If you’re setting up a website, blog or online store, you’ve probably heard about WordPress and Webflow. Both are prime candidates for creating a new website, but which platform is best for you?
63.2% of all websites using a content management system (CMS) rely on WordPress, making it the top CMS. But Webflow is gaining popularity, powering 0.9% of all websites using a CMS.
WordPress and Webflow are helpful tools for creating websites of any size. However, the capabilities of each CMS may make it more suitable for some projects than others.
We’ll go over Webflow and WordPress in detail, comparing them directly so you can choose the platform that best suits your startup project.
What is WordPress?
WordPress is a free, open-source content management system and website-building tool.
It’s important to note that WordPress comes in two versions: WordPress.org (which allows you to build a website using any web host of your choice) and WordPress.com (which includes web hosting but has limited customization and monetization options).
Our Webflow vs. WordPress comparison focuses on WordPress.org, the self-hosted version. Over 40% of all websites worldwide are built on WordPress, making it the most popular CMS on the internet.
WordPress was created in 2003 as a blogging platform but has expanded its reach considerably. It’s now used for just about any website you can imagine.
However, WordPress is not a self-contained platform but a piece of software that must be installed on an existing server.
That means to use it, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with a few technical aspects of setting up a website, such as a web host and a domain name.
What is Webflow?
Webflow is a little different from the typical CMS. It’s a SaaS (software as a service) website builder similar to platforms like Wix.
Its visual design tool allows you to fully design a website from scratch with HTML, CSS and JavaScript without writing a single line of code.
Unlike WordPress, Webflow is not entirely free (although there is a free plan). However, it does come with everything you need to set up your website, including web hosting.
Webflow vs. WordPress: Feature comparison
The difference between WordPress and Webflow is primarily in their focus.
WordPress is an easy-to-use CMS ideal for websites that host a lot of content (e.g., blogs), while Webflow is a codeless design tool that makes it easy to create an eye-catching website.
But there’s much more to WordPress and Webflow than content and visual appearance. Let’s compare exclusive features to help you decide which CMS is best for your website.
Ease of use
It’s easy to get overwhelmed when designing a website, so it’s important to choose a platform that won’t leave you confused.
WordPress
- It doesn’t require coding. Everything is done within the WordPress dashboard. But it may be difficult to design your website without HTML and CSS (or plugins).
- WordPress’s user experience can be more complex than that of other website builders. How long it takes you to get used to the dashboard will depend on how much technical experience you already have.
- WordPress is much more popular than Webflow, meaning there are many more tutorials to help you troubleshoot issues on it than on Webflow.
- As WordPress.org does not include a hosting provider, you’ll need to find a web host yourself. If you’ve never done this, look for a host that offers free WordPress installation to make for the most user-friendly experience.
Webflow
- Webflow’s interface is complex, with various icons and technical terminology. It is less intuitive than WordPress’s user interface (UI).
- If you’ve used design software like Adobe XD or Photoshop, Webflow will feel familiar.
- Webflow’s design tool may be initially overwhelming, but it’s easier than coding, which WordPress is more likely to require if you’re seeking a very customized design beyond pre-built themes and plugins.
- Setting up a Webflow website is straightforward, as you don’t need to deal with hosting or installation since these are included.
- As Webflow is less popular than WordPress, it’s harder to find help and resources when you need them.
Comparing Webflow vs. WordPress, it’s safe to say WordPress has a much more intuitive interface, but website customization requires you to install themes and plugins and could involve basic coding. Webflow’s interface can be confusing, but designing is simpler than with WordPress because no plugins or themes are required.
Performance
Slow page load times and constant outages can be devastating to your website. According to Portent, sites that load in one second or less have a conversion rate that’s three times higher than sites that load in five seconds or more. How do WordPress and Webflow compare in terms of performance?
WordPress
- Because WordPress doesn’t come with web hosting, you’ll have to purchase a plan from a third-party web host. But not all web hosting plans are created equal. Cheap hosting plans can cause slow-loading websites if the servers aren’t optimized for traffic spikes. That’s why you need a reliable web host like Bluehost that guarantees high performance, even on its most affordable hosting plans.
- If you download unnecessary plugins or install a poorly optimized theme, you may end up with cluttered code that slows down your website.
- WordPress has numerous optimization plugins to speed up your website and reduce CPU consumption.
- WordPress’s core is around 25 MB, which is not so bad for the entire framework of your website.
Webflow
- Webflow’s website-design plans come with scalable web hosting, so you don’t need to worry about choosing the right host.
- Webflow has no access to third-party themes and plugins, so its code is much cleaner and enhances website performance since there are fewer variables in play.
- Webflow’s plans come with two Tier 1 content delivery networks (CDNs), Amazon CloudFront and Fastly, to improve page load speed.
WordPress can perform well, but this depends on your web host and the plugins and themes you download. On the other hand, Webflow provides fast hosting and no unnecessary code to drag your website down.
