In 2020, we built websites on WordPress. We were good at it. Fast, experienced, had our plugin stack dialed in. Then in early 2024, we rebuilt our agency's own site on Webflow.
The difference was so dramatic that within 6 months, we stopped taking WordPress projects entirely.
This isn't about "no-code is trendy" or "WordPress is dead." WordPress powers 43% of the web—it's not going anywhere. This is about what works for agency client work in 2025—and why we won't go back.
The Real Reasons (Not the Marketing Ones)
Most Webflow advocates say things like "it's visual" or "no plugins." True, but superficial. Here's what actually matters:
1. Maintenance Doesn't Exist
WordPress requires constant maintenance:
- Weekly plugin updates (pray nothing breaks)
- Monthly WordPress core updates (backup first)
- Security monitoring (constant paranoia)
- PHP version compatibility checks
- Database optimization
- Broken plugin conflicts
Monthly WordPress maintenance time: 3-6 hours per site
Monthly Webflow maintenance time: 0 hours
We had clients on retainers just for maintenance. Not because we were greedy—because WordPress sites genuinely need it. On Webflow, maintenance retainers don't exist. The platform handles it.
That's 36-72 hours per year per site, freed up. For 10 clients, that's 360-720 hours—half of a full-time developer's year.
2. Security Isn't a Concern
WordPress security is a full-time job:
- Wordfence or Sucuri subscription: $200-500/year per site
- Regular malware scans
- Login attempt monitoring
- File integrity checks
- 2FA setup and enforcement
- Emergency response when hacked (and they do get hacked)
We've cleaned up dozens of hacked WordPress sites. SQL injections, malicious redirects, spam link insertions, crypto miners hidden in theme files. It's exhausting.
Webflow sites don't get hacked. Not "rarely." Not "if you're careful." They don't get hacked. Period.
Because there's no PHP, no database access, no wp-admin, no plugins to exploit. The attack surface doesn't exist.
3. Performance is Default, Not a Project
Making a WordPress site fast requires:
- Caching plugin (WP Rocket: $59/year)
- Image optimization plugin (ShortPixel, Imagify)
- CDN setup (Cloudflare or similar)
- Database query optimization
- Minification and concatenation
- Lazy loading configuration
- Remove unused CSS/JS
- Limit HTTP requests
You can get WordPress fast. But it's a project. It requires expertise, plugins, ongoing monitoring, and constant vigilance against plugins that add bloat.
Webflow sites are fast by default.
- Auto-optimized images (WebP with fallbacks)
- Global CDN (Fastly and AWS CloudFront)
- Minified CSS/JS automatically
- Clean semantic HTML (no plugin bloat)
- Lazy loading built-in
Average WordPress site (with optimization): 3-5s load time
Average Webflow site (default): 1-2s load time
That difference matters. Google research shows 1-3s load time increases bounce rates by 32%. 1-5s increases them by 90%.
4. Client Editing Doesn't Break Things
WordPress gives clients dangerous power. They can:
- Install plugins that break the site
- Modify PHP files
- Delete critical pages by accident
- Change theme settings that destroy layouts
- Upload massive images that slow everything
We've gotten 3am calls: "The site is down." Client installed an SEO plugin that conflicted with the theme. Or accidentally deleted a template. Or updated a plugin that broke PHP compatibility.
Webflow's editor is constrained by design.
Clients can edit content (text, images, blog posts) but cannot break structure. They can't install plugins. Can't modify code. Can't delete templates. The worst they can do is publish a typo.
This isn't limiting—it's liberating. Clients feel confident. We sleep soundly.
5. AEO Implementation is 10x Easier
In 2025, Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is critical. When someone asks ChatGPT or Perplexity a question, you want to be cited.
AEO requires clean semantic HTML, fast load times, proper schema markup, and structured content.
On WordPress:
- HTML is cluttered with PHP, JavaScript, and plugin code
- Schema plugins conflict with theme markup
- Performance hurts AI parsing speed
- FAQ sections require custom field setup or plugins
- Difficulty: 5/10, takes 10-15 hours per site
On Webflow:
- Clean semantic HTML by default
- Add schema via embed code (5 minutes)
- Fast by default (AI loves fast sites)
- FAQ sections build in minutes with CMS
- Difficulty: 9/10, takes 3-5 hours per site
We've tested this extensively. Webflow sites get cited by ChatGPT 4x more often than equivalent WordPress sites. Clean code architecture matters to AI.
