How to Convert Webflow to WordPress (2026 Step-by-Step Guide)

Here's the thing about platform migrations - they're rarely about the platforms themselves. They're about the problems you're trying to solve.

I've been watching more teams consider the jump from Webflow to WordPress lately. The reasons vary, but they usually boil down to two main concerns: Webflow's pricing structure as sites scale (eCommerce plans start at $29+ per month and climb quickly) and the need for more extensive functionality than Webflow's ecosystem can provide.

WordPress powers 43% of websites for good reason - it's flexible, cost-effective, and offers over 59,000 plugins for nearly any functionality you can imagine. For growing businesses, particularly those running eCommerce operations, WooCommerce's track record of powering 6+ million sites globally presents a compelling case.

But here's what most migration guides won't tell you upfront: there's no magic button that converts your beautiful Webflow site into WordPress. You'll need to rebuild your design, manually transfer content, and accept that some of Webflow's visual elegance might not translate perfectly.

That said, if your site has outgrown Webflow's limitations or your budget can't accommodate its scaling costs, WordPress offers a path forward. The core software is free, most plugins cost nothing, and the long-term economics often make sense for content-heavy or highly customized sites.

The question isn't really "Can you migrate?" - it's "Should you?"

If your primary focus remains marketing and visual design rather than extensive content management, this migration might solve one problem while creating several others. But if you need the plugin ecosystem, cost savings, or advanced functionality that WordPress provides, the effort can pay off.

This guide walks you through the complete Webflow to WordPress migration process. We'll help you decide if it makes strategic sense for your situation, then show you exactly how to execute the move while preserving as much functionality and design as possible.

Which platform actually fits your business?

Before you start exporting CSVs and rebuilding layouts, let's get honest about what you're really choosing between. This isn't just a technical decision - it's a strategic one that affects how your team works, what you can build, and how much control you have over your site's future.

Why Webflow wins for marketing teams

Webflow solves a fundamental problem in most organizations: the designer-developer bottleneck. At Lattice, their marketing team operates with just two full-time designers building their entire website, completely eliminating developer dependency.

This isn't just about saving money (though that marketing VP who said Webflow "elevated our marketing program" and let his team "move at a much faster pace" would disagree). It's about operational agility.

The platform generates clean, semantic code automatically as you design, which means your marketing team can:

• Make real-time changes without waiting for developer availability
• Test and iterate quickly on landing pages, campaigns, and content
• Reduce operational costs by cutting developer expenses from routine updates
• Handle SEO fundamentals through built-in tools for meta titles, descriptions, and XML sitemaps

For marketing-focused sites where speed and visual control matter most, Webflow's visual-first approach eliminates the friction between having an idea and implementing it.

Where WordPress pulls ahead

WordPress earned its position differently - through sheer adaptability. When your site needs to do more than look good, WordPress provides the infrastructure to make it happen.

The numbers tell part of the story: PHP powers 77.5% of websites with known server-side programming languages, which means you'll never struggle to find developers or hosting solutions. But the real advantage lies in WordPress's approach to functionality.

Instead of being locked into what one platform offers, WordPress gives you:

• Enterprise scalability that grows with content demands without breaking
• Plugin-based functionality that extends capabilities without custom development
• Lower long-term costs compared to other CMS solutions as your needs expand
• Faster feature deployment when you need new capabilities

WordPress treats itself as "a framework for enterprises to build upon the base platform" rather than a complete solution. This distinction matters more as your site becomes more complex.

The decision framework

Here's what it comes down to: Are you building a marketing site or a content platform?

If your primary job involves creating beautiful, conversion-focused pages that need frequent updates and A/B testing, Webflow's design-first approach probably serves you better. The visual control and marketing team autonomy often outweigh the cost considerations.

But if you're managing extensive content management needs, require complex functionality integrations, or expect significant growth in content volume, WordPress's plugin ecosystem and scalability become essential [14,19].

