Google Optimize

Was a leading free A/B testing tool by virtue of Google ecosystem integration, before being discontinued in 2023

Google Optimize was a free A/B testing and website optimization tool offered by Google as part of its Marketing Platform suite. Launched in 2016 as a successor to Google Website Optimizer, it allowed marketers and developers to run A/B, multivariate, and redirect tests on their websites without requiring deep technical expertise. Its tight integration with Google Analytics made it particularly attractive to businesses already embedded in the Google ecosystem, enabling data-driven experimentation at no cost for the standard tier. The platform offered two versions: the free Google Optimize and the enterprise-grade Optimize 360, which provided higher experiment limits, more targeting capabilities, and dedicated support. At its peak, Google Optimize was widely adopted by small-to-medium businesses and digital marketing teams as an accessible entry point into conversion rate optimization (CRO). Its native integration with Google Analytics, Google Ads, and Google Tag Manager gave it a meaningful edge over standalone competitors for teams already using Google's suite of tools. On September 30, 2023, Google officially sunset both Google Optimize and Optimize 360, citing a desire to focus on more durable measurement solutions and pointing users toward GA4's built-in A/B testing experiments as a limited replacement. For more robust experimentation needs, Google directed former users to third-party platforms such as Optimizely, AB Tasty, VWO, and Convert. The shutdown marked the end of Google's standalone CRO product offering and left a notable gap in the free A/B testing market, accelerating adoption of competing platforms.