Comparison Updated 2025
ExperimentHQ vs Optimizely Which Should You Choose?
TL;DR — Verdict
Choose ExperimentHQ if you want to run A/B tests quickly without enterprise complexity. Choose Optimizely if you need feature flags, server-side testing, and have a large engineering team plus enterprise budget.
Choose ExperimentHQ if...
- You want to start testing today
- You're running client-side A/B tests
- You don't have $50K+ budget
- You value simplicity over features
Choose Optimizely if...
- You need feature flags
- You need server-side testing
- You have enterprise budget
- You have dedicated CRO team
99%
Cost savings
2 min
vs weeks
16×
Lighter script
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | ExperimentHQ | Optimizely |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Editor | ||
| Free Plan | ||
| Self-Serve Signup | ||
| Transparent Pricing | ||
| Setup Time | 2 minutes | 2-4 weeks |
| Script Size | <5KB | ~80KB |
| No-Flicker (Default) | ||
| Feature Flags | ||
| Server-Side Testing | ||
| Personalization | ||
| Cancel Anytime |
Cost of Ownership (12 Months)
ExperimentHQFree: $0/year
Pro: $948/year ($79/mo)
Scale: $2,388/year ($199/mo)
O
OptimizelyWeb: $50,000+/year
Full Stack: $100,000+/year
Enterprise: $200,000+/year
Performance Benchmarks
ExperimentHQ
<5KB
Script size
Optimizely
~80KB
Script size
Who Should NOT Use ExperimentHQ
To be fair, Optimizely is the better choice if you:
- Need feature flags for gradual rollouts
- Require server-side experimentation at massive scale
- Need complex governance, approvals, and role hierarchies
- Have a dedicated experimentation team with enterprise budget
The Bottom Line
"Optimizely is a fantastic tool — if you need everything it offers and can afford it. But for the majority of teams who just want to run A/B tests and improve their conversion rates, ExperimentHQ gives you 80% of the value at 1% of the cost."