The Framer Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about Framer in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.

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ToolGPAOctober 2026

Framer

The Insider’s Guide

AI website builder with a visual canvas, CMS and hosting

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI app builders, read from Framer’s own pages.

Made by Framer B.V. · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com

2.6GPA

01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

ToolGPA put this guide together from Framer’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Framer’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.

Part 01 · Overview

Welcome

What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first

2.6

GPA, above 15 of the 26 other AI app builders we grade

Framer is a website builder and visual design platform in which AI agents generate and refine pages directly on an editable canvas. Sites are published from the same tool, with hosting, a CMS, SEO controls and analytics built in. It is aimed at marketing sites, portfolios and landing pages rather than full applications, and paid plans are bought per site with extra editors charged separately.

To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Framer, taken from its own pages and our grades.

What the AI changes stays visible and editable by hand.

From our grade for ease of use

1
Best for marketing sites and portfolios you can still hand-tune
Framer is for websites, not apps: AI agents draft and tweak pages on a design canvas, and you publish from the same tool with hosting, a CMS and SEO.
2
Paid plans start at $10 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $10 per site / month, billed yearly (Basic).
3
There is a free plan
Design pages and publish on a Framer domain with 1 GB of bandwidth, 500 AI credits to try and up to three editors. A custom domain needs a paid plan.
4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, macOS and Windows.
5
Agents on the canvas
A design agent generates and refines layouts in place, and other agents manage CMS content or write code components. Each change stays visible and editable.
6
Visual design canvas
Pages are laid out on a freeform canvas with responsive breakpoints, components and effects, with no coding needed for layout or interactions.
7
Built-in CMS
Collections, fields and detail pages hold a site's content: 2 collections and 1,000 items on Basic, 10 collections and 2,500 items on Pro.
8
A 2.6 GPA, above 15 of 26
That is against the other AI app builders we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
9
Keep it
To replace Framer you would be making a builder that other people can use without writing code. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.

Framer at a glance

Pricing: Free plan, from $10 per site / month, billed yearly (Basic)
Free plan: Yes
Free trial: None stated
Runs on: Web, macOS, Windows
Made by: Framer B.V.
Category: AI App Builders
Our grade: 2.6 GPA, good

The report card

Best for marketing sites and portfolios you can still hand-tune

Framer is for websites, not apps: AI agents draft and tweak pages on a design canvas, and you publish from the same tool with hosting, a CMS and SEO. Basic is $10 a month per site on yearly billing. But every site needs its own plan, each extra editor is $20 a month, Basic stops at 30 pages, and there's no app for phones or Linux.

ToolGPA report cardFramerGraded Oct 10, 2026

Subject	Grade	Comment
Value for money	B	Basic is $10 a month per site, billed yearly, inside the cheapest quarter of what builders here charge, and it covers 1,000 AI credits a month, 30 pages, 50 GB of bandwidth and a custom domain. Two multipliers to watch: every site needs its own plan, and each extra editor is $20 a month on top.
Free plan and trial	B	Free lets you design and publish on a Framer address, with up to three editors. The limits are 1 GB of bandwidth and 500 AI credits to try, no custom domain, and Framer calls it suited to non-commercial use. A personal site could live here.
Features	C	It does the website job fully: agents draft layouts on a canvas you can still edit by hand, with a CMS, hosting, SEO, analytics, staging, branch previews, multiplayer editing and a Server API. But Framer's own pages say it builds websites rather than applications, which is the smaller job here.
Ease of use	C	No rating on record, and a freeform canvas with responsive breakpoints, components and CMS collections takes learning, even with agents drafting the first pass. What the AI changes stays visible and editable by hand.
Platforms and integrations	B	Web plus desktop apps for Mac and Windows, with no phone or Linux app listed. Claude Code, Codex and Cursor can connect to a project, there's a Server API for publishing from a script, and it works with Shopify, Tally and Cal.com.

Grade point averageGood, out of 4.02.6

An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.

