How to Choose the Right A/B Testing Tool: 8-Step Guide

Need an A/B testing tool after Google Optimize shut down? Here's how to pick one that fits your needs and budget.

Quick Facts:

• You need 5,000+ visitors per test variation
• Tool cost should be 20% of your CRO budget
• Most teams only need a basic A/B testing tool + analytics platform

Business Size	Traffic	Tool Options	Starting Price
Small	Under 50K	OptiMonk	$39/month
Medium	50K-500K	Convert, VWO	$99-$217/month
Large	500K+	Adobe Target	Custom

8 Steps to Pick Your Tool:

1. Check your traffic numbers
2. Assess your team's skills
3. List must-have features
4. Verify technical requirements
5. Review support options
6. Compare pricing
7. Run a trial
8. Make your choice

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• Buying tools too complex for your needs
• Starting tests without enough traffic
• Ignoring mobile testing
• Running multiple tests at once
• Ending tests too early

Bottom line: Match the tool to your traffic, team skills, and testing goals. Don't overspend on features you won't use.

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Getting Started

Let's look at three things that will help you pick the right A/B testing tool.

Know Your Testing Experience Level

Your team's hands-on testing skills matter MORE than fancy tool features. Here's what to look for:

Experience Level	Team Characteristics	Tool Type You Need
Beginner	Never ran tests before	Simple visual editors
Intermediate	Some testing background	Standard testing platforms
Advanced	Run tests often	Full-featured platforms

List Your Testing Goals

What do you want to test? Let's look at Booking.com:

They test EVERYTHING - from buttons to prices. And it works: their conversion rates are 3x higher than others in their industry.

Common testing goals:

• More sales
• Better engagement
• More email subscribers
• Fewer people leaving
• Bigger orders

Check Your Resources

Here's what you need to check:

Resource	What to Look At
Budget	How much per month?
Traffic	Need 5,000+ visitors/test
Team	Who can help?
Tech	Got developers?

Netflix shows why this matters. They run tons of tests on their platform - but ONLY after making sure they have enough visitors and team members to handle each test.

"A/B testing gives companies the gift of choice, an open mind, and, most importantly, real growth." - Author Unknown

Look at Airbnb's path: They started with basic booking process tests. Once those worked, they tried bigger experiments. This step-by-step approach got them real results.

Bottom line: Pick a tool that fits what you have NOW - not what you might need later.

8 Steps to Pick an A/B Testing Tool

Here's how to choose an A/B testing tool that works for you:

1. Know Your Numbers

First, check your traffic. You'll need 5,000+ visitors per variation to get solid test results.

Basic Requirements	What to Ask
Monthly Traffic	How many visitors do you get?
Test Volume	Number of monthly tests?
Money	Monthly budget?
Testing Plans	What will you test?

2. Look at Your Team

Your team's skills matter:

Team Skills	Tool Type
Marketing/Non-Dev	Point-and-click editors
Dev Team	Code-based tools
Both	Tools with both options

3. Pick Core Features

Don't pay for stuff you won't use:

Must-Have	Nice-to-Have
Visual Editor	Heatmaps
Goal Tracking	Multivariate Tests
Basic Reports	API Access

4. Check Tech Stuff

Make sure the tool works with your site:

• Will it slow down your pages?
• Does it work with your tech stack?
• Can it test mobile pages?
• Do you need server-side tests?

5. Get Help When Stuck

Each tool offers different support:

Support	Questions
Docs	Clear and complete?
Chat/Email	When can you reach them?
Learning	Is training free?

6. Look at Price Tags

Here's what tools cost:

Tool	Monthly Cost
FigPii	$149.99
VWO	$154
Convert	$399

7. Try It Out

Before you buy:

• Run a test campaign
• Pull some reports
• Hook up your tools
• Do basic tasks

8. Pick Your Tool

Base your choice on:

• How the trial went
• What your team thinks
• What you can spend
• Room to grow

"Pick a tool that fits your needs and budget - nothing more, nothing less." - Uwemedimo Usa, Conversion Copywriter

Tools for Different Business Sizes

Here's what you need to know about A/B testing tools based on your company size:

Business Size	Monthly Traffic	Recommended Tools	Starting Price
Small	Under 50K visits	OptiMonk	$39
Medium	50K-500K visits	Convert, VWO	$99-$217
Large	500K+ visits	Adobe Target, Optimizely	Custom pricing

Let's break these down:

Small Business ($39+/month)

• OptiMonk starts at $39/month (includes free plan)
• Zoho Pagesense begins at $29/month
• Webtrends Optimize offers free testing up to 10,000 sessions

Mid-Size Business ($99+/month)

• Convert: $99/month for 3 domains
• VWO: $217/month for full testing
• AB Tasty: Custom pricing

Enterprise (Custom Pricing)

• Adobe Target: Starts in four figures monthly
• Optimizely: Built for high traffic
• Kameleoon: About $30,000/year

Here's what you get at each level:

Features	Small Business	Mid-Market	Enterprise
Visual Editor	Basic	Advanced	Full Custom
Analytics	Simple	Detailed	Enterprise-Grade
Support	Email	Chat/Email	24/7 Dedicated
Integrations	Limited	Multiple	Full API Access
Testing Types	A/B Only	A/B + MVT	All Types

"Convert is a fantastic tool that should be considered and evaluated by any CRO agency or end-user client that also evaluates Optimizely and VWO." - Julien Le Nestour, Applied Behavioral Scientist and CRO Consultant

Save Money By:

• Testing free plans first
• Matching tools to your traffic
• Paying yearly
• Picking only what you need

Want more options? Check CROTools.com - they list over 200 testing tools with current prices and comparisons.

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How to Compare Tools

Here's how to pick an A/B testing tool that works for you.

Using a Comparison Chart

Here's what different A/B testing tools typically offer:

Feature	Basic Tools	Mid-Range	Enterprise
Visual Editor	Simple drag & drop	Advanced editing	Full code control
Testing Types	A/B only	A/B, split URL	All test types
Analytics	Basic metrics	Advanced reports	Custom tracking
Support	Email only	Chat + email	24/7 dedicated
Price Range	$29-99/month	$100-499/month	Custom pricing

Rating Features by Importance

Want to know which tool fits your needs? Score what matters most to YOU:

Feature	Weight	OptiMonk	VWO	Adobe Target
Ease of use	5	4	3	2
Integration	4	2	4	5
Analytics	3	3	4	5
Support	2	2	4	5
Total Score	-	39	47	49

What to Look For

Here's what ACTUALLY matters when picking a tool:

Core Features

• How the editor works
• What tests you can run
• Ways to track goals
• Stats and reporting options

Technical Stuff

• Does it work with your other tools?
• Can you access the API?
• How you'll add the code
• Ways to get your data out

Money and Business

• What you'll pay to start
• Regular costs (month/year)
• How much traffic you get
• Number of people who can use it

Bottom line: Pick a tool that matches your team's skills, budget, and testing needs. Don't get caught up in fancy features you'll never use.

Mistakes to Avoid

Here's what NOT to do when choosing an A/B testing tool:

Mistake	Impact	How to Avoid
Not Enough Traffic	Can't get real results	Make sure you have 1000+ monthly visitors
Ignoring Mobile	Miss 60% of insights	Test mobile FIRST
Multiple Tests at Once	Can't tell what worked	Change one thing at a time
Early Test Endings	Bad data, wrong choices	Wait for 95% confidence
Speed Issues	40% bounce if >3s load	Do A/A test first

Wrong Size Tool

Here's the thing: Most A/B tests fail. Only 12.5% show clear winners. Using a tool that's too big for your traffic makes this even worse.

Think of it like buying an 18-wheeler to deliver pizza. Sure, it CAN work... but it's not what you need.

Tech Problems

"No traffic = no real data = more false positives. It's that simple." - Phil Cave, Senior Optimizer

Before you buy, check these:

• Does it work with your tech stack?
• How's the code added to your site?
• Can you get your data out?
• Do you need API access?

