Webflow.

Webflow is a service from a US company that provides design, content management and hosting from a single source. Unlike a classic website builder, Webflow works close to web standards: designers place containers, spacing, Flexbox and Grid layouts and classes, which are later delivered as clean HTML and CSS. Animations and interactions are added without writing JavaScript. The CMS works with so-called Collections, for blog articles, case studies or team members, for example, whose fields can be defined freely.

Webflow's strength lies in marketing websites that are demanding in design terms and are to be maintained by a team without developers. Designers can build pages directly, editors maintain content in the editor, and hosting including SSL and CDN is part of the plan. The limits show up in logic: member areas, complex forms, custom databases, bookings or connections to industry software can only be added through external services and scripts. There are also caps on Collection items and pages depending on the plan.

A use case: a consultancy wants a distinctive website with a blog and case studies that the marketing team extends itself. Webflow is a reasonable choice for that. It is a different matter if the same firm needs a customer portal with login, documents and appointment booking: Webflow then becomes a façade in front of several third-party services, each billed and maintained separately. In that case a programmed solution, such as a web app, is usually simpler over a period of several years.

The honest distinction: Webflow is a rental system. The website only runs as long as the plan is paid for and cannot be taken with you in full. An export delivers static code but no working CMS. If it matters to you that code and data stay permanently in your own hands, clarify this before you start. How we build websites with our own code and hand over all access is explained under Have a website built.