Security
Getting hacked can be devastating. So which is better, Webflow security or WordPress security?
WordPress
- WordPress is maintained by thousands of contributors who monitor for code flaws that could lead to an exploit.
- Third-party plugins may expose your website to serious security vulnerabilities.
- WordPress’s popularity makes it a prime target for hackers. One vulnerability in a single plugin can affect millions of websites — but only if you downloaded that plugin onto your website.
- WordPress doesn’t come with an SSL certification or website backups — this will depend on the web host you decide to use. For example, Bluehost’s WordPress hosting plans come with a free SSL certificate, as well as daily website backups for the first year, domain privacy and malware scanning.
- You can protect your WordPress website by installing a security plugin; otherwise, you’ll need in-depth knowledge of website management.
Webflow
- Webflow protects your website with industry-standard security measures, such as hardware security and data encryption.
- Webflow hosting is SOC 2 compliant, meaning it has been through a full third-party audit of its security features.
- Webflow offers website backups and free SSL certificates.
Webflow comes with industry-standard security measures already built-in, making it a better option for newer website owners. WordPress itself is safe, but plugins can open you up to exploits. You can mitigate many of these security issues by selecting a trustworthy web hosting provider like Bluehost.
Web design
Competing against millions of websites makes it difficult to stand out. A solid design tool ensures your website doesn’t look just like everyone else’s.
WordPress
- The WordPress theme customizer lets you edit the appearance options of your theme. This depends on the theme you choose; some are more in-depth than others.
- The Gutenberg Block Editor mimics the functionality of a drag-and-drop website builder, but its features aren’t as adaptable as Webflow’s.
- You can use page builder plugins or the Bluehost Website Builder to get a similar experience to Webflow, but many of these options are paid.
- WordPress is equipped to use HTML, CSS, JavaScript and PHP.
- WordPress offers over 60,000 free plugins and 10,000 free themes, with thousands of premium plugins and themes available from third-party websites.
- You can add custom code to WordPress directly from the dashboard as well as through third-party plugins.
Webflow
- Webflow has a powerful visual designer. You can set up a responsive CSS layout and add styling properties and filters, all exported into clean, semantic code.
- Webflow produces responsive code, so it adjusts automatically to various screen sizes, ensuring your website always looks great and functions well on mobile devices.
- Webflow has a handful of integrations and offers over 2,000 templates for website customization.
- You can add custom code to Webflow, though it’s less intuitive than WordPress.
WordPress allows you to set up your website quickly and easily, but you’ll end up with a website that looks similar to others unless you use plugins, themes or code (in which case it’s much more powerful).
Webflow is centered around its visual design tool and does a great job of helping you design unique websites.
SEO
Poorly optimized CMS platforms can kill your search engine optimization (SEO) and leave your website at the bottom of search results. Does either WordPress or Webflow fall into this category?
WordPress
- WordPress offers very few built-in SEO features (e.g., changing the permalink structure, adding ALT text to images and adding tags).
- You will need a third-party plugin to gain greater control over SEO in WordPress. Plugins like Yoast SEO make it easy to customize meta titles and descriptions, create a sitemap and add schema markup. And plugins like 301 Redirects offer a quick way to add SEO-friendly redirects.
- It’s possible to handle WordPress SEO without a plugin, but there’s really no need to, as plugins save time while enhancing your SEO efforts.
Webflow
- Webflow allows you to add schema markup, edit meta titles and descriptions, set up a sitemap and create 301 redirects directly within the design tool without setting up additional plugins or integrations.
- Webflow’s generated code is semantic and accessible.
- If you need an SEO setting Webflow doesn’t provide, you’re likely out of luck since it doesn’t host third-party plugins.
While WordPress doesn’t include many SEO tools right out of the box, it does include more integration options than Webflow. If SEO and customizability are really important to you, WordPress is probably the better option — albeit the more complicated one.
Support
Good documentation and a fast support network can save your website if something goes wrong. Even for minor problems, it’s simply more convenient.
WordPress
- WordPress.org is free and doesn’t have dedicated support.
- You can post on the support forums, which are relatively active due to WordPress’s popularity.
- Learn WordPress and the Documentation page are excellent resources to get started, but they’re less intuitive and more technical than Webflow’s video tutorials.
- Most web hosts will help you if you have a problem. Just contact your web host for support.
Webflow
- Webflow University is a beneficial resource of video tutorials.
- Customer support is available Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific Time.
- Webflow’s community forums are somewhat active but not as much as WordPress’s.
Unlike WordPress, Webflow offers official support. Webflow also provides video tutorials that are easy for beginners to understand. But WordPress has a global community of active users you can rely on for support.
Pricing
Between WordPress and Webflow, which option is more affordable?
WordPress
- WordPress is free, but you’ll need to buy hosting yourself.
