Looking for an Alternative to Webflow?

Webflow is an increasingly popular CMS for those on their upgrade path from a starter website builder like WordPress, Squarespace or Wix. It is a drag-and-drop no-code website builder platform which enables website designers to create beautiful websites. 

However, it can be pretty technical (especially for those who lack HTML / CSS experience) and like any builder you are constrained in what you can build. Bridging the gap between the builder (web designer) and those responsible for ongoing maintenance (often the marketing team) can also lead to frustrations after the site is handed over.

Contento is a Headless CMS 100% focused on websites (most other Headless CMS promote omnichannel content delivery as a key feature). Webflow is a visual web design tool and hosting offering that represents a popular upgrade choice for those looking to upgrade from a basic site builder like WordPress, Squarespace or Wix.

Finally, by way of a reminder SaaS applications are always changing so some of the issues listed below may be addressed after the guide was published (October 2023).

The following represents some key areas to consider when evaluating upgrade options.

1- Content Management

With a Headless CMS the primary purpose is content management as the design is separated or decoupled and is managed and maintained through a separate interface. So with a Headless CMS like Contento the marketing team (often entrusted with site maintenance and management) have access to content via the CMS. Whereas with Webflow the design and content management are housed under the one roof. There are of course Pro’s and Con’s with both approaches and thus you need to be clear on what are the primary features you want the marketing team to have access to. With Webflow you can easily make design changes, however, the interface can be overwhelming to non Webflow trained team members. With a Headless CMS like Contento design changes need to be routed through a front end developer. 

This thus needs to be a considered decision based on factors like in-house skillset as well as an assessment  of the importance of design and brand integrity at your company? If it is important you may thus want to ensure junior marketing team members are not using Webflow to make any major design decisions. With a Headless solution the design is not the responsibility of the marketing team using the CMS to manage the site.

2- Ease of Use

Ease of use is one of the main areas Webflow falls down. The learning curve is steep and the site can be difficult to manage and maintain without a dedicated Webflow freelancer or external agency supporting. 

Headless CMS can also be difficult to use especially amongst those solutions focused on the enterprise end of the market as they continue to pack new features in. 

One of the main bases for differentiation for Contento compared to other Headless providers is the focus on usability for non-technical users. And this is the crux of pretty much every CMS on the market (other than say Squarespace or Wix) - they all like to promote the idea that non-technical users can manage and maintain the website after launch, when the reality tends to be quite different.

4- Development and Maintenance

Given the technical nature of Webflow we’ve rarely seen successful in-house management of it within a marketing function. You are thus reliant on an external provider be they a freelancer or agency to manage the site and to create new pages (as an aside we’ve previously collaborated on multiple successful projects with Rob Turlinckx a specialist Webflow developer).

With a Headless CMS backed website you’ll also need access to a front end designer/ developer to help create new pages. However, unlike Webflow it is not a specific product specialist you need - any front end developer familiar with the “Jamstack approach” to building websites should be able to maintain your site.