Dreamweaver vs Webflow: A Comprehensive Comparison for Small Business Owners

As a small business owner, you're likely no stranger to the world of web design and development. You may have heard of Dreamweaver and Webflow, two popular tools that can help you create a stunning website without breaking the bank. In this comparison, we'll delve into the details of these two platforms to help you decide which one is right for your business.

Dreamweaver has been around for over two decades, with a user base that spans across various industries. Webflow, on the other hand, was launched in 2013 with a focus on user experience and design.

One key difference between the two is their approach to website building. Dreamweaver uses a traditional coding method, whereas Webflow relies on a visual interface that allows you to design and build your website without writing a single line of code.

For small business owners who are not tech-savvy, Webflow's visual interface can be a game-changer. It's easy to use and requires minimal technical knowledge, making it an excellent choice for those who want to create a professional-looking website without the hassle of coding.

Webflow is designed to be intuitive and easy to use, even for beginners. Its visual editor is a major selling point, streamlining the web design process and making it accessible to those without a solid understanding of web development principles.

The interface of Webflow is well-organized, despite being highly advanced. It's easy to find all the tools and widgets you need, once you've taken the time to study them.

On the other hand, Dreamweaver caters to those with a solid understanding of web development principles. Its interface is more complex and less intuitive, making it frustrating for novice users.

Webflow performs an excellent job of onboarding new users, making it a great choice for those new to web design. The company's editor looks similar to Photoshop's, but this can be a blessing in disguise, as it allows for a wide range of design possibilities.

To get started with Webflow, you'll need to familiarize yourself with its possibilities and functionality, which can take a few hours. However, this is still way easier than Dreamweaver, which has been created with professional developers in mind only.

Webflow offers two options for editing a site: complete coding and the WYSIWYG visual editor. The latter features plenty of tools that can clutter the screen if it's small.

Here are some resources to help you flatten the Webflow learning curve:

Webflow has a rich and versatile template collection, with over 1000 themes to choose from, including free and premium options.

Each template has a professional look and can be customized to your liking. You can even choose a blank template to start from scratch and give it a personalized look.

Webflow templates are fully responsive, meaning they automatically resize themselves to suit the device they're being viewed on, including desktop computer, tablet, or mobile.

Webflow has a rich and versatile template collection, with over 1000 themes to choose from.

You can choose from free and premium templates, although the only difference is the cost aspect. Paid templates range from $24 to $129 per theme.

Webflow templates are fully responsive, automatically resizing to suit the device they're being viewed on – desktop, tablet, or mobile.

You can preview your site on specific smartphone types like Apple, Samsung, and Google smartphones to make the best design decisions for your business and brand.

Dreamweaver lets you pick and use templates created for Joomla, WordPress, and Drupal, giving you a wide range of design options.

With Webflow, you can choose a blank template to customize from scratch and give your site a personalized look.

Webflow's grid-based system makes it easy to create a responsive website layout for desktop and mobile devices.

Accessible design is crucial for creating inclusive websites that can be used by everyone.

Webflow has excellent tools to ensure your designs are fully accessible, including analyzing text color contrast to warn you if it's not following best practices.

A designer can easily identify potential issues with color contrast and make adjustments accordingly.

Webflow's 'vision preview' mode simulates how your site could look to visually impaired users, helping you anticipate and fix any accessibility problems.

This feature is especially helpful in identifying potential issues that might be invisible to sighted users.

Webflow's 'audit' panel encourages users to complete 'alt text' fields for images, which is essential for screen readers to explain image content to visitors with visual impairments.

Webflow has been providing ecommerce functionality since 2018, but it still lags behind more established ecommerce site builders like Shopify and BigCommerce.

Webflow's three ecommerce site plans offer a reasonably robust set of features, including the ability to accept credit card payments via Stripe and PayPal, sell digital and physical products, and manually define rules for shipping rates and regions.

One of the notable features of Webflow is its ability to fully customize the visual appearance of your checkout page, which can be a major plus for businesses that want to create a unique shopping experience for their customers.

However, Webflow falls short in some areas, including payment gateways, with only two options available: Stripe and PayPal. This is a significant limitation compared to other ecommerce platforms that offer a much wider range of payment gateways.

Here are some key features and functionality of Webflow's ecommerce plans:

Overall, while Webflow's ecommerce features are a good starting point, they may not be enough for businesses that require more advanced functionality.

Webflow provides a solid foundation for building an online store, but it's essential to understand its limitations. Webflow has only been offering ecommerce functionality since 2018.

