Framer vs WordPress: Which Platform Is Better for Modern UI/UX in 2025?

In the last few years, the world of web development has shifted faster than most businesses could keep up with. Tools have become smarter, AI has moved into the mainstream, and the expectation for clean, modern, high-performance websites has never been higher. In the middle of this shift, TCD recently became an Official Framer Expert — a milestone that reflects our belief in building intuitive, design-first digital experiences.

So naturally, one question keeps coming up from clients and founders:

“Framer vs WordPress — which one should we choose?”

This article answers exactly that.

Coming from a strong UI/UX background, working with Framer felt almost as natural as moving from Figma to a more powerful version of… well, Figma. The workflows feel familiar, the visual editor is delightful, and production-ready websites come together surprisingly fast. In contrast, WordPress — the internet’s old workhorse — continues to dominate with its massive plugin ecosystem and flexibility, but still suffers from the same admin experience we remember from college days… nearly two decades ago.

Both platforms have strengths. Both have limitations. And both can build beautiful websites — but only one truly feels like it belongs in the AI era.

This comparison will break down the differences from a UI/UX and modern web-building perspective, backed by our actual experiences building over six Framer projects in the last year alone.

What Makes Framer Stand Out

Framer has quickly become the go-to platform for designers who want their websites to look exactly the way they envisioned them — without fighting with plugins, outdated dashboards, or template limitations. For a UI/UX-focused team like TCD, Framer feels less like a “website builder” and more like an extension of our design process.

A Natural Shift for UI/UX Designers

Framer almost feels like Figma’s younger, more ambitious sibling — the one who went to design school, learned React, and came back ready to build real websites.

Here’s why designers love it:

• Figma-like interface: The canvas, layers, frames — everything feels familiar.

• Precise visual control: No theme restrictions. No fighting with CSS overrides.

• Responsive layouts that actually make sense: No more guessing breakpoints.

• Component-driven design: Reusable blocks = faster, cleaner builds.

• Real-time preview: What you see is literally what you get.

For a UI/UX team, the biggest win is this: design and development finally happen in the same place. No 20-page handoff documents. No “developer interpretation.” No mismatch between the Figma file and the live site.

Speed, Performance & Maintainability

One of the strongest reasons we at TCD prefer Framer is how quickly we can go from idea → prototype → final website.

• Build cycles are much faster, especially for landing pages, brand sites, product pages, and marketing websites.

• Page speed is excellent thanks to clean code generation and built-in optimisation.

• Maintenance is minimal: updates feel like editing a design file, not “tweaking a CMS.”

• SEO tools are built-in and simple to use.

Framer currently delivers performance levels that WordPress requires plugins (and sometimes developers) to achieve.

Limitations You Should Know

Of course, Framer isn’t perfect — and we believe in being brutally honest about the limitations.

1. No Native eCommerce (Yet)

This is the biggest missing piece. Plugins exist for simple checkout flows, but full-scale eCommerce = not ready yet.

2. Hosting Lock-In

Framer hosting is premium and reliable — but the tradeoff is that you cannot export code for external hosting. For us, it’s a fair price for a stable platform… but it’s worth mentioning.

3. Pricing Isn’t MSME-Friendly

Compared to WordPress hosting + a decent theme, Framer can seem expensive for small businesses.

4. Smaller Plugin Ecosystem

Framer is growing fast, but WordPress’s plugin library is still unmatched (for better and worse).

The Case for WordPress

Before Framer and Webflow existed, WordPress powered almost everything on the internet — and even today, it still holds a massive share of the web. With its huge ecosystem and flexibility, WordPress remains a strong contender, especially for businesses that need complex functionality or heavy backend integrations.

But from a UI/UX design perspective?
Let’s just say… It shows its age.

Why WordPress Still Dominates

Despite its flaws, WordPress remains incredibly powerful when used for the right reasons:

1. The Plugin Ecosystem is Massive

If you can think of it, there’s a plugin for it. Memberships, bookings, custom forms, analytics, automations — WordPress can handle pretty much anything through its library of 70,000+ plugins.

2. Full-Scale eCommerce via WooCommerce

This is the single biggest reason many businesses choose WordPress. WooCommerce is mature, stable, and flexible — and until Framer releases an eCommerce solution, WordPress remains the clear winner here.

