Framer vs Webflow, Which Should You Choose To Design Your Website?

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Embarking on business blogging can be daunting. From deciding what to write about and how to organize your posts to choosing the right platform, the process involves many crucial decisions before you even start creating content. Among the key choices is selecting the right platform for your blog: Framer or Webflow. Both offer powerful tools for building a visually stunning blog, but which one is right for you? This post will compare Framer and Webflow to help you determine the best option for business blogging.

Consider using Feather's notion to blog. This tool simplifies blogging by letting you organize and create posts in Notion, which are then automatically published to your website. This allows you to focus on crafting engaging content while managing technical details.

Framer vs. Webflow at a Glance

Popularity: Which Platform Comes Out on Top?

Webflow leads the pack regarding popularity. The platform boasts over 720,000 websites built using its tools, compared to Framer's around 17,000+. These numbers show that Webflow is a more established player in the space. Framer is growing, especially among designers looking for something new and sleek.

Pricing: How Do They Compare?

When it comes to pricing, Framer and Webflow take two different approaches. Webflow offers a broader range of paid plans, seven in total, split between general sites and eCommerce, allowing for more flexibility based on your needs.

On the other hand, Framer keeps it simpler with three site plans. Both platforms offer team collaborative plans, but Webflow has more detailed options, breaking it down for freelancers, agencies, and in-house teams.

Resources: Which Has More to Offer Users?

When it comes to learning and support, Webflow stands out. Its Webflow Academy, marketplace, forums, and extensive libraries provide users with many resources. Framer also has a community page and learning resources, but Webflow’s ecosystem is more comprehensive.

AI Features: Framer vs Webflow

Framer has integrated AI into its platform, which gives it an edge for those looking for cutting-edge functionality. Webflow has announced AI features but hasn’t fully rolled them out yet, so it’s something to watch for shortly.

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What Is Framer?

Framer is a design and site-building platform that aims to bridge the gap between designers and developers. It lets designers create top-tier websites without any coding chops. Designers no longer rely on developers to turn their visions into reality. If you’ve been a designer for a while, you might remember it being called Framer X.

Framer originally started as a prototyping tool, but like other prototyping platforms (looking at you, Invision Studio), it lost its appeal as Figma continued to flex its muscles. Instead of resting on its foundation (Framer, construction joke, get it?), Framer has now transformed into a comprehensive solution for:

Designing

Building

Publishing websites

Because of its familiar interface and easy-to-use features, Framer is quickly gaining traction as a go-to tool for creatives who want to build websites without thinking about code.

The tool garners positive framer reviews for its design systems that facilitate web development. Its framer sites ensure stakeholders maintain a consistent brand presence across all social media and search engine platforms. Users appreciate the custom domain support and the streamlined mini-editor for quick edits, which tackle common pain points such as:

The need for an all-in-one solution

Stakeholder collaboration

The competitive pricing plans are noteworthy, with a pro plan catering to those who demand the most from their website-building experience.

What Is Webflow?

Webflow is an all-in-one platform, commonly referred to as SaaS (Software-as-a-Service), for creating and hosting websites. It’s a more user-friendly website builder because it’s swift and straightforward to set up a website. Webflow includes all the necessary features, so you don’t have to fret about finding a hosting service or adding extra plugins for things like:

Security

eCommerce

Webflow is a more modern platform in the website development scene. It’s a closed-source system, meaning the source code isn’t publicly available. Instead, access is granted through licensing, offered on a tiered subscription model. Since its establishment in 2012, the platform has earned widespread acclaim for its:

Highly intuitive interface

Creative freedom

Design-first approach

What does it all mean? This innovative methodology has streamlined the build and design, allowing users to craft high-performing websites quickly and without limitations. Webflow’s diverse user base includes:

Designers

Agencies

Enterprises

This broad adoption highlights Webflow's universal appeal across various industries. Webflow also offers a CMS option for blogging and content creation, although it’s not essential for basic websites. One of the significant advantages of Webflow is that you can visually design your site without needing to write a single line of code. As a SaaS application, Webflow is mostly self-contained.

You can add features to your site by embedding code, but the core Webflow platform is all you need to build your site or hire a Webflow agency to do that for you. Once you finish creating your site with Webflow, you can either:

Export the code of your finished site and host it on any hosting provider if you have a static site.

