We know how stressful it can be to choose the right platform to build your website on. Let's face it, not everyone has the web design and coding skills to create the website of their dreams, and everything you read online seems so biased. But which one do you choose? Which one is the best for your business? All your answers are below!
WordPress is a content management system, (also known as CMS) that lets you build and host websites. It was originally built to publish blogs but now forms the basis of many websites globally. It powers more than 43% of all websites on the internet. Even some corporate companies like TechCrunch, Sony Music, MTV News, and Vogue use WordPress.
Hosting - With WordPress, you are not tied to a web hosting company, allowing you to move your site wherever you want, whenever you want. You are in full control of the files and data of your website.
Templates - WordPress offers thousands of pre-built templates and designs for you to choose from. Once you have chosen a template, you can choose to use the default template, footer only, header and footer only or a blank template. You can even choose different templates for different pages of your website, allowing you to create a fully customisable and unique website. Perfect if you're looking to spin something up quickly, but we're not about cookie-cutter websites over here! When we build, it's all bespoke.
Subscription Costs - You can create a free website at no cost with unlimited pages and 1GB of storage. This contains some other good features as well and is great for blogs, portfolios, or a personal website. However, if you want something more advanced, subscription costs increase significantly.
Responsive Design - All themes provided by WordPress are responsive, which means they will adapt to different devices. It's important to have a responsive design as most people use their mobile devices to open websites, so if your site isn't responsive, it won't look good on mobile and you won't get as much traffic.
Plug-ins and Add-ons - To fully customise your website, you will need different plugins and add-ons and WordPress offers access to several plugins to help you with your needs.
Security and Backups - Unless you are using a managed WordPress hosting company, you are responsible for maintaining your security, backups and installing updates. You can automate these tasks within WordPress but it would still require a lot of your attention.
Drag and Drop - Unlike WebFlow, WordPress isn't a drag and drop web builder. If you require this feature, you would have to install a plug-in.
WordPress.com or WordPress.org - For those new to WordPress, there is a lot of confusion around the difference between .org and .com. WordPress.org offers the software for download but you need to find your own hosting service, install WordPress and handle maintenance by yourself. WordPress.com offers managed WordPress hosting, which allows you to build a website with the pre-installed software. Here, you don't need to manage your security and maintenance.
Advanced Customisation - If you want a fully customised website, you will need to hire a WordPress Developer or you will have to learn to code yourself. Although WordPress offers plug-ins so you don't have to learn code, there are limits to what you can do with these tools.
Plug-ins - WordPress requires multiple plug-ins for different functions. If your host doesn't offer things such as automated backups, e-commerce stores, or optimisation, you will need more plug-ins. This can take up a lot of your time but can also slow your website down.
Webflow is a web design and development platform that allows users to create responsive websites. Companies such as Dell, Jasper and ourselves are using Webflow to create their websites. Yes, that's right, the website you are currently reading this on is Webflow! Have a look around!
No Coding Required - You can create a website without prior knowledge of coding, making it accessible to everyone.
Live Prototyping - When designing a website it can be difficult to imagine how the user would interact with your site. With Webflow's live prototyping, you can test out your ideas before publishing, to see if they are impactful and change what's not working with ease.
Team Collaboration - Designing a website on your own can be stressful and time-consuming. Webflow offers team collaboration where multiple people can make changes at the same time. Only one person can be in design mode but the rest can use the edit mode, which allows them to add or edit content without changing the initial design. Collaborating will significantly decrease your development time.
SEO Tools - Webflow has built-in SEO tools to help you optimise your site. If you don't know what SEO is or don't understand it, Webflow also has an SEO audit tool which gives you recommendations on what to change on your site. These tools will help you optimise your website for search engines with ease and without having good knowledge of SEO.
Templates - Webflow provides you with over 1000 code-free templates that you can customise to your style. They have a large variety of styles categorised by industry and what's even better, they are all responsive!
Built-in Animation System - Create a unique customer journey with Webflow's animation tools to create complex interactions. You can create progress bars to reveal animations without having to use any plug-ins which makes for a seamless workflow, as you're not spending time trying to find the right plug-in for your needs. Adding these elements will enhance your website and create a pleasant user experience.
Desktop Edits - Webflow doesn't offer a mobile app for you to make changes on the go. All changes must be made on a desktop or laptop, which can slow down your workflow if you do not have access to a desktop or laptop on the move.
Subscription Costs - Whilst you can create a free site with Webflow, you are very limited on what you get if you don't have a subscription. The cost increases significantly the higher the package you want, which can pose a problem if you are a smaller business with a tight budget.
E-commerce Restrictions - Webflow does offer eCommerce websites, however, their platform is not as strong as other platforms like Shopify. Webflow may be your choice if you are looking for a small e-commerce store, but may not be suitable if you are looking for a large-scale e-commerce store where your requirements are more complex.
Limited Free Website - Webflow's free package only offers a 2-page site, which is significantly lower than what WordPress offers. You also only get 50 CMS items and 50 form submissions (lifetime).
WordPress and Webflow both have their pros and cons, but choosing the right one for you is crucial.
WordPress is great for making a professional website with a low budget and creating a blog, portfolio or personal website. It is also better for eCommerce websites than Webflow. However, if you don't want to write code or worry about updates then WordPress may not be the builder for you.
Webflow is amazing for those who never want to learn code and is typically more suited to solopreneurs, freelance web designers and small business owners. However, if you're looking for an eCommerce website then WordPress might be better for you due to Webflows restrictions.
Not so keen on building a website by yourself? You're in luck as we're experts in both Webflow and WordPress! Visions Design has earned recognition as one of the top web development companies by Vendorland. We know building a website from scratch can be daunting. Maybe you want a bespoke website or maybe your current site needs to be brought back to life. If those sound like you, then get in touch with us!
