Why I Moved Back to WordPress

Recently, I shared the updated look of my blog and mentioned that the site was hosted on Squarespace. At the time, I was excited about trying something new and different. Fast forward a bit, and here we are—back on WordPress. Let me walk you through why I made the move, what I’ve learned, and what’s changed (spoiler: not much).

Why I Left Squarespace

When I first switched to Squarespace, I was looking for simplicity. The promise of an easy-to-use platform with built-in tools and polished templates was appealing. However, after spending some time with it, I started to realize it wasn’t the right fit for my needs.

For starters, Squarespace felt limiting. The lack of plugins meant I couldn’t extend the site’s functionality the way I wanted, and its Admin interface didn’t quite click with me. While it’s clean and user-friendly, it didn’t give me the flexibility I craved for customizing and growing the site over the years.

Then there was the cost. Squarespace is a premium platform, and for what I needed, it didn’t feel worth the investment. I wanted more control over the design and features without feeling restricted or overpaying for things I didn’t use.

Why WordPress?

Despite WordPress’s reputation for being slow and a bit outdated, the platform has come a long way. The development team has put in significant effort to improve performance and usability. My recent speed tests show that my pages are loading quickly, which was one of my biggest concerns before making the move.

Customization was the biggest draw for me. WordPress offers a vast library of plugins, allowing me to add features and tweak my site exactly how I want it. It also gives me the flexibility to adapt as my needs evolve over time.

Another potential drawback of WordPress is that it doesn’t natively support multiple blogs, something I appreciated in Squarespace. However, I found a simple workaround by using categories to separate content. Now, my Unplugged posts live under their own category, making it easy for readers to find non-tech content without needing a separate blog.

What’s Changed?

Honestly, not much! The overall layout of the site remains the same, so readers won’t notice a dramatic difference. The biggest change is behind the scenes, with WordPress powering the site instead of Squarespace. This transition has given me the tools to make the site more dynamic and future-proof without sacrificing speed or usability.

Final Thoughts

Moving back to WordPress has been a reminder that sometimes you need to try something new to fully appreciate what you had before. While Squarespace has its strengths, it didn’t align with what I wanted for my blog in the long run. WordPress isn’t perfect, but its flexibility, plugin ecosystem, and improved performance make it the right choice for me.

If you’re considering a move between platforms, my advice is to think about your long-term needs and how much control you want over your site. For me, WordPress offers the right balance of customization and growth potential, and I’m excited to see how the site evolves from here.

What platform are you using for your website, and what do you love (or not love) about it? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear your thoughts!