Editor X vs Webflow: The Basics

What is Editor X?

New to Editor X? check out this intro tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dkr_fslx30w&ab_channel=EditorX

Editor X was released by Wix in April 2020, it's a more advanced website builder, boasting a more custom design approach. With responsive design being at the forefront of the web, Editor X makes it incredibly easy to build your projects for any screen size.

Users are also able to benefit from the Wix ecosystem, allowing you to integrate business tools like marketing resources, booking systems and e-commerce.

What is Webflow?

New to Webflow? check out this intro tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5TdnuUhIgs&ab_channel=Webflow

Webflow, released in 2014, is a seasoned website builder & CMS (Content Management System). It gives users the ability to work with HTML, CSS & JavaScript without the need to learn any code. This means you’re able to utilize CSS classes and JavaScript interactions to add that wow factor to your project. In addition to this, their fully integrated CMS means that once configured, anyone could add new webpages, edit content or even change the design.

Features and Templates: Editor X vs Webflow

Both Editor X and Webflow offer a collection of free & premium templates for beginners, although Webflow offers a more expansive range. It's also important to note that only Webflow offers mobile-responsive templates, meaning they’re ready to go out of the box.

Editor X

One of the key differences between these two platforms is integration and tooling. Since Editor X is a Wix product, users benefit from the 250+ applications on the Wix app store. This means that business owners and developers alike can easily integrate business tools for just about anything

Webflow

Webflow’s approach to integrations is slightly different. Users are not limited to an app store but instead can choose from a plethora of third-party applications. This is commonly done by using Zapier which helps you easily integrate tools such as CRM’s, Chat apps or even social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

One feature in particular which has been loved by developers is cloneables. These are community built components, templates or projects which can be found here. There is a design, animation or component for any project so it makes the entire development process much easier, similar to what Codepen has achieved in the JavaScript space.

Ease of Use: Editor X vs Webflow

Both platforms include sleek design systems to organise, manipulate and customize page elements, although they both go about it slightly differently.

Editor X

Editor X utilizes the common drag & drop system which makes it convenient for new designers to build simple websites. However, as you get into more custom layouts, this system can get confusing and less intuitive.

Webflow

On the other hand, Webflow makes it simple to build out complex designs by allowing you to nest elements, reuse components & add timed animations. The caveat here though is the steeper learning curve, especially since it presents you with more options at once, which can feel overwhelming.

Editor X has a similar feel to Figma or Adobe X. Whereas Webflow shows what elements of CSS, and HTML you're using. Designers may pick up Editor X faster but you're likely to learn more about HTML and CSS with Webflow.

"Webflow combines the flexibility of a visual design editor with real developing tools, and that is the competitive edge that, I think, that webflow has over Wix, Squaresapce, or any other drag and drop template-generic alternatives." - Webflow Developer.

Design & Development: Editor X vs Webflow

With more and more web traffic being directed through mobile, a modern website builder must have responsive design at its core. Fortunately, both Editor X and Webflow allow users to design at any screen size, albeit with slightly different approaches.

Where the two platforms differ in design control is animation. Editor X has recently added an interactions tab to their editor tab, however it is currently still in beta mode. Webflow offers more robust interactions & animation panel, giving the user the ability to control the state of any element. Also, with their developer-friendly IDE, you can even integrate JavaScript animation libraries to make your project stand out. There's even the possibility to add React.js, a JavaScript framework which omits the need to write long lines of vanilla JS.

Collaboration: Editor X vs Webflow

When working on one or more projects, it's common to share your workflow with other members of your team or clients. Both Editor X and Webflow offer different approaches to collaboration.

Editor X

With Editor X, multiple users can edit a project simultaneously, making collaboration simpler. However, this can also mean that it's easier for non-designers to accidentally break the design or functionality.

Webflow

Webflow has its own Editor which is different from their Designer where non-designers or clients can edit content easily. This is especially useful for freelancers or agencies who frequently require content updates from their clients. The client can even edit directly themselves, change copy and add CMS items, without messing up the website completely.

When it comes to team collaboration, you’ll have to upgrade to a Teams plan, although this doesn’t mean multiple users can edit the website simultaneously.