3. Highly Flexible for Integrations

CRMs, ERPs, LMS systems, payment gateways, APIs — WordPress connects with everything because of its open-source nature.

4. Self-Hosting Freedom

Unlike Framer, you fully own:

• Your code

• Your hosting

• Your data

• Your deployments (For some enterprises, this matters a lot.)

The Downsides of WordPress

Now for the painful part — why many modern businesses and designers are exhausted with WordPress.

1. The Admin Panel Still Feels… Old

Let’s be honest: the WordPress dashboard hasn’t changed in 20 years. It still feels like we’re building blogs in 2005.

2. Performance Bottlenecks

Most WordPress websites run slow unless you:

• Buy premium hosting

• Install caching plugins

• Minify everything

• Compress media

• Configure CDNs

• Pray on Sundays

It’s too much work for something Framer handles automatically.

3. Plugin Bloat = Mess

With great plugin power comes great plugin chaos. More plugins = more conflicts, slower speed, harder updates, and higher maintenance.

4. Security Vulnerabilities

Because WordPress is open-source and plugin-dependent, it’s also a prime target for:

• Malware

• Spam bots

• Vulnerability exploits

• Outdated plugin attacks

Security is manageable, but it requires constant care.

Real-World Comparison — Framer vs WordPress

Choosing between Framer and WordPress comes down to what the project truly needs. Both platforms can build beautiful, functional websites — but the experience of building, maintaining, and scaling them feels very different.

Below is a clear, UX-focused comparison.

Framer vs WordPress: Side-by-Side Comparison Table

UI/UX Workflow

Designers love Framer because it doesn’t break their flow.

• You design.

• You place components.

• You animate.

• You publish.

WordPress, however, introduces many layers in between — page builders, themes, widgets, blocks — and none of them feel native to a designer’s process.

Winner: Framer

Development Speed

With Framer, TCD often completes marketing websites in days, not weeks. In WordPress, setup alone (hosting, themes, plugins, permissions, caching) eats up time.

Winner: Framer

Performance & Page Speed

Framer sites are performance-first by default. WordPress sites can be fast, but only after:

• Installing caching plugins

• Configuring CDNs

• Optimizing images

• Managing plugin conflicts

Winner: Framer

Customisation & Flexibility

If the goal is visual design — Framer wins.
If the goal is backend functionality — WordPress wins.

Winner: Tie (depends on project)

Scalability

For marketing websites, blog-driven brands, and product landing pages, Framer scales beautifully.

For enterprise systems, large portals, or integrated business software, WordPress still has the edge due to its open-source nature.

Winner: WordPress (for technical scalability)

Cost of Ownership

Framer:

• Higher monthly cost

• But lower maintenance

WordPress:

• Cheap to start

• Expensive to maintain over time (plugins, security, developers)

Winner: Tie (depends on long-term needs)

TCD’s Experience — Projects Built with Framer

TCD’s journey with Framer has been hands-on, fast-paced, and incredibly rewarding. With six Framer websites live — and more in progress — we’ve been able to test the platform across different industries and design requirements. Our official Framer Expert profile is available here: https://framer.link/R749pYe

Here’s a closer look at each project and why Framer was our platform of choice:

1. TCD’s Own Website

🔗 Website

Our own website needed to reflect our design philosophy and creative direction. Framer allowed us to build an expressive, visually engaging interface without worrying about code or backend overheads.

Why Framer?

• Smooth micro-interactions

• Strong visual and layout control

• Great performance

• Easy long-term maintenance

2. 8 Berries

🔗 Website

A vibrant, product-focused brand that required crisp visuals and intuitive navigation.

Why Framer?

• Excellent responsiveness

• Faster build cycle

• Seamless layout control for strong visual storytelling

3. Productive Play

🔗 Website

A playful, child-focused brand with lots of energy in its design language.
For this project, we used the Framer Templates Library extensively to accelerate the build and maintain playful consistency.

Why Framer?

• Built-in animation capabilities

• Easy visual customization using templates

• Perfect for a light-weight, fun UI

4. URBX

🔗 Website | 🔗 Case Study

URBX needed a premium, fashion-inspired interface that felt bold, minimal, and fast.

Why Framer?

