What are some limitations and issues to be aware of when using Weglot for multilingual support on Webflow sites, and what alternatives are available for native multilingual support on the Webflow platform?

Using Weglot for multilingual support on Webflow is popular, but there are several limitations and potential issues you should consider. Webflow also does not yet have built-in native multilingual capabilities, but alternatives are emerging.

1. Weglot Limitations on Webflow

• Pricing Based on Word Count & Languages: Weglot’s pricing scales by the number of translated words and languages. Large content-heavy sites can get expensive quickly.
• SEO Limitations (on free/lower plans): SEO-friendly language-specific subdirectories (e.g., /fr/, /es/) are not supported on the free plan, and full SEO control requires a paid plan.
• Third-Party Dependence: You're reliant on Weglot’s service uptime, external interface, and billing model. If your Weglot subscription ends, translations are no longer accessible.
• Limited Customization via Webflow: Although you can adjust translations in Weglot’s dashboard, deeply customizing language behavior or logic often requires navigating their interface—not Webflow itself.
• Performance Overhead: Since Weglot dynamically injects translations, there can be a slight delay or flickering as original content is replaced with translations.
• Not Ideal for Complex Logic: Conditional visibility, different form actions per language, or advanced localization logic can't be controlled directly in Webflow with Weglot.

2. Alternatives to Weglot for Webflow

• Jetboost + CMS Structure Workaround:

• Create separate CMS Collections or item fields per language (e.g., “title_en”, “title_fr”).

• Use Jetboost filters or Webflow’s native conditional visibility to show the correct language content.

• Pros: Fully controlled within Webflow.

• Cons: Labor-intensive and hard to maintain for many languages.

• Finsweet’s Attributes Multilang (Free solution):

• Part of Finsweet’s Attributes toolset that allows language switching using attributes.

• Works using CMS structure with multiple language fields.

• Pros: Free and Webflow-native.

• Cons: Manual translation management and setup effort increase with each additional language.

• Custom Code or Redirect-Based Systems:

• Use custom language selectors and redirect users to language-specific pages (e.g., “/en/home”, “/es/home”).

• Requires manual page duplication or multi-language fields in CMS.

• Pros: SEO-friendly URLs.

• Cons: No dynamic translation, complex project setup, risk of content mismatch.

• Webflow CMS API + External Translation Systems:

• Automatically fetch and upload translations via the Webflow API.

• Integrate services like Smartling or Contentful.

• Pros: Scalable for enterprise-level projects.

• Cons: Developer-heavy setup and maintenance.

3. Waiting for Native Webflow Multilingual Support

• Webflow has officially announced that native multilingual functionality is actively under development (as of recent updates in 2023–2024).
• Expected features include:
• Native language URLs (e.g., /fr/, /de/)
• Integrated language switchers
• Multi-language support for CMS content
• No official release date yet, but this could change the need for tools like Weglot once it’s available.

Summary

Weglot is easy to implement but has limitations in cost, customization, and integration depth with Webflow. For more native control, consider Finsweet Attributes, CMS-based workarounds, or manual page duplication until Webflow launches its native multilingual solution, which is currently in development.