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WordPress vs Webflow: which one should you choose?
We build on both platforms from our offices in Calgary and Vancouver. Here is how they compare and when we'd pick each.
Rated 5.0 out of 5,5.063 Google reviews320-999 8 St. SW, CalgaryUpdated November 11, 2026
The short answer
For a site that won't change much, Webflow is the least headache over the long run. For a site that needs to scale, we recommend Sanity or WordPress, and the choice comes down to data sovereignty, how much maintenance you want to take on, and who owns the code and data.
Canadian municipalities are a good example. Next.js on Vercel with Sanity's European data centre is a tough sell next to a WordPress site hosted in Canada. Cost is harder to call. It depends on how WordPress maintenance weighs against per-seat pricing for your team.
WordPress and Webflow side by side
| Compared on | WordPress | Webflow |
|---|---|---|
| Running cost | The software is free. You pay for hosting, plus developer time for updates and plugin upkeep. | You pay Webflow a plan fee that covers hosting and the CMS. The right plan depends on your site's size. |
| Editing experience | A block editor. With custom blocks, editors build pages from layouts made for their brand. | A visual editor. Editors change text and CMS content on the page, and the design system keeps layouts consistent. |
| Maintenance | WordPress core, the theme and plugins need regular updates. Fewer plugins means less to look after. | Webflow looks after hosting and updates. There are no plugins to patch. |
| Owning the code and data | You own the code and the database, and you can move them to any host. | Webflow hosts the site and the CMS. Export is limited, so you can't take the CMS to another platform. |
| Hosting and where data lives | You choose the host, including Canadian data centres. | Webflow hosts the site, and you can't choose where it runs. |
| Scaling and complex content | Handles large catalogues, custom data and full applications with custom code. | Works well for marketing sites. Large catalogues and complex data are where sites tend to outgrow it. |
| SEO | Full control through plugins and custom code. Rankings depend mostly on content and structure. | Built-in controls for titles, descriptions, redirects and clean URLs. Rankings depend mostly on content and structure. |
| Switching agencies later | Straightforward. WordPress has the largest developer pool of any platform, and you own the code. | Possible, but you need a Webflow developer, and the site lives on Webflow's platform. |
Choose WordPress if…
Your data has to stay in Canada
You pick the host, so public sector and nonprofit procurement rules are easier to meet.
You want to own the code and data
Move it to another host or another agency whenever you like.
The site will keep growing
Large content libraries, custom tools and live data from other systems all fit.
You'd rather not depend on a vendor
There's no plan fee to Webflow and no vendor who can change the price.
Someone will look after it
WordPress needs regular updates, either from your team or from us.
Choose Webflow if…
The site won't change much
A marketing site with steady content takes the least looking after of any platform we use.
You don't want to patch anything
There are no plugins to update or watch for security problems.
You want hosting in one place
The site, CMS and hosting all sit with Webflow.
Your team edits on the page
Editors change content directly without breaking the design.
Your content is simple
A few collections, such as blog posts, events or team members, fit Webflow well.
Where Sanity fits
When the same content has to feed a website, an app and other channels, Sanity is the better fit than either of these. Sanity charges per editor seat, so a large editing team can cost more than a WordPress site with someone maintaining it. A small team often pays less. We'll run the numbers for your team size.
What we've built on each
Tourism Lethbridge runs on Webflow. YWCA Calgary and the Regional District of Central Kootenay run on WordPress. ERP-One moved off Webflow.
Tourism Lethbridge
Webflow site with one design system, plus the Explore Lethbridge app with check-ins at 350+ locations
Read the case study
YWCA Calgary
WordPress with 51 custom blocks, fully accessible, built for the team to own
Read the case study
Regional District of Central Kootenay
WordPress design system with about 240 old pages in one tree
Read the case study
WordPress vs Webflow questions
Is Webflow better for SEO than WordPress?
Neither is better. Both give you the controls you need, including titles, descriptions, redirects and clean URLs. Rankings depend mostly on your content and how the site is organized.
Which is cheaper over five years?
It depends on your team and your site. WordPress costs come from hosting and ongoing maintenance, and Webflow costs come from plan fees that rise with the size of the site. We'll compare both for your situation.
Can we move from one to the other?
Yes. We rebuild the site on the new platform and map redirects so links keep working. Moving off Webflow takes a rebuild, because its CMS can't be exported to another platform.
Which is easier for our team to edit?
Webflow is easier for people who want to edit on the page. WordPress is easy too once the blocks are built for your brand, and many editors have used it before.
Not sure which one fits?
Tell us about your site and we'll tell you which one we'd pick, and whether we're the right people to build it.
Book a call320-999 8 St. SW
Calgary, Alberta T2R1J5