Pay Webflow to host the site for you, which is required if you want to use Webflow's CMS for dynamic content.

Feather Makes Writing, Managing, and Publishing Blog Content Easy

Feather is an SEO-friendly blog and email newsletter service that allows you to publish content directly through Notion, requiring no coding or design skills. It offers:

Writing blog content in Notion and automatically publishing it to Feather's SEO-friendly blog

Setting up a subfolder blog (domain.com/blog instead of blog.domain.com) for better SEO

Managing your CRM and blog through Notion, giving you the HubSpot-like experience

Custom design options with CSS and email collection features

Team collaboration throughout the publishing process

Sending newsletters to email subscribers directly from Notion

Get started with Feather today. Publish your content from notion to blog and effortlessly streamline your SEO and email efforts!

Framer vs Webflow: Detailed Feature Comparison

Ease of Use + Interface Overview

When considering ease of use and interface design for Framer vs. Webflow, you can see that both platforms take different approaches. Framer feels like a traditional design tool, similar to Photoshop. It introduces the concept of layers, making it a more designer-oriented tool offering a familiar experience for those from graphic design backgrounds.

Framer provides out-of-the-box solutions, meaning you can start designing without being a pro. It even allows custom code for advanced users. However, Framer isn’t entirely easy to learn. If you’re comfortable with Webflow, you might initially find Framer’s too tricky to navigate.

Design Complexity and Customization

On the other hand, Webflow's design has a steeper learning curve, but it offers more customization. It’s geared more toward developers and users familiar with web design principles. While Webflow’s interface may initially seem complex, it becomes intuitive once you grasp the basics, but those basics require effort.

Efficiency and Workflow

Webflow automatically places items into containers, saving time, whereas you’ll do that manually in Framer. Framer lacks a class system, meaning every element must be customized individually. Webflow allows users to set up hover states and interactions easily, while Framer requires creating separate components for such actions, which could be time-consuming.

Framer’s animation options are limited. It mainly provides parallax effects, while Webflow offers various custom interactions and animations to elevate the user experience.

CMS Capabilities

Framer and Webflow offer a similar approach to CMS (content management systems), allowing users to create collections, such as blogs, and add items. Framer offers primary collection fields like:

Title

Slug

Content

It also offers additional customizable fields like:

Plain text

Images

Numbers

Dates and more

Webflow offers similar primary fields but takes it further by providing more advanced options like:

Reference

Multi-reference fields

Content Management System (CMS) Comparison

These allow you to cross-reference other collections, making Webflow’s CMS more powerful and capable of handling complex relationships between content types. While Framer’s CMS is evolving, it doesn’t yet match Webflow regarding flexibility and power. Webflow’s CMS can significantly improve the user experience and website functionality, especially when complex designs are required.

Templates

Webflow and Framer offer templates to help users get started, but Webflow provides a broader selection. There are over 2,000 templates available on Webflow, catering to various industries, though many of them are paid, with some exceeding $100. Webflow templates are highly customizable, allowing for in-depth modifications.

Framer also has a good range of free and premium templates, though the selection is smaller than that of Webflow. These templates are also customizable, and while there’s no official count, it’s estimated that there are hundreds of options.

SEO Tools

When it comes to SEO, Webflow excels. It offers built-in SEO features like:

Easy redirects

Global canonical settings

Automatic sitemap creation

Webflow also allows for more technical SEO customization with options to add custom code for:

Canonical tags

Schema markup

Pagination

And more

It produces clean code and lets you minify JS and other code for better site performance. Framer also offers SEO tools, allowing you to add:

Metadata

Sitemaps

Canonicals

Redirects

One standout feature is its built-in, GDPR-compliant analytics based on Google Analytics 4 (GA4). This is an area where Framer offers something Webflow doesn’t natively—analytics. However, Webflow has third-party app integrations that can bridge this gap.

Available Resources

Webflow has a highly developed support and educational ecosystem. Webflow University is an excellent resource for:

Mastering the tool

Offering videos, tutorials, and comprehensive guides

Webflow also hosts a growing global community with:

Forums

Webinars

Conferences

Webflow also offers official certifications. Its Webflow Marketplace includes:

Templates

Libraries

Apps that further expand the platform’s capabilities

Framer’s community is smaller but growing. It offers the following:

Educational content

Lessons

Tutorials

Resources section that features experts and partners

The community forum is active, and plenty of educational material is available, but Webflow’s overall offering is much more extensive.

