When Not to Use Webflow
August 7, 2021
by Karr Fager
Webflow has helped me build the web design business of my dreams, and it has helped me upgrade my clients' websites like none other.
However, Webflow is not for everyone. Here is a list of times when you should use one of the many other website solutions out there.
It's pretty simple, Webflow is not the best choice for eCommerce websites.
The eCommerce system is still rather new compared to other available solutions. It isn't the cheapest solution either, being that you'll have to spend at least $29/month for hosting alone. Payment gateways are a bit limited with Webflow. Webflow also does not support POS (point of sale). Webflow is also a bit limited in its dropshipping abilities.
An option is to hook up Webflow with Shopify, and that can solve many of the issues listed above.
Don't get me wrong, Webflow has been absolutely phenomenal for blogging on my website, along with my client websites. It offers me the ability to fully customize my blog template page, which I was not able to do using other platforms.
However, if you are currently using one of the many other platforms out there and are considering the move to Webflow, you need to ask yourself, why make the switch to Webflow? If what you are using is working for you, don't switch just because others tell you to. There could be a real reason, one similar to the reason I am so happy using Webflow. But the platform you use will not automatically make your website better. It's how you use the platform to your strengths.
Another note - Webflow does not allow you to add or remove subfolders in your URL slug. You must have exactly one folder.
You can have: /blog/post-title
You can have: /category/post-title
You cannot have: /blog/category/post-title
So if you run a website that has hundreds (if not thousands) of articles with more or less than one folder in the URL, you will need to write a 301 redirect for each and every single one of those articles. I'm not saying that this will automatically tank your website. What I am saying is that I wouldn't risk it. It's silly, and it needs to be addressed by Webflow.
Webflow has page limits. Granted, most businesses will not run into those limits, and there are some workarounds. But limiting projects to only 100 pages, even for Enterprise level clients, is an issue that also needs to be addressed by Webflow.
The common workaround to the page limit issue is to make the pages through the CMS, but sometimes that is simply not good enough.
Now to be fair, I have never had a client who was remotely worried about the page limit issue. Most businesses don't have 100+ pages on their website. But there are some that do, and they need to be able to fully customize each and every one of those pages.
I have seen time and time again, a business owner will try to build their own website in Webflow having never used the platform, and it doesn't work out well.
Even if you are using a template, you still need to hire a Webflow pro to customize the template.
Oftentimes business owners will reach out to me asking if I can just clean up a thing or two on the website, but what the website really needs is a complete rebuild. And the only Webflow Designers that will work for the cheap price point probably do not have the experience to clean the website up correctly.
And that brings us right into the last reason you shouldn't use Webflow: you want to spend as little as possible on a website.
I don't mean to be offensive by saying this. I mean it in all seriousness. Some people want the cheapest solutions for their websites. Webflow is not the cheapest solution (it's also not the most expensive).
If you'd like a cheap solution, I suggest you try Squarespace, Wix, or a WordPress template.
But if you want a fully-customizable website that fits your brand and is super unique and user-friendly, you will have to deal out some cash for it. Websites are investments. You may not see the returns immediately, but over the months and years, the investment will pay itself off. It has for my business and lots of my clients' businesses.
