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Marketing · head to head

Google Optimize vs Mautic

Google Optimize logo

Google Optimize

Marketing

A/B testing for Google Analytics

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Mautic logo

Mautic

Marketing

The main open source marketing automation platform, self-hosted and GPL licensed

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Google Optimize google Optimize and Optimize 360 were sunset and are no longer available as of September 30, 2023; Mautic mautic depends on reliably scheduled cron jobs to process segments and send campaigns, and a misconfigured or silently failing schedule stops sends without an obvious error, which is the most common way Mautic deployments fail in production.
  • They diverge on capability: Google Optimize covers A/B testing, Mautic covers Visual campaign builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Google Optimize and Mautic differ
AttributeGoogle OptimizeMautic
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWebWeb, Linux, Self-hosted, Docker
Founded1998Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Google Optimize

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

Only in Mautic

  • Visual campaign builder
  • Contact management and segmentation
  • Landing pages and forms
  • Lead scoring
  • Dynamic web content
  • Email builder and A/B testing
  • Self-hosted data control
  • No feature gating

What people use each for

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

Google Optimize

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

Mautic

  • A marketing agency running automation for many clients that cannot pass on per-contact SaaS pricing at scalenot Google Optimize
  • A European university or public body whose data protection position requires contact data to stay on infrastructure it controlsnot Google Optimize
  • A company with a list of several hundred thousand contacts where SaaS per-contact pricing has become the largest line in the marketing budgetnot Google Optimize
  • A team that needs to modify the automation logic itself, not just configure it, and wants source access to do sonot Google Optimize

Where each one falls short

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

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

Mautic

  • Mautic depends on reliably scheduled cron jobs to process segments and send campaigns, and a misconfigured or silently failing schedule stops sends without an obvious error, which is the most common way Mautic deployments fail in production.
  • Email sending is not included: you must arrange, pay for and warm up your own sending infrastructure through Amazon SES, SendGrid or similar, and deliverability problems become entirely your problem with no vendor to escalate to.
  • Acquia owns the commercial descendant, Campaign Studio, and is the largest contributor, so the loudest commercial interest in the ecosystem benefits from a hosted product rather than from the self-hosted one being easy.
  • Upgrades between major versions have historically been disruptive, requiring database migrations and plugin compatibility checks, so a neglected instance can become expensive to bring current.
  • The interface and the reporting are noticeably behind commercial platforms, so marketing teams that came from HubSpot or ActiveCampaign will find everyday tasks slower and will need training.

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Optimize

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

Mautic

Free
  • Self-hosted communityFree
    • GPL licensed, no licence fee and no contact limits
    • All features included, no paid edition
    • You provide hosting, database, cron scheduling and email sending
  • Managed Mautic hosting$undefined/month
    • Third-party managed hosting listed by the project
    • Updates, backups and cron scheduling handled for you
    • Pricing varies by provider and is not set by the project

Which should you pick?

Choose Google Optimize if

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

Choose Mautic if

  • You need visual campaign builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, Docker.
  • You also want contact management and segmentation.
Mautic review

Questions people ask

Is Google Optimize or Mautic better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Optimize starts at Free and Mautic at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Optimize or Mautic?
Google Optimize starts at Free and Mautic at Free.
Does Google Optimize or Mautic run on more platforms?
Google Optimize runs on Web. Mautic runs on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, Docker.
Can I use Google Optimize for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Google Optimize best used for?
Google Optimize is most often used for a/b and multivariate testing of web pages tied to google analytics goals, personalising page content for defined audience segments, redirect tests between alternative landing page urls. Of those, a/b and multivariate testing of web pages tied to google analytics goals and personalising page content for defined audience segments are not what Mautic is typically brought in for.
What can Google Optimize do that Mautic cannot?
Google Optimize covers A/B testing, Google Analytics integration, Visual editor, Real-time analytics. Mautic covers Visual campaign builder, Contact management and segmentation, Landing pages and forms, Lead scoring.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Mautic: Is Mautic free?

Yes, GPL licensed with no licence fee and no contact limits. You pay for hosting, email sending and the staff time to maintain it.

Mautic: Does Acquia own Mautic?

Acquia acquired the founding commercial entity in 2019 and sells Campaign Studio built on it, but the Mautic trademark sits with the Open Source Collective and the project is community governed.

Mautic: What breaks most often?

Cron scheduling. If segment rebuilding and campaign triggers are not running on schedule, campaigns quietly stop sending with no alert.

Mautic: Can it handle large contact lists?

Yes, but performance at several hundred thousand contacts depends on database tuning and queue configuration, which is work you must do yourself.

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