Is Webflow too expensive? Breakdown of the recent price hike

By Arso Stojović
Read time 7 min
Posted on March 14, 2022
Updated on January 23, 2024
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Webflow is becoming too expensive

Have you heard about theĀ recent Webflow price hike? With the recent changes in the price of this popular website builder, some people wonder if it is still worth the cost.

Every change in the price of a product we use, no matter how good it is, causes us to reevaluate the quality and value of that product. Some call it "outrageous," some call it "squeezing more money out of people," and some "screwing over freelancers."

In this article, we'll break down the recent price increase and provide you with an honest assessment of Webflow's pricing, along with some alternatives you can consider if the cost of Webflow is too high.

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What are Webflow Workspaces?

A Webflow workspace allows you to set permissions on how you want to use Webflow sites, whether in collaboration with a team or by yourself. With Workspaces, you can choose between different permissions, which helps control how work is accomplished across your team.

Webflow Roles and Permissions chart

Everyone new to Webflow starts with a free Workspace and can upgrade or add teammates as required. However, all existing customers who don't currently use a Workspace will eventually need to transition their accounts to paid Workspaces.

ThisĀ no-code platformĀ for designing and developing responsive websites using a visual user interface is the most popular choice for web developers and designers who don't have the technical background to code a website. Plus, Workspace grows with you, making it easy to scale up or down as your team and projects evolve.

How do I transition to a Workspace?

For those who are just starting with WF, Workspaces will be their default, so you won't need to transition to a Workspace. However, existing users are the ones who will experience the most significant change, as they will eventually need to switch over to a Workplace plan through their account page. The appropriate account for your team will depend on your on-site count and account complexity. Unfortunately, this comes with a steeper cost, which is why people are raising concerns about the recent price hike.

Is Webflow free?

If you're signing up to Webflow for the first time, you can utilize their free starter plan. However, this is only practical for trying out Webflow and can't be used with a custom domain. In order to host, publish and use all the features of Webflow, you'll need to purchase a paid account.

If you're already using a platform, your account is likely in one of the four categories listed below, along with how the new pricing structure will apply to it.

  • Free PlansĀ - free Webflow plans will remain free, which means the transition will apply automatically.

  • Individual account plansĀ - All users will need to switch to the appropriate Workspace plan based on on-site count and account complexity.Ā 

  • Team PlansĀ - For members with a team plan, you'll be transitioned into Growth in Workspace plans.Ā 

  • Enterprise PlansĀ - A customer success manager will handle this switch. They'll walk through any questions your team may have as well as demo the new features.

Transition problems start with more advanced plans. The idea is that your current plan goes to the Workspace plans recommended by Webflow. So, in the beginning, you can't choose which Workspace plans you want, but after the transition, you can change from the recommended plan to another quickly.Ā 

There are different rules for different plans. The best way to find out what you need to do is to visit theĀ Webflow websiteĀ to check the next steps you need to take. While the transition is a bit complicated, once you get to the Workspace environment, you can easily switch to another plan and make it your own without anybody's help or approval.

Webflow pricing plans

Webflow is shifting from a landing page builder to an enterprise-grade visual software development platform. However, many other SaaS products charge a lot more money than Webflow, right? So, why is this pricing change so negatively received in the community?

It's not a secret that companies nowadays design tools and products that force users to pay extra for features they don't need. Aside from simplicity and scalability (which Webflow had before, too), the most significant improvement on Workspace is the introduction of roles and permissions, which we described above. But does that control need to cost 70% more? Why do people resist so much?

Webflow pricing table

Based on the current plans, users can choose either a free, lite, or pro plan (spoiler alert: the problematic one). Unfortunately, the pro plan will jump from $35 to $60 a month, resulting in more than $360 in additional fees each year for pro users. This was met with much criticism, and a petition even started to reduce the price.

Reddit comment about Webflow too expensive
Reddit comment about Webflow too expensive

The first Webflow response is to offer coupon codes for most users in that pro plan.

