Every business needs an online presence today. And the most common way to do it is by building a website. There are a couple of ways to do it such as using custom code to build the website from scratch but this might not be a viable option for founders who are just starting out or organisations who want to build and deploy quickly to enjoy the current market opportunities.

To remove all these limitations, we have No-code platforms in the market to build custom website solutions. Framer and Webflow are the two most common No-code website builders. The simplest reason is that there is no coding involved just visual editors.

This article will help you understand both website builders in-depth and how you can pick the right one for your business needs.

Framer vs. Webflow: A brief overview

Did you know, according to a report, 90% of business owners claim that their businesses were able to grow much faster due to the usage of No-code tools?

This is because businesses want an efficient solution for creating websites, made possible with No-code website builders. These platforms help users with drag-and-drop editors, or pre-designed templates so that you don’t have to start from scratch. The available templates can be easily customised for web pages without writing a single line of code.

Framer and Webflow are popular choices for those looking for software to create websites without coding, offering powerful tools that cater to both beginners and experienced designers.

Framer is particularly a design prototyping platform with offers advanced animation options. You can create a website with the pre-built templates but in case you need to extend the functionality of the website you can use the custom code which can be hosted on the platform. It has a built-in CMS with localisation tools meaning the website is optimised to reach global audiences.

Webflow being one of the most loved platforms among the non-technical folks. It helps to create stunning and responsive websites without the need for coding. Its built-in content management system helps users to effortlessly manage blog posts and product listings.

One of the standout features of Webflow and Framer is their ability to be integrated with popular tools such as Google Analytics and Mailchimp so that users can build a robust website with various functionalities.

For a seamless lead generation process, learn how to connect your HubSpot forms to Webflow.

These tools save time and resources by offering flexibility and control over the functionality of a website. To build a No-code website, it is always smarter to select a reputed No-code development company based on their reviews and expertise. They will understand what you want out of the website and then select the right platform. The difference it creates is huge because they have experience in diverse No-code projects.

What key features do Framer and Webflow offer?

This table gives an overview of the design, development, integrations, and SEO capabilities of the two No-code website builders. Now we will look at the nitty-gritty details of the two.

To build a No-code website that stands out, consider partnering with our Webflow Development Company.

Comparing Framer and Webflow

We will look at seven different attributes of the platforms so that you can pick the right No-code website builder for your business.

Ease of use

It refers to how easily a user can navigate and get familiar with the platform to use it to build a website. A user-friendly interface enhances productivity but also reduces any training time and costs and improves overall user satisfaction.

Learning curve

Webflow is quite easy to start with. Even if you don’t know about web design and coding, it won’t be a major issue. At Webflow University, there are lots of tutorials and guides to help you figure it out and get started on making your own website.

Framer can be a bit trickier to learn than Webflow, especially if you're new to design tools or coding. It might take some extra time and effort to understand layers, components, and state management in Framer.

Interface user-friendliness

Webflow is easy to use because it has a simple and neat layout. You can just drag and drop blocks to build a dynamic website. It makes containers and manages classes. This makes designing any website a breeze.

On the other hand, Framer is somewhat like Photoshop, which might be familiar to some people but not everyone. When it comes to creating containers and managing classes, you’ll have to do it manually which can take more time. It offers beautiful animations, like making different parts of your website change when you hover over them or adding custom animations, which might be a little tricky to figure out at first.

Documentation and community support

Webflow offers ample documentation in the form of guides and tutorials. Webflow University is a great resource for beginners to get started with the platform. The active community helps solve any issue you might have and shares helpful tips. 

Framer has a website and forum support. The designers and developers can join their discord channel as well for added support.

Final thoughts

Webflow has a rather straightforward interface that can help you to get your website up and running in no time whereas if you are completely new to design and development tools, then Framer’s interface might take some time to hang of them.

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Design capabilities

Design capabilities are one of the critical aspects of any website builder. The website builder with the capabilities such as customisation and flexibility options of pre-built templates dictates the superiority of the website builder.

Flexibility and customisation options

Webflow allows you to design and build complex websites with a wide range of design tools and features. Webflow templates are highly customisable with their visual tools, allowing you to modify layouts, colors, fonts, and other elements to fit your brand and requirements priced at $100. Webflow’s flexibility allows for extensive custom website design and development, enabling businesses to tailor their site’s layout, functionality, and aesthetic to their specific needs.

Framer provides tools for creating interactive and animated designs for websites and applications. Framer templates are also highly customisable, enabling you to adjust the design elements to meet your specific needs.

