How to Sell Webflow Templates

In the realm of web development and design, Webflow has emerged as a powerhouse tool, enabling designers and developers to create stunning, responsive websites without delving deep into coding. Among its many uses, selling Webflow templates has become a lucrative avenue for designers to showcase their skills and for developers to find ready-made solutions that ease their workflow. This guide is tailored for Webflow developers looking to navigate the intricacies of selling their templates, whether through the Webflow Marketplace or independently.

Why Sell Webflow Templates in General?

Selling Webflow templates offers a unique opportunity to capitalize on your design skills by providing valuable resources to others in the community. These templates can range from simple landing pages to complex eCommerce setups, catering to a wide array of needs and industries. By selling your templates, you not only gain financial rewards but also contribute to a growing ecosystem, helping others achieve their web design goals more efficiently.

Types of Templates Sold Along with Feature Breakdowns and Prices

Templates can vary greatly in complexity and purpose, from basic blog layouts to intricate business websites with integrated CMS features. Prices typically reflect the complexity and functionality of the template, with more comprehensive solutions commanding higher fees. Features such as dynamic lists, ecommerce functionalities, and unique interactions are often highlighted as selling points.

5 Successful Template Builders

Memberstack (Independent)

We offer a large selection of free and premium templates for your business – and we think you should too! As a no-code memberships platform, our goal is to help online entrepreneurs create profitable businesses quickly. Our templates are, yes, a way for us to get new customers, but also a way to engage in the no-code community and provide useful services to our customers. We think this is a great way to think about your own templates! 

Flowbase (Independent)

Flowbase is known for its vast collection of Webflow templates and cloneable assets. They stand out for offering a mix of both free and premium templates that span across various use cases, from simple UI elements to complete websites.

Flowout

Flowout specializes in creating templates that are not only visually appealing but also optimized for conversions, focusing on landing pages, portfolios, and eCommerce stores.

Metrik Studio

Metrik Studio has carved out a niche for itself by offering beautifully designed, high-quality templates that cater to creative professionals and agencies looking for unique web presences.

Udesly

Udesly bridges the gap between Webflow and other platforms like WordPress, offering templates that are versatile and adaptable to different content management systems.

Selling Templates with Webflow

Overview of the Webflow Templates Page

The Webflow template marketplace is a curated platform where designers can submit their templates for sale. It offers visibility within the Webflow community, providing a seamless way for users to discover and purchase templates.

Cost/Commission Structure

Webflow operates on a commission model, with template creators earning an 80% payout on total template sales. You are paid monthly, and, according to the Webflow website, the commission model is subject to change. 

Application Process / Submission Guidelines

The submission process for Webflow templates involves a rigorous review to ensure quality and functionality. Creators must adhere to specific guidelines, some of which include:

• Selecting Relevant Tags and a Unique Name: Choose a primary tag that best describes your template and ensure the template name is unique, avoiding duplication with existing marketplace entries or tags.
• Adhering to Design and Layout Standards: Your template should feature a clean, organized layout with consistent spacing, no horizontal scrolling, and utilize Webflow's structural elements like sections and flexbox. You can incorporate multiple layout variations if they maintain a unified style and target a specific business vertical.
• Optimizing Content and CMS: Tailor content to fit your template’s primary tag, avoiding generic patterns. Set up CMS collections and fields to match the intended website category, ensuring dynamic elements display properly.
• Ensure Responsiveness and SEO Optimization: Design your template to adapt seamlessly across devices and apply SEO best practices, including properly ordered heading elements and meta tags that match the template’s theme.
• Others: Use licensed images and assets, optimize image file sizes, clear all form notifications and integration settings, and avoid unnecessary custom code. Create distinct, useful pages like a Style Guide or Instructions if needed, and ensure the template passes a thorough pre-submission check for usability and performance.

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These guidelines might be challenging when you’re first starting out, so it's best to come up with a checklist as you’re building your site. We can assume these best practices reflect feedback Webflow has received from clients in the past – so they are good to follow even if you do not plan to sell your templates on Webflow.

Pros and Cons of Selling on Webflow

Selling Templates Independently

Overview of Selling Independently

Selling templates independently offers full control over the process, from pricing to customer interaction, providing a direct connection to the audience without intermediary constraints. The journey begins with choosing the right platform for sales. While creating a dedicated website offers maximum brand control and customer insight, leveraging third-party marketplaces can provide immediate access to established customer bases. Platforms like Gumroad, or even setting up a shop on Shopify are popular choices, each with its own set of benefits and considerations.

Marketing Your Templates

Independent sellers must invest in marketing to stand out. This includes leveraging social media, newsletters, offering deals, and optimizing for search engines to attract potential buyers. If you plan to sell on other third-party sites, they may have their own outreach and marketing systems. 

Pros and Cons of Selling Independently

Memberstack's Template Site Template

https://www.memberstack.com/webflow-templates/sell-webflow-templates

We think a template site is a great way to build some passive income for an individual, freelancer, or startup. We think it’s so good of an idea that we do it ourselves – and we’re selling the template for our template site! Very meta! Memberstack's template offers a comprehensive solution for selling Webflow templates independently, including features like a checkout page, features overview, and a dedicated section for showcasing template purposes. It serves as a perfect starting point for those looking to sell their Webflow creations with ease and professionalism.

This template site offers both Premium and Free templates in one location, making it easy to attract new customers to free options while also making them aware of more complex paid options. This is a great strategy for template businesses, especially when they are just starting out. 

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When you select on a template, you are directed to a CMS connected page which displays a short preview of the site, as well as any information that a potential customer might want to know. Depending on how you plan to sell your template, the information on this page can be modified. 

Our template template page (that is a mouthful) includes spaces for Loom videos and screenshots, which are great ways to showcase features on premium sites without needing to provide direct access to the templates. 

The template also comes with built-in integrations with Stripe (provided you’ve set up payments there already). This is why using Memberstack with this template site can be easier – they can be easily integrated with your existing accounts. 

Using Memberstack, Make, and Webflow - this template covers everything you need to independently sell Webflow templates on your own site.

Some of the features included in this template are:

• Free template clones
• PAYG paid templates
• All-access plan
• Server-side-hosted links (For security)
• Automatic sales notifications
• Advanced content gating
• And a whole bunch more!

In addition to the template, you get pre-made Make scenario blueprints for the site, comprehensive tutorial videos, access to a private Slack group, and direct support from Memberstack staff. If you think selling templates independently, this is one of the best options out there to get started immediately. 

Conclusion

Whether choosing to sell through Webflow's marketplace or independently, there are ample opportunities for Webflow developers to monetize their skills and contribute to the vibrant Webflow community. By understanding the benefits and challenges of each route, you can make informed decisions that align with your goals, capabilities, and business model. Begin by exploring successful template builders for inspiration, familiarize yourself with Webflow's submission guidelines, or start planning your independent sales strategy. The world of Webflow templates is vast and ever-expanding.