Variant

What is a Variant?

A variant is a distinct version of an element, webpage, or feature that’s being tested in an A/B/n experiment. It represents a specific treatment or experience applied to a user group, which is compared against the original version (control) to measure performance differences.

Variants are designed with only one change at a time and randomly delivered to users split into even or uneven groups to ensure unbiased results.

“CRO [conversion rate optimization] professionals use the term ‘variant’ to describe the new thing that’s being tested in an experiment. It’s also often referred to as a “treatment” or “test group.” An experiment can have multiple variants, for example:

• A – your ‘original’ or ‘control group’

• B – Variant 1

• C – Variant 2

So, to avoid confusion, it’s useful to give your variants descriptive labels in your A/B testing tool. For example: “Variant 1: New button design”

Tests with multiple variants find significant winners more often than those with only one variant. So it’s worth considering if there are other ways of executing your idea. But beware that, the more variants you add, the more traffic you will need.”

Mike Fawcett, Conversion Rate Optimization Lead & Founder at Mammoth Website Optimisation

Why Variants Matter in A/B Testing

Variants allow experimenters and CRO teams to isolate changes and quantify their impact. Without clearly defined variants, experiments lack purpose and direction, making it impossible to match positive or negative lift to specific changes.

Examples of Variants in A/B Testing and How They Work

Say you have three promo banner variants, for example. You want to find out which one gets the most clicks.

• Control (A): Original green promo banner
• Variant 1 (B): Blue promo banner
• Variant 2 (C): Orange promo banner

After the test, results show that variant C increases clicks by 12%. This confirms that color impacts conversions, and Variant C is the most preferred of the three variants.

How Many Variants Should You Have in A/B Testing?

Many CROs suggest four. You only need a few variants to get statistically significant results in a reasonable amount of time. Remember, “the more variants you add, the more traffic you will need.”

Variants vs. Variations in A/B Testing

While variants refer to one of the distinct versions of something being tested, variation is a broader term that encompasses any alternative version of design, element, or page in any method of controlled experimentation, like multivariate testing.