• Clean typography

• High-end visual composition

• Effortless animations

• Great visual performance for imagery

5. Vybe — Student App Landing Page

🔗 Website

A youth-centric landing page that needed bold colors, tight layouts, and fast execution for a product launch.

Why Framer?

• Perfect for one-page landing systems

• Variation testing and collaboration tools

• Rapid turnaround without compromise

6. 1RM Gym

🔗 Website | 🔗 Case Study

A fitness brand with high-energy visuals and strong brand presence.

Why Framer?

• Excellent for image-heavy designs

• Fast-loading visual layouts

• Easy updates for their internal team

Across all these projects, the results were consistent:

• Faster builds

• Higher performance

• Better design control

• Happier clients

For modern, design-first websites, Framer simply fits the way we work.

When We Recommend Framer vs WordPress

At TCD, we don’t believe in “one tool for everything.”
Every platform has a purpose — and choosing the right one saves time, money, and unnecessary frustration.

Here’s our honest, experience-backed breakdown of when each platform makes sense.

When We Recommend Framer

Framer is our default recommendation for most modern websites.
If your priority is design, speed, and a smooth experience — it’s a winner.

Choose Framer when your project is:

• A startup/product landing page

• A brand website

• A portfolio

• A service-based business site

• A creative or marketing site

• A fast-launch MVP

• A visual storytelling website

• A UI/UX heavy interface

Why we prefer Framer for these:

• Faster build cycles

• Better UI/UX consistency

• Real-time design → development workflow

• Built-in performance optimizations

• Minimal maintenance

• A modern editor that doesn’t feel like 2005

And most importantly:
Framer feels like the tool built for the AI era — intuitive, seamless, and purpose-built for designers.

When We Recommend WordPress

We still use and recommend WordPress — but only when it’s absolutely needed.

Choose WordPress when your project requires:

• Full-scale eCommerce (WooCommerce)

• Advanced backend logic

• User accounts, membership portals

• LMS systems

• Heavily integrated business tools

• Custom databases

• API-heavy workflows

Why?

WordPress’s open-source foundation still makes it the best option for backend-heavy projects.

If you need a website that behaves like an application, WordPress still outperforms Framer in functionality and flexibility.

Why We Don’t Choose Webflow (Anymore)

We’ve used Webflow for years — proudly, even.

But over time:

• It became more complex

• The editor turned heavier

• The interface became overwhelming

• The learning curve got steeper

• Small updates required too many steps

Meanwhile, Framer brought a simpler, cleaner, more intuitive experience — backed by rapid improvements and a strong designer community.

For a UI/UX-first agency like TCD, Framer now delivers everything Webflow promised, but without the friction.

Future Outlook — What Happens When Framer Adds eCommerce?

If there is one feature the entire Framer community is waiting for, it’s native eCommerce. And let’s be honest: the moment Framer announces it, the entire web design landscape is going to shift dramatically.

Here’s what we expect — based on industry trends, Framer’s development speed, and how the tool has evolved in the last two years.

1. Framer Becomes a Serious WordPress Competitor

Right now, WordPress holds a monopoly over small and mid-sized eCommerce websites because of WooCommerce.
But the weaknesses are real:

• Plugin conflicts

• Complex setup

• Heavy maintenance

• Slow admin UX

• Security vulnerabilities

If Framer launches a native shopping cart system with:

• Clean UI

• Fast performance

• Zero plugin mess

• Visual product pages

• Simple checkout flows

…it will instantly become the go-to option for small businesses that don’t need enterprise-level functionality.

2. Designers Will Finally Control the Entire Web Experience

Today, designers using Framer can build almost the full website — except the shop.
Once eCommerce arrives:

• No more handing over store pages to developers

• No more mismatched shopping layouts

• No more plugins controlling design decisions

Everything becomes design-first, not plugin-first.

This alone will be a game changer for UI/UX teams, especially agencies like TCD.

3. Faster Launch Times for Business Websites

ECommerce sites today take longer — mostly because WordPress requires heavy setup:

• WooCommerce installation

• Shipping configuration

• Plugin dependencies

• Payment gateway setup

• Endless theme adjustments

Framer has the potential to compress this into:

“Add product → Add price → Publish”

Just like Shopify… but with full UI/UX freedom.

