Framer Tutorial: Can You Create a Website in Under 5 Minutes?

I get it – you need a website, and fast. You don’t want to sit and churn out lines of code for it to work. Just a few clicks and the website should be ready.

That’s why you’re here – to learn about this amazing tool for website creation, Framer. It can develop a website in just 5 minutes.

Start brewing a cup of joe because your website will be finished by the time you enjoy that coffee.

What is Framer?

Framer is a tool that lets you create amazing sites within a few minutes. And it doesn’t create plain old boring sites either. No, it can make some of the most stunning websites you’ve ever seen.

It lets you choose a layout, add effects, add links to have smooth navigation, and a lot more. When everything is done, you can deploy it in a few seconds.

Once the website is done, it can be scaled up with your business. Want to add more pages later on?

Easy peasy!

Once the website is up and running, you get to maintain it with an easy dashboard. And it helps you with website content, thanks to artificial intelligence.

Its AI features let you rewrite text and translate it to different languages.

You can start a site from scratch or move your existing website to Framer. The pages in Framer are responsive by default so you don’t have to work on a mobile website – it will be done for you automatically.

This Framer Review is Different than the Rest. But How?

When you search for Framer AI website building, you’ll find reviews that say it’s a prompt-based website generator.

They claim that all you have to do is enter a text prompt and it will create a website for you.

And there aren’t just articles, there are YouTube videos as well. There are all types of posts claiming the magic of generating a website from thin air.

However, at the time of writing this article (Feb 28, 2024), Framer doesn’t do that. Will it incorporate this service later?

Maybe.

I got interested in Framer when I read all those reviews on how easy it is – just give a text prompt and you’ll get a full-fledged website within a few minutes.

But when I tested it, there was no such feature.

It’s a drag-and-drop editor. It has some templates and you can drag and drop elements into their positions. You know, like with other website builders.

Does it have artificial intelligence?

Sure!

It has text translation and text rewriting features, but those are pretty much all they have at this moment.

So if you’re here after reading all those reviews, you’re going to be surprised.

Is Framer bad? Absolutely not!

It’s a wonderful website generation tool. But it’s not a prompt-to-website generator as claimed by many other people online.

Let’s clear the air. Framer is a drag-and-drop website creator that uses AI for text rewriting and translation (and not website generation).

It does have its pros and cons. If I compare it to one of the top website creators (let’s say Wix), it has extra features and customization options.

But also, it has a steep learning curve. While it’s easy to create a basic website from a template, there is still a lot to learn if you’re a new user.

Let’s discuss how you can create a website with it.

How to Use Framer AI to Create a Website in Under 5 Minutes

Just because it’s not a prompt-to-website generator doesn’t mean it will take days to create a website. We can still have a website in under 10 minutes.

Let’s see how we can get a website quickly.

I’ll create a portfolio website for freelance writing services. Let’s see how it goes.

1. Log in to Framer

Open the Framer website and you’ll find the login button on the top right.

Creating an account is absolutely free and you can test the services without paying anything.

2. Welcome to the website builder

Once you log in, you’ll see a screen like this. In the left panel, there are four main options. There’s an App Tour that will explain how it works. It’s a video that explains the basic process. The second one is Templates.

The third button is for Figma Paste if you already have a design that you want to copy to this website. And then there are some more tutorials.

If you don’t already have a website, you’ll need to build one from scratch. Let’s begin.

3. Click on Templates

Let’s begin with the right template. There are many templates to choose from. From the left panel, under the Get Started section, you’ll find the Templates button. Click on it.

You’ll be taken to a template library. There are templates for different niches and categories. Some of them are free while others are paid. You can select the template you want and click on it. It will be used on your website.

I used one and this is how my unpublished website looks.

4. Make Edits

Now that you have a template to work on, let’s make changes to personalize the website.

I have to change a lot of things on this website. Let’s begin with the text on the home page.

Double-click on the text and it will be highlighted. Type anything to replace it.

This is how it looked after text change.

Let’s change the menu bar. Double-click on it to open the bar. Now click on each button to change the text. I changed some buttons and deleted the others.

Here’s how it looked after the menu edit.

You can change the image of the girl by clicking on it. For now, I’ll leave it like that. But you can change it for your website.

You can add pages to your website. Let’s create another one.

5. Add a New Page

Let’s add a new page. On the left panel, you’ll notice a range of page options. Let’s go with the contact page.

Here is how the raw contact page will look.

