In regards to blogging, what is the difference between WordPress and Webflow? According to Wikipedia, WordPress is a content mangement system (CMS) and Webflow is a "software as a service for website building and hosting". Webflow gets compared to Squarespace, Weebly, Wix, and Webydo -- but not WordPress. Is it that Webflow and friends are a higher level abstraction that may include a CMS?
1 Answer
The main difference between services like Webflow (and Squarespace, Wix etc) and WordPress is that WordPress is open source. You can host it yourself wherever you like You can tweak code or even contribute to the WordPress core. There are a squillion themes that you can also modify to suit. In short, you pretty much have full control.
With other services you are locked in their ecosystem...by design. When you reach the limits of what they can do you are stuck. WordPress has thousands of plugins to extend functionality, you can even create your own - I did.
When you do outgrow a proprietary service, migrating is painful.
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Looks like SaaS website builders can indeed be difficult to export. From Wix not allowing it to Squarespace natively supporting WordPress export (src: ma.tt/2021/04/wix-dirty-tricks). Generally, seems like company's best interest for one not to leave the proprietary platform.– worbelApr 9, 2021 at 23:41
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1@Plato - trust me on this. I own a web hosting business and over the years have seen a lot of pain as people realise they are either stuck with the service or that have to re-start their sites from scratch.– SteveApr 11, 2021 at 0:12