I've built a simple static website for my restaurant using Webflow, which consists of a home page and a menu page. However, I just realized that to use a custom domain I already own, I need to pay $14/month. Since I have a tight budget and no coding experience, I turned my Webflow site into HTML with a tool and hosted it for free on Cloudflare Pages, which also provides a free SSL certificate. The issue I'm facing now is that I find it hard to update my site since I don't have enough knowledge of HTML or CSS to make changes directly.
I previously tried using Figma, but it doesn't seem possible to import the HTML zip files into it. I'm wondering if it would be practical to keep making edits on Webflow, exporting the site, and then updating the files in my GitHub repo each time. Ultimately, I want to edit my website content easily without needing extensive coding knowledge. What are some good free alternatives or methods to make this process simpler?
4 Answers
I recommend checking out Webstudio! They offer a free plan that includes one custom domain and has a design interface that's pretty similar to Webflow. It could be a great option for your static website needs without the fees.
If you're looking for alternatives to keep editing your site without getting deep into code, your current method of exporting from Webflow and uploading to GitHub can function, though it might get repetitive. You might explore static site generators like Jekyll or Hugo; they allow you to manage content via Markdown and simplify updates a bit, although there’s some learning involved.
Another suggestion is to consider Netlify CMS, a free, open-source content management system that works well with static sites. It lets you manage content through a user-friendly interface, and you could host it for free on Netlify, or configure it alongside Cloudflare Pages. If you're open to shifting away from Webflow, WordPress with a static site generator plugin might also be an option for easy management and free hosting.
You could also consider using static site generators like Astro, Hugo, or Next.js which are free. Hosting the site code on GitHub and deploying it on Vercel, Netlify, or Cloudflare Pages would keep costs down, plus you could use a headless CMS like Tina or Decap for easier content management.
Have you thought about using Carrd? While it's not completely free for a custom domain (the Pro version is $19 per year), it’s user-friendly and can be a very affordable solution if you want something simple and effective.
I totally agree, Netlify CMS seems like a solid fit if ease of use is your priority!