Choosing the right content management system (CMS) can make or break your B2B SaaS website strategy. In 2026, marketing teams looking for WordPress alternatives are evaluating two main platforms: Webflow and Adobe Experience Manager (AEM). But here's the thing: they are not even close to being similar.
Modern marketing teams who want speed and web design control prefer the first platform. The other is an enterprise-grade behemoth that requires serious technical resources and front end developers.
If you're a Head of Marketing at a B2B SaaS or AI company deciding which platform makes sense for your website revamp, this comparison will help.
Understanding modern CMS platforms
Modern platforms like Webflow represent a major shift from traditional approaches. Older systems required extensive knowledge of programming languages, HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), and server side scripting languages. Today's CMS platforms fall into different categories: some focus on static websites with fast performance, others handle complex web applications with database management, and enterprise solutions manage content across multiple channels.
For B2B SaaS companies, the choice often comes down to whether you want to learn web development deeply or empower your marketing team to work independently using visual tools. This fundamental difference shapes everything from team structure to total cost of ownership.
What is Webflow?
Webflow is a visual website builder that combines web design, content management systems (CMS), and hosting in one platform. It lets designers and marketers build custom, responsive websites and web applications without writing code in traditional programming languages. Since launching Webflow Enterprise, the platform has become a serious option for B2B companies that need more than just pretty landing pages.
The platform generates clean, production-ready code using HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), offering a CMS that marketing teams can actually use without calling developers for every small change. Companies like Databahn, Akirolabs, and hundreds of other B2B SaaS brands have moved to Webflow specifically because it gives them control over their website without the technical debt.
Key Webflow features for B2B teams
1. Visual development environment: Webflow's designer tool works like Figma but outputs actual HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. You design directly in the browser and see exactly what visitors will see on your web pages. No surprises when you hit publish.
2. CMS built for marketing: Create custom content structures for blog posts, case studies, integration pages, or any content type your team needs. The content management system is flexible but not overly complicated, making it ideal for both static websites and dynamic web applications.
3. Webflow Enterprise capabilities: Advanced features like SSO, custom roles and permissions, dedicated support, and SLA guarantees. This is what makes Webflow viable for Series B and C companies with real security and compliance requirements.
4. Native SEO controls: Built-in meta tags, Open Graph settings, schema markup support, XML sitemaps, and 301 redirects. Everything you need for technical SEO without installing plugins.
5. Integrated hosting: Webflow handles hosting on AWS with a global CDN. Your site is fast, secure, and automatically optimized for performance. No need to manage servers or worry about uptime.
Who uses Webflow?
Webflow works best for B2B SaaS, AI, and tech companies that value design quality and want their marketing teams to move fast. You will find Webflow at companies ranging from early-stage startups to growth-stage firms doing $50M to $200M in revenue.
Marketing teams choose Webflow when dev resource bottlenecks slow them down. Product marketing managers use it to launch product pages and landing pages on their own timeline. Demand gen teams use it to run experiments and optimize conversion paths without opening tickets.
What is Adobe Experience Manager?
Adobe Experience Manager is an enterprise content management system that is part of the Adobe Experience Cloud. This platform helps large organizations manage content across multiple sites, channels, and markets using server side programming and robust database management.
AEM takes a traditional approach to content management with sophisticated workflow tools, content personalization capabilities, and integration with the broader Adobe ecosystem. Companies that have dedicated technical teams familiar with object oriented programming languages and complex digital experience requirements use AEM.
Key AEM features for enterprise teams
1. Multi-site management: AEM excels at managing multiple websites from a single instance. If you have different brands, regions, or product lines that all need separate sites, AEM has the infrastructure to handle it.
2. Content personalization: Built-in tools for creating personalized experiences based on user segments, behavior, and data from other Adobe products.
3. Enterprise workflow management: Approval processes, content versioning, translation workflows, and governance controls for large teams with complex content operations.
4. Adobe ecosystem integration: Native integration with Adobe Analytics, Adobe Target, Adobe Campaign, and other Adobe Marketing Cloud products.
5. Component-based architecture: Developers build reusable components using frameworks and libraries that content authors can use to create web pages. This keeps things consistent across a large site and supports both client side and server side functionality.
Who uses Adobe Experience Manager?
AEM is built for enterprise organizations with large technical teams and budgets to match. You will typically find AEM at companies with hundreds or thousands of employees, multiple websites, and complex content management needs.
Financial services companies, large tech enterprises, global B2B companies, and government organizations use AEM. These are organizations that already use other Adobe products and need their CMS to integrate with their existing marketing technology stack.
