The $36,000 A/B Test: What Optimizely Charges vs. What the Algorithm Actually Costs

📰 Dev.to · Whatsonyourmind

Learn how Optimizely's A/B testing pricing compares to the actual cost of the Thompson Sampling algorithm and explore alternative options

intermediate Published 2 Apr 2026
Action Steps
  1. Calculate the cost of using Optimizely for A/B testing based on the $36K/yr minimum charge
  2. Estimate the cost of implementing the Thompson Sampling algorithm at $0.005 per call
  3. Compare the costs of Optimizely and alternative A/B testing tools that utilize the Thompson Sampling algorithm
  4. Evaluate the trade-offs between using a commercial A/B testing tool and building a custom solution
  5. Research open-source alternatives to Optimizely for A/B testing and their pricing models
Who Needs to Know This

Product managers and marketers can benefit from understanding the cost of A/B testing tools and optimizing their budgets, while software engineers can learn about alternative implementations of the Thompson Sampling algorithm

Key Insight

💡 The Thompson Sampling algorithm used in A/B testing has a significantly lower cost than commercial tools like Optimizely, making it a potential area for cost optimization

Share This
💡 Did you know Optimizely's A/B testing costs $36K/yr, but the Thompson Sampling algorithm itself costs only $0.005 per call? 🤯

Key Takeaways

Learn how Optimizely's A/B testing pricing compares to the actual cost of the Thompson Sampling algorithm and explore alternative options

Full Article

Optimizely charges $36K/yr minimum for A/B testing. The core algorithm (Thompson Sampling) costs $0.005 per call. Here's the math and the alternatives.
Read full article → ← Back to Reads

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