- There are a ton of free themes and plugins you can use to get your website started.
- But if you opt for premium themes and plugins, these can take a lot out of your budget.
- Many hidden website setup fees, like the cost of purchasing a domain, may surprise you.
Webflow
- Webflow is a paid program, but it has a free starter plan. Its cheapest plan is $14/month (billed yearly).
- There’s also an eCommerce plan, starting at $29/month (billed yearly).
- You can also purchase Workspaces if you want to bring designers onto your team.
- Web hosting is included with Webflow unless you export and host your websites elsewhere.
WordPress is free, but it doesn’t include web hosting, which varies in price. Webflow has multiple tiers of plans, including a free plan to get started with.
Webflow vs. WordPress: Which is right for your website?
While both platforms can be used to create any type of website, each has features more suited to specific tasks.
Blogging platforms
WordPress was initially made for blogging, and its content management features are simple yet powerful. Once you’ve gotten used to WordPress’s interface, you’ll never want to use anything else.
While Webflow is also a CMS, it’s more confusing and less versatile. Webflow limits the number of CMS items and extra editors you can have.
With WordPress, you have unlimited CMS items and editors, as it’s designed with blogs in mind.
eCommerce websites
WordPress has no built-in eCommerce features, but you can install free plugins (e.g., WooCommerce) to create an online store. These plugins are flexible and can be customized to suit your brand.
Webflow has eCommerce features ready to go. The starter plan is $29/month (paid annually) with a transaction fee of 2%. Higher-tier plans have no transaction fee.
Webflow’s eCommerce features are relatively simple compared to a powerful plugin like WooCommerce. Webflow might be a fit if you just need a small online store. However, WordPress plugins have more potential.
Business and portfolio websites
WordPress’s strength lies in its ability to set up business websites with minimal effort. Theme installation and customization can be done in less than an hour, and setting up pages is a fast and seamless process.
However, such a website will have a simple, repetitive design and will not stand out from the competition.
Webflow is more suited to making unique designs with its powerful creative tools. If you’re a designer, you’ll feel at home in Webflow. But it may not be the best option if you want to quickly set up a website.
Can you use Webflow with WordPress?
If you cannot decide between WordPress and Webflow, you can use them together. To use both platforms simultaneously, design your website in Webflow, then use the Webflow Pages plugin to export its pages to your WordPress website.
The only snag is that this method doesn’t work with Webflow’s eCommerce plans, and if you don’t have a paid plan, the “Made in Webflow” badge will display on any pages you export.
Otherwise, you get the best of both worlds: Webflow’s powerful design tools and WordPress’s top-notch CMS. So, if you’re torn between the two, using them together is a viable solution.
Final thoughts: Webflow vs. WordPress — which platform is best for your site?
Webflow and WordPress are very different platforms, but both are great for building websites.
Webflow is excellent if you’re looking for a tool that focuses on visual design. It’s kind to non-developers as everything you need is built into the platform. That said, its interface can be overwhelming if you’re new to design.
WordPress is a versatile tool that is best for blogging and small business websites — although it can also create other types of websites. Its intuitive design is effortless to get into, even with little technical experience.
Bluehost offers affordable WordPress hosting that is fast, easy and reliable. Our plans include unlimited websites, a free domain for the first year and free SSL.
Contact us today to learn how Bluehost can help support the growth of your new website.
Webflow vs. WordPress: FAQs
Webflow is a no-code website builder popular for its powerful design tool. WordPress is a robust CMS that’s great for blogging and eCommerce but will work for almost any website.
Installing WordPress is a reasonably simple task, even if you do it manually. Most website hosts will do it automatically.
You don’t need to install Webflow at all. Everything has already been set up, so you only need to create an account and design a website.
You can use the Webflow Pages plugin to design websites with Webflow and export them to your WordPress website.
Neither WordPress nor Webflow requires technical knowledge.
WordPress allows you to customize your website with plugins and themes. Webflow’s website design tool can change every page facet without you needing to know anything about web development.
Webflow is a browser-based program, so it does not work offline.
If you temporarily lose internet access, the editor will continue to function until you can save your work, but using the platform this way is not recommended.
If you are not a designer and have yet to work with design programs or complex website builders, Webflow can be challenging to learn.
Once mastered, Webflow’s UI is great for designing unique and interesting websites, but there is a learning curve.
Webflow is generally more secure than WordPress, as it’s not as popular and less likely to be targeted for attacks. It also does not use third-party plugins, so it has fewer points of entry for malicious actors.
However, WordPress’s security is heavily dependent on the web hosting provider you use and can be very secure with good hosting, well-vetted plugins and regular site maintenance.
Using WordPress requires paying for hosting, but the price you pay can be as little as $2/month.
Webflow has a limited free plan and several paid tiers. You must buy a separate plan for each website you host, and eCommerce plans cost a lot more, so the price can skyrocket.
