Google Optimize vs. Optimal

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Google Optimize
Score 6.7 out of 10
N/A
Google offers the Optimize A/B testing tool for testing website content and versions.N/A
Optimal
Score 9.1 out of 10
N/A
Optimal Workshop, a company in New Zealand, offers their suite of user research tools on a subscription basis, including the Treejack information architecture tool, OptimalSort card sorting test, Chalkmark first-click testing, and other tools.
$2,388
per year
Pricing
Google OptimizeOptimal
Editions & Modules
Google Optimize
Free
Starter
$2388
per year
Enterprise
Custom
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Google OptimizeOptimal
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
YesNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Google OptimizeOptimal
Features
Google OptimizeOptimal
Testing and Experimentation
Comparison of Testing and Experimentation features of Product A and Product B
Google Optimize
4.9
8 Ratings
52% below category average
Optimal
-
Ratings
a/b experiment testing4.08 Ratings00 Ratings
Split URL testing2.08 Ratings00 Ratings
Multivariate testing4.08 Ratings00 Ratings
Multi-page/funnel testing1.06 Ratings00 Ratings
Cross-browser testing6.44 Ratings00 Ratings
Mobile app testing2.72 Ratings00 Ratings
Test significance1.07 Ratings00 Ratings
Visual / WYSIWYG editor3.07 Ratings00 Ratings
Advanced code editor2.07 Ratings00 Ratings
Page surveys5.02 Ratings00 Ratings
Visitor recordings10.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Preview mode3.06 Ratings00 Ratings
Test duration calculator9.03 Ratings00 Ratings
Experiment scheduler7.05 Ratings00 Ratings
Experiment workflow and approval8.93 Ratings00 Ratings
Dynamic experiment activation6.92 Ratings00 Ratings
Client-side tests7.04 Ratings00 Ratings
Server-side tests2.62 Ratings00 Ratings
Mutually exclusive tests8.02 Ratings00 Ratings
Audience Segmentation & Targeting
Comparison of Audience Segmentation & Targeting features of Product A and Product B
Google Optimize
7.0
8 Ratings
22% below category average
Optimal
-
Ratings
Standard visitor segmentation6.08 Ratings00 Ratings
Behavioral visitor segmentation7.06 Ratings00 Ratings
Traffic allocation control8.07 Ratings00 Ratings
Website personalization7.07 Ratings00 Ratings
Results and Analysis
Comparison of Results and Analysis features of Product A and Product B
Google Optimize
8.2
8 Ratings
5% below category average
Optimal
-
Ratings
Heatmap tool2.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Click analytics9.03 Ratings00 Ratings
Scroll maps9.02 Ratings00 Ratings
Form fill analysis8.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Conversion tracking9.06 Ratings00 Ratings
Goal tracking8.07 Ratings00 Ratings
Test reporting7.06 Ratings00 Ratings
Results segmentation10.04 Ratings00 Ratings
CSV export9.93 Ratings00 Ratings
Experiments results dashboard9.97 Ratings00 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Google OptimizeOptimal
Small Businesses
Convert Experiences
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Score 9.9 out of 10
Smartlook
Smartlook
Score 8.6 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Dynamic Yield
Dynamic Yield
Score 9.0 out of 10
Dovetail
Dovetail
Score 8.7 out of 10
Enterprises
Dynamic Yield
Dynamic Yield
Score 9.0 out of 10
Dovetail
Dovetail
Score 8.7 out of 10
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User Ratings
Google OptimizeOptimal
Likelihood to Recommend
5.0
(10 ratings)
9.0
(11 ratings)
Usability
10.0
(1 ratings)
8.0
(2 ratings)
Support Rating
8.7
(4 ratings)
8.9
(3 ratings)
User Testimonials
Google OptimizeOptimal
Likelihood to Recommend
Google
It is a little too limited for a full stack experimentation programme. Many times we required development support or tech advise but we were simply unable to get this due to it being google. This was a big problem for us. However it is quite good if you were looking to get started in experimentation and didn’t have the budgets for a wider tool
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Optimal Workshop
Optimal Workshop is great for UX testing for those with a budget to do so. This may be a little on the expensive side for smaller businesses, but definitely not anything crazy expensive. The insights that you get out of these tests are invaluable and can be the difference between launching a site and succeeding/failing.
