No-code builders have been consistently growing in popularity. And that’s not surprising.
The ability to quickly roll out new features and websites without building everything from scratch empowers both designers and developers to focus on the bigger picture instead of looking for a missing semi-colon.
In this article, I discuss the ins and outs of two popular no-code website builders — Webflow and Framer. I’ll compare them and help you determine which one suits your needs.
An overview of Framer
Framer is a design and prototyping tool that allows designers to create interactive and high-fidelity prototypes for mobile and web applications and set up and host whole websites.
Being developers with designers in mind first, most UX designers can benefit from having Framer in their tool stack.
Key features of Framer
Apart from the obvious ability to build the frontend layer of a website, the most prominent Framer features include:
Figma to Framer integration
Framer’s most significant competitive advantage is its ability to import designs from Figma and let the tool do the rest. All you need to do is build a prototype in Figma, and Framer will automatically translate it to code. Although other solutions have similar options, Framer is ahead of the competition.
AI text tools
With the help of AI, you can easily translate, rewrite, and style your text without even leaving Framer. There will be no more lorem ipsum in your prototypes or poorly written copy on your landing page.
Insert pages and sections
Framer has a set of prebuilt pages and sections. You can use them by choosing the pieces you need and connecting them together, like building from Lego blocks.
CMS
There’s no need to manually change the website whenever you want to update copy or add a new article. With built-in CMS, you can easily add, edit, and remove content from your website.
Hosting
Framer makes going online hassle-free. You just get a domain name (or use a Framer one), hit publish, and voila, you’re on the Internet.
Pros of using Framer
Let’s take a look at the most significant advantages of Framer:
Easier for designers
Being design-focused, Framer is an excellent tool for UX designers. There’s still a learning curve and some extra knowledge required, but after you grasp the basics, it’ll feel like a more advanced version of Figma with hundreds of auto layouts stacked on top of each other.
Faster work
Thanks to the Figma integration, pre-built building blocks, and a user-friendly interface, Framer allows for the rapid development of entire websites, enhancing your productivity and efficiency as a UX designer.
Advanced prototyping
If you want to build a great prototype for the sake of presentation or developers’ handoff, Figma might not be enough. Tools like Webflow might be a time-consuming overkill. Framer strikes the perfect balance, allowing you to develop beautiful prototypes without too much hassle.
Cost-effectiveness
Framer is relatively cheap compared to alternatives, making it a great solution for hobbyists or people who can’t get the company to cover the bill.
Cons of using Framer
It’s not all wine and roses, though. If you are going to use Framer, you need to consider these cons:
No support for plugins
For now, Framer doesn’t support plugins, which limits the possibilities and makes the work longer than it should be. Luckily, they’re actively working on this and plan to launch plugin support by the end of 2024, so stay tuned.
No client billing
Framer doesn’t offer too many options for freelancers working with external clients. There’s no way to host the site in a client’s name or redirect the hosting bill. You need all your clients to create a separate Framer account and invite you as an editor, which might be a hassle.
Somewhat limited
In theory, Framer allows custom code, meaning you can build anything. In practice, the focus on design and lack of support for plugins or native payment and e-commerce solutions make developing more complex projects quite a hassle.
An overview of Webflow
Webflow is a full-stack website builder. Although the learning curve is steep, if you master it, you can easily roll out simple websites and community-based products or even try to build a new Amazon.
It’s a tool for people willing to sacrifice simplicity for limitless options and possibilities.
Key features of Webflow
Out of hundreds of Webflow features, the most notable ones that make it a truly robust solution include:
Plugins
With an extensive library of plugins, you can easily integrate third-party apps and solutions into your website. External plugins can handle user logins, localizations, maps, and even music streaming and event management, making the development of advanced products hassle-free.
Hosting and SEO tools
Webflow is built for commercial use, and its publishing tools reflect that. You get dedicated staging to test your changes before pushing to production and a set of fundamental SEO tools to optimize your website for search engines without the need to engage a technical SEO specialist.
E-commerce & CMS
With a built-in e-commerce solution, you can manage your listings, inventory, and payments without needing custom development or external plugins. Webflow is a solid competitor for Shopify stores. The latter is still more straightforward to set up and manage, but Webflow allows for more customization.
Similarly to Framer, Webflow also has a solid CMS solution, with extensions available via plugins.
Client billing
If you are freelancing, you can share your projects with clients, give them access, and bill them without forcing them to create a dedicated account and host and manage their team. You can deliver end-to-end premium service.
Pros of using Webflow
Keeping all key features in mind, let’s recap the key benefits of using Webflow:
Advanced possibilities
Thanks to plugins and a heavy focus on custom code solutions, Webflow seems to have no limitations. The only thing that might stop you from developing all kinds of products is the backend support. Plugins can help, but building a new Netflix will require extra help.
More mature product with a stronger community
Webflow has a very mature and dedicated community. Whatever doubt you might have, odds are there is already a video tutorial out there, and if not, Webflow geeks will happily help you. There are also thousands of community-made templates to help you kickstart your development.
Commercialization-ready solution
Whether you want to be a freelancer developing websites for clients or build your own product and start charging customers, Webflow has you covered. It is designed for commercial use and provides all the tools you need to go pro.
Cons of using Webflow
Although Webflow brings almost endless possibilities, it comes with a cost:
Hard learning curve
There’s a reason there are dedicated “webflow designers” out there. It’s more of a specialty to master, such as React development, rather than just another tool. It takes months (if not years) or dedicated work to truly master Webflow.
Expensive
Webflow is a rather pricey solution compared to alternatives on the market, charging extra for account features, too. It’s still great ROI for commercial use, but it might be overkill if you are building a simple personal website.
Comparison: Framer vs. Webflow
Having analyzed Framer and Webflow in detail, let’s now take a closer look at how they compare in the most important categories, that is:
Design capabilities
Both tools have robust design capabilities that should satisfy most designers. However, Webflow’s custom code and CSS customizations seem more integrated into the design workflow. They feel less gimmicky than in Framer, making customizing every detail easier.
Ease of use
Framer’s more straightforward UI is more oriented toward designers, while Webflow feels more like a front-end development tool. Framer is definitely less complicated to grasp and isn’t as overwhelming.
Pricing
Both platforms have a free plan that allows for some basic development and exploration, but you’ll need a premium plan to truly use these tools’ capabilities.
Framer charges between $10 and $40 monthly for their premium subscriptions.
Webflow charges between $18 and $235 a month. Since Webflow has more capabilities, it also has more advanced plans, thus a wider range.
Generally, when we compare pricing, features, and limitations, Webflow charges more for the same thing than Framer. Webflow also prices extra for additional drafts in your account or for localizations. Plugins can also come with a cost.
Considering it all, Framer is a significantly cheaper option in the long run.
Integration with other tools
Webflow allows external plugins; Framer doesn’t.
Website management
With a robust CMS, e-commerce solutions, payment options, and various website management-related plugins, Webflow surely wins in the website management category.
Collaboration
Both tools allow for great collaboration between designers, developers, and clients. There are hardly any differences, although Webflow prices more for each editor.
Should you use Framer or Webflow?
After reading this article, you probably already know when to use which tool, but let’s recap:
Framer is a great option for:
- Advanced prototyping
- Simple websites
- Speed of work
Webflow excels at:
- Advanced solutions
- Commercial use
- External integrations
Go with Framer if you want to develop great prototypes or play around with personal websites or simple freelance engagement.
If you want to use the builder commercially, go with Webflow. I can imagine a Webflow product being managed by a 30-person team from built-in CMS and e-commerce solutions; for Framer, this idea seems rather silly.