The Web Designer's Guide to Choosing the Right Platform in 2025

As a web designer in 2025, the platform you choose to build websites on can make or break your business. With so many options out there - from old standbys like WordPress to new kids on the block like Webflow - it can bedownright paralyzing trying to decide where to put your focus.

The truth is, there's no one "right" platform for every web designer. The best platform is the one that aligns with your skills, goals, and preferences. In this post, we'll break down the pros and cons of the most popular web design platforms to help you choose what's right for you.

WordPress

Let's start with the elephant in the room: WordPress. Chances are, you got your start designing on WordPress. It powers over 35% of all websites, so its popularity is hard to overstate.

WordPress outsized market share isn't an accident. The open source CMS strikes an elegant balance between power and ease of use. Virtually any website can be built on WordPress thanks to its extensive theme and plugin ecosystem. And because it's open source, costs are low compared to proprietary solutions.

On the other hand, WordPress can feel clunky and overly technical at times - especially for non-developers. Custom themes require PHP, HTML, and CSS knowledge. While page builders like Elementor help, they can't fully abstract away WordPress' inherent complexity.

In summary, WordPress is a great choice if:

• You're on a tight budget
• You or your team knows PHP, HTML and CSS
• You value having full control and endless customizability

But choose something else if:

• You want a dead-simple editor optimized for visual design
• You don't have coding skills or prefer not to code
• You want minimal maintenance and built-in security

Webflow

If WordPress is the well-worn veteran, Webflow is the fresh-faced upstart. Launched in 2013, Webflow lets you design, build, and host complex, custom sites completely visually - no code required.

Webflow sites load fast, look sharp, and cost a fraction of custom WordPress themes. The learning curve is steep at first but pays dividends as you master its robust design tools.

Downsides of Webflow include its somewhat limited CMS features compared to WordPress. There's also no plugin ecosystem, so you're limited to native features and page templates.

Webflow shines when:

• You want pixel-perfect custom designs without coding
• You value speed, performance, and security out of the box
• You want to build complex interactions beyond page transitions

But WordPress may be better if you:

• Need ultra-flexible content management capabilities
• Want a huge selection of plugins and add-ons
• Are on an extremely tight budget

Squarespace

If Webflow and WordPress feel too complicated, Squarespace offers a beginner-friendly alternative. The all-in-one platform provides gorgeous templates, built-in ecommerce, and a simple drag-and-drop editor.

For DIY business owners with minimal tech skills, Squarespace provides a slick online presence with minimal hassle. Unlike Webflow, you don't have to know anything about web design to create a beautiful site.

Customization is limited compared to other platforms, however. Coding knowledge is required to modify Squarespace templates extensively. There are also no plugins, and features like blog commenting are lacking.

Squarespace is the right choice when:

• You want a polished site with minimal effort
• You don't have design experience or coding skills
• You need built-in ecommerce

But Webflow or WordPress may be better if you:

• Need deep customization beyond templates
• Want seamless blogging and community features
• Have a large catalog of products to showcase

Wix

Like Squarespace, Wix empowers anyone to build a website through drag-and-drop design. But Wix sets itself apart with AI design features and a massive template library spanning over 500 options.

Wix ADI even creates entire sites automatically for you. Just answer a few questions, and ADI designs and builds a customized site on the fly. It's perfect for small businesses who want a professional online presence without any manual design work.

Downsides include subpar SEO capabilities, limited integrations, and annoying ads on free sites. Technical customization is also difficult compared to Webflow or WordPress.

Wix shines when you:

• Want a site made automatically for you
• Like the idea of AI-powered design
• Need a huge variety of templates

But Webflow or Squarespace may be better if you:

• Want complete control over your site design
• Care deeply about SEO
• Need strong blogging features

The Bottom Line

When choosing a web design platform, start by clearly defining your priorities:

• How much control do you need over design and code?
• What's your budget?
• How much hosting flexibility do you require?
• How tech-savvy are you and your team?
• What types of sites will you be building (blogs, ecommerce, etc)?

Match those needs and constraints to platforms' relative strengths and weaknesses. There's no universal "best" platform - just the one that fits your unique requirements.

While you don't have to be locked in permanently, switching down the road has costs. So do your diligence upfront to choose the right web design platform from the start. You'll be glad you did.

At the end of the day, expertise matters more than any particular tool. An adept Webflow designer will outbuild a novice WordPress dev any day. So focus on doubling down on mastery of your platform of choice. The rest will follow from there.