Google Optimize was one of the most accessible ways to start A/B testing a website.
It was free, connected naturally with Google Analytics, and allowed marketers to create experiments without building an experimentation platform from scratch. For many WordPress businesses, agencies, and publishers, it provided an affordable introduction to conversion optimization.
However, Google Optimize and Optimize 360 were discontinued on September 30, 2023. Any experiments and personalizations that remained active on that date were ended.
Since then, WordPress users have needed to find another way to compare page variants, test website changes, track conversions, and make decisions based on real visitor behavior.
The good news is that Google Optimize was never the only A/B testing option available. There are now several alternatives, ranging from native WordPress plugins to enterprise experimentation platforms.
The challenge is choosing a tool that matches your website, traffic, technical resources, and budget.
In this guide, we will compare six of the best Google Optimize alternatives for WordPress:
We will examine how each option works, what it offers WordPress users, and which type of organization it is best suited to.
If you want to compare solutions built specifically for WordPress before considering broader external platforms, read our guide to the best A/B testing plugins for WordPress.

Why Was Google Optimize So Popular?
Google Optimize became popular because it removed many of the barriers that had traditionally prevented smaller businesses from running experiments.
It allowed website owners to:
- Create A/B tests.
- Run redirect tests.
- Create multivariate experiments.
- Edit page elements visually.
- Target experiments to specific audiences.
- Connect experiments with Google Analytics.
- Measure conversions using existing analytics goals.
- Use the product without paying for a separate experimentation platform.
For WordPress users, implementation was relatively straightforward. Once the necessary Google scripts had been added to a site, experiments could be configured through the external Google Optimize interface.
This made experimentation available to businesses that could not justify the cost or complexity of an enterprise conversion optimization suite.
Its discontinuation created a significant gap. Website owners did not simply need another visual editor. They needed a replacement for the broader workflow that Google Optimize had supported:
- Identify an opportunity.
- Create a variation.
- Divide visitors between versions.
- Measure conversions.
- Analyze the results.
- Publish the winning change.
The best replacement is therefore not necessarily the tool that looks most similar to Google Optimize. It is the one that recreates this workflow in a way that fits your organization.
What Should a Google Optimize Alternative Include?
Before comparing individual tools, it is useful to define the capabilities that matter most.
A/B and split URL testing
At a minimum, a replacement should allow you to compare an original experience with one or more alternatives.
An A/B test usually modifies elements on the same page, while a split URL or redirect test distributes visitors between separate URLs.
Split URL testing is particularly useful when comparing:
- Complete landing-page redesigns.
- Pages built with different editors.
- Different checkout flows.
- Alternative technical implementations.
- Pages hosted in separate systems.
A visual or native editing workflow
Google Optimize included a visual editor that allowed users to modify text, colors, images, and page elements without changing the original page directly.
Many external alternatives continue to use this approach.
A WordPress-native solution can offer a different workflow: instead of applying visual changes over the page, it can let you create the alternative using the WordPress editor or your existing page builder.
Both approaches are valid, but they serve different needs.
A visual editor is useful for quickly changing visible elements. A native WordPress editor is often better when the variation should remain a real, editable piece of WordPress content.

Nelio A/B Testing
By combining A/B tests made with Nelio, we doubled the revenue of webshops in just 12 months. I would recommend Nelio A/B testing to anyone with a WordPress site who wants to start A/B testing. It is definitely the best A/B testing plugin with the best price/quality for WordPress and WooCommerce.

Pieter Boonstra
Flexible conversion tracking
Your alternative should be able to measure the actions that matter to your business.
These may include:
- Page visits.
- Button clicks.
- Form submissions.
- Registrations.
- Downloads.
- Product purchases.
- Order revenue.
- Custom JavaScript events.
- Elements appearing on screen.
- External conversions.
Google Optimize benefited from its integration with Google Analytics. When selecting a replacement, check whether the platform includes its own conversion tracking, integrates with GA4, or supports both.
