Software · head to head
Optimizely vs Countly
The short version
- Only Countly has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Optimizely no pricing is published and no minimum is stated; Countly the private cloud plan starts at $175 a month and is described as usage based without stating the unit
- They diverge on capability: Optimizely covers A/B testing, Countly covers Event tracking.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Optimizely and Countly actually diverge.
| Attribute | Optimizely | Countly |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $10000/year | Free |
| Pricing model | quote | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, Mobile | Web, Mobile, Api |
| Founded | 2010 | 2012 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Optimizely
- A/B testing
- Multivariate testing
- Personalization
- Feature management
- Analytics
- Google Analytics
- Adobe Analytics
- SOC2
Only in Countly
- Event tracking
- Crash reporting
- Analytics dashboard
- User retention
- Open-source
- On-premise deployment
- Api support
Both cover
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
- Mobile support
- Multiple languages language support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Optimizely
- A/B testing and experimentation across web and product experiencesnot Countly
- Feature flagging and personalisation for digital productsnot Countly
Countly
- Product analytics for mobile and web applicationsnot Optimizely
- Self hosting analytics where data cannot leave the organisationnot Optimizely
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Optimizely
- No pricing is published and no minimum is stated
- Every plan is individually packaged, so no two quotes are necessarily comparable
- Reaching a figure requires a demo or sales conversation
Countly
- The private cloud plan starts at $175 a month and is described as usage based without stating the unit
- No event cap, data point limit or user limit is published for either paid plan
- The self hosted Enterprise edition is custom priced and billed annually
- Adaptivity and intelligence features are separately priced add ons on the cheaper plan
Pricing, plan by plan
Optimizely
$10000/year- Enterprise$undefined/year
- A/B testing
- Personalization
- Feature management
Countly
Free- Open SourceFree
- Open-source
- Self-hosted
- Full features
Which should you pick?
Choose Optimizely if
- You need a/b testing.
- You work on Web, Mobile.
- You also want multivariate testing.
Choose Countly if
- You need event tracking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile, Api.
- You also want crash reporting.
Questions people ask
- Is Optimizely or Countly better?
- Neither clearly leads. Optimizely starts at $10000/year and Countly at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Optimizely or Countly?
- Countly has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $10000/year for Optimizely and Free for Countly.
- Does Optimizely or Countly run on more platforms?
- Optimizely runs on Web, Mobile. Countly runs on Web, Mobile, Api.
- Can I use Countly for free?
- Yes. Countly has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Optimizely starts at $10000/year.
- What is Optimizely best used for?
- Optimizely is most often used for a/b testing and experimentation across web and product experiences, feature flagging and personalisation for digital products. Of those, a/b testing and experimentation across web and product experiences and feature flagging and personalisation for digital products are not what Countly is typically brought in for.
- What can Optimizely do that Countly cannot?
- Optimizely covers A/B testing, Multivariate testing, Personalization, Feature management. Countly covers Event tracking, Crash reporting, Analytics dashboard, User retention. Both handle Cloud deployment, Web support, Mobile support, Multiple languages language support.