It is certainly unique. Webflow stands out strongly from other website builders on the web. Huge design possibilities and interesting functionalities make it a real machine for selling and building shopping experiences with customers.
Despite these advantages, Webflow will not work for every company. But properly matched to the brand will allow you to conduct online business at the highest level.
What is Webflow?
Before we begin our analysis on the pros and cons of Webflow technology, let's briefly say what it is, because many may ask themselves: Webflow what is it and what tasks to use it for? We answer.
Webflow is an advanced platform for web design and management. Allows you to create rich, interactive and responsive websites No coding required (no-code development). It allows you to build websites, stores and applications, in the cloud, using a web browser.
How does Webflow work?
With Webflow we can design the page visually using an intuitive drag-and-drop editor, which allows you to quickly and efficiently customize the appearance and layout of the site without interfering with the page code. After editing, Webflow automatically generates the appropriate HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code.
The interface in Webflow directly mirrors HTML and CSS controls, presenting elements (such as div blocks, links, text) on the left and CSS styling options on the right. This means that when working in Webflow we use similar options as when editing CSS in a traditional code editor.
In addition, in Webflow we can create interactive animations, contact forms, parallax effects and many other dynamic elements to make the page being built not only aesthetic, but also engaging for visitors. In Webflow we operate with sliders, values, all the necessary for the correct operation of the code responsible for the traffic, Webflow will generate for us.
Webflow also gives us the ability to optimize the site for performance, which translates into faster page loading and better positions in search results (technical SEO). As a result, we will get a professional site that will perfectly meet the specific needs and help achieve business goals.
Webflow is not only a platform for building pages, but also a modern CMS (Content Management System) system, thanks to which managing a website and editing its content is simple and intuitive. If you are familiar with WordPress, you surely know how much comfort a simple to use system for editing the content of the page gives you.
What differentiates Webflow from traditional web development?
Traditional web development methods require experience in writing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code. This is a time-consuming and complicated task that requires programming skills. Webflow eliminates this need by allowing you to create websites with an intuitive graphical interface.
One of the biggest differences between Webflow and traditional website development is flexibility and scalability. With Webflow, designing responsive websites is much simpler. You can create pages that automatically adapt to different screen resolutions, which is extremely relevant in the era of mobile internet browsing.
In addition, Webflow offers many ready-made templates and interactive elements that can be easily customized to suit your needs. This saves time and money that would normally be spent on creating and customizing a unique design.
See also: Webflow vs WebWave - two powerful website builders
We explained what Webflow is. Now let's take a closer look at what makes its popularity grow so fast. Surely it has many advantages, but is it a solution without flaws?
We design once and Webflow runs smoothly, all the time
This is the most important advantage of Webflow. Deciding to create a website or store in this software, you are sure that it will work regardless of the circumstances. There is no need to update and even with a large number of visitors the store/site will work flawlessly.
Webflow pages run on stable and efficient servers, on which services such as Facebook, Dell, Zendesk and the BBC operate.
You find an agency that implements your project, you get a ready-made site and you forget. Not about running a website or a store, but about technical problems. Webflow just works. Always.
However, this is not the only feature of Webflow that should be taken into account when choosing a wizard to implement your site. So let's take a look at how Webflow looks when we decide to create a website or online store with it.
Why choose Webflow - advantages
It is accepted that Webflow will work better for smaller sites with limited integration and functionality. However, this is not always the case. It is safe to say that Webflow gives us wide opportunities to create unique projects that stand out on the market. See for yourself.
Clean code
Is there anything more to say? The clean code automatically generated by Webflow during design makes the site virtually error-free. Because of this, it loads faster and looks better in terms of SEO.
Super efficient hosting
Websites made in Webflow load very quickly even if your contractor has a free internet. This is thanks to Amazon's AWS hosting infrastructure.
Full security
Webflow is not only a stable AWS server, but also a built-in SSL certificate. And this is already a necessity for any professional site to expand its reach and fully protect the data of users who use the site. Speaking of security, it is impossible to forget about the backup of the website, which in Webflow is performed automatically and every 30 minutes. Access to archived versions is simple, and old versions are kept for a period of 3 months.
Huge design possibilities
Webflow stimulates creativity. With its help, unique projects are created that 100% reflect the vision of the company. This is possible with the help of many functionalities, such as parallax, interesting animations and micro-interactions.
It is worth noting here that Webflow allows you to create advanced animations and interactions without having to write any JavaScript code. We do everything inside the Webflow application.
Also read: Animations on web pages
Strong SEO
Built-in SEO software supports the process of positioning your website. Adding alt descriptions of images, readable urls or meta descriptions is extremely simple. In addition, SEO strengthens the transparent source code, which is generated by Webflow automatically - so that it likes Google robots.
CMS (Content Management System), is easy to use and intuitive
Webflow provides user-friendly website content management tools that allow you to add, edit, and delete content without the need for developer intervention.
With CMS in Webflow (Webflow Editor), you can easily create and edit all kinds of content, such as blog posts, product pages, descriptions, photos, videos and many more. All of this is embedded in a simple drag-and-drop interface that allows you to edit content without having to know anything about coding.
With this tool, even people without programming experience can easily manage and update the content on their website, which allows you to keep the site up to date, as well as easily customize the content according to the needs of the users.
See on YouTube how editing the content of pages on Webflow looks in practice
We mention it almost at the end, but the visual content editor CMS described above is one of the biggest advantages of Webflow and it is it that makes it so popular among marketing departments regardless of the industries in which the company operates or its size.