Webflow's three ecommerce site plans come with a range of core features that allow you to build a functional online store. You can accept credit card payments via Stripe and PayPal, sell digital and physical products, and manually define rules for shipping rates and regions.

One of the standout features of Webflow is its ability to fully customize the visual appearance of your checkout page. This means you can tailor the design to match your brand's identity and create a seamless shopping experience for your customers.

Webflow also calculates sales tax automatically for merchants based in the US, Canada, EU, and Australia. However, it's worth noting that some users have reported negative feedback on this feature, particularly in the EU.

You can also apply your brand design to receipts and emails to your customers, providing a consistent and professional experience throughout the shopping process.

Interactions are a key part of creating a rich interactive feel on your website. The Webflow interactions feature lets you create complex animations without needing to write or understand Javascript.

You'll find controls for building these animations in the right side of the Webflow designer, and there are around 20 preset animation types to get you started. These include 'fade', 'shrink', 'spin', and 'jiggle'.

You can set triggers that give users a visual thrill when they interact with your website in various ways. For example, you can program an animation to start when a user hovers over an image with their mouse.

Examples of trigger types include:

Building these animations takes some getting used to, but there's plenty of resources and cloneable projects in the 'Made in Webflow' showcase library to learn from and copy.

Webflow provides a robust set of data capture forms and file upload features.

You can build forms from scratch and add any element you like, including custom fields, radio buttons, and anti-spam recaptcha elements.

Webflow gives you the flexibility to edit success and error messages for your forms.

Re-using forms you've built across your site is very doable, and you can save your form as a reusable component and drop it into any page.

However, by default, data from Webflow forms can only be sent to an email address.

To send form data to other storage systems, you'll need to use Zapier or write an API script, which requires coding skills.

Webflow applies limits to how many form submissions you can have on your plan per month, ranging from 50 on the 'Starter' plan to 2,500 per month on the 'Business' plan and higher.

If you exceed your form submission allowance, you'll face a $1 fee for every 100 forms over the limit.

Dreamweaver and Webflow are two popular website builders that cater to different needs and budgets.

Dreamweaver offers a flexible pricing system with various plans for schools and universities, students and teachers, individuals, and businesses.

Schools and universities can get Dreamweaver for $14.99 per month, which includes 100GB of cloud storage.

For students and teachers, the pricing starts at $19.99 per month, and comes with a one-month free trial period.

Individuals can use Dreamweaver at $22.99 monthly if they opt for an annual plan, and get to enjoy one-month free use of Adobe Stock.

Business owners, on the other hand, will have to pay $37.99 monthly for Dreamweaver, but can also consider the Creative Cloud All Apps package at $89.99 per month for over 20 apps.

Webflow, on the other hand, has a more standard pricing system with two types of plans: General and eCommerce.

The General package includes a lifetime free Starter plan that's perfect for new users to learn Webflow, with features like a brand domain, 50 CMS items, and 1GB of bandwidth.

The cheapest plan in the General package is the Basic plan, priced at $14 per month if billed yearly, with 50 GB bandwidth and 500 monthly form submissions.

Webflow's eCommerce plans offer three premium subscriptions, with the most affordable Standard plan starting at $29 per month if billed annually, and including 500 eCommerce items and 2% transaction fee.

So you're trying to decide between Dreamweaver and Webflow? Dreamweaver is a traditional tool suited for users who prefer a hands-on approach to web development with direct control over the code.

Dreamweaver's code editor is a game-changer for developers who are comfortable with HTML, CSS, JavaScript etc. It offers code-level control with syntax highlighting, code completion and code collapsing.

Webflow, on the other hand, is a modern, visually-driven DIY website builder that makes the process of web creation simple and streamlines. Its visual design interface allows designers to build websites with a drag-and-drop editor.

Webflow's integrated CMS and eCommerce capabilities provide a seamless solution for managing content and e-commerce without the need for external plugins or applications. This can be a huge time-saver for agencies and remote teams.

Here's a quick comparison of the two tools:

Ultimately, the choice between Dreamweaver and Webflow depends on your specific needs, skill levels and project requirements. If you're a developer who needs direct control over the code, Dreamweaver might be the better choice. But if you're a designer who wants to create websites with a drag-and-drop editor, Webflow is the way to go.

Webflow is a versatile platform that caters to a wide range of users, including solopreneurs, small business owners, freelance web designers, web design agencies, and large brands and tech companies.

The platform has a significant user base, with around 432,904 live websites built and hosted with Webflow, according to Builtwith.com.

