When choosing a content management system (CMS), you need a platform that aligns with your commercial goals and helps you grow.
But what “growth” looks like varies wildly from business to business. For some, it’s about spinning up microsites to test concepts quickly. For others, it’s about scaling a complex content strategy across regions and teams.
Either way, your CMS must be a strategic choice. And finding the right fit means choosing the right tools for how your team works, ships, and scales.
For years, open-source giant WordPress has been the go-to. But for some teams, proprietary platforms like Webflow are gaining serious traction. This post explores why — and when — businesses might consider a closed-source CMS, especially when launching marketing microsites or standalone sites at speed.
Proprietary platforms are closed-source website builders and CMSs managed entirely by a single company — think Webflow, Shopify, Squarespace, Wix.
These platforms typically offer:
Centralised product updates
Built-in hosting and security
Out-of-the-box features for design, SEO, and interactivity
Lower dependency on third-party plugins
This is a big contrast to open-source platforms like WordPress or Drupal, which often require custom setup, from plugin management to hosting infrastructure and security patches.
WordPress still dominates the web, powering over 43% of all websites globally (W3Techs, 2025). It’s popular for a reason: it’s flexible, extensible, and backed by a massive ecosystem. You can create pretty much anything for your website with WordPress.
But platforms like Webflow are growing in popularity. While it currently powers around 1% of global websites, Webflow is often the tool of choice for design-led, product-first businesses like SaaS startups and SMEs launching their whole website. It’s also becoming popular with enterprises launching microsites when they want to diversify, create sales-enablement materials, or test product messaging.
If you're reassessing your CMS or perhaps need something more than your WordPress site, here’s why platforms like Webflow can help:
1. Launch faster — and learn faster
With Webflow, you can move from concept to live site in a matter of days. That speed means you’re not just launching faster — you’re learning faster. Whether it’s spinning up campaign microsites or testing product messaging, Webflow gives your team the ability to iterate in real time. Many teams are even combining it with AI-powered tools for A/B testing — so you’re not just building quickly, you're optimising as you go.
2. Total design control, no compromise
Webflow’s visual canvas gives designers pixel-perfect control. What you see is what you publish — responsive, accessible, and fully aligned with your brand system. And if you want your website to have animations? No problem.
3. Built-in performance and security
Webflow sites are hosted on a global CDN with built-in SSL, auto-scaling, and fast load times by default. No need to patch plugins or manage servers — the platform handles the infrastructure for you.
We helped Plus X Innovation, a flexible workspace provider, optimise their Webflow based website. Their goal? Move faster — and give the marketing team more control.
“Webflow is perfect for some businesses. It’s fast, powerful, and provides rapid ROI.”
— Aaron, UX Designer at Elcap
The result? A pixel-perfect design, fast website, and no ongoing security and patching overheads.
Will a proprietary tool work with our existing stack?
It’s the question we hear most — and the answer is yes.
Modern proprietary platforms like Webflow integrate seamlessly with most CRMs, marketing automation tools, and analytics platforms. For Plus X, we connected HubSpot forms, CRM, and tracking directly into the Webflow build — no data loss, no disruption.
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The right platform depends on your goals, team structure, and how fast you need to move.
At elcap, we help brands choose the right tech stack — and build sites, microsites, and integrated CMS/CRM setups that support real growth. Whether that’s refining your WordPress build or moving to Webflow for faster execution, our goal is always the same:
📬 Curious what a faster, leaner setup could look like?
Let’s talk — hello@elcap.agency