Webflow offers coupons for pro plans

Ā The idea with the coupon code is to help freelancers stay in a Pro plan. With that code, freelancers can maintain that $35 or $42 a month charge without paying the steep $60 per month. However, many wonder if it's sustainable for a long-term period.

Question about Webflow discounts

While the change focuses on many positives for teams who use the platform, the same cannot be said for individuals.

Who should use Webflow: Freelancers vs. Agencies?

Webflow is a platform that delivers a ton of value across the board and empowers both agencies and freelancers to find creative and visual solutions for various projects. Before Workspace was introduced, there were only two plans to choose from, Individual Plans and Team Plans. Essentially everyone could find a plan that fits their needs. However, with the new "team-focused" changes, individuality is lost, and expenses are the same for everybody.

Webflow for agencies vs Webflow for freelancers

This won't significantly impact agencies and companies because they can earn more money, take on more clients, and charge their services higher than a freelancer can. Plus, improvement in a control section can be helpful and valuable for some agencies if they're willing to pay $360 more each year for those features.

By losing the ability to choose an individual plan, freelancers are forced to choose the same plan as agencies and companies. But this change brings along a new set of problems. Freelancers usually work alone, they are located around the world, and ā€‹the payment for their work depends on several different factors, such as experience level, country of origin, and project requirements.

So, ifĀ someone is a freelancer,Ā how much does it cost to make a siteĀ if they must invest $60 per site? Is it realistic for the price of their work to jump by 70% as well?

Some who want to take a risk and try to sell their work for a higher price may face client-retention issues as clients may not remain loyal and instead seek someone to do the same job for less money.

To decide if Webflow is the right choice for your team, consider how much it costs to use the platform and if the cost is sustainable.

Is Webflow worth the price?

Webflow is a builder often seen as theĀ WordPress alternative. It aims to make building a website easy for anyone and features a user-friendly interface paired with many advanced features. If you are a full-on freelancer, you probably have more than ten projects that simultaneously require white labeling and site password protection, so you are forced to take the Pro plan and have more expenses.

Whether or not to upgrade and stick with the platform depends solely on your individual needs and business plans. As a freelancer, you will need to charge more for your services to earn the same amount of money if you want to stay in the Pro plan. So, if you don't have a lot of projects and are not looking for cutting-edge features, it is worth sticking with the Lite or Free Plan. As a company, the Pro plan offers additional features that may be worth the extra money.

Ultimately, the decision to upgrade or not is up to you. Webflow provides an excellent platform for both freelancers and companies alike. However, if you are a freelancer looking to keep costs low, it may be best to choose another option.

What are the best Webflow alternatives?

Webflow alternatives differ from Webflow itself in their approach to content management. Most Webflow alternatives are content management systems that allow users to edit and manage content like Webflow manages the design around that content.

That means that with Webflow alternatives, you can create structured content, edit, manage it, and update it all ā€” without touching a line of code.

Where this difference comes from?

Well, the answer is simple- the CMS structure.

Is Webflow a CMS?

Often described as a CMS, Webflow is a SaaS product and visual web design and development platform combining CMS functionality with a powerful visual editor and code-based customization options.

Webflow provides a visual design editor that allows users to create and customize website layouts, styles, and interactions without coding knowledge. It offers a more intuitive and visual approach to designing websites than many traditional CMS platforms, which often rely on templates or require more technical expertise.

With Webflow, you can create and manage content for your website or web application using a user-friendly interface. It provides features for creating and organizing web pages, designing layouts, and adding and editing content. Webflow also offers the ability to define and manage dynamic content, such as blog posts or product listings, through its CMS capabilities.

Why are CMSs better than Webflow?

Here are a few scenarios where CMS Webflow alternatives might be a better solution for large, ever-changing projects:

  1. Advanced Functionality: A traditional CMS might be a better choice if you require specific features or functionality not available in Webflow. Traditional CMS platforms often have extensive plugin ecosystems, allowing you to add complex functionality to your website easily.

  2. Developer Flexibility: CMS platforms typically offer more flexibility for developers to customize and extend the functionality through custom code.