Templates

Webflow offers over 2,000 templates for various industries and niches. While some templates are free, others are paid but have some of the best designs. Framer offers over a thousand free and premium templates for different design projects.

Final thoughts

Overall, both platforms provide robust design capabilities and customisation options, with Webflow offering a more extensive template library and Framer focusing on interactive and animated designs.

CMS and SEO capabilities

A website builder with strong CMS and SEO capabilities is essential for businesses looking to establish a strong online presence. Content Management Systems (CMS) allow for easy creation, editing, and management of website content. In addition, a website builder with built-in SEO tools enables users to optimise their website for search engines, improving visibility and driving organic traffic.

Content Management System (CMS)

Webflow has a built-in user-friendly content management system (CMS) that helps you to create and manage along with various types of content fields (text, images, links, etc.). It offers advanced features like referencing other collections, which can enhance the user experience and functionality of your website.

Framer's CMS system is similar to Webflow's, allowing you to create collections and add different types of content fields. It offers a slightly wider range of field options compared to Webflow.

Search engine optimisation (SEO)

Webflow helps the search engine optimisation (SEO). It allows you to create redirects, set canonical URLs, and automatically create a sitemap. For further search engine optimisation, you can also add custom code for things like schema markup and pagination.

Ensure comprehensive tracking and SEO with our Webflow Google Tag Manager Company for your Webflow website.

Framer has built-in, GDPR-compliant analytics powered by Google Analytics 4, which can be useful for tracking website performance. Like Webflow, Framer allows you to add redirects, canonical URLs, metadata, sitemaps, and custom code for SEO optimisation.

Final thoughts

Both have similar CMS and SEO capabilities. However, both platforms require following SEO best practices during the design and content creation process for optimal search engine performance.

Use cases

Use cases are vital in website development, as they define and analyse the interactions between users and a system to achieve specific goals. Through detailed descriptions of individual scenarios, use cases allow developers and stakeholders to understand the functionality of a system from an end-user perspective.

Webflow is a versatile platform that enables the creation of visually appealing and functional marketing websites, which are essential for attracting and converting leads. It is an ideal platform for designers to showcase their work through professional-looking portfolio websites. Webflow's built-in content management system (CMS) simplifies the process of creating and managing blogs and content-driven websites. Additionally, it offers specific features for building online stores, such as product management, payment integration, order tracking, and more.

For those looking to develop robust SaaS applications, Webflow is an excellent choice due to its scalability and flexibility.

On the other hand, Framer excels in creating interactive and realistic prototypes, providing designers with a clear vision of how a website or app will function. It offers user testing capabilities, allowing designers to gather feedback from real users by sharing interactive prototypes. Framer also includes a dedicated tool for prototyping and designing user interfaces for mobile apps, with features for adding interactive components and conducting user testing.

Final thoughts

While Webflow is more focused on building complete websites, particularly for marketing, content, and ecommerce purposes, Framer's strengths lie in prototyping, user testing, and mobile app development. The choice between the two platforms depends on the specific needs of the project.

Pricing and structure

Pricing and structure should be one of the key aspects to consider when selecting a website builder. The budget should align with the website builders' capabilities and your company’s overall goals and objectives, whether it be to maximize profits, gain market share, or maintain competitive positioning.

Webflow has a free plan, but it's limited in features.
Paid plans are divided into Site plans (for hosting websites) and Workspace plans (for teams).

Site plans are further split into General and Ecommerce categories.

Workspace plans are charged per user/seat, meaning you pay for each team member

Pricing might seem complex at first, especially for larger teams or ecommerce sites.

Framer also has a free plan with restricted features.
Paid plans are divided into Site plans (for individual sites) and Team plans (for teams).
Site plans have three options: Mini ($5/month), Basic ($15/month), and Pro ($30/month).

Team plans include Team Basic and Team Pro, with varying collaboration and storage features. The pricing structure is more straightforward compared to Webflow, especially for individual sites.

Final thoughts

While the pricing details vary, both platforms offer free plans with limited capabilities and paid plans with increasing features and resources as the price goes up. 

In conclusion, both Framer and Webflow stand out as influential No-code website builders, each offering unique strengths and capabilities. Webflow is particularly proficient at crafting visually stunning and functional websites tailored for marketing, content, and ecommerce purposes. On the other hand, Framer excels in the realms of prototyping, user testing, and mobile app development.

The choice between these two platforms ultimately depends on your project's requirements and objectives. 

If you find yourself uncertain about which option best suits your needs, let’s schedule a free 30-minute consultation call with our team of experts.