Compare
Three ways to host downloadable files on Webflow
You can leave files in the Webflow asset manager, reach for FlowDrive, or use DocBeam. Here's how the three line up on what actually matters for documents — whether links rot, whether downloads eat your Webflow bandwidth, and what it costs to start.
DocBeam
RecommendedDocument hosting, built into the Webflow Designer
Webflow-native
Files dropped in the Webflow asset manager
FlowDrive
General asset / video CDN for Webflow & Framer
The three that matter most
Permanence — links don't rot
Replace a file without breaking the buttons and embeds that point at it.
DocBeam
Permanent URLs
Replace a file and the same link serves the new version — Webflow buttons and embeds never break.
Webflow-native
Re-uploading mints a new URL
Replace an asset and the old link breaks — every embed pointing at it has to be re-fixed.
FlowDrive
—
Stable-URL / replace-in-place behaviour not confirmed.
Webflow bandwidth
Do downloads count against your Webflow plan's bandwidth meter?
DocBeam
0 GB off your Webflow limit
Served from Cloudflare R2 / its own CDN — downloads bypass Webflow entirely, no matter how many.
Webflow-native
Every download counts, fully
Webflow meters every byte it serves; the May 2026 update cut Premium from 100 GB to 50 GB (Basic 10 GB).
FlowDrive
Off the Webflow meter
Also bypasses Webflow bandwidth. Metered on unique asset requests rather than bandwidth — past a plan's monthly allowance you pay for extra requests or move up a tier.
Entry price
What it costs to get past the free tier.
DocBeam
$9/mo
Starter, per site.
Webflow-native
“Free” — until the overage
Free to drop a file in, but two months over your bandwidth limit triggers an automatic, billed plan upgrade.
FlowDrive
$19/mo
Basic plan (as of August 2026).
The rest of the picture
Built for documents
Is the product focused on documents, or general assets?
DocBeam
Document-focused
Versioning and a doc-centric workflow — purpose-built for PDFs and downloadable documents.
Webflow-native
General asset manager
Files live alongside images, fonts and media — not a document workflow.
FlowDrive
General asset / video CDN
A broader asset & video DAM rather than a document-specific tool — a focus difference, not a flaw.
Max file size
How large a single file can be.
DocBeam
50 MB → 2 GB
Free up to Unlimited tier — covers the document range.
Webflow-native
—
Subject to Webflow's own asset limits.
FlowDrive
100 MB → 5 GB
Paid tiers, per FlowDrive's published pricing (August 2026) — FlowDrive out-scales DocBeam on raw file size.
Versioning
Are previous versions of a replaced file retained?
DocBeam
Up to 10 versions
Versions retained by tier (e.g. 5 on Pro) with replace-in-place.
Webflow-native
No versioning
Replacing an asset doesn't keep the previous version.
FlowDrive
—
Per-file version retention not confirmed.
Custom CDN domain
Serve files from your own domain, e.g. files.yoursite.com.
DocBeam
Pro and up
files.yoursite.com on Pro and Unlimited.
Webflow-native
—
Files are served on the Webflow domain.
FlowDrive
Yes
Custom domains, 1 to 10 by tier.
DocBeam figures come straight from our plans. Competitor figures are a point-in-time read of each provider's public information and may have changed — check the current Webflow and FlowDrive plans before relying on them. A “—” means we don't assert a value either way.
Keep your downloads off the Webflow meter
Permanent URLs, zero Webflow bandwidth, document-first — from inside the Designer.