The design does not depend on the platform.

  • In Framer, in Webflow, in WordPress and in custom code a website can be designed from a blank page, without a template.
  • Any of them can also carry a ready-made theme, so the platform does not guarantee an original design.
  • Ask first who designs the pages and where they start, and only then where they will be built.

Framer: motion and quick changes.

  • Framer began as a design and prototyping tool, which is why typography, motion and transitions are easy to build there.
  • Hosting and a CMS for articles or projects are included, and your team changes text and images without writing code.
  • It suits company websites, campaign pages and brands that want to stand out through the way they look.

Webflow: content that changes often.

  • Webflow gives the designer control over the structure of a page that comes close to code.
  • CMS collections organise many pages of the same kind, such as articles, projects or job openings, and editing permissions set what the team can change.
  • It suits marketing teams who publish regularly and need rules for how they do it.

WordPress: a familiar editor for many authors.

  • WordPress is open source and many teams already know it, so training is short.
  • It suits websites with many articles or pages and, with WooCommerce, stores where content carries weight.
  • Ask for a theme made for your website and few plugins, because every plugin needs updates and checks.

Custom code: when the website has work to do.

  • It is needed when the website connects to an ERP, bookings, customer accounts or a database of your own.
  • You choose where it is hosted and which content system it uses, such as Sanity for content that appears in many places or Drupal for large organisations.
  • Every new feature needs a developer, though, so plan for maintenance from the start.

Questions to ask before you decide.

  • Who will update the website, and how often?
  • How many languages will it have, and which systems must it connect to?
  • What will you pay each year for hosting, subscriptions and support, and what happens if you later want to change platform?

Written by the Omnica team.