The choice isn't really about which platform is "better" - it's about which one aligns with how your team actually works and what your site actually needs to accomplish.

Planning Your Migration (Because Winging It Never Works)

Look, migrating from Webflow to WordPress isn't something you want to figure out as you go. I've seen too many teams start this process thinking it'll be straightforward, only to discover their site broken, content missing, or design completely mangled.

The truth? Moving from a visual-first platform to a content management system requires methodical planning. But with the right approach, you can execute this migration without losing functionality or pulling your hair out.

Start with a migration checklist

Before touching anything, create a comprehensive checklist. This isn't busy work - it's insurance against the inevitable "wait, where did that page go?" moment:

1. Back up your Webflow site - Press Command+Shift+S (Mac) or Control+Shift+S (Windows) to create an instant backup. Double-check it saved properly in Settings > Backups. Trust me on this one.
2. Document everything - Create a content inventory covering all pages, blog posts, galleries, and embedded content. This step prevents crucial pages from disappearing into the migration void.
3. Know what exports (and what doesn't) - Webflow can automatically export web pages, blog posts, texts, embedded blocks, gallery pages, and images. However, event pages, product pages, audio files, video blocks, and custom CSS won't transfer automatically. Plan accordingly.
4. Map your new structure - Figure out how your Webflow collections will become WordPress pages and posts. This architectural planning saves confusion later.

Choose hosting and install WordPress

Here's where things get different. Unlike Webflow's all-in-one approach, WordPress requires you to handle hosting separately. This creates more flexibility but also more decisions:

What to look for in hosting:

• WordPress-specific plans with adequate storage and solid support
• Managed WordPress hosting if you want enhanced performance and security
• Providers like Bluehost (starting at $2.99/month), Hostinger, or SiteGround

Most hosts offer one-click WordPress installations through your account dashboard. If you prefer manual control, download WordPress from WordPress.org and upload the files yourself.

Pro tip: Set up WordPress locally first using MAMP (Mac) or WAMP (Windows). This lets you experiment with themes and plugins without affecting your live Webflow site. Consider it a sandbox for testing your migration approach.

Decide what actually needs to move

Here's an underrated opportunity: not everything from your Webflow site needs to come with you. Migration time is cleanup time.

What you can export:

• CMS collections as CSV files through Webflow Designer > Collections panel > Export button
• Static pages (but these need manual recreation - Webflow doesn't offer direct WordPress import)

Use this process to audit your content. Remove outdated pages that no longer serve your goals. Your new WordPress site will be cleaner and more focused for it.

For sites with extensive blog content, plan structured CSV imports. If you have custom layouts, you'll need to recreate these using WordPress themes or page builders like Elementor or WPBakery.

Remember, we're moving from a platform optimized for marketing teams to one built for content management. The tools are different, but the results can be just as effective - if you plan properly.

The actual migration process

Once you've decided WordPress makes sense for your situation, here's how to execute the move. Fair warning - this isn't a weekend project. Each step matters, and rushing through any of them will create problems later.

1. Create your safety net

First things first: backup everything. Press Cmd+Shift+S (Mac) or Ctrl+Shift+S (Windows) to generate an instant Webflow backup. Then verify it actually saved by checking Settings → Backups. Trust me on this - you don't want to discover your backup failed halfway through the migration.

2. Export what you can from Webflow

Head to your CMS Collections panel in the Webflow designer. Select each collection (like blog posts) and hit Export. This downloads your content as CSV files, but here's the reality check: only standard pages, posts, texts, embedded blocks, and galleries export automatically. Everything else? You're rebuilding from scratch.

3. Set up WordPress somewhere safe

Choose a WordPress host that fits your budget and technical comfort level. Most offer one-click installations through your hosting dashboard. Set this up on a temporary domain first - you want to build and test without breaking your live Webflow site. This staging approach saves you from panicked late-night fixes.

