# A platform that fits how you work.

> How we choose between Webflow, Framer, WordPress, Shopify and Astro: editing, content, design and fit compared, including when staying put makes sense.

Source: [Webflow, Framer, WordPress, Shopify or Astro? · South Digital](https://south.digital/which-platform)

Choosing a platform

What you publish, who edits it and what it connects to. Five platforms we work with, and where each makes sense.

Webflow

## For a busy marketing team.

A good fit when your team publishes pages with a shared structure. For ETS Performance, we built one location template with editable details for each training centre, alongside a finder connected to its booking tools.

### Plan for

Check CMS capacity, editor access, integrations and hosting costs against the content your team needs to publish.

[Explore Webflow](https://south.digital/webflow-agency)

[![ETS Performance website](https://south.digital/images/work/screens/ets-performance.avif)](https://south.digital/work/ets-performance)

ETS Performance Case study · Squarespace to Webflow

Framer

## When design leads.

Visual page building with reusable components and a CMS. For Consensus, we moved the marketing site from WordPress to Framer, then added resources and author collections as its publishing needs developed.

### Plan for

Try a real content update before choosing. Check who needs to edit layouts, manage CMS content and publish, and which plan supports that access.

[Explore Framer](https://south.digital/framer-agency)

[![Consensus website](https://south.digital/images/work/screens/consensus.avif)](https://south.digital/work/consensus)

Consensus Case study · WordPress to Framer

WordPress

## Room for specialist features.

Worth keeping when your existing publishing structure and specialist features still serve the team. Our work for Animal Charity Evaluators builds on its established WordPress site and custom fields, supporting research content and donation journeys.

### Plan for

Review the theme, plugins and editing workflow before a rebuild. Agree who will handle hosting, updates and backups.

[Explore WordPress](https://south.digital/wordpress-agency)

[![Animal Charity Evaluators website](https://south.digital/images/work/screens/animal-charity-evaluators.avif)](https://south.digital/work/animal-charity-evaluators)

Animal Charity Evaluators Case study · Ongoing support

Shopify

## Built around your products.

For a website where the shop is central. We moved Robert Rose Carpentry from WooCommerce to Shopify, preserving its familiar design while rebuilding product templates around size, finish and colour choices.

### Plan for

Test product options and delivery needs. Include customer and order migration, redirects and app costs in the scope.

[Explore Shopify](https://south.digital/shopify-agency)

[![Robert Rose Carpentry website](https://south.digital/images/work/screens/robert-rose-carpentry-20260929.avif)](https://south.digital/work/robert-rose-carpentry)

Robert Rose Carpentry Case study · WordPress to Shopify

Astro

## For a more custom website.

For a site that needs control over its code and integrations. Our Astro site delivers complete HTML, with separate scripts for interactive features. A connected CMS can give your team an editing interface.

### Plan for

Decide who will publish content and maintain the code. Our own site keeps content in the repository; a marketing team may need a connected CMS and previews.

[Explore Astro](https://south.digital/astro-agency)

Content, built around your team. [Illustration · Our Astro approach](https://south.digital/astro-agency#astro-proof)

## Working through the choice.

### How would you choose between Webflow and Framer?

We would start with a page your team publishes regularly and work through how it would be built, edited and approved. ETS uses shared Webflow location templates; Consensus uses Framer components and separate CMS collections for editorial content. Both approaches can support a marketing team. The useful comparison is how each handles your actual content, integrations and editing responsibilities.

[Talk through your requirements](https://south.digital/get-started?service=build)

### Do we need to change platform to improve the website?

Often, no. Animal Charity Evaluators works with us on its existing WordPress site. Voiceflow’s Webflow work has grown from one demo experience into new pages, CMS changes and a wider design update. We would first separate problems with the current implementation from limits of the platform, then compare targeted improvements with the scope of a migration.

[See Voiceflow’s ongoing website work](https://south.digital/work/voiceflow)

### What should we test before choosing a CMS?

Use a real publishing task: add an event, update a location or move a campaign from open submissions to judging. Check the fields, previews, permissions and any linked content. For Vizcom, we built campaign stages into its Webflow CMS and made individual archive entries directly shareable. Those publishing requirements shaped the implementation alongside the supplied designs.

[See Vizcom’s challenge publishing system](https://south.digital/work/vizcom)

### Which platform is best for SEO and AI search?

A platform name alone does not establish search visibility. We would check whether the proposed build lets search engines access the content, preserves useful URLs and supports the pages your buyers need. Google’s AI features also depend on indexing and eligibility for search snippets. Useful content and a sound implementation matter; changing CMS does not guarantee rankings or AI citations.

[Read Google’s guidance on AI search](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/ai-optimization-guide)

## We’ll help you choose.

Tell us what your website needs to do and who will look after it. We’ll work through the options with you, including whether your current platform can do the job.

[Discuss your website](https://south.digital/get-started)

### Already know your next step?

[Moving an existing website](https://south.digital/migrations) [Help with your current site](https://south.digital/support) [Designing in Figma](https://south.digital/figma-agency)