Figma Sites vs Framer: Capability Comparison

Figma Sites and Framer both let you build a website on a visual canvas and publish it directly, and both now ship a CMS and a way to add custom code — but they gate those features by plan differently, and only one of them hands you a folder of code to self-host (neither does). If you're comparing them because you're already deciding between Figma and Framer as your design tool, this is the capability-by-capability breakdown, sourced from each vendor's own help center and pricing page, checked September 2026.

The capability table

What does "editor model" actually mean here?

Both products start you on a canvas rather than a page-builder form, which is the thing that makes this comparison worth having in the first place. Figma Sites is explicit that it reuses Figma Design's own toolset: per Figma's help center (checked September 2026), "use the same design tools you're accustomed to in Figma Design, like frames, auto layout, shapes, responsive components—and much more." If you already design in Figma, that's a real advantage: nothing to relearn.

Framer's canvas is its own separate tool — you're not bringing a Figma file's structure with you unless you go through an import step first, which our Figma to Framer import guide covers in detail: it's a copy-paste plugin workflow, not a one-click site conversion, and what lands is editable but needs rebuilding for CMS fields, interactions, and responsive behavior across breakpoints.

How do the two CMS systems compare in practice?

Both are real, structured CMS systems, not a blog-only add-on. Figma's own Guide to Figma Sites CMS describes it: "The content management system (CMS) in Figma Sites helps you organize and scale structured content—like blog posts, case studies, or product listings—without updating your designs." Figma states this is "available on all plans" that include Sites at all, with no separate collection or item cap documented on that help page.

Framer's CMS is capped more explicitly by plan — our dedicated Framer CMS guide covers the exact collection and item ceilings per tier, and the paid add-ons that raise them. If your content volume is the deciding factor, that's the page to check before committing to a Framer plan.

How does the custom-code feature differ?

Functionally, both let you drop real, hand-written or AI-generated code onto the canvas as a layer or component. The technology differs slightly — Figma's code layers use "React, Typescript, and Tailwind CSS," while Framer's Code Components "must use React 18 compatible code" and add Property Controls so the component's props can be adjusted visually afterward, without touching the code again. Figma's version leans harder into the AI-authored path: "you can either describe what you'd like to create with AI, or write React code yourself. Or both!" Framer's code editor is code-first, with AI assistance elsewhere in the product rather than built into the component-creation flow itself.

One shared caution, stated directly by Figma and worth following regardless of platform: never put an API key inside a code layer or component, since client-side code is discoverable by anyone who inspects the published page.

What about custom domains and cost?

This is where the platforms diverge most in how transparent the current terms are. Figma's own help article on custom domains still reads, as of this writing, "custom domains are free of charge through 2025," a sentence that hasn't been updated even though we're past that date — the practical read is that Figma hasn't published new terms yet, so check that page directly before assuming free domains continue. Below that expiring perk, the seat-based caps are clear: Professional connects up to 10 domains, Organization and Enterprise unlimited.

Framer's domain gate is simpler to state: free means no custom domain, full stop, and any paid plan unlocks one. Framer's pricing page separates which plan you need from how much CMS and bandwidth headroom you get — see Framer pricing for that breakdown.

Does either one give me code I can self-host?

No, and this is worth being direct about since it's easy to assume otherwise from either product's marketing. Figma Sites publishes to Figma's own hosting on a figma.site subdomain or a connected custom domain; there's no documented export path to a code bundle. Framer is the same: it publishes the result as a hosted, managed site on its own platform, per our own Figma-to-Framer research — no HTML/CSS/JS folder handed to you.

If self-hosted, ownable output matters more to you than either platform's canvas or CMS, that's a real gap for both. It's also where Figment fits into this specific comparison: Figment publishes a Figma design as a static bundle, and paid Figment plans export clean HTML/CSS to hand off or self-host — a different tradeoff than either Figma Sites or Framer, at the cost of having no CMS at all today. Figment isn't a fit if you need Figma Sites' or Framer's CMS or built-in custom-code layer; it's worth a look only if static output and self-hosting matter more than either. Our separate Figma Sites vs Figment comparison goes deeper on that specific pairing, including where Figma Sites is clearly the better answer.

Which should I choose?

• You're already paying for a Figma Full seat, and you want your CMS and code layer to live in the same file as your design. Figma Sites is the default choice — no separate subscription, and the editor is the one you already know.
• You need Framer's more mature CMS tooling, more granular Code Components with reusable Property Controls, or you're not on a Figma paid seat already. Framer's Basic or Pro plan is the more direct route, and its CMS caps are more precisely documented if you're planning content volume in advance.
• You need the published site's actual code to self-host, not just to publish through the vendor's own hosting. Neither Figma Sites nor Framer gives you that; look elsewhere, or accept a design-only export in Figment's case with no CMS in exchange for ownable HTML/CSS.

Check both platforms' pricing pages directly before committing to a year of billing — Figma's stated custom-domain terms are explicitly tied to a 2025 date that's already passed, and Framer's toggles between monthly and yearly views change the numbers you'll see.