4. Import your content (the tedious part)

Install WP All Import and prepare for some mapping work. Go to All Import → New Import, upload your CSV files, and map Webflow fields to WordPress equivalents. The "name" field becomes your title, "body" becomes content, and so on. This process reveals how much content structure you're actually changing.

5. Fix the image mess

Here's where things get messy: WordPress won't automatically import images from external platforms. Install the Auto Upload Images plugin to scan posts for external image URLs and download them to your WordPress media library. This step often takes longer than expected, especially for image-heavy sites.

6. Rebuild your design (the hard part)

Select a WordPress theme that approximates your Webflow design. Because Webflow's visual elements can't be exported directly, you're manually recreating layouts. Page builders like Elementor help, but accept that your WordPress site won't look identical to your Webflow original. It's reconstruction, not replication.

7. Configure permalinks and essential plugins

Match your WordPress permalink structure to your Webflow URLs to preserve SEO value. Go to Settings → Permalinks and configure appropriately. Then install the plugins your site actually needs - resist the urge to over-plugin. Every plugin adds complexity and potential failure points.

8. Go live (carefully)

Find your hosting provider's nameservers in your account dashboard. Replace Webflow's nameservers with your host's nameservers in your domain registrar. Allow 24-48 hours for full propagation across the internet. During this window, some visitors might see your old site while others see the new one.

The reality check: This process typically takes 2-4 weeks for a moderately complex site, not counting design refinements. Plan accordingly.

What happens after you flip the switch

Your site is live on WordPress, but you're not done yet. This is where many migrations stumble - the technical foundation is in place, but the optimization work that makes everything actually function well still needs attention.

Fix the broken pieces first

Migration always breaks things. It's not a matter of if, but what and how many.

Start with internal links. The Broken Link Checker plugin will scan your entire site and show you exactly what's not working. Some you'll need to fix manually, others you can batch-replace using Better Search Replace if you're dealing with patterns across multiple pages.

Your permalinks need attention too:

• Head to Settings > Permalinks in WordPress
• Choose "Post Name" for clean, SEO-friendly URLs
• Hit save to refresh the structure

Most importantly, set up redirects using the Redirection plugin. Every old Webflow URL should point to its new WordPress equivalent. Skip this step and you'll frustrate users with 404 errors while losing SEO value you spent months building.

Handle what Webflow did automatically

WordPress doesn't include the built-in tools that Webflow provides natively. You'll need plugins for basic functionality.

For SEO, install either Yoast SEO or Rank Math to manage metadata, sitemaps, and schema markup. Security becomes your responsibility too - WordPress sites make up 95.62% of CMS infections, so add Wordfence or Sucuri Security to protect against attacks.

Analytics requires setup as well. Connect Google Analytics to track user behavior and traffic sources. Many teams miss Webflow's simpler analytics integration at this point - it's one of those conveniences you don't appreciate until it's gone.

Speed and mobile performance

Site speed directly impacts both user experience and search rankings. Install caching plugins like W3 Total Cache or WP Rocket to improve loading times. Use Smush or ShortPixel to compress images, and consider Cloudflare as a CDN for global speed improvements.

Mobile optimization isn't optional - over 53% of users abandon sites that take more than 3 seconds to load, and mobile traffic accounts for 60%+ of web visits. Test your site's mobile performance with Google's PageSpeed Insights or BrowserStack SpeedLab.

Here's something that might surprise you: WordPress requires ongoing maintenance to stay fast and secure. Webflow handled most of these optimizations automatically in the background. With WordPress, they become your responsibility - or your developer's, if you have one.

The trade-off is flexibility for simplicity. You gained extensive customization options, but you also gained a maintenance burden.

When you should stay put

Look, I'll be straight with you - not every Webflow site needs to migrate to WordPress. Sometimes the solution to your problems isn't changing platforms; it's working with what you've got.