Statistical reporting
A tool should help you distinguish a meaningful result from normal variation.
Useful reports may include:
- Visitors assigned to each version.
- Conversion rates.
- Relative improvement.
- Confidence levels.
- Probability of each variant being the best.
- Revenue by variation.
- Results for individual audience segments.
- Performance over time.
A platform that produces large amounts of data but does not explain what they mean may be difficult for smaller teams to use effectively.
Targeting and segmentation
Google Optimize allowed experiments to be shown to selected audiences.
Depending on your strategy, you may need to target visitors based on:
- Device.
- Location.
- Referrer.
- Campaign parameters.
- Browser.
- Login status.
- New or returning visitor status.
- Page or URL.
- WordPress role.
- Custom attributes.
Advanced enterprise platforms generally provide more targeting options, but smaller websites may not need that level of complexity.
WordPress compatibility
An experimentation platform may work on almost any website while still being inconvenient for WordPress.
Consider whether the solution:
- Has an official WordPress plugin.
- Recognizes WordPress pages and content types.
- Works with your page builder.
- Supports WooCommerce.
- Is compatible with caching and optimization plugins.
- Lets you manage experiments from WordPress.
- Requires an external visual editor.
- Adds scripts to every page of the website.
The best general-purpose experimentation platform is not automatically the best WordPress solution.
Behavioral analytics
Google Optimize focused primarily on experiments. Some of its alternatives provide additional tools such as:
- Heatmaps.
- Clickmaps.
- Scrollmaps.
- Session recordings.
- Funnel analysis.
- Form analytics.
- Surveys.
These tools can help you understand why a page is underperforming before deciding what to test.
Price and traffic limits
Google Optimize’s free plan set an expectation that experimentation should be accessible to smaller websites.
Many current alternatives are paid services. Pricing may be based on:
- Monthly visitors.
- Tested visitors.
- Tested page views.
- Monthly tracked users.
- Number of websites.
- Number of experiments.
- Included products.
- Enterprise contract terms.
Do not compare plans based only on their starting price. Estimate how much traffic you will actually test and which features you need.
Quick Comparison of Google Optimize Alternatives
| Tool | Best for | WordPress-native | Visual editor | Heatmaps | Session recordings | Ecommerce and revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nelio A/B Testing | WordPress businesses and WooCommerce stores | Yes | Uses WordPress editors | Yes | Optional add-on | Yes |
| VWO | Growing experimentation programs | No | Yes | Available in platform | Available in platform | Yes |
| Optimizely | Enterprise experimentation | No | Yes | Not its main focus | Not its main focus | Advanced experimentation |
| AB Tasty | Enterprise experimentation and personalization | No | Yes | Platform dependent | Platform dependent | Yes |
| Convert Experiences | CRO agencies and privacy-conscious teams | No | Yes | Not its primary product | Not its primary product | Yes |
| Zoho PageSense | Affordable external CRO suite | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Conversion tracking |
Features, packages, and prices can change. Verify the latest details with each provider before making a purchasing decision.
1. Nelio A/B Testing
Best Google Optimize alternative for WordPress
Nelio A/B Testing is a conversion optimization platform designed specifically for WordPress.
Unlike Google Optimize and most of the other tools in this comparison, Nelio does not treat WordPress as just another website on which to inject experiments. It integrates with the WordPress content model and lets users create, manage, and analyze tests directly from the WordPress dashboard.
You can test:
- Pages.
- Posts.
- Custom post types.
- Headlines.
- Menus.
- Widgets.
- Themes.
- Templates.
- Synced patterns.
- WooCommerce products.
- WooCommerce product prices.
- CSS changes.
- JavaScript changes.
- Popups.
- Complete URLs.
The plugin also includes heatmaps, clickmaps, scrollmaps, conversion tracking, and revenue tracking. Session recordings can be added through Nelio Session Recordings.
