AB Split Test vs Nelio, Split Hero, G Optimize, Rocket Elements, Thrive, Optimizely, & Crazy Egg
Choosing the right A/B testing tool for your WordPress site can be overwhelming. With options like AB Split Test, Nelio, Split Hero, and others, how do you determine which one aligns best with your needs? This guide breaks down each tool's strengths to help you make an informed decision.
Overview:
A versatile WordPress plugin designed for seamless integration with popular page builders. Offers unlimited tests, variations, and goals, making it ideal for users seeking flexibility and comprehensive testing capabilities.
Best For: WP users wanting broad content test options, including menus/themes
PROS:
- NEW! Built-in AI Suggestions. You don’t need to copy-paste content into ChatGPT or install extra plugins. Just click, review suggestions, and test.
- Test any content in WordPress (blocks, templates, builders)
- Unlimited tests, variations, goals
- Visual point-and-click editor
- Automatic winner selection (Autocomplete)
- Privacy-first: no external servers or cookies
- White-label, webhook, and analytics integration support
CONS:
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WordPress-only
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Advanced features need setup (fingerprinting, external conversions, and GA integrations)
PRICING:
- Free version (1 test)
- Solo from $19 per month (2 sites)
- Agency plans available
Overview:
A robust solution focusing on content experiments within WordPress. Suitable for users looking to test themes, widgets, and menus without extensive technical knowledge.
Best For: WP users wanting broad content test options, including menus/themes
PROS:
- Supports tests on posts, menus, themes, widgets, WooCommerce
- Multiple goals per test
- Basic segmentation (device, referrer, user status)
- Integrates with page builders
CONS:
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Free version limited to 500 page views per month.
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Premium plans can be expensive for high-traffic sites.
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Cloud-based (external data processing)
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No auto-winner or deep analytics integrations
PRICING:
- Starts at $29 per month for 5k visitors
- Free plan (limited traffic)
Overview:
A user-friendly tool emphasizing simplicity and speed. Best for marketers who want to set up quick A/B tests without delving into complex configurations.
Best For: WP users wanting broad content test options, including menus/themes
PROS:
- Easy setup with no coding required.
- Compatible with all major page builders.
- Offers a 14-day free trial without requiring credit card details.
- White-labeled PDF reports (Premium)
- Unlimited pageviews
CONS:
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Page URL-based tests only
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One conversion goal per test
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No on-page editing, segmentation, or auto-winner
PRICING:
- $29 per month (1 test)
- $99 per month (10 tests)
- Free trial 14 days
Overview:
Tailored for users of the Kadence theme, offering insights and analytics to optimize website performance. Ideal for those already within the Kadence ecosystem.
Best For: Kadence and Gutenberg users who want inline testing
PROS:
- Seamless integration with Kadence theme and blocks.
- Provides actionable insights for optimization.
- Native Gutenberg block testing
- Multiple goals per test (clicks, revenue, etc.)
- Revenue optimization with WooCommerce
- Local data only (GDPR-friendly)
CONS:
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Works only within the Kadence ecosystem (Kadence Theme + Kadence Blocks). Doesn’t support general-purpose A/B testing outside that stack.
PRICING:
- Part of Kadence Bundle ($299/yr)
- None (30-day money-back guarantee)
Overview:
Designed specifically for Elementor users, providing A/B testing capabilities within the Elementor interface. Perfect for designers and developers deeply integrated with Elementor.
PROS:
- Built specifically for
- Elementor users
- Lightweight and fast
- Visual builder integration
- Budget-friendly pricing
CONS:
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Requires manual shortcode wrappers for tests (not 100% visual)
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Limited analytics and no goal tracking
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No WooCommerce support
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Fewer features compared to premium testing tools
PRICING:
- Free version available
- Pro version – $49/year (single site license)
Overview:
An enterprise-level experimentation platform offering advanced targeting and analytics. Suited for large organizations requiring detailed user segmentation and comprehensive data analysis.
INTEGRATION:
- JavaScript Snippet: Add a single script to your site to run experiments (client-side).
- SDKs Available: For React, Node.js, PHP, Python, etc. — ideal for server-side testing, mobile apps, and advanced use cases.
- No native WordPress plugin — implementation typically done manually or through a tag manager (e.g. GTM).
PROS:
- Advanced targeting and segmentation features.
- Comprehensive analytics and reporting.
CONS:
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Not suited for small to medium-sized businesses.
PRICING:
- Custom pricing (est. $20k–$50k+/yr, enterprise-level)
Overview:
Focuses on visual analytics like heatmaps and scrollmaps to understand user behavior. Best for teams aiming to enhance user experience through visual data insights.
