[Service Review] Webflow
Rating: 5/5
The case
Muse, Dreamweaver, and others... I've tried them. They worked, sort of. CSS, HTML code for export - I get it.. I'm not proficient, and I doubt I ever will be - now how about PHP, Javascript? Flash for animations? Oh yeah, Flash is dead. How about a server maintenance, dynamic content generated on the fly with something a client can use backend, MySQL, Python, Ruby, FTP workflows, local and online files, Filezilla.. ok, this is getting out of hand. How come web design with utmost control and CMS (content management service) abilities requires huge skillsets that evolve, die quickly and are hard to master? Where do I find the time for this? How many file documents do I have to create? How much code do I have to write and troubleshoot!? Too much. I'm a designer, not a slave to code. Now I need to adapt all my code to work on phones.. say what?!
The solution
I need the flexibility and the power of code. I need animations. I need a content a management system. I need the gifts of CSS, and I need the latest tech to use it. I need interactivity, responsiveness, and speed. Webflow gives me all of this - with more.
With Webflow, I can use a designer-friendly GUI to build clean code, responsive design, and all have it hosted with CMS content built on the fly, generated with systems that include everything I could need with the same flexibility as code. I can make things fly, move, rotate, pop and position, however, whenever and whatever I like. I can control templates around CMS content with a few clicks and sliders. I can switch to mobile systems and adapt by eye. I can also not worry about servers and host with them. I can even charge clients with their system ultimately, and... most of all... I will not have to code one bit. Oh, and if I need a new widget or to throw in something like Snipcart to integrate third party services, I can copy paste them in and integrate my CMS dynamic variables on the fly. It is.. simply beautiful.
The Features
- CSS, HTML, and Javascript edited and written in a GUI designer canvas
- Interactions with animations that are HTML compatible and Flash free
- CMS content with your own custom data and structures, 100% customizable
- Fully flexible E-commerce (soon)
- Friendly editors and complete CMS templates ready with backend access for clients and teams for collaborative work.
- Code export, easy CMS hosting, and client billing, plus more.
The comparison
How does this hold up to Squarespace, Wix, Wordpress, Muse, and others? Well.. let's say you can have dynamic content with full flexibility without uploading to a server, meanwhile, the others won't even allow 100% custom dynamic CMS content. Let's say you can make animations on any element however you want, where others can't. Let's say you can build libraries that are more dynamic than others. Let's just say you can change every minute detail as much as you can write every single semicolon and parenthesis - at a fraction of the cost, at the fraction of keystrokes, and a fraction of the learning curve.
Hit the ground running.
It does cost more for the full service per month than most services, but generally, with all the time you save and educational investment you would place into the skillset, it's worth it. Well worth it. And more so, it's not that much more expensive than all the Wordpress add-ons, Squarespace paywall features, Joomla addon features, Bigcommerce templates, Justhost file hosting, plus all the other costs of other services combined for the exact same feature set.
The Pros and Cons
Pro's
- Easy to use
- Fast to learn
- Flexible
- Dynamic
- User/Designer Friendly
- Feature rich (Seriously, "rich" is an understatement)
- A relatively good, free, unlimited time trial accounts
Con's
- CMS content can only be hosted on their servers
- Somewhat expensive for full features and hosting
- Maybe a little too flexible sometimes for quick projects
- Some templates are priced on the higher end of the spectrum (though they are fully flexible)
- E-commerce is still pending.
Conclusion
I highly recommend it for the power, control, and user-friendly low learning curve for fully responsive CMS ready animated and interactive web design - with great fully modifiable templates to boot.
@trinumedia This is a great review post! Maybe the universe led me to this post as I have been looking for an easier route to wed design. I am definitely going to give this a try and see how it suits my needs. Question - When you say "Maybe a little too flexible sometimes for quick projects", do you simply mean too many options? lol like a kid in a candy store? Also, when you get a chance, check out my page. You might see something you like. Peace!
Ah yes, a kid candy store!
You got the right sentiment. You can do everything you can do with code, but without coding. If you're not sure what you want, all the options can feel daunting, but if you know what you are designing, it can work out quite nicely and quickly.
Hope it comes in handy when you try it out. The free plan let's you have two sites of a 2 page design to work on free. Even with a little CMS content free.
So awesome! Thanks again for the share! I'm going to check it out this evening after work. I'm excited lol
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