Webflow, the no-code website builder, is rapidly gaining traction — and it’s easy to see why. Webflow plugins allow developers and designers to quickly set up advanced and customized websites. It’s a powerful value proposition, for sure.
It’s a great tool for designers, particularly. From building advanced, high-fidelity prototypes to independently launching full-blown websites or products, Webflow is a skill that can help you stand out amongst other designers on the market — especially if you use the right plugins.
In this article, I’ll explore why UX designers should learn Webflow, how Webflow plugins can help, and which ones are best for improving workflow.
Why learn Webflow?
Let’s face it. The job market is tough, and it shows no signs of easing up. Here’s why:
- Automation is on the rise
- An increasingly common use of AI
- More cautious hiring
- Limited VC funding
- A major surplus of candidates
In a market like today’s, becoming a T-shaped, interdisciplinary designer is increasingly important — and Webflow is a practical skill that can give you a competitive edge.
Here’s what you can do with Webflow and Webflow plugins:
Build advanced prototypes
Yes, Figma is more than enough for most prototypes. But when the stakes are high, Webflow allows you to build truly advanced and interactive prototypes. Many users won’t even distinguish your prototypes from a real product — and the more realistic the prototype, the more accurate the learnings.
Understand development
Webflow doesn’t require much coding, but it demands a working knowledge and understanding of web development. You’ll need to understand and follow the principles of HTML and CSS, how CMS works, and even how to optimize for SEO to nail Webflow.
These skills make collaborating with developers easier and help you design solutions that are technically feasible and easier to implement.
Build MVPs and websites independently
If you master Webflow, you won’t depend on developers to build MVPs or design your websites.
In the corporate world, this autonomy is gold — the ability to validate assumptions and launch MVPs without engaging engineering is always desired. And it also comes in handy for your personal projects — from launching a personal portfolio website to working as a full-stack freelancer, Webflow always serves you well.
Best Webflow plugins for designers
Plugins, that is, integration with third-party tools, can help you develop complex Webflow solutions with minimal effort. In just a few clicks, a single Webflow plugin can replace hours (if not days) of manual work and help you create something independently.
Here is my list of my favorite Webflow plugins designers should try:
Figma to Webflow
The name of the plugin speaks for itself.
Figma to Webflow allows you to import and convert your Figma files into Webflow templates. It’s often the first plugin designers reach for when starting with Webflow.
As of now, the Webflow plugin allows you to import:
- HTML
- CSS
- Styles (border, typography, shadows)
- Images
- Autolayouts
- Opacity
- Absolute positioning
Imports like that are never perfect, so you will need to make some manual fixes and adjustments to make your designs work in Webflow. But it undeniably speeds up work tremendously. No more starting from a blank page — all with this free Figma Webflow plugin!
Getform
Building a website? The odds are that you’ll need to build a form or two. And Getform has you covered.
This Webflow plugin is a great tool for enabling the product — e.g., by adding a sign-up form or newsletter form — and for running user research on the website with pop-up and feedback forms.
Some standout features of Getform include:
- Auto-responses for filled forms with custom templates
- notifications whenever a form is filled
- redirections based on the answer
- API integration for more complex forms
This Webflow plugin is currently priced at $19 a month.
Nocodelytics
It goes without saying that tracking data and usage metrics is essential to understanding the usability and overall performance of your designs.
Nocodeanalytics, another of my favorite Webflow plugins, makes tracking relevant data easy with a plug-and-play metrics tracking dashboard. Out of the box, you get:
- Dashboards
- Search insights
- Button and link click tracking
- CMS tracking templates
While it’s not as robust as Google Analytics, Nocodelytics wins on ease of use, making it a great entry-level option. And it’s currently priced at zero for 1000 events and $29 monthly for 100,000 events.
Drawer.design
Animations can breathe life into designs and differentiate great work from mediocre work. And if you already work with animations, you most likely agree that Lottie is one of the best formats out there.
Drawer.design lets you import and edit pre-made animation packs, which are already optimized in Lottie format, straight into your Webflow.
With this Webflow plugin, you don’t have to be an UI animation expert. Just choose a package that fits your design the most and plug it in. The price for this one is transactional, with both free and premium animation packs available.
Optily
You know that although images are an indispensable part of most designs, they can also slow the site — damaging both your UX and SEO.
Luckily, there are numerous image optimization tools out there, and Optily is one of my favorite Webflow plugins for this purpose — it’s specifically built for Webflow.
You don’t have to resize and compress pictures manually anymore. Optily handles:
- Converting files to smaller sizes on the go
- Optimizing for various sizes
- Working both with images and rich text fields
Optily prices begin from $29.99 per month.
Linguana
I agree that managing translations as a designer can be a headache, especially if you work fast and support many languages.
Linguana is a multi-language Weblow plugin tool that aims to make translating and localizing your content as painless as possible. It supports 109 languages and specializes in Webflow and Framer. It should be your go-to tool for anything translation-related, and it’s priced at $19 a month.
Some notable features include:
- AI translations to speed up the process
- URL translations
- No duplicating pages — you can have one page that adapts to the audience’s language rather than needing to have a separate page for each language
Calendly
Calendly, a popular favorite scheduler for nearly a decade, remains one of the most popular Webflow plugins out there. And there’s extensive Webflow University documentation on integrating Calendly — so it’s an easy go-to tool for scheduling options.
One of the most common applications of Calendly for designers is continuous discovery. The ability to easily recruit participants and schedule interviews is a blessing when it comes to gathering new insights and validating ideas.
Calendly has a free trial available, and it allows you to:
- Set different event types
- Create a booking page for each event type
- Easily integrate popular conferencing tools
Last words
Webflow gives a lot of engineering independence whatever you want to create — small-scale websites, full-fledged MVPs, or detailed prototypes.
And Webflow plugins are a great way to kickstart your Webflow journey. With the right plugins, even complex designs and features can be implemented quickly, saving time and improving efficiency.
I’ll quickly recap my all-star Webflow plugin lineup:
- Figma to Webflow — to translate designs directly into a Webflow template
- Getform — to easily embed forms for both product and research purposes
- Nocodelytics — to get quantitative data you need
- Drawer.design — to breathe life into design with animations, hassle-free
- Optily — to optimize your visual assets without losing quality
- Linguana — to support all languages you need
- Calendly — to continuously recruit people for interviews
In short, with Webflow and these Webflow plugins, you’ll be the designer who gets it done — quickly, efficiently, and with style.