WordPress.
WordPress is free, open-source software that runs a very large share of the web. It has a huge ecosystem of themes, plugins and developers, so almost anything has been done before.
The tradeoff is upkeep. You host it yourself or with a managed host, and the software and plugins need regular updates and security attention. It suits businesses that want flexibility and a large pool of people who can work on it.
Webflow.
Webflow is a hosted visual builder. Designers can control layout precisely, there is a built-in content system, and hosting is part of the plan, which means less to maintain.
The tradeoffs are a recurring platform subscription and limits on very complex logic. Moving a site off Webflow later also means rebuilding it. It suits marketing sites where design matters and the team wants to edit content without code.
Shopify.
Shopify is made for selling. Checkout, payments, inventory, shipping and taxes are built in and well tested. If your main goal is to sell products, it removes a lot of risk.
Content pages work well enough but are less flexible than the other options, and a store pays platform fees. It suits product brands of nearly any size.
Custom-built.
A custom site is written in code for your needs. It can be very fast, it can connect to any service that has an interface, and nothing is dictated by a template.
The tradeoff is that changes usually need a developer unless a content system is built in, and the first build takes more effort. It suits sites with unusual requirements, or businesses where speed and control are worth that effort.
What it costs to change your mind.
Platforms are easy to start on and harder to leave. Moving means rebuilding the design, carrying content across and redirecting every old address so search visibility survives. Hosted tools such as Webflow and Shopify are usually harder to move away from than WordPress or a custom build, where you hold the files yourself.
That is not a reason to avoid hosted tools. It is a reason to choose with the next few years in mind, not just the next few months.
Questions that point to an answer.
Answer these before you talk to any vendor:
- Is the main goal to sell products, or to bring in inquiries?
- Who will update the site, and how often?
- Do you need anything unusual, such as a client portal or a special booking flow?
- How much upkeep do you want to handle, or pay someone to handle?
- Will you be moving to a different platform in a few years?
If you sell products, start with Shopify and ask why not. If you publish content and want editing freedom, look at WordPress or Webflow. If your needs are unusual, ask about custom.
Ask why, not just which.
Ask any agency which platform it builds on and why. The reason should come from your goals, not from the tool the agency happens to know best. A vendor who recommends one answer for every client has told you something.
The Website Planner asks about your goals, features and who will look after the site, then points to the kind of site that fits.