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Webflow vs. Framer: I Built the Same Website in Both to See Which is Better


Basically what the title says.

Social media discussions about the best no-code tool for websites have been heating up more and more.

And I can’t stand it anymore!

So let’s clarify something…

I’ve been designing websites for over 7+ years now, and after trying out almost every website builder, I got stuck on two:

  • Wordpress
  • Webflow
  • Onepage
  • Squarespace
  • Wix
  • Framer

So I decided to build the same website template on both platforms and see how they compare with each other.

The result might surprise you!

Walking through Webflow and Framer

I recorded the Loom below where I showcase exactly how I built the same website in both Framer & Webflow.

I start all websites in Figma.

It’s best to keep track of your iterations and for copywriting.

For Webflow, I usually use Relume to build it.
Relume is basically a website component library, which is built on the client-first framework.

In Framer, there are similar tools like Figma to HTML, which help you get your design to Framer.

You just need to make sure every frame has auto layout applied.

For me personally, both no-code tools have similar building speed, unless I want to animate more, then Framer is faster.

When it comes to CMS (Content Management System), I’m very often faster using Webflow.

In the end, the output website for both platforms is identical! The page speed is similar and the time it took me to build both was also not that different.

The website you see in the Loom video is actually a template we built!

It is available for Figma for free here, and you can even buy the template on Webflow or Framer, to see how we built it and use it yourself.

The Pros and Cons of each platform

Webflow:

Pros:

  • Good for low-code projects
  • Perfect platform to handoff the website to clients
  • CMS is powerful

Cons:

  • Steep learning curve
  • Animations & interactions are unintuitive

Framer:

Pros:

  • Easy to learn, as it is similar to Figma
  • Animations and interactions are so easy and quick
  • Designing responsiveness is very intuitive

Cons:

  • Forms suck
  • CMS is not as powerful
  • Code integration is a bit easier

So what is better?

Honestly, the question should not be “What is better?”, but “When to use what?” Both platforms are amazing, but they serve different purposes.

This is how I decide when to use what:

I use Webflow, when:

  • I need to build a huge page, with many different CMS pages (blog, jobs, etc.)
  • I need some custom code or integrations
  • The client wants to edit it or upload content themselves

I use Framer, when I want to:

  • Test out an idea quickly
  • Build 1 or 2 landing pages max
  • Use beautiful animations

What is your favorite no-code platform for websites? Let me know what it is and especially why. You can simply respond to this email and I will read it.

Design Led

Every Sunday, you'll get a new lesson about product, design & startups to your inbox. Researched, heavily user focused & without fluff.

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