In September 2023, Google shut down Google Optimize. For me, it wasn't just the end of a tool — it was the end of an era. I'd been using Optimize since its beta days, and it had become an essential part of how I thought about building products.
The Problem I Faced
When Google Optimize shut down, I did what everyone else did: I looked for alternatives. VWO? $10,000/year minimum. Optimizely? Even more expensive, and requires a sales call just to see pricing. AB Tasty? Same story. The enterprise tools were built for enterprise budgets.
I tried the cheaper alternatives too. Most were either too basic, too slow, or had terrible UX. Some required you to write code for every experiment. Others had scripts so heavy they tanked your PageSpeed scores.
What I wanted was simple: the ease of Google Optimize, but actually maintained and improved. A tool that was fast, had a visual editor that worked, and didn't require a six-figure budget or a PhD to use.
"I didn't want to build another A/B testing tool. I wanted to build the tool I wished existed — the spiritual successor to Google Optimize."
What I Built
ExperimentHQ is my answer to the Google Optimize shutdown. It's built on three principles that I believe made Optimize great:
Simplicity first
You shouldn't need training to run an A/B test. If the tool is complicated, you'll never use it.
Performance matters
Your testing tool should never slow down your site. Our script is under 5KB and loads async.
Fair pricing
A/B testing shouldn't cost $10K/year. We have a free tier and paid plans start at $79/month.
The Technical Decisions
I obsessed over the details that made Google Optimize feel magical. The instant variant switching. The visual editor that actually worked on complex sites. The statistical engine that told you when you had a winner.
Our script uses a technique I call "zero-flicker" — variants are applied before the page renders, so your visitors never see the original content flash before the experiment loads. It's the same approach Google used, and it's one of the reasons Optimize felt so polished.
The visual editor is built to handle modern web apps: React, Vue, Next.js, whatever you're using. You can edit text, hide elements, swap images, or inject custom CSS/JS for more complex changes.
The Mission
My goal with ExperimentHQ is simple: make A/B testing accessible to everyone, not just companies with enterprise budgets. Every startup, every indie hacker, every growth team should be able to run experiments and make data-driven decisions.
If you loved Google Optimize like I did, I think you'll feel at home with ExperimentHQ. And if you have feedback or feature requests, I'm always listening — just reply to any email or ping me on Twitter.
Thanks for reading. Now go run some experiments.
Michael
Founder & CEO, ExperimentHQ