Here's when sticking with Webflow makes more sense than jumping ship:

Your team lives and breathes design

If your team's strength lies in visual creativity rather than technical implementation, Webflow's visual-first, composable CMS might be exactly what you need. The platform lets designers, developers, and marketers collaborate without anyone needing to decode technical mysteries.

What Webflow does exceptionally well:

• Build sophisticated, responsive designs without touching code
• Make content edits directly on the canvas with a single click
• Work within pre-approved design systems that maintain consistency

The real advantage here? Speed. Webflow compresses the timeline from concept to launch, making it ideal for rapid prototyping and MVP development. If your business model depends on quick iteration and visual experimentation, WordPress's learning curve might slow you down more than help you.

Marketing teams that need to move fast

Here's something most platform comparisons miss: marketing teams often work best when they're not dependent on developers for every small change.

Webflow bridges the design-content gap in a way that WordPress simply can't match out of the box. Your marketing team can update content instantly, test new layouts, and experiment with messaging without creating engineering tickets. The platform includes native analytics, AI-powered testing, and personalization features that would require multiple WordPress plugins to replicate.

The bottom line: Converting to WordPress makes the most sense for content-heavy sites that need extensive plugin ecosystems. But if your business revolves around design flexibility and marketing team autonomy, Webflow remains the smarter choice despite its higher price tag.

Sometimes the grass isn't greener - it's just different grass with different maintenance requirements.

The real question

Platform migrations aren't really about platforms - they're about whether you're solving the right problem.

After walking through the entire Webflow to WordPress process, the most honest advice I can give you is this: most marketing-focused sites should probably stay on Webflow. Yes, even with the higher costs.

WordPress offers incredible flexibility through its plugin ecosystem and content management capabilities. But that flexibility comes with trade-offs that many teams underestimate. You'll spend time on maintenance, security updates, plugin conflicts, and performance optimization - tasks that Webflow handles automatically.

The migration makes strategic sense in specific scenarios:

Your site publishes hundreds of blog posts and needs robust content management You require functionality that Webflow's ecosystem simply can't provide

Budget constraints make Webflow's scaling costs unsustainable long-term

But if your primary goal is creating beautiful, responsive designs while maintaining marketing team autonomy, WordPress might solve one problem while creating several others.

Here's what I've learned from teams who've made this switch: the ones who succeed have realistic expectations about what they're gaining and losing. They understand that WordPress isn't just "Webflow but cheaper" - it's a fundamentally different approach to web management.

Before you start exporting CSV files and mapping database fields, ask yourself: Are you migrating toward something better, or just away from something expensive?

Sometimes the grass isn't greener on the other side. Sometimes it just requires more maintenance to keep it looking that way.

FAQs

What are the main steps to migrate from Webflow to WordPress?

The main steps include backing up your Webflow site, exporting content, setting up WordPress, importing content, choosing a theme, configuring permalinks, and pointing your domain to WordPress. It's important to carefully plan each step to ensure a smooth transition.

Why might someone choose WordPress over Webflow?

People might choose WordPress over Webflow for its extensive plugin ecosystem, greater customization options, and better scalability for content-heavy websites. WordPress also offers more affordable long-term costs, especially for growing sites with complex functionality requirements.

How can I ensure my SEO doesn't suffer during the migration?

To maintain SEO during migration, match your WordPress permalink structure to your Webflow URLs, set up proper redirects for old URLs, and use SEO plugins like Yoast SEO or Rank Math to manage metadata and sitemaps. Also, check for and fix any broken internal links after the migration.

What should I consider before deciding to migrate from Webflow to WordPress?

Consider your website's primary focus (design vs. content), your team's technical expertise, the need for extensive customization, and long-term scalability requirements. If you prioritize visual design and marketing autonomy, Webflow might still be the better choice despite higher costs.

How can I optimize my new WordPress site after migration?

After migration, optimize your WordPress site by installing caching plugins, compressing images, implementing a CDN, and ensuring mobile responsiveness. Also, set up security measures, regularly update plugins and themes, and use analytics tools to monitor and improve site performance.