Has anyone here used Webflow and can share their experience?
TL;DR
- Combines visual design and front-end development with responsive, code-accurate layouts.
- Includes a powerful CMS for dynamic content editing with client-friendly tools.
- Provides fast, secure hosting with global CDN, SSL, and instant publishing.
- Offers built-in SEO tools and integrates with marketing platforms.
- Has a learning curve and limitations in multilingual support and e-commerce features.
Webflow is widely used by designers, developers, and marketers for building responsive websites without writing custom code. Here’s a breakdown of common experiences shared by Webflow users:
1. Visual Design and Development in One Tool
- Webflow replaces both design tools (like Figma) and static site builders by combining visual design with real front-end code.
- The Canvas mimics CSS box model behavior, so designs are more accurate and responsive-ready.
- Users like having control over positioning, typography, spacing, and layout behaviors that translate directly to HTML/CSS output.
2. CMS and Content Management
- Webflow CMS allows custom collections for dynamic content (e.g., blog posts, team members, portfolios).
- Clients or content editors can use the Editor view to safely update site content without breaking layouts.
- Offers powerful filtering and referencing between collections with real-time previewing.
3. Hosting and Site Performance
- Hosting is on AWS-backed infrastructure with fast global CDN performance.
- Comes with SSL, backups, version history, and uptime monitoring by default.
- Publishing changes is instant and doesn’t require FTP or manual deployment.
4. SEO and Marketing Integration
- SEO-friendly with custom meta tags, 301 redirects, clean URLs, and alt text support.
- Integrates easily with Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, and social sharing metadata.
5. Limitations and Learning Curve
- Some users encounter a steep learning curve, especially with CSS layout concepts like Flexbox or Grid.
- No native multilingual support, so localization requires workarounds or third-party tools.
- E-commerce features are basic compared to platforms like Shopify; suitable for smaller storefronts.
Summary
Webflow is loved for its design flexibility, built-in CMS, and fast hosting, but it requires time to master and has some platform limits. Designers transitioning from static tools often find Webflow a powerful, scalable solution for dynamic websites.