You can download Nelio A/B Testing for free from WordPress.org and run your first experiments without committing to an enterprise platform.

Why it is a strong Google Optimize replacement
Google Optimize required users to move between WordPress, Google Optimize, and Google Analytics.
Nelio simplifies this workflow for WordPress websites. You select the content to test, create alternatives, configure goals, and review the results without leaving WordPress.
When testing a page, the alternative can be edited using the same editor or page builder used to create the original page. This means that the variation is actual WordPress content rather than a collection of visual modifications stored in an external system.
This native approach is useful when:
- The test involves extensive content changes.
- Several team members edit the page.
- The winning version needs to be published permanently.
- The website uses dynamic WordPress content.
- The experiment affects a WooCommerce product.
- You want to avoid rebuilding changes after the test.
Nelio also supports split URL tests when you need to compare existing pages or entirely different implementations.
Conversion and revenue tracking
Nelio A/B Testing lets you configure one or more goals and multiple conversion actions within an experiment.
Conversions can include actions such as:
- Visiting a page.
- Clicking a button, link, or other element.
- Submitting a form (it is also compatible with most popular form plugins in WordPress).
- Completing a WooCommerce order.
- Generating WooCommerce revenue.
- Seeing a specific element.
- Triggering a custom event.
- Completing an action on an external page.
Revenue tracking is particularly important for ecommerce tests. A version that generates more purchases is not always the version that generates the most revenue.
For example, reducing a product price may increase the conversion rate while lowering total revenue. Measuring both purchases and order value provides a more complete picture.
Heatmaps and session recordings
Nelio includes heatmaps, clickmaps, scrollmaps, and confetti maps.
These tools help identify potential testing opportunities:
- A scrollmap may show that visitors do not reach an important call to action.
- A clickmap may reveal that visitors click a non-interactive image.
- A heatmap may indicate that an unimportant section receives more attention than the main offer.
- A confetti map can help compare interactions from different devices or traffic sources.
For deeper behavioral analysis, Nelio integrates with Nelio Session Recordings. Session recordings let you watch how individual visitors navigate a website, where they hesitate, what they click, and where they encounter friction.
This creates a complete optimization workflow:
- Use heatmaps and recordings to identify a problem.
- Form a hypothesis.
- Create an A/B test.
- Measure conversions and revenue.
- Apply the winning version.
WooCommerce support
Nelio is a particularly strong Google Optimize replacement for WooCommerce.
Because it works natively with WordPress and WooCommerce, you can test actual product content and settings instead of only changing what visitors see in the browser.
Possible experiments include:
- Product titles.
- Long and short descriptions.
- Product images.
- Product galleries.
- Product prices.
- Calls to action.
- Product-page layouts.
- Promotional messaging.
- Related content.
- Complete product alternatives.
Nelio can track purchases and revenue as experiment outcomes.
Learn more about A/B testing for WooCommerce or follow the documentation on creating a WooCommerce product A/B test.
Google Analytics integration
You do not have to abandon Google Analytics when replacing Google Optimize.
Nelio A/B Testing can also be connected to GA4 through Google Tag Manager, allowing experiment-related events and information to be included in your analytics setup.
The documentation explains how to integrate Nelio A/B Testing with Google Analytics.
This lets you use Nelio for the experimentation workflow while continuing to analyze broader website performance in GA4.
Advantages of Nelio A/B Testing
- Built specifically for WordPress.
- Experiments are managed from the WordPress dashboard.
- Works with the WordPress block editor and major page builders.
- Supports many WordPress-specific test types.
- Includes heatmaps, clickmaps, scrollmaps, and confetti maps.
- Offers session recordings through an optional add-on.
- Supports WooCommerce tests.
- Tracks purchases and revenue.
- Integration with popular WordPress form plugins.
- Allows applying a winner variant with just one click.
- Supports multiple goals and conversion actions.
- Includes split URL, CSS, and JavaScript testing.
- Offers a free plan for getting started.
