin-off of Wix, Squarespace and Shopify combined in one place. Yes, it’s exactly that.
Weebly offers modern and visually stunning themes with a range of e-commerce integrations. It’s also cheaper and has a great user interface that makes it easier to customize and design websites. Its drag-and-drop features like Wix and Squarespace allow you to create your website quickly and conveniently.
Advantages of Weebly:
- Amazing tech support and features
- Image optimization and the ability to create a custom slideshow, backgrounds, and galleries
- Free and reliable hosting
- High-quality custom video backgrounds
- Budget-friendly
- Easy to use
Webflow Vs Weebly:
Weebly has limited themes and can be rigid to migrate to other platforms. It also provides fewer plug-ins and lacks advanced marketing tools. Weebly is still improving its technology compared to the highly advanced Webflow platform.
The price plans that Weebly offers are more than just cost-effective. Considering the features and functionality it offers, it can be one of the most budget-friendly Webflow alternatives. (Of course, not as much as WordPress)
The Final Verdict
We all know how competitive the tech industry is right now. With technological advancements being made every day, there are too many options to choose from when it comes to web design. Instead of searching for hours and going through multiple lists, we have made the job easier for you by shortlisting the best of the best Webflow alternatives.
Suppose you want the most similar tool to Webflow in terms of tools, customization options and accessibility. In that case, our number one will always remain WordPress because it’s free and a comprehensive platform.
However, if you’re looking for cost-friendly drag-and-drop software with high-quality features, you should try Wix and Squarespace.
As an e-commerce entrepreneur or start-up, it would be best to save that extra money and have more in less. For that, we suggest using Shopify and Zyro, or if you want to go for a more shallow approach, then Weebly.
A Word From the Experts
Although DIY web design platforms seem appealing to business owners who wish to save their investments, we would like to break this myth.
Hiring professional web developers for the job will save you time and cost and bring your more advanced resources to generate a better return on investment (ROI).
Whether it’s WordPress web design or Webflow design, the experts at UPQODE know how to turn your web development process from an expense into a profit-generating center.
Suppose you want to stay ahead of the competition in this revolutionary digital landscape. In that case, you should not be looking at Webflow alternatives like many others, but try leveraging bespoke website development services and give your business the growth it deserves.