Use of AI

Framer has a head start in AI, offering an AI tool to generate websites based on prompts. While this feature is exciting, it’s still in its early stages and not yet optimized for larger projects. You’ll still need designers, developers, and other professionals to perfect the generated website. Webflow has announced AI tools, but they are yet to be released. It’s clear that Webflow has plans to integrate AI into its platform, but it’s currently behind Framer in this area.

Customer Support

Webflow offers email support from Monday to Friday, with 24-48 hours of response time. Phone support is only available for Enterprise users. Webflow’s support is limited to English and isn’t 24/7, which can be inconvenient. Many users rely on the community and documentation for troubleshooting.

Framer also doesn’t provide 24/7 support. It offers two main contact channels for account and billing issues:

Ticketing system

Email support

They also have a Discord channel where users can interact with the community for help.

Accessibility

Webflow includes built-in accessibility features like:

Alt text attributes

Relative units for typography

HTML5 tags

It also provides pre-built elements that are keyboard- and screen-reader-friendly. Framer has an accessibility panel that helps users enhance their sites’ accessibility. It includes features like:

ALT text for images

Contrast ratio adjustments

Reduced motion preferences

Integration Capabilities

Integration is crucial for enhancing the functionality of web design platforms by connecting them with other essential tools. Webflow is known for its extensive integration options that cater to diverse project requirements. It integrates with Figma, which easily imports design files to enhance the design process.

Google Analytics: Monitor website performance and track visitor data.

Mailchimp: Sync email marketing campaigns directly from your Webflow project.

Zapier: Automate workflows by connecting Webflow to thousands of apps.

Slack: Get updates and notifications directly in your workspace.

Airtable: Link with Webflow’s CMS to manage data efficiently.

Shopify: Integrate for advanced e-commerce management.

HubSpot: Connect with CRM and marketing tools for streamlined automation.

Webflow's versatile integrations, particularly with e-commerce and automation tools, make it a go-to platform for more complex projects. Framer is rapidly expanding its integration offerings, though its focus remains more design-centered. Current integrations include:

Figma

Sketch

These tools allow easy import of design files for rapid prototyping.

Google Analytics: Track and analyze site performance.

Slack: Get project updates in real-time.

Airtable: For effective data collaboration and project management.

Zapier: This is for automating tasks by connecting Framer with other apps.

While Framer's integration with design tools is powerful, it needs dedicated e-commerce capabilities, which might be a limitation for those working on complex web projects that require payment processing or customer management.

Learning Curve Comparison

Webflow is widely regarded as beginner-friendly due to its intuitive interface and extensive documentation. With easy-to-follow tutorials and a supportive community, new users can quickly get up to speed, making it an excellent choice for those without deep coding knowledge. The drag-and-drop interface is user-friendly, while the Webflow University offers detailed courses for beginners and advanced users alike.

Framer, on the other hand, has a steeper learning curve. Its advanced interactive features and design flexibility are more suited for users with some coding experience or those accustomed to working with design tools like Figma. While it excels in offering advanced micro-interactions and prototyping capabilities, beginners may need more time to become proficient with the platform.

Scalability Comparison

Webflow excels in scalability, making it ideal for handling large-scale projects. The platform offers:

Robust hosting

Security

Performance optimization features

Whether you’re creating a personal website or a large-scale e-commerce store, Webflow’s infrastructure supports your growth. Its scalability also includes CMS flexibility, allowing for dynamic content management even as the website evolves.

Framer’s strength lies in its ability to handle complex interactive designs, making it more suited for creating engaging prototypes. Regarding scalability for larger live projects, Framer may fall short compared to Webflow’s hosting capabilities. If you need a tool that focuses more on delivering engaging, high-fidelity designs without prioritizing performance optimization for live websites, Framer is an excellent choice.

Speed and Performance

Webflow’s priority on speed and performance makes it stand out. Its advanced hosting infrastructure ensures fast loading times and optimal user experience, essential for SEO. As a web development platform, it incorporates built-in performance optimization techniques like:

CDN hosting

Image compression

Code minification

Performance and Optimization

This makes Webflow ideal for creating websites that need to deliver quick loading times without sacrificing quality. Framer primarily focuses on designing and perfecting micro-interactions, with less emphasis on performance optimization for live websites.

