Progressive marketers use a variety of tools and methods to analyze and improve conversion rates. The most well-known and in-demand among them is A/B testing. In this article, we will discuss what this technology entails. Additionally, we will share information about the best A/B testing tools currently available on the market.
What is A/B Testing?
A/B testing (split testing) is a popular method in marketing research. It is used to enhance the effectiveness of email campaigns, advertising, landing pages, and other promotional formats. This conversion analysis method is employed not only by marketers but also by other digital specialists: designers, analysts, and product managers.
During A/B tests, two versions of mailings, texts, headlines, pages, or other objects are created. It's important that version B has noticeable differences from version A, which should contribute to increasing conversion or other target indicators. Then, both are presented to the audience, after which the results are compared. Sometimes, testing is conducted in extended formats – A/B/C and A/B/C/D – that include additional options (not two, but three or four). This allows for covering new audience segments and gathering more data.
The split-testing procedure consists of the following stages:
- Hypothesis. Initially, an assumption is prepared about how changes to an object can make it more effective.
- Metrics. Quantitative metrics are selected for evaluating the results.
- Sample. The sample size – the portion of the audience participating in the study – is calculated.
- Tests. Special A/B testing tools simplify, expedite, and automate the process of preparing and launching tests.
- Analysis. At the end, the most conversion-effective variant of the object is determined. The hypothesis is either confirmed or refuted.
Now that you have a general idea about the A/B testing method and know what it is used for, let’s move on to the services that allow you to apply it quickly and effectively. Our selection of top A/B testing tools includes Optimizely, Kameleoon, VWO, Omniconvert, and Unbounce. Let's explore the capabilities of each platform.
Optimizely
Optimizely
is a full-cycle digital marketing platform. One of its main tools is
omnichannel A/B testing software,
which allows for hypothesis testing across multiple channels.
Key features:
- An audience builder that enables quick and easy test variant development through a visual no-code interface.
- A statistics accelerator that automatically directs more traffic to the most conversion-effective variants, facilitating faster decision-making.
- When preparing a campaign, you can configure traffic distribution to determine the share of the audience participating in the testing. By default, this parameter is set at 50%/50%, but it can be adjusted as needed.
- Optimizely provides not only standard A/B tests but also multivariate testing (A/B/C/D), redirect tests, and multipage tests.
- The service offers the ability to automatically schedule tests to start at specific times.
- Advanced targeting features allow for flexible customization of research parameters. For example, you can select a specific page or screen, an entire website or app, a segment of the audience, and so on.
- The platform supports over 65 integrations with external systems.
Optimizely offers a broad range of pricing plans. Each plan's cost is calculated individually. To find out the price, you need to send a corresponding request on the service’s official website.
Kameleoon
Kameleoon is rightfully considered one of the best A/B testing software. This versatile platform enables marketers, developers, and product managers to conduct personalized research and analyze results.
Key features:
- With Kameleoon, you can evaluate the effectiveness of different versions of texts, designs, web pages, and software functionalities across multiple channels and devices.
- Full-stack testing facilitates the implementation of new features in programs and websites, testing prototypes, algorithms, and pricing. It allows experiments to be conducted in any part of the technology stack in real-time. This tool, in particular, ranks the service among the best website A/B testing tools.
- A segment builder, triggers, and other features ensure flexible personalization of each test. For more precise segmentation, users can upload their own data layers.
- Kameleoon AI predicts conversion rates and automates interactions with the audience for personalized customer service.
- An integrated editor allows for easy and quick creation and modification of web page designs through a visual interface or code.
- The platform is equipped with a powerful code editor. With it, developers can write tests right here, in Git, MS Visual Studio, or server-side, using their preferred SDK.
- Machine learning algorithms predict visitor intentions in real time. Based on their data, relevant variants or personalizations of objects are launched, considering the Kameleoon Conversion Score (KCS™).
The cost of using the platform's capabilities is calculated individually. Prices can be obtained by sending a request to the sales department.
VWO
VWO is one of the best tools for A/B testing, featuring robust and versatile functionality. It enables marketers to effectively optimize the digital experience and improve conversion rates. Additionally, it is useful for engineers, product managers, analysts, and UX designers.
Key features:
- The platform assists in developing variations and adding controls for any stage of the user journey, including front-end, back-end, and middleware.