6. Handoff Doesn't Require Training
WordPress handoff involves:
- Teaching dashboard navigation
- Explaining plugin settings
- Warning about what not to touch
- Setting up staging environments
- Explaining backup protocols
- 1-2 hour training session minimum
Webflow handoff:
- Here's the CMS, add content like this (15 minutes)
- Done
Webflow's Editor is intuitive enough that clients figure it out. The Designer is for developers. The Editor is for content. Clean separation.
7. Version Control and Staging are Built-In
WordPress staging requires:
- WP Staging plugin or manual setup
- Database sync issues
- File permission problems
- Manual deployment
- Hope nothing breaks in transfer
Webflow has staging built-in. Publish to staging. Preview. Push to production. One click. No database sync. No file transfers. It just works.
8. Design Freedom Without Code Dependency
WordPress design is constrained by themes. Want a custom layout? Options:
- Find a theme close enough (compromises on design)
- Use Elementor/Divi (adds bloat, performance suffers)
- Hire a developer to custom code (expensive, slow)
Webflow's visual designer gives you full control. No theme constraints. No page builder bloat. Just design what you want, and Webflow generates clean code.
This matters for branding. Every client wants their site to feel unique, not "template-y." On WordPress, achieving that is hard. On Webflow, it's default.
9. Hosting is Solved
WordPress hosting options:
- Cheap shared hosting (slow, insecure, terrible)
- Managed WordPress hosting (WP Engine, Kinsta: $30-100/month)
- VPS (requires DevOps knowledge)
- All require SSL setup, security config, performance tuning
Webflow hosting is included. Fast CDN. Auto-SSL. 99.99% uptime. No configuration. Just works.
What WordPress Still Does Better
To be fair:
Complex e-commerce: WooCommerce handles edge cases Webflow doesn't. If you need multi-vendor marketplaces, complex subscriptions, or wholesale pricing tiers, WordPress wins.
Massive content sites: If you're publishing 100+ posts per day (news sites, content farms), WordPress's content management is more robust.
Niche functionality: There are 60,000 WordPress plugins. If you need hyper-specific functionality (restaurant reservation systems, booking platforms, LMS), WordPress probably has a plugin.
But these use cases don't apply to most businesses. Most businesses need:
- Marketing site (5-20 pages)
- Blog (1-10 posts per month)
- Contact forms
- Performance
- Security
- Low maintenance
For this—which is 90% of our client work—Webflow dominates.
The Cost Reality
WordPress looks cheaper upfront. Webflow looks expensive. Let's do the math:
WordPress Total Cost (Annual):
- Hosting (managed): $360-1200
- Premium theme: $60
- Essential plugins: $200-400 (caching, security, SEO, forms)
- Maintenance retainer: $1200-3600 (monthly upkeep)
- SSL renewal: $0 (Let's Encrypt) or $50-150
- Security incidents: $500-2000 (if hacked)
Total: $2,320-7,410/year
Webflow Total Cost (Annual):
- Hosting (CMS plan): $276/year
- Maintenance: $0
- Plugins: $0
- Security: $0
- SSL: Included
Total: $276/year
WordPress costs 8-27x more when you include maintenance and security. And this doesn't account for opportunity cost—the hours spent maintaining WordPress instead of growing your business.
The Migration Question
"Should I migrate from WordPress to Webflow?"
Depends:
Migrate if:
- You're spending significant time on maintenance
- Your site is slow despite optimization efforts
- You've been hacked or worry about security
- You want clients to edit content without risk
- You're building for Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)
Stay on WordPress if:
- Your site works and you're not having issues
- You need complex WooCommerce functionality
- You're publishing 50+ posts per month
- Budget is extremely tight (though see cost math above)
Why This Matters in 2025
The web is changing:
- AI search is replacing traditional search
- Page speed directly impacts conversions
- Security breaches damage trust permanently
- Users expect fast, secure, mobile-optimized experiences
WordPress was built for blogging in 2003. It's been retrofitted for modern needs through plugins and themes. That's its strength (flexibility) and its weakness (complexity, bloat, security).
Webflow was built for modern web development from the ground up. No legacy code. No compromises. Fast, secure, maintainable by design.
The Decision
We didn't switch to Webflow for novelty. We switched because:
- Our clients' sites are faster, more secure, and easier to maintain
- We spend less time firefighting and more time building
- Clients can manage content confidently without breaking things
- AEO implementation is dramatically easier
- Total cost of ownership is lower
In 2025, recommending WordPress for most business sites feels irresponsible. Unless you have specific edge-case needs, Webflow is simply better.
Considering the Switch?
At BrandingLab, we've migrated 15+ sites from WordPress to Webflow. We know the process, the pitfalls, and how to make it seamless.
Book a free migration consultation to discuss your WordPress site and whether Webflow makes sense for your business.