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Founder's Notes

Why ExperimentHQ Was Built: A Manifesto for Modern Experimentation

March 15, 2025
10 min read

When Google Optimize shut down in September 2023, I looked at the alternatives. They were either too expensive, too complex, or too slow. So I built what I wish existed.

The Problem

A/B testing should be simple. You have a hypothesis. You test it. You learn. But somewhere along the way, the industry forgot this.

Enterprise tools became enterprise suites

They added heatmaps, session recordings, personalization, feature flags. Prices ballooned to $10K-$100K/year.

Scripts got heavy

100KB+ of JavaScript slowing down websites. Hurting Core Web Vitals. Damaging SEO.

Setup became complex

Weeks of implementation. Dedicated teams needed. Sales calls required before you even see pricing.

The free option died

Google Optimize was the last accessible option. When it shut down, millions of users had nowhere to go.

The Philosophy

"Most A/B testing tools became enterprise suites. We built the opposite: a clean, fast, modern toolkit for people who just want to run experiments without the bloat."

You don't need 200 features. You need clarity, speed, and trustworthy data.

What We Built

Under 5KB script

20x smaller than most alternatives. Won't hurt your Core Web Vitals.

2-minute setup

One script tag. No complex implementation. No engineering required.

Visual editor

Point and click to make changes. No code needed for most tests.

Real-time analytics

See results as they happen. Clear statistics you can trust.

Free tier

1,000 visitors/month free. No credit card required. No time limit.

Transparent pricing

No "contact sales." No hidden fees. See prices on the website.

What We Didn't Build

Equally important is what we chose not to include:

No heatmaps (use a dedicated tool if you need them)
No session recordings (same reason)
No feature flags (yet — that's a different problem)
No personalization engine (complexity we don't need)

Every feature you add makes the product slower, more complex, and harder to use. We'd rather do one thing exceptionally well than many things poorly.

The Anti-Bloat Philosophy

We removed 90% of features nobody uses. What's left is what matters:

Create experiments quickly
Make changes visually
Track conversions accurately
See results in real-time
Know when you have a winner
Implement changes confidently

Who ExperimentHQ Is For

Startups and small teams

Who don't have $10K/year for testing tools

Marketers and growth teams

Who want to test without waiting for engineering

E-commerce stores

Who need to optimize without slowing down their site

Google Optimize refugees

Who loved the simplicity and need a new home

The Mission

ExperimentHQ is what Google Optimize should have evolved into. Simple, fast, accessible. Built for humans. Designed with a hacker's simplicity. Engineered for speed.

We believe every team deserves the ability to make data-driven decisions. Not just the ones with enterprise budgets.

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