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Marketing · head to head

CleverTap vs Google Optimize

CleverTap logo

CleverTap

Marketing

Mobile-first engagement and retention analytics billed on monthly active users

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Google Optimize logo

Google Optimize

Marketing

A/B testing for Google Analytics

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Google Optimize has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CleverTap the platform assumes the mobile app is the main surface, so teams whose lifecycle runs mostly through the browser or through long B2B email sequences pay for capability they will not use.; Google Optimize google Optimize and Optimize 360 were sunset and are no longer available as of September 30, 2023
  • They diverge on capability: CleverTap covers Cross-channel journeys, Google Optimize covers A/B testing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CleverTap and Google Optimize actually diverge.

Attributes where CleverTap and Google Optimize differ
AttributeCleverTapGoogle Optimize
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, REST APIWeb
FoundedUnknown1998

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Marketing).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in CleverTap

  • Cross-channel journeys
  • Product analytics
  • TesseractDB
  • Clever.AI
  • Experiments
  • Web and app personalisation

Only in Google Optimize

  • A/B testing
  • Google Analytics integration
  • Visual editor
  • Real-time analytics
  • Google Analytics
  • Google Tag Manager
  • Google's security
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

CleverTap

  • A consumer app with millions of installs but low monthly activity that does not want to pay for dormant profilesnot Google Optimize
  • Reactivating lapsed users with push and WhatsApp sequences triggered by behaviour rather than by list membershipnot Google Optimize
  • Running holdout tests to prove that lifecycle messaging causes retention rather than correlating with itnot Google Optimize
  • Consolidating a separate analytics tool and a separate messaging tool into a single event pipelinenot Google Optimize

Google Optimize

  • A/B and multivariate testing of web pages tied to Google Analytics goalsnot CleverTap
  • Personalising page content for defined audience segmentsnot CleverTap
  • Redirect tests between alternative landing page URLsnot CleverTap

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

CleverTap

  • The platform assumes the mobile app is the main surface, so teams whose lifecycle runs mostly through the browser or through long B2B email sequences pay for capability they will not use.
  • Billing on monthly active users is cheaper for dormant-heavy bases but more expensive for products with high activity rates, and the definition of an active user is set in the contract rather than by you.
  • Event volume caps sit alongside the user caps, so a chatty instrumentation plan can trigger overage charges that are negotiated rather than published.
  • Deliverability support for email is thinner than at dedicated email providers, and teams sending high email volumes often keep a separate ESP for the largest campaigns.
  • Segmentation quality depends entirely on the event taxonomy, so without an owner who governs event naming the reports and segments diverge from reality within a couple of releases.

Google Optimize

  • Google Optimize and Optimize 360 were sunset and are no longer available as of September 30, 2023
  • Any experiments and personalizations still running on that date were ended by Google
  • Google directs former users to third-party A/B testing tools, naming AB Tasty, Optimizely and VWO, rather than a replacement Google product

Pricing, plan by plan

CleverTap

On request
  • Essentials$undefined/year
    • Billed on monthly active users rather than stored profiles
    • Push, in-app and web messaging
    • Standard segmentation and analytics
  • Advanced$undefined/year
    • Adds email, SMS and WhatsApp channels
    • Journey orchestration and experiments
    • Higher event and MAU allowances
  • Cutting Edge$undefined/year
    • Full AI and personalisation modules
    • Extended data retention
    • Dedicated technical account management

Google Optimize

Free
  • FreeFree
    • A/B testing
    • Google Analytics integration
    • Visual editor

Which should you pick?

Choose CleverTap if

  • You need cross-channel journeys.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, REST API.
  • You also want product analytics.
CleverTap review

Choose Google Optimize if

  • You need a/b testing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want google analytics integration.
Google Optimize review

Questions people ask

Is CleverTap or Google Optimize better?
Neither clearly leads. CleverTap starts at On request and Google Optimize at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CleverTap or Google Optimize?
Google Optimize has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for CleverTap and Free for Google Optimize.
Does CleverTap or Google Optimize run on more platforms?
CleverTap runs on Web, iOS, Android, REST API. Google Optimize runs on Web.
Can I use Google Optimize for free?
Yes. Google Optimize has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CleverTap starts at On request.
What is CleverTap best used for?
CleverTap is most often used for a consumer app with millions of installs but low monthly activity that does not want to pay for dormant profiles, reactivating lapsed users with push and whatsapp sequences triggered by behaviour rather than by list membership, running holdout tests to prove that lifecycle messaging causes retention rather than correlating with it, consolidating a separate analytics tool and a separate messaging tool into a single event pipeline. Of those, a consumer app with millions of installs but low monthly activity that does not want to pay for dormant profiles and reactivating lapsed users with push and whatsapp sequences triggered by behaviour rather than by list membership are not what Google Optimize is typically brought in for.
What can CleverTap do that Google Optimize cannot?
CleverTap covers Cross-channel journeys, Product analytics, TesseractDB, Clever.AI. Google Optimize covers A/B testing, Google Analytics integration, Visual editor, Real-time analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CleverTap: Does CleverTap charge for users who stopped opening the app?

No. Billing is on monthly active users, so a dormant account stops counting without you deleting anything, which is the opposite of contact-based email pricing.

Google Optimize: Is Google Optimize still available?

No. Google Optimize and Optimize 360 were discontinued as of September 30, 2023. Google recommends third-party A/B testing integrations such as AB Tasty, Optimizely, and VWO as replacements.

Source
CleverTap: Can it replace a product analytics tool?

For funnels, cohorts and retention it usually can. For exploratory analysis across many custom properties, teams tend to keep a warehouse copy and query it directly.

CleverTap: What happened to Leanplum customers?

CleverTap acquired Leanplum in 2022 and migrated customers onto its own platform, so Leanplum contracts are not a live option.

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