Can I design a site in Webflow with placeholder copy that clients can edit in while the site is still in development, and then revert back to static elements once all content is finalized and publish it as a normal website without incurring CMS costs?

Yes, you can allow clients to edit placeholder content in Webflow’s CMS during development and later convert it to static elements before publishing to avoid ongoing CMS costs. Here's how:

1. Set Up Placeholder Content in Webflow CMS

• Create a CMS Collection for any content your client needs to modify (e.g., blog posts, text sections, images).
• Add Collection Fields that match the type of content (e.g., rich text, plain text, image fields).
• Use CMS Collection Lists or Single Item Bindings to connect elements on the page to this placeholder content.

2. Allow the Client to Edit CMS Content

• Invite the client as an Editor in Webflow so they can modify content directly without modifying design elements.
• Provide guidance on where and how to edit placeholders via the Webflow Editor interface.

3. Convert CMS Content to Static Elements

• Once content is finalized, copy and paste the CMS-generated text into static elements.
• Replace CMS-bound elements (like Collection Lists) with manually added static text and images.
• Ensure that any styles remain intact after this change.

4. Delete the CMS Collection to Avoid CMS Costs

• Once everything is static, delete the CMS Collection to downgrade the site plan and remove CMS hosting fees.
• Double-check all content before eliminating the data, as this step is irreversible.

Summary

You can use Webflow CMS temporarily for client revisions and then convert everything to static elements before final publishing to avoid CMS hosting fees. Just ensure you copy over all content before deleting the CMS collection.