Integrated Development Environments (IDE): Editor X vs Webflow

An integrated development environment allows you to edit and add your HTML, CSS and JavaScript - the building blocks of the web. This is especially useful for code-savy designers who would benefit from limitless control. With Editor X’s tool Velo and Webflow’s intuitive development environment, it seems both platforms allow users to inject custom code with ease. However, front-end developers have favoured Webflow’s IDE due to its flexibility.

Content Management: Editor X vs Webflow

Webflow isn’t only a website builder, it's a fully-fledged CMS. This feature makes configuring the backend of data-intensive websites easier than ever, something that most website builders lack. Users can build dynamic blogs, portfolio’s and more using a code-free backend interface, making building for the web that much easier.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) : Editor X vs Webflow

When it comes to SEO, both platforms offer advanced features ranging from editing metadata to adding robot.txt files for search engine crawling.

Each page has its SEO settings which allow you to edit images for social share links, add keywords and more. Utilizing these advanced settings makes for a more result-oriented website and aids in campaign marketing.

Ecommerce: Editor X vs Webflow

Editor X

Editor X meets all your Ecommerce needs as it is a Wix product, which means access to the vast ecosystem of 250 apps for marketing, bookings, shipping and more. Whether you’re an influencer looking to sell courses or a small business requiring online booking, Editor X makes it simple to find the right tools for the job.

Webflow

Webflow’s eCommerce capabilities are similar to that of Editor X when it comes to selling physical products and shipping. However, the platform doesn’t yet support digital products, bookings or paid memberships, users will need to reach for a 3rd party tool such as Zapier which has hundreds of apps to choose from. Both platforms include a variety of payment methods which makes it convenient for small business owners to quickly set up an online store.

Support & Community: Editor X vs Webflow

Editor X

Since Editor X is a Wix product, they have 24/7 support which is highly convenient. They also have a decent collection of video tutorials on their Youtube channel and website which makes it simple for anyone to get started.

Webflow

When it comes to community, it's clear that Webflow triumphs over other website builders. Their online teaching space dubbed ‘Webflow University is constantly being updated with new resources, tips and live streams. The community is also very vibrant, with the likes of Finsweet and Relume offering an extensive range of professional templates and ready-to-go components to give designers and developers alike a seamless experience.

Webflow also offers customer support in the form of email, often replying in 24hrs

Pricing and Plans: Editor X vs Webflow

Webflow and Editor X are not cheap, both offer a host of advanced features that make them professional website builders. Both platforms offer free hosting which is convenient, though your domain will be under a staging name like ‘memberstack.webflow.io’.

Editor XWebflowStarts at$22/month$15/monthSmall business$35/month$20/monthBasic Ecommerce$29/month$42/monthAdvanced Ecommerce$69/month$84/month

For a detailed breakdown of these plans and their associated features, refer to their pricing pages:

Editor X: https://www.editorx.com/upgrade/website

Webflow: https://webflow.com/pricing

https://webflow.com/made-in-webflow/website/webflow-pricing-calculator

It’s also worth noting that Webflow offers a variety of workspace plans to suit the needs of freelancers or agencies.

Editor X vs Webflow: Which one should you choose?

Both of these platforms are very capable and web designers and developers alike would have no problem creating beautiful user interfaces. However, when it comes to choosing between the two, it all depends on your project/business goals.

If you’re a small design agency building online stores for your clients, Editor X is more suitable. Their e-commerce plans are not only cheaper, but they don’t limit the number of products. Users are also able to easily set up recurring payments and sell subscriptions using many apps on the Wix app store. Editor X also allows for multiple users to edit a project simultaneously, making collaboration between designer, developer and client more convenient.

Webflow has been in the game for a while and has stood the test of time. Its CMS capabilities and developer-focused approach mean it's more powerful for creators requiring total control. This is particularly ideal for front-end developers seeking a low-code solution to build data-centric websites since Webflow familiarly utilises semantic HTML and CSS. Although it has a steeper learning than Editor X, there is an extensive template library to choose from making it easier for designers to get started.