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A/B Test Pre-Launch QA Checklist (Free Download)

Updated December 2026
10 min read
TL;DR

Before launching any A/B test: Check visual rendering (no flicker, works on mobile), functional correctness (links, forms work), tracking accuracy (conversions fire), statistical setup (sample size calculated), and technical compatibility (CSP, caching, SEO). Use this checklist to catch issues before they bias your results.

Why QA Matters

Common issues that ruin A/B tests:

  • Flicker: Biases results, hurts UX
  • Broken tracking: One variant doesn't track conversions → false results
  • Sample ratio mismatch: 60/40 split instead of 50/50 → invalid test
  • Mobile bugs: Variant breaks on mobile → loses 50% of traffic

The Complete Checklist

Visual QA

No flicker on page load
Variant renders correctly on desktop
Variant renders correctly on mobile
No layout shift (CLS)
Images load properly
Fonts load correctly

Functional QA

All links work
Forms submit correctly
CTAs trigger proper actions
No JavaScript errors in console
Works with ad blockers
Works without JavaScript (if applicable)

Tracking QA

Variant assignment tracked
Goal conversions tracked
Revenue tracked (if applicable)
No duplicate events
Tracking fires on all browsers
Cookie/session persistence works

Statistical QA

Traffic split is correct (check 50/50)
Sample size calculated
Test duration estimated
Primary metric defined
Success criteria documented

Technical QA

Works with CSP (Content Security Policy)
Works with caching/CDN
No CORS issues
Mobile performance acceptable
No SEO issues (canonical, hreflang)

Critical Checks (Never Skip)

Test on real devices

Browser emulators miss real device issues

Verify tracking in both variants

Complete a test conversion in each variant

Check console for errors

JavaScript errors can break tracking or functionality

Monitor first 24 hours closely

Catch issues early before they contaminate results

Download Checklist

Get the checklist as a printable PDF or Notion template:

Run Quality Tests

ExperimentHQ includes built-in QA warnings for common issues like flicker and tracking problems.

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