Who Framer is for

Fits if you're a designer or marketer building a marketing site, portfolio or landing page
Works for students and early-stage startups, who can apply for a free year

Who it is not for

Skip it if you need an app with logins and a database, because Framer builds websites
Pricey if you have a team, as each extra editor is $20 a month, or $10 for content only, on top of the site plan
Tight if your site is big, since Basic stops at 30 pages and 2 CMS collections, and staging and branching need Pro at $30
Watch out: every published site needs its own plan, and the desktop app is Mac and Windows only
Not for you if you want a custom domain or commercial use for free, as Free uses a Framer address and is meant for non-commercial sites

Good to know

Good for

Designers and marketers building marketing sites, portfolios and landing pages
Teams that want AI-generated pages they can still adjust by hand
Students and early-stage startups, who can apply for a free year

Worth knowing

Framer builds websites rather than applications, and each published site needs its own plan.
Additional editors cost $20 a month each, or $10 for content-only editors, on top of the site plan.
Basic stops at 30 pages and 2 CMS collections; staging and branching need Pro.
The desktop app covers Mac and Windows only; no mobile or Linux app is listed.

Part 02 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

$10

A month to start. There is a free plan too

Framer has a free plan. Paid plans start at $10 per site / month, billed yearly (Basic).

Free lets you design and publish on a Framer address, with up to three editors.

From our grade for free plan and trial

Free
$0
A Framer domain, 1 GB of bandwidth, 500 AI credits to try and up to three editors. Described by Framer as suited to non-commercial use.
Basic
$10
per site / month, billed yearly
1,000 AI credits a month, 30 pages, 2 CMS collections, 50 GB of bandwidth, a custom domain and built-in SEO.
Pro
$30
per site / month, billed yearly
3,000 AI credits a month, 150 pages, 10 CMS collections, 100 GB of bandwidth, staging, branching with previews and site redirects.
Enterprise
Custom
Custom limits, unlimited editors, SSO, SCIM, an uptime guarantee and credits with volume discounts.

The free plan

Design pages and publish on a Framer domain with 1 GB of bandwidth, 500 AI credits to try and up to three editors. A custom domain needs a paid plan.

Read from framer.com on Oct 5, 2026.

Ways to pay less

Annual discount
Free custom domain with yearly billing
The pricing page lists a complimentary custom domain for Basic and Pro sites on yearly billing.
Stated on framer.com
Education
Free Basic plan for students
Students can apply for a year of the Basic plan at no cost, which Framer values at $120, along with 1,000 AI credits a month. Applications are reviewed within about 5 working days.
Stated on framer.com
Startups
Free year of Framer Pro for startups
Startups can apply for a 100% discount on their first year of the Pro plan, which Framer values at $360.
Stated on framer.com

Part 03 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

Places it runs: Web, macOS and Windows

AI website builder with a visual canvas, CMS and hosting. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features, real-time collaboration, AI agents, no-code.

But Framer's own pages say it builds websites rather than applications, which is the smaller job here.

From our grade for features

Agents on the canvas: A design agent generates and refines layouts in place, and other agents manage CMS content or write code components. Each change stays visible and editable.
Visual design canvas: Pages are laid out on a freeform canvas with responsive breakpoints, components and effects, with no coding needed for layout or interactions.
Built-in CMS: Collections, fields and detail pages hold a site's content: 2 collections and 1,000 items on Basic, 10 collections and 2,500 items on Pro.
Hosting and publishing: Sites publish to built-in hosting with custom domains, SSL and analytics. Pro adds a staging environment, site redirects and 90 days of analytics history.
Live collaboration: Teams work together with multiplayer cursors, comments, roles and branch previews. Viewers are free, and extra editors are billed per seat.
External agents and Server API: Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and other AI tools can connect to a project, and a Server API updates and publishes sites from a script without opening Framer.

Where it runs

Web
macOS
Windows

What it works with

Claude Code
Codex
Cursor
Shopify
Tally
Cal.com

Framer is made by Framer B.V.

Part 04 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

15/26

Other AI app builders it is graded above

Framer's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 15 of the 26 other AI app builders we grade, and level with 3.

It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 24 of 26) and worst on features (C, above 0).

Its paid plans start at $10 a month, against a middle price of $19 for the category: 0 of the 26 others that charge start lower.

On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 27 AI app builders we grade, cut by the letter each got. Framer’s own letter is outlined.