4. Less Maintenance, Lower Long-Term Costs

The biggest hidden cost of WordPress eCommerce isn’t hosting — it’s plugin maintenance:

• Update conflicts

• Design breakage

• Security patches

• Backup schedules

• Cache issues

If Framer can offer a stable, all-in-one environment, businesses could save: Time Money Headaches and Development cycles

This is exactly the reason so many people moved from WordPress → Webflow → now Framer.

5. It Will Force WordPress to Modernise

WordPress has barely changed its admin interface in 15–20 years. eCommerce is its biggest strength — and also its biggest weakness (because it feels outdated).

If Framer launches even a lightweight, intelligent shopping system:

• WordPress will feel older

• Plugin ecosystems will feel heavier

• Designers will prefer visual-first workflows

• Businesses will choose speed + simplicity

This is the same shift that happened when Figma disrupted Sketch. We’re about to see a similar disruption in web platforms.

Conclusion — The TCD Verdict

After building multiple projects on Framer and spending years battling (and sometimes appreciating) WordPress, our verdict is simple:

Framer is the future of modern, design-driven websites.

WordPress is still powerful — but it belongs to a different era.

Framer makes sense for 80–90% of the websites businesses need today:

• Landing pages

• Brand sites

• Portfolios

• Product pages

• Startup sites

• Creative websites

• Service-based businesses

It’s fast, intuitive, visually flexible, and built for designers who want to create without friction.

WordPress still wins when you need heavy-duty backend features:

• Full-scale eCommerce

• Membership systems

• Custom databases

• ERP/LMS integrations

But for everything else, Framer simply feels better — cleaner, smoother, and far more enjoyable to work with.

At TCD, our philosophy is simple:

Web development in the AI era should be intuitive and fast.
Framer embodies that philosophy. WordPress… well, it tries.

And when Framer eventually introduces native eCommerce?
Let’s just say — we’re keeping the fireworks ready.

FAQs

Below are the final FAQs based on your approved list and SEO search intent.

1. Is Framer better than WordPress?

Framer is better for modern, design-first websites that prioritise speed, UI/UX, and quick development.

WordPress is better for complex functionality, especially eCommerce or backend-heavy systems.

2. Can you build an eCommerce website on Framer?

Not natively — yet.

You can use third-party plugins for simple checkout flows, but full eCommerce features (like inventory, shipping, advanced carts) are still missing.

This is the one area where WordPress (WooCommerce) dominates.

3. Does Framer affect SEO?

Framer is SEO-friendly and includes built-in tools for:

• Meta tags

• Sitemaps

• Clean URLs

• Alt text

• Schema basics

Page speed is excellent, which improves SEO automatically.

For blog-heavy or content-heavy sites, WordPress still has more plugins — but Framer performs extremely well for typical business websites.

4. Why is WordPress slow for some users?

WordPress often slows down because of:

• Plugin overload

• Poor-quality themes

• Cheap hosting

• Database bloat

• Caching issues

The admin panel also hasn’t changed much in 20 years — which is a big reason it feels slow even when optimized.

5. Is WordPress still relevant in 2025?

Yes — for large, complex, or backend-driven sites. But for modern UI/UX-driven websites, WordPress feels outdated compared to Framer’s fast, visual workflow.

6. How does Framer compare to Webflow?

Framer is simpler, cleaner, more design-friendly, and easier to learn. Webflow is powerful but has grown more complex, heavy, and difficult for new designers. TCD now prefers Framer because it feels more intuitive and precise.

7. Can Framer websites be hosted externally?

No. Framer sites must be hosted on Framer’s infrastructure and the code cannot be exported. This is a tradeoff for a well-maintained, stable, and fast platform.

8. Do designers need coding knowledge to use Framer?

Not at all. Framer is built for designers — the interface feels like Figma and everything is visual. Developers can extend it with custom code blocks, but it’s optional.

9. Which is more cost-effective: Framer or WordPress?

Short term: WordPress is cheaper.

Long term: Framer reduces maintenance costs, plugin costs, developer dependency, and performance problems.

So the total cost often balances out depending on project scale.

10. Can Framer replace WordPress completely?

Not yet — mainly because of eCommerce and advanced backend features. But for 80–90% of modern business websites, yes, Framer is already a better alternative.