Webflow vs Adobe Experience Manager: Direct comparison
1. Design and user experience
Webflow gives designers direct control over every pixel. The visual builder feels natural if you have used any design tool before. You can create completely custom layouts, add interactions and animations, and build complex responsive designs without touching code. Designers can become productive within a week or two.
AEM uses a component-based approach where developers build templates and content authors use those building blocks. The interface is functional but not intuitive. Making design changes requires developer involvement. For B2B marketing teams that want to iterate quickly, Webflow is clearly better.
2. Technical requirements and team structure
Webflow requires minimal technical resources. A designer who understands web design and web development fundamentals can build and maintain a Webflow site. For more complex web applications, you might bring in a Webflow developer, but you don't need a full engineering team familiar with server side scripting languages.
Most B2B companies work with a Webflow Enterprise Partner for their initial build, then manage updates internally with their marketing team. This is the model that works for growth-stage SaaS companies that need a professional site but can't dedicate engineering resources to their marketing website.
AEM requires a dedicated technical team with specific expertise. You need Java developers (an object oriented programming language) who understand AEM's architecture, DevOps engineers to manage deployment and infrastructure, and specialized AEM architects for complex implementations. Even after launch, you need ongoing technical resources to maintain the platform and make changes.
The technical investment for AEM is significant. Companies should plan for a team of 3-5 technical resources minimum to properly support an AEM implementation.
3. Content management and publishing
Webflow's CMS is straightforward. You create content types with the fields you need, and team members can add and edit content through a clean interface. Publishing is instant. The editing experience is visual, so you see how content looks as you edit it.
AEM's content management is process-driven with approval workflows and multiple publishing steps. This makes sense for organizations that need content governance, but it slows things down. AEM's strength is managing content at scale across multiple sites and languages.
4. Performance and reliability
Webflow sites are fast. The platform generates clean code, optimizes images automatically, and serves everything through a CDN. Most Webflow sites score 90+ on Google PageSpeed Insights without extra optimization work. Uptime is reliable with 99.9% uptime on Enterprise plans, and Webflow handles all hosting infrastructure.
AEM performance depends entirely on implementation and hosting. A well-configured AEM instance with proper caching can be fast, but you're responsible for provisioning servers, configuring CDNs, and handling scaling.
5. SEO capabilities
Webflow includes all the core SEO features you need: customizable meta tags, Open Graph tags, schema markup support, clean semantic HTML, fast page loads, automatic XML sitemaps, and 301 redirects. The platform is built with application programming interfaces (APIs) that connect seamlessly with SEO tools.
You can control all SEO settings at the page level or set defaults for content collections. The platform makes technical SEO relatively simple, though you still need someone who understands SEO to configure everything properly.
AEM's SEO capabilities require more custom implementation using server side scripting languages. The platform itself doesn't come with built-in SEO tools, so developers need to build in meta tag management, schema markup, and other SEO features. This gives you complete control but requires technical resources and knowledge of web development.
For B2B SaaS companies running SEO-focused website revamps, Webflow's built-in SEO features are a clear advantage. You can launch with strong technical SEO foundations without custom development work.
6. Integrations and connections
Webflow offers native integrations with common marketing tools: HubSpot, Marketo, Google Analytics, Segment, and Zapier. The Webflow API lets developers build custom integrations using application programming interfaces (APIs) when needed. For most B2B SaaS companies, the available integrations cover essential use cases.
AEM is designed to integrate deeply with other Adobe Experience Cloud products. Outside the Adobe ecosystem, integrations require custom development using frameworks and libraries. AEM is built for technical teams that will build whatever integrations they need.
7. Migration and implementation
Migrating to Webflow typically takes 6-12 weeks for a standard B2B SaaS website, including content strategy, web design, development, content migration, QA, and launch. Most migrations range from $25K-60K depending on complexity. Many companies work with a Webflow migration partner to handle technical work while their team focuses on content and strategy.
AEM implementations take 6-12 months for a full build. Implementation costs typically start at $250K and can exceed $1M for complex deployments, not including ongoing hosting, support, and maintenance. AEM projects require significant planning, technical architecture using server side programming, and custom development.
8. Pricing comparison
Webflow pricing is transparent and predictable. Site plans range from $14/month for basic sites to custom Enterprise pricing typically in the $2K-5K/month range.
For a complete website revamp including design, development, and migration, most B2B SaaS companies invest $25K-60K. Enterprise builds with extensive functionality might reach $60K-100K.
