Client seats are now officially available for free on all Workspace plans for freelancers and agencies. The legacy Editor will no longer be available starting August 4, 2026.
What Was the Old Editor?
The legacy system allowed clients to modify content without accessing design functions. Capabilities included editing text and images on static pages, managing CMS items like blog posts, and making basic content adjustments while preserving layout integrity.
It was simple, but limited — and as Webflow matured, it became clear the old Editor wasn’t going to keep up.
What Are Client Seats?
Client Seats replace the outdated interface with limited access to the actual Webflow Designer. But here’s the key: they can only edit content, not design. Client seats enable secure workspace-based access compatible with Analyze, Optimize, Localization, and real-time collaboration features.
The Three Client Seat Roles
Webflow introduced three distinct roles, each with different levels of access:
Marketer — Can build and edit pages using components and templates. Best for landing pages, marketing campaigns, and larger updates.
Content Editor — Can update text, images, and CMS content. This is the right role for most clients — blog updates, image swaps, basic changes.
Reviewer — Can view and comment on sites. Ideal for stakeholders, approval managers, and anyone providing feedback without making changes.
Legacy Editor users will automatically be assigned the Content Editor role by default during migration.
What’s Different?
Interface Evolution: The old system featured a separate, simplified interface. The new approach integrates directly into the Designer with restricted permissions.
Editing Capabilities: The original Editor allowed text, images, and CMS updates. Client Seats expand this to include page building (Marketer role), comments (Reviewer role), and granular permission controls.
Management Structure: The legacy system used simple link sharing. The new model involves site-specific role assignments with structured team management.
What Stayed the Same?
The core protections you relied on are still there. Clients still can’t touch your design (unless you specifically give them Marketer access). They still can’t break layouts or styling. Content Editors are still limited to content changes only.
Why Did Webflow Make This Change?
The shift brings several improvements: distinct roles for better permission management, improved scalability for multi-person teams, a unified designer interface, site-specific access assignment, and a foundation for future collaboration features.
How Many Client Seats Do You Get?
- Freelancer Plan: 1 free seat per site
- Agency Plan: 3 free seats per site
Legacy Editor users receive automatic migration to free client seats through August 2026.
Client Seats vs Limited Seats: What’s the Difference?
Client seats are site-specific — limited seats apply workspace-wide. They’re exclusive to Freelancer/Agency plans, can’t be purchased separately (they’re already free per site), and offer three assignable roles versus two for limited seats.
Do You Need Client Seats?
Recommended if your clients: regularly update content themselves, need different levels of access, manage blogs or product listings, or need stakeholder review workflows.
Possibly unnecessary if: you handle all updates yourself, the site is mostly static, or you prefer full control and charge for changes.
How Do You Set Up Client Seats?
The process: go to Site settings → Client seats / People → send invitations → assign roles (Marketer, Content Editor, or Reviewer) → configure edit permissions → enable client account creation and login.
What About Existing Editor Access?
Legacy Editor functionality continues until August 4, 2026. Webflow will automatically transition users to client seats with the Content Editor role assigned by default.
Bottom Line
Client Seats are just Webflow’s new way of giving clients editing access — and it’s a better system. More control through role distinctions, team-friendly features, a unified interface, and site-specific assignment all make the upgrade worthwhile. If you’re still on the legacy Editor, start planning your migration before the August 2026 deadline.
Still have questions about Webflow? Check the FAQs or get in touch — happy to help with your specific setup.