- Does not require an external visual editor.
Potential limitations
Nelio is designed for WordPress. If your organization needs to run the same experimentation platform across native mobile apps, custom backend services, and several non-WordPress websites, an enterprise multi-platform tool may be more appropriate.
Higher volumes of tested page views also require a paid subscription. You can compare the available Nelio A/B Testing plans before deciding how much traffic to include.
Who should use Nelio A/B Testing?
Nelio is the best choice for:
- Businesses whose website runs on WordPress.
- WooCommerce stores.
- WordPress agencies.
- Publishers and content teams.
- Small and medium-sized businesses.
- Marketing teams that want to manage experiments themselves.
- Users who want heatmaps and experimentation in the same workflow.
- Teams that prefer WordPress-native content over external visual modifications.
For most WordPress websites looking to replace Google Optimize, Nelio A/B Testing offers the closest balance of accessibility, flexibility, and native integration.
2. VWO
Best for growing experimentation programs
VWO is a digital experience optimization platform that supports A/B testing, split URL tests, multivariate testing, and broader experimentation capabilities.
It is one of the best-known alternatives to Google Optimize and is suitable for businesses that want to build a structured conversion optimization program.
VWO uses an external platform and visual editor rather than a WordPress-native workflow. A WordPress website can be connected to VWO, but experiments are primarily configured and analyzed outside the WordPress dashboard.
Main capabilities
Depending on the selected VWO products and plan, the platform can support:
- A/B tests.
- Split URL tests.
- Multivariate experiments.
- Visual page editing.
- Audience segmentation.
- Multiple conversion goals.
- Behavioral analytics.
- Personalization.
- Feature experimentation.
- Mobile and server-side use cases.
VWO’s reporting and segmentation options are more advanced than what many small WordPress websites require. Teams can analyze how variants perform for different audiences and use a broader set of experimentation tools as their program matures.
Advantages of VWO
- Established experimentation platform.
- Supports A/B, split URL, and multivariate tests.
- Visual editor for marketers.
- Advanced segmentation and reporting.
- Suitable for larger testing programs.
- Can support more than WordPress websites.
- Broader optimization and behavioral analytics ecosystem.
Potential limitations
VWO is not a native WordPress solution. The platform sees the output of your website rather than understanding WordPress pages, posts, products, templates, and menus as editable content entities.
Changes created in an external visual editor may also need to be recreated in WordPress after a winning variation is selected.
The platform’s wider feature set and pricing structure may be excessive for a small business that only needs to optimize one WordPress website.
Who should use VWO?
VWO is appropriate for:
- Growing businesses with a dedicated CRO team.
- Organizations running experiments across several websites.
- Teams that need advanced audience targeting.
- Companies that want an external visual editor.
- Businesses planning a mature, high-volume experimentation program.
A WordPress business that wants a simpler native workflow may prefer Nelio, while a larger organization seeking a broad optimization platform may benefit from VWO.
3. Optimizely
Best for enterprise experimentation
Optimizely is an enterprise experimentation platform designed for organizations running tests across websites, products, applications, features, and technical systems.
Its experimentation offering extends well beyond the type of page-level tests many users created with Google Optimize.
Optimizely supports web experimentation as well as feature experimentation for product and engineering teams.

Main capabilities
Optimizely can support:
- A/B testing.
- Multivariate testing.
- Multi-page experiments.
- Visual website changes.
- Feature flags.
- Server-side experimentation.
- Product experimentation.
- Audience targeting.
- Personalization.
- Advanced experiment management.
- Cross-team experimentation programs.
This makes it possible to test not only visible page elements but also product features, recommendation systems, algorithms, and backend experiences.
Advantages of Optimizely
- Advanced enterprise experimentation.
- Web and feature experimentation.
- Supports technical and server-side use cases.
- Suitable for product and engineering teams.
- Advanced audience and campaign management.
- Designed for experimentation at scale.
