If you’re planning to use Shopify for your next eCommerce project and want more design flexibility than Shopify’s themes offer, you might be considering Webflow as a design tool. Integrating Webflow with Shopify lets you take advantage of Webflow's design capabilities while benefiting from Shopify’s powerful order management and payment processing systems.
While Webflow’s native eCommerce capabilities can create a sleek and engaging buying experience, many store owners prioritize ease of use and scalability when choosing an eCommerce platform. Webflow’s eCommerce might be great for smaller stores, but as your product catalog grows and variations stack up, management becomes more complex. Plus, features like wishlists, banners, coupons, and other eCommerce essentials often require third-party integrations, if available at all. Webflow also falls short in key areas like inventory management, POS integration, and advanced shipping options—features many shop owners expect for seamless fulfillment.
At Slam Media Lab (Slam), we’re a fast-moving boutique agency that brings your brand to life in every detail—from the bold strokes of your site to that one sentence you just can’t get quite right. Specializing in eCommerce and web design, we combine creativity with no-code to craft custom solutions that scale. Share your vision, and we’ll take care of the rest. We've explored alternative approaches that allow you to leverage Webflow’s design flexibility while delivering a scalable, feature-rich eCommerce experience for your clients—ensuring you get the best of both worlds without sacrificing growth potential or usability.
Below, we outline three top ways to integrate Webflow with Shopify, detailing the pros and cons of each method:
- Webflow → Udesly → Shopify
- Webflow → Smootify→ → Shopify
- Shopify
Webflow to Shopify Using Udesly
One of the most popular methods to integrate Webflow with Shopify is using the third-party tool, Udesly. Udesly converts your Webflow project into a Shopify template, which you can upload directly into your Shopify account. This method allows you to maintain Webflow’s design capabilities while leveraging Shopify’s robust eCommerce functionality.
Udesly has built a stand-alone platform which guides you through the conversion process. Detailed documentation is also available, which helps you step-by-step convert your Webflow Ecommerce project by exporting the HTML and CSS code and converting it into Liquid code used in Shopify.
We suggest reading the Udesly documentation prior to starting your Webflow project since it will affect the way you build your Webflow site.
What Udesly is good for
- Small Projects: Ideal for businesses focused on visual appeal, particularly those selling a single product and looking for a more immersive design experience than Shopify templates offer.
- Temporary or Small-Scale Shops: Perfect for testing product market fit without committing to a long-term solution.
- Simple Product Structures: Not ideal for businesses with complex product categorization needs.
- Speedy Development: Quickly convert a Webflow eCommerce template into a Shopify theme to get your store up and running.
Drawbacks of using Udesly
- Compatibility Issues with Shopify 2.0 Templates: Udesly does not support converting Webflow designs into Shopify 2.0 templates, limiting compatibility with Shopify’s most updated features, such as product reviews and third-party apps.
- Integration and Scalability Challenges: The integration of third-party apps and future scalability are restricted due to incompatibility with Shopify 2.0.
- Theme Update Limitations: Updates or additions to the design, such as new pages or sections, require revisiting Webflow and going through the conversion process again.
Based on our experience with our ecommerce client Boba Blinks, we found that the drawbacks of Udesly's lack of support for Shopify 2.0 template conversion outweighed the benefits. As a result, we decided to custom-build a Shopify 2.0-compatible theme. Our client needed a complete eCommerce solution that could fully leverage the Shopify app store, and Udesly didn’t meet the requirements for delivering that level of scalability and functionality. By opting for a custom theme, we were able to create a solution tailored to their needs, ensuring seamless integration with the Shopify’s app store.
Plugins like promotional banners, discounts, wishlists, chatbots, and reviews are important for enhancing functionality and boosting conversions in a Shopify 2.0 store. Since these features rely on third-party integrations, the lack of support for them in Udesly made it difficult to deliver the complete eCommerce experience our client needed. This limitation pushed us to develop a custom Shopify 2.0 theme, ensuring compatibility with these crucial apps and providing Boba Blinks with a fully optimized solution.
