Best A/B Testing Tools

There’s a lot you can do with these tools. You’ve got your A/B tests, multivariate testing for when you want to mix things up with multiple variables, and even split URL testing for major revamps.

Then, there’s visitor segmentation to target specific user groups, and real-time data that helps you pivot fast.

Plus, most platforms include visualization tools like heatmaps to see where users are clicking, or not.

Measuring the ROI on these tools is as clear as day.

After all, it’s all about measuring things against one another to see if you can get better performance (read: more return on your time, money, and effort).

They help you:

• avoid costly mistakes by confirming a new feature’s effectiveness before a full rollout.
• enhance user experience by letting real visitor behaviour guide your design choices, which directly correlates with higher engagement and conversion rates.
• empower your team to be data-driven, basing decisions on stats rather than hunches.

It’s not just for the tech-savvy or the data nerds or growth hackers.

Sure, digital marketers and product managers are the usual suspects because they’re directly involved in optimizing conversion funnels.

But UX/UI designers also rely heavily on these tools to empirically test and refine user interface elements. Even content creators can test different headlines or content layouts to see what resonates most with the audience.

Setting up most A/B testing tools is generally low hassle. If you’ve got technical support to integrate the initial JavaScript snippet into your site’s HTML, you’re golden.

After that, creating tests can often be done without needing to write code, thanks to visual editors.

The heavy lifting is more about planning what to test and interpreting the data than the tech setup itself.

Each tool has its niche.

VWO is very approachable, ideal for those new to A/B testing or with smaller scale needs.

Optimizely offers deep, complex capabilities that large companies with extensive testing programs will find invaluable—think enterprise-level.

AB Tasty provides a great middle ground with robust features but without the enterprise-level complexity or cost, making it accessible for mid-sized companies.

You’re generally looking at tiered pricing models based on features and traffic volume.

There are free plans to try it out, but to make it stick, starter plans on tools, like VWO, will probably run you a few hundred dollars per month.

Larger businesses who are best suited for the enterprise options in the category, like Optimizely,  might run you nearer several thousand per month, reflecting its advanced capabilities and support.

Pricing can also scale with additional features like segmentation and deeper analytics.

I’ve used several tools for A/B testing over my 10+ year career in demand gen. Most recently, I’ve used VWO as my A/B testing tool. Before that, I used Unbounce to run A/B and multivariate tests. I’ve also run A/B testing using HubSpot’s and Marketo’s marketing automation platforms.