In the digital age, where every percentage point of checkout conversion represents significant revenue gains, marketing teams are increasingly turning to cutting-edge CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization) and experimentation tools. With competition rising and user attention spans shrinking, optimizing the customer journey has never been more important. Businesses are investing heavily in data-driven platforms designed to analyze behavior, test improvements, and implement changes that move the needle.
TLDR: Rising expectations and digital competition require robust CRO and experimentation tools to convert browsers into buyers. Platforms like Hotjar, VWO, and Optimizely help marketers understand user behavior and test variations that improve conversion. Google Optimize may be sunsetting, but there are several powerful alternatives on the market. This article highlights the top 10 tools that serious marketing teams use today to increase checkout conversions effectively.
1. Hotjar: Behavioral Insights at Your Fingertips
What it does: Hotjar focuses on visual behavior analytics—heatmaps, session recordings, and user feedback mechanisms like surveys and feedback polls. It’s not an A/B testing tool per se, but plays a key role in identifying usability issues and conversion blockers.
Why it matters for checkout: Hotjar helps identify where users drop off during checkout and visualizes which elements are ignored, confusing, or delaying action.
Notable features:
- Heatmaps and scroll tracking
- Session replays with advanced filtering
- User surveys during and post-checkout
Recommended for: Teams looking to understand the ‘why’ behind low conversions before deploying A/B tests.
2. Optimizely: The Gold Standard of A/B Testing
What it does: Optimizely is one of the most robust experimentation platforms available. It supports A/B, multivariate, and server-side testing, giving marketing and dev teams full control over optimized experiences.
Why it matters for checkout: Checkout flows have a significant impact on revenue. With Optimizely, you can test every micro-interaction, from form lengths to payment gateways.
Notable features:
- Real-time experimentation based on user segments
- AI-driven personalization capabilities
- Enterprise-grade security and compliance
Recommended for: Mid-size to large teams needing complex testing and deep integration across platforms.
3. VWO (Visual Website Optimizer): All-in-One Platform for Continuous Experimentation
What it does: VWO is designed for end-to-end CRO processes—from research to testing to deployment. It combines visitor behavior data with powerful testing capabilities.
Why it matters for checkout: VWO allows you to test variations of your checkout process and analyze metrics like revenue per visitor, form abandonment rate, and checkout time.
Notable features:
- Visual editor to create variations without coding
- Integrated heatmaps and user behavior tracking
- Robust segmentation and targeting
Recommended for: Marketing teams that want a blend of analytics and experimentation without platform switching.
4. Convert: Privacy-Friendly Testing at Scale
What it does: Convert offers GDPR and CCPA-compliant A/B testing with precision targeting. It’s known for being developer- and privacy-friendly without sacrificing depth.
Why it matters for checkout: With increasing regulation, a tool that respects data privacy while improving checkout UX is invaluable.
Notable features:
- Unlimited project tracking across domains
- 100+ integrations and robust API
- Server-side testing available
Recommended for: Teams prioritizing privacy along with experimentation flexibility.
5. Kameleoon: AI-Driven Personalization at Checkout
What it does: Kameleoon combines A/B testing with AI-driven personalization, adapting experiences based on predictive user behavior.
Why it matters for checkout: Real-time personalization increases conversion rates by offering the right message, layout, or call-to-action at the most critical buying phase.
Notable features:
- Real-time targeting with machine learning
- Automatic test winners and rollout controls
- Compliance with major privacy laws
Recommended for: Teams seeking intelligent personalization without building complex data infrastructure.
6. AB Tasty: Fast Iteration and Rapid Deployment
What it does: AB Tasty is a user-friendly A/B testing and personalization platform enabling marketers to launch sophisticated experiments with or without developer support.
Why it matters for checkout: Its visual editor allows for lightning-fast optimization of fields, messaging, and layout during checkout stages.
Notable features:
- Visual editor plus code mode for advanced users
- Dynamic page testing and behavioral triggers
- Real-time dashboards for performance evaluation
Recommended for: Agile teams that need to test fast and often without being bottlenecked by dev resources.
7. Heap: Product Analytics for Deeper Funnel Insights
What it does: Technically positioned as a product analytics tool, Heap auto-captures user events and offers a deep look into user flows, particularly valuable for transition-heavy processes like checkout.
Why it matters for checkout: Understanding every interaction in your funnel helps identify friction points and develop data-backed hypotheses for testing.
Notable features:
- Auto-capture of click, form fill, and page views
- Advanced funnel analysis tools
- Retroactive and real-time data views
Recommended for: Teams looking to complement testing platforms with event-level insights to guide experimentation strategy.
8. ConvertFlow: Smart Targeting for Conversion
What it does: ConvertFlow helps marketers display targeted CTAs, forms, and checkout nudges personalized by behavior, campaign source, and historical interactions.
Why it matters for checkout: Personalized exit-intent popups and embedded forms can capture otherwise lost transactions.
Notable features:
- Conditional calls-to-action
- Dynamic checkout upsells and cross-sells
- CRM and ESP integrations
Recommended for: Marketing teams looking to enrich checkout funnels with conversion-focused messaging.
9. FullStory: Digital Experience Intelligence
What it does: FullStory delivers interaction-level insights by recording every user session with precision. It combines heatmaps, click tracking, and console-level debugging in one platform.
Why it matters for checkout: Troubleshoot issues in real-time and uncover technical or UX-related obstacles that block conversions.
Notable features:
- Advanced session playback with DOM interactions
- Rage click and error detection
- Funnels and conversion drop-off analytics
Recommended for: Cross-functional teams including marketing, UX, and dev who need visibility into user struggles.
10. Contentsquare: Enterprise UX Analytics
What it does: Contentsquare goes beyond clicks to analyze every element of digital experience—taps, scrolls, idle time—and correlates these with conversion outcomes.
Why it matters for checkout: The ability to diagnose UX friction points at both macro and micro levels makes it ideal for refining complex ecommerce funnels.
Notable features:
- Revenue attribution per interaction
- Zone-based heatmap performance insights
- Privacy-first session recording
Recommended for: High-traffic websites and digital enterprises needing scalability and granular experience metrics.
Final Thoughts
With Google Optimize phasing out, finding suitable alternatives for your optimization stack has become a priority
