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Why is the Webflow URL being added in front of the external URL when I have a link block for an external URL? Is this not supported in the free version of Webflow?

TL;DR
  • Always include the full URL with "http://" or "https://" in your link block or text link to prevent Webflow from treating it as an internal link.
  • This issue is unrelated to the Webflow free plan, which fully supports external links when properly formatted.

If your external URL is being prefixed with your Webflow site’s domain, it's likely because you're not using the correct URL format in the link block. This has nothing to do with the Webflow free plan — external links are fully supported on all account tiers.

1. Format Your External URL Correctly

  • In a Link Block or Text Link, when setting the URL, make sure to include "http://" or "https://" at the beginning.
  • For example, type https://example.com, not just example.com.
  • If you omit the protocol (http/https), Webflow assumes you're linking to an internal page and appends your project's domain.

2. Common Mistake Leading to Wrong Prefix

  • If you enter just a domain name (e.g., google.com) or use a missing slash (e.g., https:google.com), Webflow may treat it as a relative path.
  • That causes it to look like: https://yourwebflowsite.webflow.io/google.com.

3. How to Fix It

  • Edit your link block or text link by selecting it and clicking the settings (gear) icon.
  • In the URL field, add the full and correct external URL (e.g., https://www.google.com).
  • Publish your site again to ensure the changes go live.

4. Webflow Free Plan Limitations (Clarification)

  • The Free (Starter) plan does not restrict your ability to create external URLs via link blocks or buttons.
  • The only relevant limitations are:
  • You must publish to a Webflow.io subdomain (e.g., yoursite.webflow.io).
  • You can't connect a custom domain.

Summary

If your link is being prefixed by your Webflow domain, it's due to an improperly formatted URL (missing https://), not a limitation of the free Webflow plan. Make sure to always include the full protocol (like https://) when linking to an external site.

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