- Can support multiple digital platforms.
Potential limitations
Optimizely may be much more platform than a typical WordPress website requires.
It is not designed primarily as a WordPress plugin, and implementation may involve developers, analytics specialists, experimentation managers, and formal internal processes.
Pricing is generally aimed at organizations evaluating an enterprise contract rather than small websites looking for a direct replacement for a free Google product.
Who should use Optimizely?
Optimizely is best suited to:
- Large enterprises.
- Product-led technology companies.
- Organizations with dedicated experimentation teams.
- Businesses testing websites, applications, and backend features.
- Teams that need feature flags and server-side experiments.
- Companies with sufficient traffic and resources to run experiments continuously.
For a small or medium-sized WordPress website, Optimizely will usually be unnecessarily complex. For an enterprise that happens to use WordPress as one component of a larger digital ecosystem, it may be a suitable choice.
4. AB Tasty
Best for enterprise experimentation and personalization
AB Tasty is a digital experience optimization platform offering web experimentation, personalization, and feature experimentation. It has been recently merged into VWO.
Its web experimentation tools support A/B, split, multivariate, and multi-page tests. The platform is intended for teams that want to experiment across complete customer journeys rather than only compare isolated WordPress pages.
Main capabilities
AB Tasty provides functionality for:
- A/B tests.
- Split tests.
- Multivariate tests.
- Multi-page experiments.
- Visual editing.
- Audience targeting.
- Personalization campaigns.
- Feature experimentation.
- Mobile and cross-device experiences.
- Advanced campaign management.
It can be used by marketing teams for visual experiments and by product or development teams for more technical use cases.
Advantages of AB Tasty
- Combines experimentation and personalization.
- Supports several experiment formats.
- Visual editor for marketing teams.
- Advanced targeting.
- Can operate across channels and devices.
- Offers feature experimentation.
- Suitable for established optimization programs.
Potential limitations
Like Optimizely and VWO, AB Tasty is an external platform rather than a native WordPress solution.
Its broader feature set is designed for organizations that need experimentation and personalization at scale. Smaller WordPress businesses may find the implementation process, product scope, and commercial model more extensive than necessary.
A winning visual change may also need to be implemented separately in WordPress after the experiment.
Who should use AB Tasty?
AB Tasty is a good fit for:
- Enterprise marketing teams.
- Ecommerce companies with large optimization programs.
- Organizations combining testing and personalization.
- Businesses experimenting across web and mobile experiences.
- Companies with dedicated CRO and product teams.
It is less suitable for a small WordPress team that wants to create variants with its existing editor and manage everything from the WordPress dashboard.
5. Convert Experiences
Best for CRO agencies and privacy-conscious teams
Convert Experiences is an A/B testing platform used by conversion optimization professionals and agencies.
It supports A/B testing, split URL testing, multivariate testing, targeting, and advanced experiment configuration. Convert also provides a WordPress integration and documentation for connecting Convert Experiences to WordPress.
The WordPress integration helps identify content such as posts, pages, categories, and tags for use in Convert’s targeting system. Experiment creation still takes place within Convert’s external platform.

Main capabilities
Convert Experiences can provide:
- A/B testing.
- Split URL testing.
- Multivariate testing.
- Visual experiment editing.
- JavaScript and CSS changes.
- Advanced targeting.
- Multiple goals.
- Revenue tracking.
- Integrations with analytics tools.
- Collaboration for CRO teams.
- WordPress-specific targeting through its integration.
Convert has also placed significant emphasis on privacy-conscious experimentation and giving teams control over their data and integrations.
Advantages of Convert Experiences
- Mature A/B testing platform.
- Official WordPress integration.
- Suitable for CRO agencies and specialists.
- Advanced targeting and experiment configuration.
- Supports several testing methodologies.
- Integrates with analytics and marketing platforms.
- Strong focus on privacy and support.
- Can be used across multiple client websites.