  3. Content Publishing Workflow: If you require a more sophisticated content publishing workflow with features like approval processes, versioning, or multi-user collaboration, a traditional CMS might offer more robust tools in this regard.

  4. Pricing and Budget: A traditional CMS might be more cost-effective depending on your budget and project requirements. Webflow offers different pricing tiers. Depending on your needs, Webflow can cost more than a traditional CMS, especially for larger websites or projects.

WordPress

WordPressĀ is the most popular CMS on the web, with 41% of all websites using it. It's open-source software designed primarily for blogging and creating websites. It's user-friendly and straightforward to customize the design with templates and themes. But if you want a completely customized site, you'll need to code it yourself or hire a developer.

WordPress vs Webflow

Weebly

WeeblyĀ includes 40+ mobile-friendly themes, a blog with image galleries, and an online store. In addition, the free plan allows you to use your domain name. If you upgrade to a paid plan for $12/month, you'll be provided with an ad-free service.

Weebly vs Webflow

Wix

WixĀ is a fast, powerful, and easy-to-use site builder that is perfect for creating small websites. With Wix, you can access 100s of free templates or create your own website with the drag-and-drop editor, which provides an excellent range of tools. Wix also provides hosting, and compared to Webflow, Wix is ideal for small websites and beginners.

Wix vs Webflow

BCMS

BCMSĀ is a Headless CMS that makes managing content easy. It has a simple interface and is easy to use, making it perfect for your clients to take control of their content while you can focus on coding without being restricted by tools. The best part is that your costs will remain the same no matter how big your website grows. So it won't cost more if you have more visitors and add more users, pages, or files.

BCMS vs Webflow

Mostly asked questions about Webflow

What is Webflow used for?

The Webflow platform offers more than just visual coding - it also includes publishing and hosting features. You can hit publish and make your site live as soon as you have created your design visually. Using this method, you could build from scratch to a published website in a fraction of the time

Is Webflow better than WordPress?

In Webflow vs. WordPress battle, the winner is the one that suits your needs. Webflow is easier to set up as a cloud-based all-in-one SaaS product. It gives you access to your site's underlying code. The visual builder allows you to generate your site's HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. On the other hand, WordPress is more flexible and integrates with more tools.

Is Weblflow free?

Webflow offers a free Starter Site plan, which is a simple way to try Webflow at no cost. However, the free program is very basic. It allows two projects of two pages each. After that, you will need to use a paid plan to export your project.

How much does it cost to run a website with Webflow?

Pricing for Webflow ranges from $14 to $235. The Advanced and Enterprise plans are expensive but have many exclusive features.

Do I need to learn coding to use Webflow?

Yes, you do. While you don't have to be a coding professional, you still need to understand HTML/CSS best practices, limitations, and workarounds, especially if you need specific and customized features for your website. Webflow offers custom code freedom for those who know how. Webflow is an excellent choice for both beginners and experienced web designers.

Is Webflow hosting fast?

Webflow hosting is built on top of Amazon Web Services, and it is upgrading its hosting infrastructure to take full advantage of the CDN. As a result, it is possible to have a fast Webflow website. The quickest website loads in 0.5 seconds, which makes Webflow a high-speed solution.

Is Webflow good for SEO?

Webflow will boost your Google ranking with native SEO tools to attract more organic traffic. In addition, the high degree of flexibility of Webflow allows you to edit page titles, descriptions, and URLs. Using Webflow, you'll get all the tools to help your site rank well.

Why should you not use Webflow?

Webflow is not for everyone. If you're new to web development, getting used to Webflow's design language and interactions can be challenging. Additionally, with the price increase, Webflow may not be ideal for smaller websites. Instead, if you're an e-commerce website, blog-only website, or a huge website, you'll want to consider BCMS. The first BCMS instance is free, and support and migration are included when you sign up. With no credit card needed and a straightforward user interface, BCMS is ideal for businesses of any size.

  • It takes a minute

  • Free support

  • 14 days free trial

Create your account