While Framer’s prototypes excel in delivering visually appealing, smooth transitions and animations, performance considerations, such as loading times, may require extra attention when transitioning designs to fully developed websites.

Collaboration and Team Workflows

Webflow offers robust collaboration tools designed for larger teams working on complex projects. Users can collaborate simultaneously, with the ability to assign roles and manage permissions effectively. The platform also includes:

Version control

Enabling teams to track changes

Revert to previous versions when needed

Commenting features further streamline communication, ensuring that teams remain on the same page during development.

Real-time Collaboration

Framer also supports real-time collaboration, allowing designers and developers to collaborate on projects. Teams can leave comments and access version history, ensuring everyone stays informed about updates and changes. Framer’s real-time collaboration capabilities shine in the design phase, making it particularly useful for teams focused on design-centric workflows. However, it may lack the advanced project management features available in Webflow.

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Framer vs Webflow: Pricing Comparison

Webflow Pricing: Understanding the Costs and Plans

Webflow isn't free, to be clear, but everything you need to pay for is included in a monthly package. The cost of a Webflow site will depend on the level of tiered package you go for, but you'll know upfront exactly how much it will put you back.

Billing is split into two categories:

Site plan

Workspace

Webflow Workspace Plans: Cost and Functionality

You need both to run your website while building and managing it, but a free workspace should be sufficient for running a single site. Paid workspace plans are only for situations where you work on multiple website projects simultaneously with others. Workspace plans are also billed per seat so that they can be costly.

Webflow Site Plans: Pricing and Features

A Webflow site plan includes everything you need to build and host your website. Plans range from:

$14/month (Basic package, billed annually)

$39/month (Business package, billed annually) or higher if you need a custom, enterprise-level package.

If you're building an eCommerce website, this range goes up from $29 (Standard package, billed annually)

$212 (Advanced package, billed annually).

Some users criticize Webflow’s pricing for being complex and including important features only with top-level subscriptions.

Framer Pricing: The Breakdown

Framer offers different pricing plans for its users:

Free plan: Allows usage with their domain

Mini plan: Costs $10 per month, includes custom domains and up to 5,000 monthly visitors

Basic plan: Priced at $15 per month, features up to 10,000 monthly visitors

The Pro plan: This plan costs $25 per month and offers up to 25,000 monthly visitors and advanced analytics, making it suitable for more demanding projects.

What Are the Disadvantages of Framer & Webflow?

E-Commerce Capabilities

Framer lacks e-commerce functionalities. You can build a functioning online store using third-party tools and integrations. But that’s not the most convenient way. For one, it’s incredibly complex. You have to pay both for Framer’s subscription and the third-party tool. So, if you want to build an e-commerce site, you’re better off choosing Webflow.

Memberships

Framer doesn’t currently provide a built-in way to manage memberships. Again, many third-party tools do the job perfectly. Still, it’s not the most convenient way to do this. Once again, if you want to build a membership site, Webflow is probably a better choice.

Plugins

That’s right! As much as I dislike it, Framer currently doesn’t support the integration of any plugins. While this might change in the future, that’s the current state of the tool.

Code Overrides

When the Framer UI falls short on something, there’s also the alternative of using code overrides. Because Framer websites are built under the hood, code overrides are extremely difficult to create and handle. Instead of simple HTML and CSS, you’ll suddenly have to learn how React components work.

Export Options

Similarly to the previous point, the way Framer creates its websites makes it impossible to export them to simple HTML and CSS. While you can easily host the website with Framer’s infrastructure, some people still want to export and self-host it. However, that’s not possible.

Webflow vs Framer: User Reviews and Testimonials

Users Appreciate Webflow's Design Functionality and Features

Webflow stands out for its design capabilities, allowing users to create unique sites without a generic template look. Users also appreciate Webflow’s:

Easy integration with third-party widgets

CMS feature

Library of pre-built components

Abundance of video tutorials, documentation, and free resources available

“Webflow allows users to design, develop, and host the website w/o worrying about the code. It also comes with multiple add-ons like CMS (content management system) and hosting. Additionally, it allows users to create animation without coding. The templates they provide are also top-notch compared to other tools that come within the same category," explains Darshan B., a UX/UI designer.