Potential limitations
The WordPress integration helps connect the platform to WordPress, but Convert remains an external experimentation service.
It does not provide the same native content workflow as Nelio. You generally create changes in Convert’s visual or code editor rather than editing a WordPress page variation as normal WordPress content.
The platform may also require more experimentation knowledge than simpler tools intended for occasional testing.
Who should use Convert Experiences?
Convert is well suited to:
- CRO agencies.
- Experimentation consultants.
- Privacy-conscious organizations.
- Teams managing tests across different content management systems.
- Businesses needing advanced targeting without adopting the largest enterprise platforms.
- Experienced optimization teams.
WordPress users who need a professional external testing platform should consider Convert. Those who prioritize native WordPress management may prefer Nelio.
6. Zoho PageSense
Best affordable external conversion optimization suite
Zoho PageSense is a conversion optimization platform that combines experimentation with several behavioral analytics tools.
It supports A/B and split URL testing, along with heatmaps, session recordings, funnel analysis, form analytics, and personalization.
PageSense can therefore replace more than the experimentation component of Google Optimize. It may also reduce the need for separate tools used to investigate visitor behavior.
Main capabilities
Zoho PageSense offers:
- A/B testing.
- Split URL testing.
- Visual page editing.
- Heatmaps.
- Variation-specific heatmaps.
- Session recordings.
- Funnel analysis.
- Form analytics.
- Goal tracking.
- Audience targeting.
- Personalization.
- Statistical reports.
Its reports include conversion rates, confidence information, and other metrics that help users evaluate experiment performance.
Advantages of Zoho PageSense
- Combines testing and behavioral analytics.
- Visual experiment editor.
- Supports A/B and split URL tests.
- Includes heatmaps and session recordings.
- Includes funnel and form analytics.
- Integrates with the wider Zoho ecosystem.
- Generally aimed at a broader range of business sizes than enterprise-only platforms.
Potential limitations
PageSense is not built around WordPress’s internal content structure. It edits and analyzes the rendered website through an external platform.
This may be perfectly adequate for visual tests, but it is less natural when testing native WordPress entities such as:
- Headlines.
- Navigation menus.
- Themes.
- Templates.
- Synced patterns.
- WooCommerce products and prices.
As with other external visual editors, a winning change may need to be recreated in WordPress.
Who should use Zoho PageSense?
PageSense is a good option for:
- Businesses already using Zoho products.
- Teams that want testing, heatmaps, and recordings in one external suite.
- Smaller organizations that do not need an enterprise platform.
- Marketers who prefer visual editing.
- Websites built with several different technologies.
For WordPress-only businesses, Nelio offers deeper native integration. PageSense is more attractive when a shared external optimization suite is preferred.
What About Firebase A/B Testing?
After Google Optimize was discontinued, some users assumed that Firebase A/B Testing would be its direct replacement.
Firebase A/B Testing is useful, but it is not a direct replacement for testing traditional WordPress pages.
It is designed primarily for applications using Firebase services. It can be used to test changes delivered through tools such as Remote Config and Firebase Cloud Messaging.
That makes Firebase appropriate for:
- Mobile applications.
- App features.
- Notification campaigns.
- Remote configuration values.
- Product experiments inside Firebase-based applications.
It is not the most practical choice for a marketer who wants to open a WordPress landing page, duplicate it, change its headline, and measure form submissions.
Unless your WordPress website is connected to a larger Firebase-based product, one of the web experimentation tools in this guide will be a better fit.
Which Google Optimize Alternative Is Best for WordPress?
The answer depends primarily on whether you want a native WordPress workflow or an external experimentation platform.
Choose Nelio A/B Testing for a native WordPress workflow
Nelio A/B Testing is the best overall Google Optimize alternative for most WordPress websites.
It lets you create real WordPress alternatives, supports many WordPress-specific test types, tracks revenue, includes heatmaps, and can be expanded with session recordings.
