The Complete Guide to Webflow Website Hosting and CMS Plans in 2023

I. Introduction

Webflow is a popular drag-and-drop website builder that allows anyone to create professional, custom sites without coding. One of Webflow's standout features is its integrated content management system (CMS) that makes it easy to manage and update site content.

When it comes to hosting your Webflow site, you have a few different options depending on your needs and budget. In this complete guide, we’ll break down Webflow's website hosting and CMS plan options for 2023 so you can make an informed decision.

II. TL;DR

Webflow offers both free and paid website hosting plans. The free plan allows you to host basic sites on Webflow's platform. Paid plans add the Webflow CMS, custom domains, advanced features, and expanded usage limits. Prices range from free up to $45/month for Webflow's Business plan.

For the CMS, Webflow has three tiers: Personal, Team, and Business. Each level builds on the capabilities of the previous one. The CMS plans are ideal for sites that need regular content updates.

Those with very simple sites or only static pages can get by with Webflow's hosting-only plans. For advanced sites and features, Webflow's CMS plans are recommended.

III. Main section 1 - Webflow's Free Plan

Webflow allows anyone to host sites on their platform for free. With the free website hosting plan, you can:

Build unlimited static sites and host them on Webflow's subdomain (yoursite.webflow.io)
Connect a custom domain (additional charges apply)
Get 100GB bandwidth/month and basic DDoS protection

The free hosting option is a great way to test out Webflow's builder and launch simple sites like landing pages. However, you are limited to Webflow's subdomain and miss out on key features like the CMS.

For more complex sites or businesses, Webflow's paid plans are recommended over the free option. But the free hosting is an unbeatable deal for launching basic sites.

IV. Main section 2 - Webflow's Paid Plans

In addition to free hosting, Webflow offers three paid CMS plans for those needing advanced capabilities:

Personal ($12/month):

1 user
100 CMS collections
Password protection
Advanced SEO and metadata

Team ($24/month):

Up to 3 users
Unlimited CMS collections
User roles and permissions
Scheduled publishing

Business ($45/month):

Unlimited users
Everything in Personal and Team
Review workflows
Premium Forms support

Compared to Webflow's old CMS-only plans, the new tiers include hosting and remove user-based pricing. Overall, the paid plans provide excellent value with robust CMS tools, custom domains, and increased limits.

The higher tiers are great for bigger sites and teams collaborating. But even the Personal plan unlocks key CMS functionality for small sites.

V. Main section 3 - Comparing Webflow CMS vs Hosting-Only

A key difference in Webflow's plans is deciding between the CMS-enabled tiers vs. hosting-only without the CMS.

The CMS plans allow you to edit site content without code. They're ideal for sites with frequently updated text, images, blog posts, and other dynamic elements.

Meanwhile, the hosting-only plans simply host static pages built in Webflow. They work well for brochure sites with minimal text changes.

Factors when choosing CMS versus hosting-only:

Amount of dynamic content - More text/images updated = CMS
Budget - CMS plans cost more
Users and collaboration needs - CMS enables multiple editors
SEO requirements - CMS has advanced metadata tools

For many sites, the CMS provides necessary flexibility. But it's not mandatory for simple sites. Review your needs to pick the best Webflow plan.

VI. Conclusion

Webflow gives you multiple options for reliably hosting sites with professional designs. The free hosting works for testing, while paid plans unlock advanced features and fewer limits.

Those needing a content management system will benefit most from Webflow's CMS plans. However, hosting-only works for static brochure sites.

Carefully evaluate your budget, features, and site needs when choosing the right Webflow hosting plan for 2023 and beyond. Their plans balance capabilities and affordability for all users.