Webflow to Shopify Using Smootify
Another integration option is Smootify, a third-party tool designed to connect Webflow with Shopify’s back-end systems. Smootify allows you to use your Webflow site as the storefront while taking advantage of Shopify’s back-end for order processing and fulfillment. With Smootify, you can map Webflow buttons to Shopify’s eCommerce functionalities, such as “add to cart” and “checkout.”
What Smootify is good for
- Clients Seeking Design Flexibility: Perfect for businesses that want full control over their design while utilizing Shopify’s back-end infrastructure.
- Scalability: As your business grows, you can rely on Shopify’s order and payment management capabilities while maintaining Webflow's design flexibility.
- Tech-Savvy Clients: Best for users who understand both Webflow and Shopify, or those with an in-house development team.
- Custom Functionalities with Developer Support: Allows for custom functionalities such as reviews, wishlists, and chat, but requires developer support for setup and maintenance.
Drawbacks of using Smootify
- No Access to Shopify’s App Store: Since the front end is hosted on Webflow, you lose access to Shopify’s vast app ecosystem.
- Complex Setup: While Smootify simplifies integration, it still requires technical knowledge and customization to ensure seamless operation.
- Limited Customization of Shopify’s Cart and Checkout: Customizing Shopify’s eCommerce functions while using Webflow for the design may require additional development effort.
- Managing Two Platforms: You’ll need to manage both Webflow for design and Shopify for eCommerce, complicating updates and order management. Plus the added costs of two platforms.
For clients and projects who are comfortable managing multiple platforms and are prepared for the additional costs, Smootify can be a great solution. By using both Webflow and Shopify, they gain full design flexibility along with the scalability and robust eCommerce features Shopify provides.
Only Using Shopify
For users who prioritize delivering a high-performing eCommerce experience optimized for conversions, managing your site entirely through Shopify is often the smartest choice. Shopify’s extensive library of customizable themes and vast ecosystem of third-party apps make it a powerful and scalable platform, capable of supporting businesses of all sizes—from startups and small boutiques to large-scale enterprises—while ensuring they generate sales fast and their ops run efficiently.
Benefits of using only Shopify
- User-Friendly and Scalable All-In-One Platform: Shopify’s interface is simple to use for both frontend and backend management, making it easy to scale as your business grows.
- Conversion Optimization: Shopify’s platform is optimized for conversions, making it a great choice for businesses looking to maximize their sales.
- Extensive Third-Party Apps: Shopify’s app store offers a vast array of apps to enhance functionality, from marketing tools to customer support features.
- 24/7 Customer Support: Shopify offers round-the-clock customer support, ensuring that any issues are resolved quickly.
Disadvantages of using only Shopify:
- Limited Design Flexibility: While Shopify offers a variety of themes, its design customization is more limited compared to Webflow. Advanced customization may require knowledge of Shopify’s Liquid code.
- Customization Limitations: Shopify’s flexibility with unique shopping experiences is somewhat limited unless you hire a developer or purchase additional apps.
- Rigid URL Structure: Shopify’s URL structure is fixed, with enforced subdirectories like “/collections” and “/products,” which may limit SEO flexibility.
Slam’s Take on Using Webflow and Shopify
Deciding how to integrate Webflow with Shopify depends on your specific eCommerce needs. If speed and design customization are your priorities, Udesly is an excellent option. For businesses looking for more complexity and functionality while maintaining design control, Smootify offers a solid middle ground. . And for those who want a full-featured eCommerce store and are willing to trade some design flexibility for scalability and app support, managing your site entirely through Shopify is often the smartest choice.
For our client Boba Blinks, we explored using Udesly to convert the site we built using Webflow to a Shopify theme. While following Udesly's documentation enabled us to create a functional theme, we quickly ran into several limitations, including reduced design flexibility and lack of support for key Shopify apps. These drawbacks restricted our ability to deliver the full eCommerce experience the client needed. Given Boba Blinks' reliance on the Shopify app ecosystem, we opted to custom-build a Shopify 2.0-compatible theme using Liquid code to ensure seamless integration with all necessary functionality.
At Slam Media Lab, we bring your brand to life across every part of your online presence—whether it's through standout web design, impactful SEO, or building an eCommerce store that drives results. With our experience and expertise, you're set for success. Ready to elevate your eCommerce experience? Get in touch with us today!
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