After launch, monthly retainers for ongoing updates typically range from $2K-10K/month.
AEM licensing costs start around $250K annually and scale based on sites, traffic, and features. Implementation costs another $250K-1M, plus hosting infrastructure, ongoing development resources, and maintenance.
Total cost of ownership for AEM over three years typically exceeds $2M. For large enterprises managing dozens of websites, this investment might make sense. For most B2B SaaS companies, this is overkill.
Webflow vs WordPress: The more relevant comparison
If you're a B2B SaaS company evaluating Webflow vs AEM, you probably don't need AEM. The more relevant comparison is Webflow vs WordPress. WordPress powers far more B2B SaaS websites, and the search volume for "Webflow vs WordPress" shows 1.3K monthly searches while AEM comparisons get minimal interest.
Why teams are leaving WordPress for Webflow
WordPress has clear limitations for modern marketing teams: plugin dependency creates security risks and performance issues, making design changes requires front end developers, sites slow down over time, and security concerns need constant monitoring. WordPress also requires ongoing management of database management systems and server side configurations.
Webflow addresses these directly: no plugins needed for core functionality, marketing teams can make changes on their own using visual web design tools, reliable performance out of the box with static websites, and managed security at the platform level. For Series A to Series C B2B companies, this means the marketing team moves fast while technical resources focus on the product.
When Webflow makes sense for your B2B company
1. Want design control: Your brand matters, and you need websites and web applications that look like a modern tech company, not a WordPress template.
2. Need speed to market: You want to launch new product pages, landing pages, and content quickly without waiting on developer availability or learning complex programming languages.
3. Value marketing autonomy: Your marketing team wants to run experiments, optimize conversions, and iterate on messaging without technical bottlenecks or understanding server side scripting languages.
4. Have 10-300 employees: You're past the stage where a template website works, but you don't have the scale to justify enterprise content management systems (CMS) complexity.
5. Budget $25K-100K for a website revamp: You understand that professional websites require investment, but you don't want to spend $500K-1M on CMS implementation.
When Adobe Experience Manager makes sense
AEM might be the right choice if you manage multiple complex websites, need advanced governance with content approval workflows, already use Adobe Experience Cloud products, have technical resources including Java developers and DevOps engineers, and can budget $2M+ over three years for implementation and maintenance.
Most B2B SaaS companies don't meet these criteria. AEM is built for enterprise scale and complexity that growth-stage companies simply don't have yet.
Evaluate your actual requirements
Many organizations overestimate their need for enterprise-level CMS complexity. Before committing to AEM's substantial investment, honestly assess whether you need its advanced capabilities:
Making the decision for your company
The choice between Webflow and Adobe Experience Manager comes down to your company's stage and resources. If you're a B2B SaaS company with 10-300 employees, growing revenue, and a marketing team that needs to move fast, Webflow is the clear choice. It gives you professional quality, reasonable cost, and the ability to manage your website without a technical team.
Most companies evaluating these platforms end up choosing Webflow. The investment makes sense, the team can actually use it, and the site performs well without constant technical support. The real question isn't Webflow vs AEM. It's whether your current website setup is holding your marketing team back.
Moving forward with a website revamp
If you're considering a move to Webflow, here's how to start:
1. Audit your current site: Document conversion rates, page load times, and time spent on website issues.
2. Define your requirements: List the web pages you need, CMS content types, integrations, and performance standards.
3. Partner with experts: Work with a certified Webflow Enterprise Partner who brings strategy and CRO expertise.
4. Plan your content: Map out your messaging and content structure before design starts.
5. Build in phases: Launch core pages first, then add features over time.
Conclusion
Webflow and Adobe Experience Manager serve completely different markets. AEM is built for enterprise-level complexity and requires enterprise-level resources including teams familiar with object oriented programming languages and server side programming. Webflow is built for modern marketing teams that want professional web design and web development without the technical overhead.
For most B2B SaaS companies, Webflow delivers everything they need: design control, marketing autonomy, reliable performance, and reasonable cost. The platform has matured into a serious enterprise option while staying accessible for teams that don't have dedicated web engineering resources.
The bigger opportunity goes beyond picking the right management system. Use a website revamp as a chance to fix the underlying problems with your site: unclear messaging, poor conversion paths, slow performance, and technical bottlenecks that slow down your marketing team.
That's the kind of website revamp that actually moves the needle on pipeline and revenue, not just swapping out the CMS.
If you're ready to explore how Webflow can transform your B2B SaaS website, talk to our team about your specific requirements.
.png)
.avif)
.svg)
.svg)