Made some edits to the page and it’s done.

6. Link the pages

Now that we have two pages, let’s link them to relevant places.

I’ll go back to the home page. Let me link the Contact page to the Learn More button on my home page.

Click on Learn more. Check the panel on the right. It will show an attribute called Link. Click on it and enter /contact.

Now the two pages are connected.

7. Publish the Website

I can do a lot more to my website. But for now, my demo website is done and I’ll publish it. Click on the Publish button in the top right corner.

The website is published. Here is what it looks like.

Of course, when you publish it for free, it will not be a custom domain. But if you already have a custom domain, you can link it to the website when publishing it.

How long did it take?

It took me just two minutes. But to be honest, it’s a very basic website. Plus, I skipped linking the menu buttons to other pages.

If I had to link menu buttons and add custom images, it could take about 5-10 minutes for this.

So yeah, I’d say it takes more like 5-10 minutes to create a basic website. But it’s still pretty fast.

Custom Domains

When you publish your website, it’s a temporary domain. Let’s put it on a proper domain. You can either use a free .framer.website domain or use your existing domain.

Here’s how you can do it.

Visit the Site settings and click on Domains.

I entered a custom name in the free domain option and here it is.

If you don’t want the framer.website part, you’ll need to buy a custom domain or switch to a paid plan.

Pricing

There are two types of pricing on Framer.

Site Pricing

Site pricing is for individual sites.

There are five site pricing plans.

• Free for $0
• Mini for $5/month
• Basic for $15/month
• Pro for $30/month
• Enterprise is customized to your needs

These are rather affordable prices. You get a framer domain for free. But if you move to Mini, you get a custom domain. For $5/month, I’d say it’s very economical.

Workspace Pricing

Workspace pricing is for teams.

There are four workspace pricing plans:

• Free for $0
• Basic for $20/month
• Pro for $40/month
• Enterprise is customized to your needs

These plans let you collaborate with your teams while working on the websites.

Framer for eCommerce

Can Framer be used with eCommerce websites? Yes.

However, if you’re an ecommerce merchant, you might find Framer a bit difficult because it has limited ecommerce abilities.

It’s good for other types of sites though. Of course, it can be integrated with Shopify or other services such as Gumroad, but that’s about it.

Framer doesn’t have inbuilt eCommerce features.

Yes, Framer has many ecommerce-friendly templates but it doesn’t support eCommerce the way Shopify and Wix do.

Framer Pros and Cons

Now that we know how Framer works. Let’s discuss some pros and cons here.

Pros

I’ve experimented with Framer for a week and here are some of the pros I found.

• Simple drag-and-drop editor, super easy to use
• Responsive design, you get to see the mobile version side-by-side
• Automatic animation effects that add extra life to the website
• Free positioning design, which gives a lot of independence
• Easy to copy and paste from Figma
• Lets you make fine changes to the website
• Creates a website in under 10 minutes
• Offers a free version

Cons

• Is not a prompt-to-website generator as many reviews claim
• Doesn’t come with full eCommerce features
• Has a learning curve and might be difficult for first-time website creators

Even though Framer has these limitations, it comes with a free plan, which gives you enough time to try its services, get used to them, and then make the payment.

So you get to see how your website will look before you actually spend money on it.

Who Should Use Framer

If you’re a designer who wants to have full control over your designs and needs an out-of-the-box approach, Framer can be a good choice for you.

It lets you take control of every part of your design. It even lets you copy your designs from Figma.

This means you can create websites with unique designs. If you’re an experienced UX or UI designer, Framer would be a good choice for you.

You can also apply animation on the website to catch user attention.

Also, since Framer offers team plans, it’s a good option for teams collaborating to create websites. With real-time collaboration, it helps all your teammates to stay on the same page.

Who Should Not Use Framer

New website creators might find Framer difficult. While the Framer environment gives you more control over your website, it can be overwhelming for new users.

There’s a learning curve that can be intimidating for someone looking for a generic website without much work.

But then again, Framer offers a free plan so it’s good for students who want to learn website building or are looking for a personal website.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I like Framer. It’s a drag-and-drop website editor but gives more freedom to an avid designer.

You get a free hand and can place your elements anywhere. The templates are rather limited but if you don’t want to use a template, you can create your own design.

And no, it will not create a website from a prompt. It does have AI features but they are limited to content. But don’t let that stop you from trying Framer.

It’s free, so make sure you try it once.

Frequently Asked Questions