INTEGRATION:
- Script-based setup: Add a JavaScript snippet to your site’s
<head>. - WordPress plugin: Available for easy setup if you're using WordPress.
PROS:
- Offers heatmaps, scrollmaps, and user recordings.
- Includes A/B testing capabilities.
CONS:
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Limited to visual analytics; lacks advanced testing features.
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Pricing starts at $29/month, which may be high for basic features.
PRICING:
- Plus plan $99/month (150k pageviews)
- Pro $249/month (500k pageviews)
Overview:
Thrive Optimize is an A/B testing add-on designed specifically for users of Thrive Architect, Thrive Themes' visual page builder. Simple setup, auto-winner mode, but only works inside the Thrive ecosystem.
PROS:
- Native integration with Thrive Architect
- Clean visual interface for setting up tests
- Includes automatic winner selection via “Set & Forget” mode
- One-time payment (no recurring fees on some plans)
CONS:
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Only works with Thrive Architect (no support for Gutenberg, Elementor, etc.)
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No standalone plugin — bundled with Thrive Suite
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Limited flexibility for complex tests (e.g., WooCommerce, popups, etc.)
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Variant setup can be rigid (duplicate pages only)
PRICING:
- Thrive Optimize + Thrive Architect – $199/year (bundle only)
- No standalone option — must be purchased as part of Thrive Suite
| Feature | AB Split Test | Nelio A/B Testing | Split Hero | Kadence Insights | Rocket Elements | Optimizely | Crazy Egg | Thrive Optimize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test Anything in WordPress | ✅ (Any WP content: blocks, CSS, etc.) | ✅ (Pages, posts, menus, themes, CSS, etc.) | ⚠️ Full pages only (no on‑page editor) | ⚠️ Blocks‑based content only | ⚠️ Elementor pages/sections only | ✅ (Any site/app content via code) | ✅ (Any page elements via editor) | ⚠️ Thrive pages only (within Thrive builder) |
| Multiple Conversion Goals | ✅ (Track multiple goals and sub‑goals) | ✅ (One or more goals per test) | ⚠️ Single goal per campaign | ✅ (Add unlimited goals) | ⚠️ Single goal (page view or click) | ✅ (Supports multiple metrics per test) | ✅ (One goal per Snapshot/ test session) | ⚠️ Single primary goal |
| Point‑and‑Click Test Creation | ✅ (Visual editor, click any text/image to create variant) | ✅ (Native WP interface; alternative content created in‑editor) | ❌ (No visual editor; separate page variants) | ✅ (In‑editor selection of element to test) | ✅ (Integrated into Elementor’s interface) | ✅ (WYSIWYG visual editor for web experiments) | ✅ (Visual editor to modify page for variant) | ✅ (Duplicate & edit page in Thrive Architect) |
| Automatic Winner Selection | ✅ (Bayesian “autocomplete” to auto‑pick winner) | ⚠️ “One‑click winner” (manual apply once confident) | ❌ (No auto‑selection; manual end date) | ⚠️ Recommends winner via Bayesian stats (manual apply) | ❌ (No automatic mode mentioned) | ⚠️ Supports Stats Engine; no auto‑deploy by default | ⚠️ Multi‑armed bandit option (no instant switch) | ✅ (“Only with “Set-and-Forget” mode enabled) |
| Page Builder Integration | ✅ (Deep integration with Gutenberg, Bricks, Beaver, Elementor, Breakdance, etc.) | ✅ (Works with Gutenberg and popular builders) | ✅ (Compatible with any WP page builder via URLs) | ⚠️ Only for block editor | ✅ (Built specifically for Elementor workflow) | ❌ (No WP‑specific integration; external snippet) | ❌ (No WP‑specific integration; tracking script) | ❌ (Only within Thrive Architect) |
| GDPR Compliance | ✅ (All data local; no remote servers) | ⚠️ Data offloaded to cloud servers; cookie consent | ⚠️ Uses external SaaS; likely cookies | ✅ (No third‑party tracking) | ✅ (All data on your server) | ❌ (Cloud‑based; tracking cookies) | ❌ (Cloud‑based service script) | ✅ (Fully self‑hosted; no third‑party scripts) |