It is particularly suitable for small and medium-sized businesses, agencies, publishers, and WooCommerce stores.
Choose VWO for a growing CRO program
VWO is a good option when your team needs advanced targeting, reporting, and a broader optimization platform.
It is more appropriate than a WordPress plugin when experimentation extends across several websites and your organization has dedicated CRO resources.
Choose Optimizely for enterprise and product experimentation
Optimizely is designed for large organizations that want to test websites, applications, product features, and backend systems.
It is not a direct like-for-like replacement for Google Optimize, but it is one of the most capable options for enterprise experimentation.
Choose Convert for a professional external testing platform
Convert Experiences is particularly attractive to CRO agencies, consultants, and privacy-conscious testing teams.
Its WordPress integration makes it easier to target WordPress content, although the core workflow remains external.
Choose Zoho PageSense for an external all-in-one CRO suite
Zoho PageSense is a strong choice when you want A/B testing, heatmaps, recordings, funnels, and form analytics in one external service.
It may be especially convenient for existing Zoho customers.
Native WordPress Testing vs External Experimentation Platforms
One of the most important decisions is not which brand to choose, but which type of implementation you prefer.
Native WordPress testing
A native tool such as Nelio A/B Testing works with WordPress content and administrative screens.
Advantages include:
- Create variants with the WordPress editor.
- Continue using your current page builder.
- Test WordPress-specific content types.
- Manage experiments from the dashboard.
- Apply a winner without manually rebuilding it.
- Work directly with WooCommerce products.
- Reduce dependence on an external visual editor.
The main limitation is that the platform is intended for WordPress rather than every possible technology in your organization.
External experimentation platforms
Tools such as VWO, Optimizely, AB Tasty, Convert, and PageSense operate outside WordPress.
Advantages may include:
- Use one platform across several technologies.
- Advanced visual editing.
- Sophisticated segmentation.
- Enterprise collaboration.
- Personalization.
- Server-side or feature experimentation.
- Broader analytics integrations.
Possible disadvantages include:
- Additional scripts and external dashboards.
- Less awareness of WordPress content.
- Changes may need to be reimplemented after a test.
- Greater complexity.
- Higher costs.
- More technical setup.
Neither model is universally better. The correct choice depends on the scope of your experimentation program.
How to Migrate From Google Optimize
Google Optimize has been unavailable for several years, but some organizations still have old documentation, experiments, and analytics conventions based on it.
The following process can help establish a replacement workflow.
1. Review your previous experiments
Create an inventory of the experiments you ran with Google Optimize.
Record:
- The tested pages.
- The variants.
- The hypothesis.
- The original conversion goals.
- The audience.
- The results.
- Whether the winner was implemented.
- Any unresolved questions.
Do not try to reproduce every old experiment automatically. Some may no longer be relevant.
2. Define your current testing requirements
Identify the experiments you expect to run during the next six to twelve months.
For each idea, determine whether you need:
- Page testing.
- Split URL testing.
- Visual element changes.
- WordPress-native variants.
- WooCommerce support.
- Revenue tracking.
- Heatmaps.
- Session recordings.
- Advanced targeting.
- Server-side experimentation.
This list will tell you whether you need a focused WordPress solution or an enterprise platform.
3. Recreate conversion tracking
Your old Google Optimize goals may have depended on Google Analytics events or destination goals.
For the new platform, define which actions should count as conversions and verify that they are recorded correctly.
Use test transactions and controlled interactions before launching a real experiment.
4. Connect the new tool to GA4 when useful
Your experimentation platform can provide the main test report while GA4 provides broader context about traffic acquisition and visitor behavior.
When using Nelio, follow the Google Analytics integration guide to send experiment data through Google Tag Manager.
5. Start with a low-risk experiment
Do not make your first test a major checkout redesign.
Begin with a page that receives consistent traffic and a conversion that is easy to verify.
Possible first experiments include:
- A landing-page headline.
- A call to action.
- The order of two content sections.