BValue for money
Above 20 of 26
BFree plan and trial
Above 24 of 26
CFeatures
Above 0 of 26
CEase of use
Above 0 of 26
BPlatforms and integrations
Above 4 of 26

Price against what you get

Each dot is one of 27 AI app builders. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Framer is the marked dot.

What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →

Keep it, or make your own?

Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.

Keep it

To replace Framer you would be making a builder that other people can use without writing code. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.

It costs $120 a year.

What you could not

A builder that other people can use without writing code.
An AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it.
A real app for macOS and Windows. Something home-made would be a web page.
Several people working in it at the same moment.
It plugs into other products, Claude Code, Codex and Cursor among them, and has an API.

What this rests on. Framer’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.

Part 05 · Alternatives

The alternatives

The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side

Durable, Hostinger AI Builder, 10Web, Lovable and v0

The 5 tools Framer is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

2.2GPA
Durable
Free plan · from $22/mo
AI website builder for small businesses with bookings and a CRM.
- Only Framer lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Durable also covers booking links.
Framer and Durable compared in full
2.6GPA
Hostinger AI Builder
Free trial · from $10.99/mo
AI website and web app builder bundled with Hostinger hosting.
- Framer has a free plan. Hostinger AI Builder does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Framer lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Framer also covers AI agents.
Framer and Hostinger AI Builder compared in full
2.4GPA
10Web
Free trial · from $10/mo
AI website builder that generates and hosts WordPress sites.
- Framer has a free plan. 10Web does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Framer lists macOS and Windows apps.
Framer and 10Web compared in full
2.8GPA
Lovable
Free plan · from $21/mo
Chat-based AI builder for full-stack web apps and websites.
- Only Lovable lists iOS and Android apps.
- Framer also covers AI agents.
- Lovable also covers app builder.
Framer and Lovable compared in full
2.4GPA
v0
Free trial · from $30/mo
Vercel's AI agent for building and deploying full-stack web apps.
- Framer has a free plan. v0 does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Framer lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Only v0 lists an iOS app.
Framer and v0 compared in full

Part 06 · Questions

Quick answers

The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two

Questions, each answered in a line or two

The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.

Is Framer free?

Framer has a free plan. Design pages and publish on a Framer domain with 1 GB of bandwidth, 500 AI credits to try and up to three editors.

How much does Framer cost?

Framer lists 4 plans. Free: $0.

What platforms does Framer work on?

Framer is available on Web, macOS and Windows.

Does Framer offer any discounts?

Framer publicly lists the following: Free custom domain with yearly billing; Free Basic plan for students; Free year of Framer Pro for startups.

Does Framer have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Framer is listed for Web, macOS and Windows.

Does Framer have an iPhone app?

No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Framer is listed for Web, macOS and Windows.

Is Framer open source?

Framer is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.

Does Framer have an API?

Yes. Framer offers a public API, according to its own site.

What does Framer integrate with?

Framer's listing names Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Shopify, Tally and Cal.com.

Does Framer have a student discount?

Free Basic plan for students. Students can apply for a year of the Basic plan at no cost, which Framer values at $120, along with 1,000 AI credits a month.

Who makes Framer?

Framer is made by Framer B.V.

What are the alternatives to Framer?

The closest alternatives to Framer in our directory are Durable, Hostinger AI Builder, 10Web, Lovable and v0.

How does Framer compare with other AI app builders?

Framer's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 15 of the 26 other AI app builders we grade, and level with 3.

Is Framer good value for money?

ToolGPA grades Framer B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $10 a month, against a middle price of $19 for the category: 0 of the 26 others that charge start lower.

Could I make my own version of Framer?

To replace Framer you would be making a builder that other people can use without writing code.

Where this guide comes from

The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Framer’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Framer's own pages on 5 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-02-07.

Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Framer B.V. Prices change, so check framer.com before you buy.

Part 07 · About

About ToolGPA

Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

3,189

Tools graded, in 94 categories

ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.

Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.

3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries

What else is on toolgpa.com

Scan for the live page

Prices and grades as they are today

Quoting this guide?

Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:

ToolGPA, "Framer: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/framer

Know someone choosing between AI app builders?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/framer/guide

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The best-graded AI app builders after Framer, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

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Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Framer’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Framer is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Framer B.V. Prices and plans change: check framer.com before you buy.