See also: Polish websites on Webflow: discover 10 unusual inspirations
Easy integrations with Google, Facebook and Zapier
Webflow offers near-native integrations with Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel. We do not need to paste the code, just our individual ID number generated earlier by the applications mentioned here.
Webflow also offers easy integration with Zapier and Make.com. Zapier and Make are automation tools that allow you to combine different applications and web services to create complex automations and transfer data between applications. Thanks to the integration of Webflow with Zapier (and Make), we can create automated tasks such as adding new records to the Webflow database, sending email notifications or creating tasks in other tools when something changes in a project on Webflow.
Disadvantages of the page in Webflow
There are not too many of them, but they can effectively dissuade you from the idea of putting your site on Webflow - it all depends on your business needs.
The problem with integrations
With Webflow we will not create everything quickly easily and pleasantly. Although it is possible to collect statistics with the help of Google Analytics and Hotjar, connect the application with Zapier, the problem can be integrations related to the creation of user accounts, video broadcasts or the exchange of data between lesser-known CRM systems. So the problem arises when we want to put a slightly more complicated website on Webflow. Webflow has the ability to write and add your own code in JavaScript, so many integrations can be created from scratch, but it gets expensive and requires the involvement of an additional developer.
However, let's remember that the wizard is constantly evolving, giving its customers more and more opportunities to create.
Webflow subscription price
For many companies, it is simply a barrier. The cheapest plan costs PLN 60 per month, but in many cases it is not enough and you have to choose the most popular one for about PLN 100 per month. However, taking into account the fact of lack of updates and stable servers, the total cost quickly pays off, saving us a lot of time and nerves.
The graphic above shows that there is a Webflow startup account available, for free. However, it is only for testing and learning. It is not possible to connect your own domain here, and the limit of accepted forms is limited to 50 pcs. Such a configuration unfortunately disqualifies this subscription in business applications.
Webflow online store - advantages
The incredible freedom of creation means that the look of the online store will be perfectly matched to the personality of your brand. Compared to other solutions on the e-commerce market, it offers great possibilities for changes in the presentation of products, ways of promotion in the store, the appearance of the basket or the presentation of the order form.
This makes the store stand out among other stores in the same industry. It attracts attention and builds user experiences that are great for improving sales.
User-friendly order management dashboard
From one place you can manage all the orders in your store. You check the availability of your products and stocks on an ongoing basis. It is also possible to have a multicurrency store, as well as activities related to the abandoned cart by the customer.
Integration with various payment methods
Webflow online store is integrated with several popular payment methods that are supported in more than 200 countries. Your customers can pay with:
- a payment card, operated by a payment gateway Stripe;
- Pay pal;
- Google Pay;
- Przelewy24 and Blik;
- Apple Pay.
Reviews under the products
Most purchasing decisions are made by your customers based on user feedback. That is why it is so important to place them on the site. Webflow online store allows you to display reviews directly on the page of a specific product along with photos.
Interesting forms of advertising
You will integrate the Webflow store with ads launched on social media, e.g. on Facebook or Instagram. You will also create a campaign in Google search. But that's not all. Directly on the store's website, you can place banners showing current promotions in your store, such as discounts or free shipping.
Disadvantages of the store on Webflow - what is worth paying attention to?
Webflow store is not an ideal solution. It is worth paying attention to several aspects that may make it difficult for your customers to use your site in the future.
No client panel
Currently, Webflow does not allow you to create user accounts in the store. However, work is planned in this regard. This can be a hassle for regular customers who will have to fill out the entire order form anew with each order.
But it is worth adding that Webflow has an extremely intuitive form that remembers previously entered data. This means that for smaller stores, the lack of a customer panel should not be too much of a hindrance to sales.
Lack of some popular Polish forms of delivery
We are talking, for example, about Inpost parcel lockers. Webflow webshop only allows you to service international, large courier companies such as FedEx or DHL. Webflow may therefore not work for such target groups, where delivery to the parcel locker is crucial.
Difficulties in multi-level sorting
Do you have many products and would like to allow customers to sort them according to different criteria? In Webflow it is only possible to filter by product category. Multi-level sorting, visible on the side panel of the store is difficult to implement.
Webflow eCommerce Pricing
For the store to function properly, it is necessary to purchase an appropriate e-commerce plan. Each of them has its limitations, which must be taken into account at the stage of building a store. These include aspects such as:
- commission on sales, which in the basic plan is 2%;
- limit of products: the cheapest plan allows you to create a store based on 500 products, the most expensive even up to 3000, in addition, it is possible to add 50 characteristics to each product, e.g. in the form of color or size;
- sales limit: in case of exceeding it, it is necessary to purchase a higher plan, in the lowest of them the income cannot be more than $50,000 per year.
Webflow CMS - Customer Reviews
User reviews about the operation of Webflow-based sites leave no doubt that this is one of the simplest CMS platforms in the world. The interface is very intuitive, and the ability to edit content in the “live” Editor is a real “game changer”. The feedback from our customers is 100% positive and we are sure that it will remain so.
It confirms G2.com, an independent platform for collecting user feedback on products and services primarily related to software, applications, business tools and technology.
A few words at the end
Webflow is a great way to make your business stand out from the crowd. It looks beautiful, sells well and positions itself well. Sometimes, however, there may be problems with integration with some external systems. Webflow is not very popular on the Polish market - although we hope that this will change soon.
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