| Unlimited Tests & Variations | ✅ (No limits on tests, variants, or goals) | ⚠️ Limited by plan capacity | ⚠️ Limited concurrent campaigns by plan | ✅ (Unlimited variants A/B/n) | ✅ (Pro version: unlimited tests & variations) | ✅ (No fixed limits; plan traffic allotment) | ✅ (Unlimited paid experiments; pageview quota) | ✅ (No limit on tests or variations) |
| Targeting & Segmentation | ✅ (Target by user role, device, etc.) | ✅ (Segmentation by country, language, referrer) | ❌ (No audience targeting beyond split traffic) | ❌ (No explicit segmentation v1) | ❌ (No audience segmentation) | ✅ (Advanced targeting by traits, behaviors) | ⚠️ Basic targeting by page URL only | ❌ (No visitor segmentation; split evenly) |
| Unlimited Page Views | ✅ (No traffic caps or overage) | ❌ (Monthly visitor/pageview limits) | ✅ (Unlimited page views on all plans) | ✅ (No traffic limits; runs on site) | ✅ (No traffic limits; site‑run) | ❌ (Impression‑based pricing caps) | ❌ (Plans cap pageviews per month) | ✅ (No pageview limits; self‑hosted) |
| Template/Block Testing | ✅ (Test templates, headers, footers, etc.) | ✅ (Global tests: themes, menus) | ❌ (Full‑page only; no part testing) | ⚠️ Test any block in block theme | ⚠️ Limited to Elementor parts/sections | ✅ (Code experiments on elements/templates) | ⚠️ Multi‑page tests; not part‑built | ❌ (Landing pages only; no theme‑wide) |
| AI Suggestions | ✅ (GPT‑powered suggestions) | ❌ (No AI features) | ❌ (No AI features) | ❌ (No AI assistant v1) | ❌ (No AI features) | ❌ (No built‑in AI suggestions) | ❌ (No AI generation) | ❌ (No AI suggestions) |
| Cache‑Friendly Implementation | ✅ (Pre‑renders variants; JS swap; works with caching) | ✅ (Cache support mechanisms) | ⚠️ Relies on server redirects; may bypass cache | ⚠️ Likely no full‑page cache; lightweight code | ✅ (Cache Buster for caching plugins) | ✅ (Client‑side script; anti‑flicker snippet) | ✅ (Client‑side rendering; anti‑flicker) | ⚠️ May require disabling cache on test pages |
| External Conversions | ✅ (Fingerprint tracking cross‑domain) | ⚠️ Click tracking only; no cross‑domain purchase | ⚠️ Button goal tracks off‑site clicks only | ❌ (No cross‑domain feature) | ❌ (No cross‑domain tracking) | ✅ (Custom cross‑domain integration) | ❌ (No built‑in cross‑domain tracking) | ❌ (No cross‑domain tracking) |
| Multiple Conversions & Subgoals | ✅ (View secondary metrics; funnels) | ✅ (Track multiple goals per test) | ❌ (One primary conversion only) | ✅ (Set & review multiple goals) | ❌ (Single‑metric focus) | ✅ (Primary & secondary metrics supported) | ✅ (Multiple goal tracking supported) | ❌ (Single metric per test) |
| Order Value Optimization | ✅ (Integrations for WooCommerce, EDD, SureCart) | ⚠️ Tracks product adds/purchases; no sum | ⚠️ Counts orders as checkout conversions | ✅ (WooCommerce & SureCart revenue goals) | ❌ (No e‑commerce specific features) | ✅ (Custom revenue events/metrics) | ⚠️ Can track checkout conversions; no calc | ❌ (No built‑in e‑commerce tracking) |
| Analytics Integrations | ✅ (Tag variants for external analytics) | ⚠️ Manual Google Analytics integration | ⚠️ PDF reports; no GA link | ❌ (No direct integrations announced) | ❌ (No direct integrations; data local) | ✅ (Google Analytics, Adobe, Segment, API) | ⚠️ Heatmaps & sessions; CSV export; no GA | ❌ (No direct integrations; in‑plugin results) |
| Test Time Remaining | ✅ (Estimates to significance) | ❌ (No auto time estimate) | ❌ (No time‑to‑sig estimate) | ❌ (No mention of time estimates) | ❌ (No) | ⚠️ Stats Engine dashboard availability | ✅ (Displays statistical significance) | ❌ (No) |
| White Label Option | ✅ (Removes all branding) | ❌ (Nelio branding visible) | ✅ (White‑label PDF on Premium) | ❌ (No white‑label; Kadence branding) | ❌ (No explicit white‑label) | ❌ (Optimizely branding; enterprise domain) | ❌ (Crazy Egg branded interface) | ❌ (No white‑label; part of Thrive suite) |
| Webhooks | ✅ (Send on start & completion) | ❌ (No webhooks; JS API only) | ❌ (No) | ❌ (No) | ❌ (No) | ✅ (API & integration hooks) | ❌ (No public webhooks) | ❌ (No) |
| Direct Link to Variation | ✅ (Shareable URL for variant) | ⚠️ Preview links in admin | ⚠️ Variants as page URLs | ⚠️ Editor preview only | ⚠️ Editor variant preview only | ✅ (Preview mode & query param) | ⚠️ Dashboard preview only | ⚠️ Editor preview only |