- A pricing-page message.
- A product image.
- A link to a signup page.
This lets you validate variant assignment, tracking, caching compatibility, and reporting.
6. Document the new workflow
Create a simple internal process covering:
- Who proposes experiments.
- How hypotheses are written.
- Who creates variants.
- Who verifies tracking.
- When tests are launched.
- How results are interpreted.
- How winners are applied.
- Where learnings are stored.
Replacing Google Optimize is an opportunity to improve your experimentation process rather than merely install another tool.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Google Optimize still available?
No. Google Optimize and Google Optimize 360 stopped being available on September 30, 2023.
Existing experiments and personalizations ended when the service was discontinued.
Did GA4 replace Google Optimize?
No. Google Analytics 4 provides analytics and reporting, but it does not include a direct replacement for the Google Optimize visual experimentation workflow.
You can continue using GA4 alongside a third-party testing tool.
What is the best free Google Optimize alternative for WordPress?
Nelio A/B Testing provides a free plan that allows WordPress users to create A/B tests and behavioral analytics experiments with a limited volume of tested page views.
It is a practical starting point for smaller websites and teams evaluating a new workflow.
Can I use Google Analytics with another A/B testing tool?
Yes. Many experimentation tools can be connected to GA4 directly, through Google Tag Manager, or using custom events.
Nelio provides documentation for integrating its experiments with Google Analytics.
What is the easiest Google Optimize alternative for WordPress?
For a website built entirely with WordPress, a native plugin is generally the easiest option.
Nelio A/B Testing lets you create variants with the WordPress editor or your existing page builder and manage experiments from the dashboard.
External visual platforms may be preferable when the same tool must be used across several technologies.
Can I run A/B tests on WooCommerce?
Yes. Use a solution that supports WooCommerce products, purchases, and revenue.
Nelio A/B Testing can test product content and prices while tracking completed orders and revenue. Learn more about WooCommerce A/B testing.
Do I need heatmaps to run an A/B test?
No. You can create an A/B test without a heatmap.
However, heatmaps can help identify where visitors encounter problems and therefore suggest stronger test hypotheses.
Combining behavioral analytics with experimentation is usually more effective than testing random design changes.
Are visual editors safe for WordPress?
A reputable visual experimentation platform can work successfully with WordPress, but you should test compatibility with your caching, optimization, consent, and page-building setup.
Visual modifications can also be affected by future changes to the structure of the page.
Native WordPress alternatives are often easier to maintain because their variants are created through the same content system as the original page.
Will A/B testing affect SEO?
Temporary, properly implemented A/B tests should not inherently harm SEO.
Avoid cloaking, do not show content to search engines based on deceptive user-agent targeting, and do not leave temporary experiment URLs active indefinitely.
Use canonical URLs or redirects appropriately when running split URL tests.
Final Thoughts
Google Optimize made experimentation accessible to millions of website owners. Its closure was disruptive, but it also encouraged businesses to reconsider what they actually need from an A/B testing platform.
Some organizations need an enterprise system capable of running experiments across websites, applications, products, and backend services. For them, platforms such as VWO, Optimizely, or AB Tasty may be appropriate.
CRO agencies and experienced optimization teams may prefer the control and integrations offered by Convert Experiences. Businesses looking for an external suite with tests, heatmaps, recordings, and funnel analytics should consider Zoho PageSense.
For most WordPress websites, however, Nelio A/B Testing is the best Google Optimize alternative.
It is built for WordPress, works with the editors and content you already use, supports a broad range of experiments, tracks conversions and revenue, includes heatmaps, integrates with session recordings, and lets you manage the process without relying on an external visual editor.
You can begin with a simple page test and gradually expand your optimization program as you learn more about your visitors.
Download Nelio A/B Testing for free or compare the available plans to create your first experiment.
Google Optimize may be gone, but your experimentation program does not have to end with it.
Featured image by Luke Chesser on Unsplash.




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