As a full-stack designer, I've been through the WordPress wringer. You know the drill – endless plugin updates, theme conflicts, and the occasional client call about a white screen of death.
It's what I like to call "WordPress whiplash". But then I discovered Webflow, and it's been a game-changer.
Here's three reasons why I think Webflow might be the better choice for many designers and their clients:
1. Design flexibility
Remember that time you spent hours trying to move a button two pixels to the left in WordPress?
With Webflow, those days are gone. You can create custom designs without touching a line of code, which is brilliant for designers who want full control without diving into the technical bits.
Add interactions and animations wherever you like. You're really only limited by your imagination.
WordPress does have thousands of themes and plugins. But customising them often requires coding skills or additional page builders. And let's be honest, sometimes that's like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.
Webflow's Advantage: Design visually with the precision of custom code, but without actually writing it – using a flexible visual interface that is very similar to Adobe Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop. Say goodbye to theme limitations, custom-coded workarounds, and plugin pile-ups to get a website where it needs to be. Start with a lean website with no unnecessary fluff.
2. Hosting without nightmares
Picture this: It's 2 AM, and you get a frantic call from a client. Their WordPress site is down, and they've got a big launch in the morning. Sound familiar?
With Webflow, hosting nightmares are a thing of the past. Their hosting service is fast, secure, and scales automatically. You don't have to faff about with server management or security updates.
WordPress offers more hosting choices, but it comes with added responsibility. You'll need to handle security, updates, and potentially server management yourself (or pay someone to do it).
Webflow's Advantage: Hassle-free hosting and security. No outdated themes or plugins requiring constant updates and additional costs for maintenance. Instead – secure, future-proofed websites that don't break or get hacked. Sleep soundly knowing the sites you build are reliable, safe and future-proofed.
3. A CMS that won't scare clients
Webflow's CMS is designed with both designers and content editors in mind. It's straightforward to set up and use, making it easy to hand over to clients for updates.
WordPress started as a blogging platform, so its content management is robust. However, the admin interface can be overwhelming for some clients, especially if there are many plugins installed. It can be like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
Webflow's Advantage: A user-friendly CMS that's easy to set up and hand over to clients. Clients can make edits easily and confidently, with no fear of breaking their website. If anything is accidentally deleted there are automated backups to help salvage lost content.
The flipside
For me, most of the time Webflow is the best solution for my clients. If not, I'll recommend other platforms (and other developers) depending on the specific needs of each project. For example, I'll recommend a Shopify site for websites that require features that are outside of Webflow's ecommerce capabilities.
And – I'm not here to bury WordPress, it has some positives too:
- Enormous plugin ecosystem for extended functionality
- Larger community and more resources available
- Can be cheaper for very simple sites (if nothing goes wrong).
Convinced?
For me, Webflow's combination of design flexibility, hassle-free hosting, and user-friendly CMS makes it a top choice for many projects. It's streamlined my workflow and makes my clients happy – which ultimately is my goal.
If you're a designer looking to streamline your workflow and deliver custom, easily manageable sites to clients, Webflow is definitely worth a look. But don't just take my word for it – give it a try and see how it works for you!
If you're ready to give Webflow a go but you're not sure where to start, flick me an email and I can point you in the right direction.
More reading: Webflow vs Wordpress
- Learn about why a long-time Wordpress user made the switch to Webflow
- Take a look at Webflow vs Wordpress (Webflow's comparison)
- Although it's open-source, learn the real cost of Wordpress
- Read about the State of Webflow in New Zealand in 2021
- See the 5 Wordpress plugins you won't need with Webflow