Webflow has also managed to attract big-name clients, such as Zendesk, Dell, and Upwork.

Here's a breakdown of the types of users who can benefit from Webflow:

This diverse user base is a testament to Webflow's ability to adapt to different needs and requirements.

The decision between Dreamweaver and Webflow ultimately comes down to your requirements and project complexity.

Dreamweaver is a remarkable web development tool that combines visual design tools with code editing capabilities, making it an excellent solution for experts who know a thing or two.

Webflow, on the other hand, is a no-code SaaS site builder that uses a drag-and-drop editor and has all features neatly organized, but still requires some learning curve.

The integration with other Adobe products in Dreamweaver enhances its usability for web developers and designers.

Webflow has a comprehensive package of features, including hosting and eCommerce, making it a perfect choice for starters who are willing to devote time to learning the insides.

The final decision should rely on your web design background, budget, and project complexity.

Testing both systems is the best way to decide which one works best for you.

Dreamweaver has a flexible pricing system, varying depending on the customer type. Schools and universities get the cheapest plan at $14.99 per month for a single app.

For students and teachers, the pricing of Dreamweaver starts at $19.99 per month, with a one-month free trial period. This plan includes access to other Creative Cloud products like Illustrator and Photoshop.

Individuals can use Dreamweaver at $22.99 monthly with an annual plan, which also comes with a one-month free use of Adobe Stock. Business owners, on the other hand, have to pay $37.99 monthly.

Webflow has a more standard pricing system, but with multiple plans. The General package includes a lifetime free Starter plan, designed for new users to learn the platform.

The cheapest plan on Webflow is the Basic plan, priced at $14 per month if billed yearly. It includes 50 GB bandwidth and is limited to 500 monthly form submissions.

Webflow's eCommerce plans are more expensive, with the Standard plan starting at $29 per month if billed annually. This plan includes 500 eCommerce items and a 2% transaction fee.

Using templates can be a great way to get started with your website. Webflow offers a wide range of templates to choose from.

One of the benefits of using Webflow templates is that they're designed to be flexible and customizable. This means you can easily tailor them to fit your specific needs.

Webflow templates are available for various industries and use cases, so you're likely to find one that suits your project.

Webflow's interface is a designer's playground, where you'll design and edit your site, as well as access most back end controls.

Unlike popular website builders like Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace, Webflow's interface is not a drag-and-drop builder.

You'll need a good understanding of the box model of web design to navigate Webflow's interface.

If you're familiar with HTML code and CSS, you'll be up and running quickly, but if these are new to you, be prepared to spend time following Webflow University's video tutorials and articles.

Webflow's learning curve is steep, especially for novices, but it's surmountable with persistence.

The unique design functionality in Webflow is worth the effort, offering a highly customized site experience.

Webflow's interface is geared towards those who want to create a site from scratch, rather than a user-friendly experience for beginners.

Customer support can be a make-or-break factor for many website builders. Webflow only provides one customer support channel on its regular plans, which is email.

You can reach out to Webflow's customer support team from Monday to Friday, 6am-6pm Pacific Time. They aim to respond to your queries within 24-48 hours.

It's worth noting that Webflow doesn't offer phone or live chat support on its regular plans, which might be a drawback compared to its competitors. Many website builders, such as Shopify and Squarespace, offer support in multiple languages.

The Webflow help articles and instructional videos are actually really excellent resources for getting started and tackling issues. They're a great place to start when you're stuck.

If you're experiencing issues with a third-party plugin, it's best to contact the plugin developer directly rather than reaching out to Webflow. The Webflow forum is also a great resource, where you can connect with other Webflow users who often have the best solutions to common problems.

Webflow offers a wide range of customization options, with a large selection of high-quality free and premium templates available (2,000+). This makes it easy to create unique and impactful designs.

Webflow sites are fully responsive and display nicely across all device types, ensuring a smooth user experience. With an enormous range of typefaces available out of the box, you can create visually appealing designs with ease.

Here are some key benefits of using Webflow:

Webflow's autosave, backup, and version history features ensure that your work is always safe and up-to-date. Additionally, Webflow University provides a wealth of high-quality learning materials to help you get started.

Webflow offers a wide range of customization options, with 2,000+ high-quality free and premium templates available.

One of the standout features of Webflow is its ability to create fully responsive designs that display nicely across all device types.

Webflow's 'Logic' tools make it easy to manage email submissions and workflow, while its 'interactions' Javascript tool allows for impressive page load, scroll-based, and mouse-hover animations.

