Webflow or Framer: Which tool is better?

Framer and Webflow are, without question, two of the biggest names in the world of website builders. Both platforms are very popular among their users and are appreciated for their numerous features and extensive design tools.

In this article, we'll take a closer look at both platforms and tell you who's doing better in the Webflow vs. Framer duel.

As #1 Webflow agency in Switzerland We have already successfully implemented over 100+ projects — from SME websites to complex platforms. Have a look at our portfolio or book a free initial consultationto talk to us about your project.

👉 Are you interested in how Elementor versus Webflow beats? Then take a look at our detailed Webflow vs. Elementor comparison.

What is Framer?

Framer is an online editor, which can be used to build websites and web apps. At the heart of the tool is the visual editor, which allows web pages to be put together by dragging and dropping. In addition to a range of design tools, Framer also offers the option to use animations in our project. In addition, the tool has a built-in content management system that allows us to integrate dynamic content — such as a blog — into our site.

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What is Webflow?

Webflow also belongs to the category of website builders. Webflow offers an intuitive interface that allows us to create websites without coding. In addition to an editor for the design and functionality of the website, Webflow also has a CMS that we can fill with content and display it on our website. Similar to many other solutions, Webflow is also expandable; for this purpose, we use so-called apps, which are created by other users or by companies and sold via the internal marketplace.

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Framer vs. Webflow: similarities and differences between platforms

On paper, the features of Framer and Webflow sound almost identical. But there are small but subtle differences between the two solutions. First of all, it's worth looking at the similarities between the two platforms.

Both Framer and Webflow are appreciated for their great freedom in website design and interactivity. In addition to a pixel-perfect design, it is above all the animation features that set both solutions apart from the competition. In addition, both Framer and Webflow are scalable and can be easily adapted to increased traffic as required. Both tools come with a built-in CMS, which is available depending on the plan you choose.

The differences between Framer and Webflow start as soon as we look beneath the surface; because while Webflow uses HTML, CSS and JavaScript, Framer is based on the React programming language. React is a JavaScript framework developed by Meta (Facebook) and is used in a variety of web and mobile applications. This is already the first major discrepancy between Framer and Webflow; while React is primarily suitable for web applications, HTML, CSS and JavaScript are often sufficient for websites.

You could therefore make the argument that Framer is primarily suitable for dynamic web apps. In fact, using React for websites is rather sub-optimal; on the one hand, the use and maintenance of React components require the necessary technical knowledge. On the other hand, by using React, you quickly limit your freedom, as porting React-based solutions is not as easy as moving between HTML-based platforms. In contrast to Webflow, Framer does not offer code export, so once we have opted for Framer, there is no way to export the website. In over 100 implemented Webflow projects We have shown how versatile and powerful Webflow is even with complex requirements

If the existing features of both platforms aren't enough for you, you're lucky; because Both tools offer extensions via an internal marketplaceZ on. At Webflow, these solutions developed by third parties are called apps; Framer, similar to WordPress, is called plug-ins. Some of these extensions are available free of charge, while other solutions are only available for a monthly fee or a one-off payment. The situation is similar with the templates that are available for both Framer and Webflow. From free website templates to complexly designed templates that can cost several hundred francs, everything is included. If you're unsure whether Webflow or Framer is a better fit for your project, Schedule a free consultation with our team.

Webflow vs. Framer: The ultimate comparison

Let's now move on to the actual comparison of the two platforms. The requirements for a website builder are higher today than ever, also due to the mass of available solutions. So the question is: Who does better in the duel between Framer and Webflow? Below, we'll look at a few points that we place particular emphasis on when it comes to website editors.

usability

User Experience is a decisive feature for every digital product — because when it is difficult to handle a product, the final result is often sub-optimal. It is therefore particularly important to choose a platform that creates a pleasant working environment for developers and designers. After all, we want to be able to quickly jump between different areas of our website — long loading times or complex menus are then performance killers that make creating the page an ordeal.

Compared to Webflow Framer has a steep learning curve that can quickly overwhelm beginners — and even more experienced developers. Animations in particular, which are one of Framer's key selling points, require a comparatively high level of technical skills. Other areas of the editor also lack the conveniences that the Webflow's intuitive user interface provides.

In recent years, the keyword has also Vendor lock-in has become more and more important. After all, we don't want to just hand over our project to a vendor without keeping control of our code. For Webflow users (and those who want to become one), there is good news at this point: The platform allows you to export the code in just a few clicks. This allows us to easily move our website to another HTML-based platform or simply host it ourselves — an advantage that we also use in numerous Webflow projects have used it successfully.

👉 Still unsure if Webflow is right for you? Dann Book a free initial consultation now with our team.

user interface

At the heart of every website builder is, of course, the editor we use to assemble our website. A user-friendly interface is just as important as good performance. After all, the user experience starts with using the editor and doesn't end with the finished website.

At first glance, the differences between the Webflow editor and its counterpart from Framer are comparatively minor: Links always have an overview of the structure of our website and can switch back and forth between the various elements in just a few clicks. In the middle is the actual editor, which provides us with a visual representation of our website at any time. And on the right, we find the settings for the elements, which we use to determine spacing, font sizes and other aspects of our design.

But anyone who has taken a closer look at both platforms will quickly notice that Framer can quickly become overwhelming, especially for beginners. The surface works compared to Webflow partly nested and is also far from having the granular customization options offered by the Webflow Editor. Although you can make further settings in Framer via CSS, the out-of-the-box adjustments are far behind those provided by Webflow. Anyone who wants to fine-tune the design in Framer must therefore have appropriate knowledge of CSS.

