Website Platform Showdown! (which is best and why)

Let’s clear the air: Webflow, Squarespace, Showit, and Shopify are not the same. Each has a personality, a “best-at,” and a “probably-don’t-use-it-for-that” category. Here’s how they stack up—and which one we recommend (and why).

Webflow: The Designer’s Playground

Think of Webflow as the custom dream home of website platforms. It’s powerful, endlessly customizable, and lets us create websites that don’t feel like they came from aisle three of the template store.

• Best For: Businesses that want a completely custom brand experience without hiring a full dev team. Thought leaders, authors, entrepreneurs who need to look polished, powerful, and one-of-a-kind.
• Known For: Total creative control, sleek animations, CMS capabilities, SEO flexibility.
• Why We Use It: Because our clients are not “just another template.” With Webflow, we can build something truly tailored—and still hand it off so they’re not crying when they need to update a blog post.
• Downside: There’s a learning curve. But that’s why you hire pros (hi 👋).

Squarespace: The Reliable All-in-One

Squarespace is like that friend who always shows up on time. Reliable, straightforward, and easy to manage.

• Best For: Small businesses, creatives, or anyone who wants a clean site yesterday without too much fuss. Think local businesses, personal portfolios, or coaches just getting started.
• Known For: Gorgeous templates (free ones by Squarespace, premium ones by talented designers), drag-and-drop ease, built-in hosting, and “I can manage this myself” simplicity.
• Why We Recommend It Sometimes: If budget is tight or if someone doesn’t need all the bells and whistles, Squarespace is a safe bet. It’s fast, affordable, and gets you online without overthinking.
• Downside: What you see is what you get. Customization is limited, and most Squarespace sites start to look like… well, Squarespace sites. Also, because they’re so easy to edit, it’s also easy to break the designs. A few too many clicks and you’ve found yourself going, “wait, what did this page look like before?”

Showit: The Creative’s Canvas

Showit is like Canva’s artsy older cousin—it gives you a literal drag-and-drop canvas to design with near-total freedom.

• Best For: Photographers, coaches, or visual-first businesses who want a design-forward site without touching code.
• Known For: A visual editor that feels more like InDesign than a web builder. Great if you want something pretty and different.
• Why We’d Recommend It: If your site is more about brand vibes and visuals than complex functionality, Showit’s fun to play with.
• Downside: SEO and scalability aren’t its strong suit. It can feel a bit flimsy for businesses that need a serious backend (blogs, memberships, complex content).

Shopify: The E-Commerce Beast

Shopify is the undisputed heavyweight champ of selling online. If your site’s main job is to move products, it’s hard to beat.

• Best For: E-commerce brands, whether you’re selling 5 products or 5,000. From small boutique shops to big-box inventory.
• Known For: Rock-solid checkout, integrations with everything (seriously, everything), and scalable systems for growing stores.
• Why We Recommend It: Because nothing kills a sale faster than a clunky checkout. Shopify makes buying seamless—for your customer and your business.
• Downside: Design freedom is limited compared to Webflow, and customization can require a developer. It’s commerce-first, not brand-first.

So… Which Should You Choose?

• Want a fully custom experience that doesn’t feel cookie-cutter? → Go Webflow.
• Need something simple, quick, and easy to DIY? → Squarespace.
• Want drag-and-drop design freedom with artsy vibes? → Showit.
• Selling products as your main hustle? → Shopify, every time.

Our Take

At Skye High, we almost always lean Webflow because it gives us—and our clients—the power to create sites that actually feel like the brand behind them. But we’ll never shove someone into the wrong platform just for our own convenience. The right fit depends on the business, the goals, and how much freedom (or guardrails) you really need.

Bottom line: your website should work for you, not the other way around. And if you’re stuck in analysis-paralysis, that’s what we’re here for.

‍