With autosave, backup, and version history features built into the platform, you can work with confidence, knowing your progress is always safe.

Webflow University provides a wealth of high-quality learning materials to help you get the most out of the platform.

Here are some key pros of using Webflow:

Additionally, Webflow provides an automatic sales tax calculation feature for the US, Canada, the EU, and Australia, making it easy to manage sales tax for your business.

The pricing structure of Webflow can be very confusing, making it difficult to understand what you're getting for your money.

One of the biggest drawbacks of Webflow is its steep learning curve, which is more suited to developers than web design novices.

You're limited to 300,000 visitors on a Webflow site without having to negotiate a bespoke deal, which may not be enough for high-traffic websites.

To get the most out of the Webflow designer, some understanding of CSS and HTML is essential, which may not be the case with other website builders.

Webflow doesn't let you switch templates, which can be frustrating if you change your mind about the design of your site.

There is no Webflow mobile app for editing your site on the go, making it difficult to make changes when you're not at your desk.

Here are some of the key cons of using Webflow:

Both Dreamweaver and Webflow offer user-friendly plugins for adding and controlling tracking pixels, metadata, SEO, and other third-party integrations.

You can easily plug in any analytics or third-party platform you like, including marketing tools like Google Analytics and Matomo, which is also available in Webflow.

With Dreamweaver, you can connect to various third-party integrations, giving you flexibility in tracking and analyzing your website's performance.

Webflow, on the other hand, specifically allows you to connect to marketing tools such as Google Analytics, Matomo, and HotJar, making it easier to monitor your website's traffic and behavior.

When working with a team, real-time collaboration is a game-changer. Vev is a highly collaborative platform that allows you to work and edit in real time, making it easy to streamline digital assets and facilitate workflows between designers, developers, and content creators.

You can create teams, add users, assign roles, and share workspaces with Vev, giving everyone access to their own workspace, projects, hosting, plugins, libraries, fonts, and components.

In contrast, Webflow doesn't allow multiple individuals to work on the same project in the design editor at the same time. This can lead to coordination challenges when editing simultaneously.

Dreamweaver and Webflow are two popular website-building tools, but they have some key differences.

Dreamweaver is a more traditional design approach, with a focus on coding and manual design. Webflow, on the other hand, is a drag-and-drop platform that allows users to build websites visually.

One of the main differences between Dreamweaver and Webflow is their approach to coding. Dreamweaver requires users to write code, while Webflow uses a visual interface to build websites.

Webflow's visual interface makes it easier for non-coders to build websites, but Dreamweaver's coding approach can be more efficient for complex designs.

Dreamweaver's support for HTML, CSS, and JavaScript gives developers more control over their website's design and functionality.

Webflow is a great choice for SEO, with features that let you easily edit page titles, URLs, and meta descriptions, as well as add alt tags to images and create 301 redirects.

Dreamweaver, on the other hand, is more focused on website development and doesn't offer advanced SEO options right out of the box.

Webflow makes it easy to optimize your website for search engines, with a dedicated SEO section in the dashboard where you can fill out fields like titles, descriptions, keywords, and ALT tags for images.

You'll also appreciate the automatic generation of sitemaps for projects created with Webflow, as well as API access and integration with Facebook and Google services.

Dreamweaver requires specific knowledge of SEO basics to set up, which can be a challenge for first-timers or those without experience.

Here are some key SEO features to consider when choosing between Webflow and Dreamweaver:

Overall, Webflow is a more SEO-friendly choice, with a range of features that make it easy to optimize your website for search engines.

Dreamweaver and Webflow are both great options for small business websites.

Dreamweaver allows you to start small business websites that differ in functionality and complexity.

You can choose from multiple small business templates that belong to various niches with regard to your industry preferences and specialization.

The system also grants access to coding skills, enabling you to give your chosen theme the required look.

A convenient preview option lets you see the result of your web design progress in action.

Dreamweaver also offers extensive integration options, letting you choose and use Adobe and Creative Cloud apps and extensions.

With multilanguage support, you can create business websites in several languages of your choice.

This makes it possible to cooperate with foreign clients and customers.

You can also add a web store or a blog to your business websites via code integration.

Webflow is a great solution for business website development, making it simple, convenient, and smooth to complete web design-related tasks.

The website builder grants access to its collection of business templates, which are responsive, free, and fully-customizable.

Webflow also boasts integrated blogging and eCommerce engines, which contribute to effective business website creation.

The platform stands out from the crowd due to its third-party integrations, which add to the functionality of your ready-made project.