SEO

Search engine optimization is an aspect that website builders absolutely need to consider these days. After all, our website should also be found on the Internet. First things first: love search engines Webflow and Framer — both platforms score points in this area. Because both solutions offer a variety of tools that make filling out SEO titles and descriptions or alt texts for images extremely easy.

In direct comparison, Webflow vs. Framer don't really take much into account when it comes to optimizing for search engines. Both tools have useful features that make our lives (and that of other SEO experts) easier. Therefore, the choice between the two platforms when it comes to SEO is probably based solely on personal preference.

👉 If you're also interested in how Elementor in SEO comparison with Webflow beats, you can find more insights in our big comparison.

content management system

Whether it's a blog, real estate website or job board: Dynamic content is essential for many websites. Both Framer and Webflow have a built-in content management system (CMS), which can be used to create and manage dynamic content. Both platforms have various tools that make it easy to create, manage and publish dynamic content.

Using the CMS editor, we assign fields and parameters that should enrich our content. Texts, images and other types of data help us to design our content exactly according to our ideas.

The option to link content types together is particularly practical. For example, if we want to divide our blog articles into categories, we can easily do this with both CMS solutions. We will soon be able to create dynamic templates for our categories that list all blog articles that belong to this category. We then create a template for the blog articles ourselves, which provides the design and feel of the blogs. Both Framer and Webflow then automatically fill these templates with content from our CMS. True to the motto: designed once, used a thousand times!

animations

Today, website builders must offer much more than a drag-and-drop editor. What sets Framer and Webflow apart from many other platforms are the animation features that both solutions offer. Even without complicated code, we can create animations in both website builders that take the user experience to the next level. Whether simple entrance animation for headlines or complex scroll animations that contribute massively to the interactivity of our website.

In particular, he boasts Webflow with its intuitive interaction editor, which lets us create animations based on various parameters. Whether based on user scrolling behavior, time factors such as delay, or mouse interactions such as clicks and hovers: With just a few simple steps, we created complex animations that would take hundreds of lines of code and hours of work using classic technologies (such as JavaScript). We can animate numerous aspects; from the size of an element to the background color of a container to the font color, we have maximum control.

Framer also offers an animation editor that can make pages interactive and thus bring them to life. However, the editor is significantly more complex than the interactions in Webflow. Although you can also create breathtaking animations in Framer, the implementation requires a deeper understanding of the editor. Experienced developers, such as the team of Bloq Labs — the leading Webflow agency in Switzerland, can create high-quality or even better animations in Webflow — in a fraction of the time that these animations would take in Framer.

👉 Curious what this looks like in practice? Then take a look at our Webflow references or book a free consultation for your project.

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multilingualism

Many companies today no longer want to offer their content only in the local language. Whether due to supra-regional expansion or due to geographical conditions: A multilingual website is almost mandatory today. However, instead of using machine translations à la Google Translate, many website operators prefer to do it themselves. The good news: Both Webflow as well as Framer offer the translation of their own website.

In both cases, this is a paid add-on that we can add to our website. At Framer, prices start at €20 per month per language. Depending on the pricing plan we've chosen, we can add up to 5 languages to our website. In the case of Webflow, this is Localization feature Can be added regardless of the selected plan. Pricing starts at $12 a month per language, and we can add up to three languages with this plan. More languages are available at an additional cost.

In Webflow or Framer, we can then change the static content of our website as we wish. One feature that only Webflow offers is particularly practical: Here we can also find content from our content management system translate and adapt to different languages. To do this, we simply switch back and forth between languages in the CMS editor and change the texts for the selected language. With Framer, this is not possible; instead, we have to use a workaround to be able to offer our dynamic content in multiple languages. To do this, we can create a separate field for each language in the CMS and define in the front-end which field is displayed for which language. However, this solution is extremely cumbersome and requires a great deal of extra work.

But not only the user experience, but also the costs involved can be a decisive factor when choosing between Webflow or Framer. The direct comparison shows that a multilingual site can quickly become significantly more expensive with Framer than with Webflow.

Webflow: A page with three languages costs us 36$ per month (3 x 12$) plus the costs for the respective page plan. If we take the CMS plan ($29/month) as an example, we'll come up with a monthly price of $65.

Framer: For a site with three languages, we must select at least the start-up package (€75 per month). In addition, there is the price of 40€ per month/language. The monthly price for the website then amounts to 195€.

👉 So if you want to make your website multilingual, Book a free initial consultation now — we are happy to help with planning and implementation.

Framer or Webflow — which choice is better for your project?

Both Webflow and Framer offer features that can make both solutions a good choice for projects. However, you have to consider a variety of factors in order to be able to make the right decision. As our comparison shows, Framer is a cheap entry-level solution, but quickly becomes expensive with increased demands on the CMS or multilingualism of the website. And even the user interface cannot be used with the intuitive editor from Webflow Keep up.

‍ For us, there is therefore only one real use case in which Framer is ahead; namely when the project is to be designed with React. In just about all other cases, Webflow is the better choice. Whether due to the strong CMS, the intuitive interface or the numerous apps that can expand our website: Webflow is the best platform for setting up a modern and technically sophisticated website today.

‍ As Webflow agency We rely fully on the endless possibilities offered by Webflow to realize our projects — and those of our customers. In doing so, we make use of our many years of experience, which consists of over 100 successfully launched websites composes. Our design & development process leaves no questions unanswered and ensures that we get your website from concept to the finish line — and even beyond if you wish. Looking to switch from Framer to Webflow? We are happy to help you with that too!

👉 Book your free and non-binding consultation now and find out how you can successfully bring your website into the digital world of Webflow with Bloq Labs. We are looking forward to meeting you!