Subfold review: Simplifying multi-project Webflow hosting on a single domain

Frequently asked questions about Subfold and Webflow

How does Subfold work with Webflow?

Subfold acts as a reverse proxy sitting between your visitors and your Webflow sites. When someone visits your domain, Subfold receives the request first, then forwards it to the appropriate Webflow project based on the path. For example, if someone visits yourdomain.com/blog, Subfold routes that request to your blog's Webflow project (or WordPress, etc.).

This happens through DNS configuration - instead of pointing your domain directly to Webflow, you point it to Subfold's servers, which then handle the routing. The process is transparent to visitors, who experience your site as a single cohesive website rather than separate projects.

What's the implementation process for Subfold with Webflow?

Setting up Subfold with your Webflow site involves these steps:

1. Sign up for Subfold and access the dashboard
2. Set your Origin URL (your main Webflow site)
3. Add your domain to Subfold
4. Update your DNS records (replacing Webflow's records with Subfold's)
5. Add subfolder rules for additional Webflow projects or other platforms
6. Optionally upload static files for specific paths
7. Use the Preview feature to test your configuration
8. Wait for DNS propagation (typically 24-48 hours)

The entire process typically takes 15-30 minutes of actual configuration time, plus waiting for DNS changes to propagate. Subfold provides step-by-step documentation for each stage.

Does using Subfold affect my Webflow site's performance?

Subfold has minimal impact on site performance and can even improve it in some cases. The service uses globally distributed servers similar to CDNs, ensuring requests are handled by servers close to your visitors. Typically, Subfold adds only milliseconds to response times.

Key performance considerations:

• Global edge network reduces latency for international visitors
• Automatic SSL handling maintains secure connections
• No client-side JavaScript is added to your site
• Caching headers from Webflow are preserved
• File hosting is optimized for quick delivery

Many users report that Subfold's global distribution actually improves performance for visitors in regions far from Webflow's own CDN points of presence.

What are Subfold's pricing details?

Subfold currently offers a single plan structure:

• Standard Plan: $29/month
  • 7-day free trial (no credit card required)
  • Unlimited subfolders configuration
  • Unlimited files hosting
  • Unlimited connected domains
  • Free SSL certificates for all domains
  • Global CDN distribution
  • Traffic limit of 100,000 page views per month

The pricing is straightforward with no hidden fees. If you exceed the 100,000 monthly page views, you should contact Subfold for custom pricing options. According to their website, additional plans with higher traffic allowances are coming soon.

How does Subfold affect SEO compared to using subdomains?

Subfold significantly improves SEO by consolidating your content under a single domain authority rather than splitting it across subdomains. Search engines treat subdirectories (example.com/blog/) as part of the same site, while subdomains (blog.example.com) are considered separate entities.

SEO benefits include:

• Concentrated link equity - backlinks to any section strengthen the entire domain
• Unified authority signals for better ranking potential
• Simplified analytics tracking across all sections
• Proper canonical URL structure maintaining your domain hierarchy
• Unified search presence in Google Search Console

Many Webflow users have reported SEO improvements after migrating from subdomains to subdirectories via Subfold, especially for content-heavy sections like blogs.

Can I use Subfold with non-Webflow platforms?

Yes! While Subfold is optimized for Webflow, it works with virtually any web platform. You can route subdirectories to WordPress, Ghost, Shopify, custom applications, or any combination of platforms.

Common multi-platform integrations include:

• Webflow main site with WordPress blog
• Webflow marketing pages with custom React application
• Webflow site with Ghost blog and forum software
• Webflow with specialized e-commerce platforms like Shopify

When setting up non-Webflow destinations, you simply use that platform's URL as the destination in Subfold's dashboard. The Link Prefix feature helps rewrite relative links to maintain proper navigation within that section.

Do I still need Webflow hosting plans for each project?

Yes, you should maintain appropriate Webflow hosting plans for each Webflow project you use with Subfold. This ensures compliance with Webflow's Terms of Service and provides the proper foundation for Subfold to work with.

For each Webflow project that will be accessed via a custom domain (through Subfold), you should have at least:

• A Basic Site Plan ($15/month) for static sites
• A CMS Site Plan ($20+/month) for sites using Collections
• An Ecommerce Plan ($42+/month) for sites with shopping functionality

Using Subfold to serve Webflow staging URLs (*.webflow.io) on a production custom domain without a corresponding site plan would violate Webflow's terms. Subfold extends Webflow's capabilities but doesn't replace the need for proper hosting.

How does Subfold handle Webflow forms and CMS functionality?

Subfold is transparent to Webflow's native features like forms and CMS. When a user submits a form or interacts with CMS elements, the request passes through Subfold to Webflow's servers exactly as if the user were visiting the site directly.

For forms specifically:

• Form submissions work normally without additional configuration
• Form success/error pages function as expected
• Email notifications send correctly
• Form storage in Webflow remains intact

For CMS functionality:

• Dynamic pages render normally
• Collection lists display correctly
• CMS filters work as designed
• All interactions preserve their functionality

The only consideration is that each Webflow project maintains its own separate CMS database, so content isn't automatically shared between projects (this is a Webflow limitation, not Subfold's).

What happens if Subfold experiences downtime?

In the rare event of Subfold service disruption, your site would be temporarily inaccessible until service is restored. However, Subfold uses distributed infrastructure similar to major CDNs to minimize the risk of outages.

To mitigate potential disruption risks:

• Subfold uses redundant systems across multiple regions
• Their infrastructure includes automated failover mechanisms
• You can maintain a backup DNS configuration plan
• In a worst-case scenario, you can revert DNS to point directly to Webflow

The service has demonstrated strong reliability since its 2023 relaunch as a managed service, with no reported outages in community discussions.