Webflow Criticisms

Some users view the platform’s complex pricing model as a drawback. They find that some essential features are included only with top-level subscriptions. Users also find that Webflow’s e-commerce features are not as developed as those of dedicated online store builders.

Framer's Positive Feedback From Users

One unique characteristic of Framer that users value is that it allows working on a freeform canvas. This results in editing and prototyping workflows similar to UX/UI design tools like Figma and helps make Framer’s learning curve more accessible for those familiar with these platforms.

"As a UX/UI designer heavily involved in product prototyping, Framer has been an indispensable tool in my arsenal. What stands out most about Framer is its robust set of features, especially its ease of creating interactive prototypes. The ability to seamlessly transition from design to code using its intuitive interface is a game-changer," says Shobhit G., product manager.

Framer Criticisms

Users find that the Framer website builder’s limited control over HTML or CSS can be a drawback when building a more extensive website that requires more control over different settings, resulting in a site that may be more difficult to maintain.

Also, as the platform is newer, there aren’t as many tutorial videos available, and for the same reason, it still doesn’t include as many integrations as other tools.

What's Better Than Webflow and Framer? 6 Best Alternatives

1. Feather: The Ultimate SEO-Friendly Notion to Blog Tool

Feather is an SEO-friendly blog and email newsletter service that allows you to publish blog content and a newsletter through Notion. It requires no coding or design skills. Feather will enable companies to write blog content on Notion and automatically publish it to their Feather blog.

Key Features

Set up a subfolder blog (domain.com/blog) for better SEO

Manage CRM and website blog through Notion for a HubSpot-like experience

Change design with custom CSS

Collect emails and more

Write on Notion and automatically publish to an SEO-friendly blog

Collaborate easily with the entire team during the publishing process

Set up and send newsletters to email subscribers directly from Notion

Run your blog and newsletter with Feather today! Create a new account and send emails from Notion, or go from notion to blog in minutes!

2. Wix: The Beginner-Friendly Website Builder

Wix is a user-friendly website builder that offers a drag-and-drop interface, making it easy for anyone to create a professional-looking website without coding skills. It provides a variety of templates and design elements, along with features like:

SEO tools

eCommerce capabilities

Mobile optimization

Wix is ideal for small businesses and individuals looking for a straightforward way to establish an online presence.

3. Squarespace: The Design-Forward Website Builder

Squarespace is known for its sleek, modern templates and is particularly popular among creatives and small businesses. It offers comprehensive features, including:

Blogging

eCommerce

Analytics

Squarespace’s design flexibility allows users to customize their sites extensively while maintaining a cohesive aesthetic. It’s an excellent choice for those who prioritize design and ease of use.

4. Designmodo: The All-in-One Design Tool

Designmodo is an all-in-one design tool that allows users to create websites and email newsletters without coding knowledge. It features a drag-and-drop interface and offers pre-designed components that speed up the design process. Designmodo is particularly useful for marketers and designers looking to create visually appealing sites quickly.

5. Ucraft: The Versatile Website Builder

Ucraft is a versatile website builder that allows users to easily create responsive websites. It offers:

A range of templates

Drag-and-drop editor

eCommerce capabilities

SEO tools

Integrations with various apps

Ucraft is suitable for beginners and experienced users looking for a flexible platform.

6. Bubble: The No-Code App Development Platform

Bubble is a no-code platform that enables users to build fully functional web applications without writing code. It provides a visual editor for designing user interfaces and workflows, making it suitable for startups and entrepreneurs looking to quickly create MVPs (minimum viable products). Bubble is mighty for building complex applications that require custom logic and database interactions.

Choosing the Best Platform for Your Website

Choosing the best platform for your business blog can make or break your blogging experience. If you select a platform incompatible with your goals, you might struggle to get your blog off the ground, wasting valuable time and resources. For example, you'll likely get stuck and frustrated if you want to create a highly customized blog to improve your website’s SEO but choose a platform with limited capabilities. Instead, you should have picked a more suitable blogging platform to help you achieve your goals.

Take your time and assess your options carefully. Creating a blog is a big project, so pick the right platform to set yourself up for success.

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Go From Notion to Blog With Ease Today With Feather

Writing blog content is boring. So, I am learning new tools to manage that blog and send emails to subscribers. Feather makes all of this much more manageable.

Feather is an SEO-friendly blog and email newsletter service that integrates directly with Notion and requires no coding or design skills. Key features include: