Webflow vs Next.js vs WordPress: How I Choose

I've built websites with Webflow, WordPress and Next.js, so people often ask me which one to pick.

My answer has changed. I even wrote a post a while back on why you should consider moving from WordPress to Webflow. I still stand by some of it, but today, when I start a new website, Webflow and WordPress feel irrelevant to me.

This is my take. It's opinionated, and I'll tell you where I'm biased.

For a new website, I go custom

When I start from scratch, I build with Next.js and Claude Code.

I get full control. I decide how the site is structured, how the data is stored and how the pages behave. I'm not working around what a platform allows, and I'm not paying for a platform's limits.

The visual editor feels stiff

The visual editor is the main selling point of Webflow, and it's the part that bothers me most.

In my experience, it feels stiff. You work inside the way the tool wants things done. When I want something that doesn't fit, I end up fighting the editor instead of building the thing.

A good example is Ting's Recipes. I built ting.recipes with Next.js and a custom admin made for exactly what the site needs. The admin only has the fields and screens that site requires, nothing more. A general-purpose editor can't match that, because it has to work for everyone.

Webflow's MCP is limited

Since I work with Claude Code, I tried the Webflow MCP too.

It's very limited, and it has a lot of constraints compared with a custom setup. With Next.js, I have all the control. I decide the structure of my database, how everything connects, and what my tools can do with it. With Webflow, I can only do what the platform exposes.

That gap matters more now that AI is part of how I work. The more control I have over the whole system, the more useful AI is.

WordPress was never really for me

I'm not a big fan of WordPress, and that goes back a while.

I helped build mopa.org, using a custom WordPress theme before the site got its update. The whole experience felt like a mess. You have to follow whatever WordPress has already set in place, and it isn't very versatile once you want to do something different.

Maybe I'm biased toward Webflow or custom development tools. That's fair, and it's my honest opinion.

Next.js isn't for everyone

I don't want to oversell this. Next.js works best if you have a technical background.

AI can help a lot, but some manual setup is still needed if you want this workflow. You can ask AI to do everything for you, but I wouldn't. That's how a site ends up vulnerable. You might push all your code publicly by accident, and then anyone can change your website.

If you don't know what's being set up or where your code and keys end up, you can't tell when something is wrong. AI is a strong assistant, but you still need to understand the basics of what you're shipping.

When Webflow and WordPress still make sense

I'm not saying they're bad tools. If you're already in the Webflow or WordPress ecosystem, they're still great.

If your site is already built there, your team knows how to use it, and it works, you don't need to move. Switching has a real cost, and a working site is worth more than a new one for the sake of it.

My opinion is about starting a new website. That's where I don't see a reason to pick them anymore.

How I choose

1. Is it a new site or an existing one? An existing Webflow or WordPress site usually stays. A new one gets built custom.
2. Do I have the technical background to maintain it? If yes, Next.js. If not, you'll need someone who does.
3. Do I need control over the data and the admin? If so, custom wins.
4. Is the team already in an ecosystem? Then stay, and use it well.

My take

For a new website, I build with Next.js and Claude Code, and I keep the code and keys safe. Webflow and WordPress are still good choices if you're already in them. Starting fresh, I don't reach for them anymore.