Kentico vs. Optimizely: Why Leading Brands Are Making The Switch
With Xperience by Kentico, you get everything you need built-in: content management, AI tools, marketing automation, personalization, and more, all in one easy-to-use platform. No clunky interfaces or hidden fees. While platforms like Optimizely can be complicated, costly, and tough to tailor to your needs, Kentico makes marketing effortless. One platform, no surprises, and a smooth experience your team will actually enjoy.
Ten Reasons Teams Are Choosing Kentico Over Optimizely.
Xperience by Kentico helps marketing teams make more impact with less effort. Frequent updates, easy setup, predictable pricing, and always-on support keep your team focused on growth instead of maintenance. Explore ten reasons why Kentico continues to be a favorite alternative to Optimizely.
Unified Platform & Built-In Marketing
Xperience by Kentico is a unified digital experience platform that connects your website, email, and other digital channels in one place. Xperience by Kentico includes built-in marketing tools and native AI capabilities to ease campaign management and data analysis. According to the G2 Grid® Report, this is why Kentico received a 94% rating for Meets Requirements, compared to Optimizely 88%.
Flexible Architecture That Adapts to You
Get the freedom to deliver content your way: traditional, headless, or both. Xperience by Kentico’s modern infrastructure scales easily and connects with new technologies as they emerge. While Optimizely offers limited headless features, Kentico gives you full flexibility with no added complexity or compromises.
Launch Faster, With Simplified Workflows
A unified platform means faster setup and fewer integration hurdles. Teams can go live faster compared to alternatives like Optimizely. With intuitive tools and prebuilt workflows, your team can start delivering value right away. Kentico’s 86% Ease of Setup score in the G2 Grid® Report confirms how quickly you can get up and running.
Lower Costs, Higher Value
What you see is what you get with Xperience by Kentico. Transparent pricing means no hidden fees or surprises. Teams can plan confidently and stay on budget. Unlike Optimizely’s modular setup, which can drive up expenses, Kentico’s straightforward pricing gives you peace of mind. It’s why we’ve earned a 92% Likelihood to Recommend rating.
Built for Marketers and Developers
Give your marketing team the freedom to launch campaigns without waiting on developers. Xperience by Kentico empowers marketers with low-code/no-code tools like Page Builder and AIRA, its native AI. With an 86% score for Low-Code App Development, 10% higher than Optimizely, Kentico helps teams move fast, stay agile, and own the process.
Built-in Security and Proactive Updates
Stay current without headaches from manual upgrades or downtime with Xperience by Kentico. Monthly updates bring new features, enhancements, and security improvements automatically. Optimizely still relies on version-based upgrades, which can slow progress. Kentico’s evergreen approach keeps developers and marketing teams moving forward.
24/7 Support from Kentico Experts
Every Kentico customer has access to 24/7 in-house support at no extra cost. Our team responds quickly and is always ready to help. You’ll be supported by experts who care about your success, backed by a 7-day bug-fixing policy. Other CMS providers like Optimizely often charge extra. Kentico’s commitment earned a 91% Support score in the G2 Grid® Report.
Manage Every Market from One Platform
With built-in multisite and multilingual tools, you can manage all websites, regions, and languages from one place, complete with shared content, permissions, and AI-powered translations. Unlike Optimizely, Xperience by Kentico makes global expansion simple.
Lower Total Cost of Ownership
Because everything is built-in, Xperience by Kentico reduces your reliance on third-party tools and integrations to help you save money over time. With one unified system, you cut maintenance, licensing, and infrastructure costs. It’s why we earned a 90% Meets Requirements score in the G2 Grid® Report, surpassing Optimizely.
Proven Success Across Industries
Organizations around the world trust Xperience by Kentico to deliver secure, scalable, and high-performing digital experiences. From higher education and finance to sports and nonprofits, Kentico helps teams move faster, grow smarter, and achieve measurable results now and into the future.
All your tools, one powerful platform.
Deliver personalized experiences at every touchpoint. Harness the power of AI, streamline complex customer journeys, and centralize content management. Do it all with a single, integrated, and scalable solution. With seamless updates, clear pricing, quick setup, and top-tier support, your team can focus on what matters: growing your business. Choose Xperience by Kentico’s flexible hybrid-headless CMS for faster results, less complexity, and better ROI.
| Feature | Xperience by Kentico | Optimizely |
|---|---|---|
| Faster time to market | Streamlined setup with built-in tools reduces launch timelines. | Implementation can be slower due to configuration and additional services. |
| Unified platform | CMS combined with essential digital tools (marketing, personalization) from a single vendor. | May require multiple integrations or third-party solutions for full functionality. |
| Predictable pricing | Transparent pricing, with no hidden fees or unexpected costs. | Pricing can vary by modules, usage, and add-ons. |
| Easier to manage | Intuitive platform reduces the need for extensive technical support. | Often requires more technical expertise or managed services. |
| Marketer-friendly | Built-in tools for personalization, automation, and content management. | Strong marketing tools, but may need integration or dev support for full functionality. |
| Customization and extensibility | Flexible tools and easy customizations without deep developer involvement. | Offers customization, but often needs more developer support or third-party tools. |
| Hybrid-headless flexibility | Flexible delivery with hybrid-headless support and built-in content tools. | Supports headless, but may require more configuration and services. |
| Global deployments | Regional data hosting, CDN, and localization tools support global reach and compliance. | Strong for international use, but may need more setup for regional performance and compliance. |
| Clear roadmap & support | Transparent product roadmap with 24/7 global support. | Roadmap access may depend on service tier; support varies by plan. |
Ease of use
Rated higher on usability by G2 users 5 years in a row.
Faster ROI
Kentico customers report ROI within months rather than years.
Customer satisfaction
Consistently high customer satisfaction scores on the G2 Grid Report.
Save time with the free Universal Migration Toolkit.
With our free Universal Migration Toolkit, you can automatically migrate large volumes of data, whether it's training documents, product details, media, annual reports or language versions. The migration toolkit is fully customizable to your needs and can save you weeks of manual work.
The easy-to-use, cost-effective choice for digital growth.
Discover how Kentico can empower your business.
FAQ
Many businesses look for a simpler, more cost-effective option than Optimizely. Xperience by Kentico combines CMS, personalization, and marketing automation in one platform. On G2, 94% of users say Kentico meets requirements, compared to 84% for Optimizely.
Marketers often find Optimizely requires IT involvement to manage updates and integrations. Kentico is designed to be easier, with a marketer-friendly interface and low-code tools. On G2, Kentico scores 90% for ease of use, compared to 82% for Optimizely.