Money Mistakes

Watch out for:

• Hidden user costs
• Extra fees
• Features you'll never touch
• Training expenses

Testing Gone Wrong

Step	Big Mistake	Quick Fix
Setup	No clear plan	Use if-then statements
Testing	Too many changes	One change only
Looking at Data	No GA connection	Link to Google Analytics
Finishing	Quick endings	2-4 weeks minimum

"Tools show problems. They don't fix them. Only customer knowledge does that." - Phil Cave, Senior Optimizer

Red Flags

Don't pick a tool if:

• Price is your ONLY factor
• There's no free trial
• Support hours don't match yours
• Security looks weak
• Users hate it

Bottom line: Pick the wrong tool and you'll waste time AND money. Match the tool to your traffic, team, and goals.

Conclusion

Here's what matters when picking an A/B testing tool:

Key Factor	What to Look For
Traffic Numbers	Min. 5,000 visitors per variation
Test Types	A/B, split, multivariate options
Team Skills	Match tool complexity to team ability
Budget Split	20% tools, 80% training/staff
Support Hours	Must match your work hours
Integration	Works with your tech stack

Don't Buy Too Much

Here's the thing: Most teams buy tools that are TOO complex for what they need. Start with something simple. You can always switch to a bigger tool later.

"While it might be tempting to go with an all-in-one tool, you'll likely be missing out on granular ways to cut data, segmenting user groups, and the analytical rigor that purpose-built A/B testing and analytics tools come with." - Signals & Stories

The Perfect Pair

Want better results? Use these two tools together:

• An A/B testing tool
• An analytics tool

This combo works better than trying to do everything with one tool.

Business Size	Monthly Traffic	Tool Type
Small	<10k visits	Basic testing tools
Medium	10k-100k visits	Mid-range solutions
Large	>100k visits	Enterprise platforms

Budget Smart

Tools like Convert Experiences cost $399/month. But here's the key: Put 80% of your money into people and training. The rest goes to tools.

"The ultimate decision lies with you." - Uwemedimo Usa, Conversion Copywriter

Pick tools you'll actually use. A basic tool that fits your workflow beats a fancy one that collects dust.

Get Started

1. Count your traffic
2. Write down what you need
3. Test free versions
4. Pick what works for YOU

Bottom line: Tools don't fix problems. Good testing and knowing your customers do.

Helpful Resources

Here's what you need to pick an A/B testing tool:

Resource Type	What You'll Learn	Best For
VWO Guide	A/B testing basics and test ideas	Beginners
Hubspot + VWO 8-Week Planner	How to build a CRO program in 60 days	Mid-level teams
Landing Page Analyzer	Quick landing page checks before testing	Fast evaluation
VWO Calculator	Statistical test result validation	Data analysis

Free Tools You Can Use Today

Want to start A/B testing? Here's what you need:

• Google Analytics for traffic data
• VWO's test case studies
• Testing blogs and guides

What Different Tools Cost

Tool	Price/Month	Works Best For
OptiMonk	$39	Small business
VWO	$190	Mid-size teams
Kameleoon	Custom	Enterprise
AB Tasty	Custom	Large teams

CROTools.com

This site lists 200+ tools for:

• A/B testing
• Heatmaps
• Session recording
• Surveys
• Analytics

They update their list often and send emails about new tools.

How to Use These Resources

If you're just starting:

• Read the basic guides
• Test the free tools
• Look at case studies from your industry
• Sign up for CROTools updates

FAQs

What are the features of AB testing?

A/B testing tools help you test different page versions to boost your results. Here's what they include:

Feature	What It Does
Visual Editor	Change pages without touching code
Traffic Split	Send visitors to different versions
User Tracking	See how people use each version
Results Analysis	Compare version performance
Goal Setting	Measure clicks, sales, signups
Targeting	Test specific audience segments
Mobile Testing	Test on phones and tablets
Revenue Reports	Track sales impact

"A/B testing is a decision tool, or methodology, based on the statistical foundation of hypothesis testing." - Convert Experiences

The bottom line? A/B tests show you which page version makes people take action - like buying stuff or joining your email list.

What it costs: You'll pay $119-$1995 monthly, depending on your visitor count.

Quick update: Since Google Optimize ended (September 30, 2023), companies now use alternatives like:

• VWO: $190/month
• OptiMonk: $39/month

Related posts

• Session Recording vs Heatmaps: Which Tool Fits Your Needs?
• Getting Started with Conversion Analytics: Beginner's Guide
• 5 Common CRO Tool Integration Problems and Solutions
• Best Heatmaps