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Pros
Google
  • Easy to follow set up procedures. Once I walk a client through the process, it's effortless for them to emulate on subsequent tests.
  • Lots of geo and user attribute customization features to be able to drill down into specific targeted audiences — all based on the power of Google's immense data system.
  • Google Optimize is the logical choice for many people to start with since most are already familiar with and using GA.
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Optimal Workshop
  • Tree Testing - it is a very simple and easy to use system, that provides the data needed from a tree test
  • Card sorting - provides a system for users to participate in navigation menu layouts. We looked into several options, but this seemed very intuitive for users.
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Cons
Google
  • Only works for browsers, not for the apps testing.
  • Missing possibility to test complicated features.
  • Audience division in groups is not always accurate.
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Optimal Workshop
  • The recruitment panelists are not professional, nor do they take the tasks seriously. You are going to get a lot of bad data.
  • They are HQ'd outside the US and must have a small team because the customer service is the absolute WORST I've experienced in their industry.
  • They pride themselves on documentation, but when they fail to document something they blame the customer for the mistake.
  • There are way too many limitations with the tool after you launch, limited integrations, and poor survey questionnaire options. The tool itself is far too basic for most sites, especially B2B.
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Usability
Google
Google has always been known to make easy-to-use products. The Google Optimize interface is intuitive and easy to follow for anyone.
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Optimal Workshop
I would rate Optimal Workshop's overall usability 9 out of 10 due to several key factors. Firstly, the platform has a user-friendly interface makes navigation straightforward, even for first-time users. The tools and features are well-organized, ensuring users can quickly find what they need without unnecessary complexity. Secondly, the platform is highly intuitive, meaning users can easily understand how to perform tasks without extensive guidance. This is supported by clear and concise instructions throughout the application, reducing the learning curve significantly.
Additionally, the learnability of Optimal Workshop is exceptional. New users can become proficient in a short amount of time, thanks to its well-thought-out design and helpful onboarding materials. Even more advanced features are presented in a way that feels approachable and manageable. Finally, the platform supports a seamless workflow, allowing users to focus on their research or tasks rather than struggling with the software. These qualities collectively make Optimal Workshop a reliable and efficient tool for many projects, justifying its high usability rating.
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Support Rating
Google
Google has well-documented resources and unlimited use cases that can be found online. Plus, their support is always helpful and available.
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Optimal Workshop
We’ve never had to use much of their support services since the platform is very easy to use, we have however needed to transfer ownership between team members due to people leaving or other circumstances. Under those situations, the support offered to us has been been very quick and efficient and we never had to nudge them much to get the job done.
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Alternatives Considered
Google
Google Optimize being part of the Google stack makes it great in reporting and analysis. Wish Google would add more features like dynamic tests, multi funnel tests, conversion calculator based on the total number of traffic of the page being tested instead of using the websites total traffic. Should integrate form analysis, heatmap, and page analytics.
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Optimal Workshop
For the price as it is very convenient for first-time beginners, its intuitiveness both for the one who is designing the activities and for those who have to interact with them. The fact that it collects and gathers the data into insights of the overall responses collected by all users.
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Return on Investment
Google
  • We were able to increase our main KPI for conversions by almost 50% by testing button copy.
  • We were able to increase secondary KPIs for conversions by almost 30% by testing form design.
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Optimal Workshop
  • Optimal Workshop has had a positive impact on investigating information architecture on several websites.
  • Optimal Workshop has helped investigated the labeling on several websites.
  • Optimal Workshop has also support in the investigation of UX in navigations.
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ScreenShots