- The service allows for flexible customization of the test audience through a set of built-in parameters, customizable targeting conditions, and behavioral triggers.
- With VWO, you can optimize conversions to achieve key business goals. It provides standard and special metrics for monitoring conversion, revenue generated, and other important metrics.
- The system automates the development of reports based on current data and Bayesian statistics in real-time.
- VWO is considered one of the best A/B testing platforms as it has the most comprehensive set of tools. This program allows for creating, managing, and analyzing tests across product, marketing, and development domains. Various studies can be conducted within a single dashboard, from UI to content, from algorithms to search results.
- The service supports A/B, split, and multivariate testing. Users have access to an unlimited number of web page and app variants with forms, pop-ups, and other elements. Additionally, it includes a widget catalog and a code editor.
VWO offers a broad range of pricing plans with separate rates for websites, mobile, and server applications. For web testing, the following pricing plans apply (based on 10,000 test visitors per month):
- Starter – a free introductory plan.
- Growth – $190 per month.
- Pro – $456 per month.
- Enterprise – $1,014 per month.
Payments must be made annually in advance. There is no monthly payment option. A 30-day free trial period is available for each paid plan.
Omniconvert
Omniconvert is a professional A/B testing tool. This all-in-one digital marketing platform is capable of tracking, segmenting, converting, and retaining a target audience.
Key features:
- An integrated segmentation module allows for effective testing of different design versions or product features to improve UX, enhance engagement, and increase conversion.
- Marketers can add, combine, and match over 40 segmentation parameters related to visitor characteristics, pages visited, sources of site traffic, behavior, and more.
- Omniconvert is among the top A/B testing tools because, in addition to an impressive array of specialized features, it enables the development and launching of A/B tests for any device: tablet, mobile, and desktop. If necessary, the device sample can be restricted to a specific type.
- Split testing allows placing test variants of individual pages or landings on different URLs.
- The platform automatically calculates the statistical relevance of tests, which must be at least 95%. Users can choose an appropriate statistical model for analysis and reporting: frequentist or Bayesian.
- During stack testing, conversion variants can be used as controls for subsequent research. This significantly speeds up optimization.
Omniconvert offers two plans:
- Platform – $273 per month based on 50,000 test visitors (price valid with annual payment upfront).
- Enterprise – the cost is calculated individually and provided upon request.
A 30-day free trial period allows you to evaluate the platform's capabilities and make a decision regarding the choice of the pricing plan.
Unbounce
Unbounce is another one of the best A/B testing tool with functionality for Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) and a landing page builder.
Key features:
- An integrated no-code builder allows marketers to easily and quickly develop turnkey A/B tests without the need for designers or programmers.
- Real-time reports enable precise and timely identification of the most conversion-effective landing page variant.
- Unbounce algorithms default to splitting traffic evenly but also support custom settings.
- The Smart Traffic feature automatically analyzes the audience and directs the main traffic to the more conversion-effective landing variant. It records the type of device, geolocation, demographic characteristics, and other parameters.
- Natively integrated testing ensures a flawless user experience without long page loading times or UX disruptions.
- Besides A/B testing, Unbounce offers a drag-and-drop editor for designing and customizing landing pages without design or coding skills.
- The service boasts an impressive library with over 100 templates for landing pages, pop-ups, and sticky bars, sorted by business sectors, campaign types, and visual effects.
- The AI-powered Smart Builder automates landing page creation based on individual data.
- An AI copywriting module is capable of generating and editing various formats of web text content.
The service offers four pricing plans:
- Build – $74 per month.
- Experiment – $112 per month.
- Optimize – $187 per month.
- Concierge – $649 per month.
The listed prices are valid when payment is made annually in advance. Monthly payments would incur a higher cost. A 14-day free trial period is provided to evaluate the platform's capabilities.
Conclusion
An A/B testing platform provides marketers and other digital specialists with tools
to test hypotheses, gain insights, and improve conversion rates. In our review,
we looked at five of the most in-demand services of this type. Some of them
have a specialized focus. For example, Unbounce is specifically designed for
landing pages. Others, like Omniconvert, VWO, and Kameleoon, offer a broad
range of functionalities, allowing testing not only websites but also mobile
apps, desktop software, and other products. The cost of using some platforms
from our selection (Optimizely, Kameleoon) can only be determined upon request.
The price of the basic plan for the other ranges from $74 to $273 per month.
VWO offers a free introductory plan.