TL;DR: Traditional A/B tests need new variants and split traffic. Time-Travel A/B tests your current page against a real past version. UXsniff uses AI to read session recordings and heatmaps, flags abnormal clicks, and shows impact on UX and conversions. Minimal setup.
Add one line of code and start UXsniff’s Time-Travel A/B Testing—free.
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Why this matters
You ship changes. Some help, some hurt. Traditional A/B testing is slow to prove either. Time-Travel A/B lets you compare today vs yesterday’s best without rebuilding old variants or splitting traffic.
Traditional A/B testing: strengths and gap
What it does well
- Great for testing brand-new ideas
- Works when you can build multiple variants
Where it struggles
- Needs design and engineering time to create variants
- Splits traffic, which can slow learning
- Hard to bring back a complex old layout
- Often focuses on win/loss without explaining user behavior
Time-Travel A/B: what it is
You run an experiment between:
- Variant A: Current page (default) — or select a past snapshot
- Variant B: A past snapshot of the same page
UXsniff serves the archived version as a working variant. You get conversion metrics, heatmaps, and session evidence to see what changed and why.
AI inside: what UXsniff analyzes for you
- Session recordings: Find friction, hesitation, rage clicks
- Heatmaps: Click, scroll, hover engagement by device and screen size
- Abnormal clicks: AI flags odd behavior such as dead clicks or repeated mis-taps
- Goal impact: Signs ups, add-to-cart, lead submits, revenue events
You get evidence, not guesses.
Time-Travel vs Traditional A/B (quick compare)
| Dimension | Traditional A/B | Time-Travel A/B (UXsniff) |
|---|---|---|
| Variant creation | New designs or code required | Uses archived snapshot of your page |
| Traffic | Split between variants | No split traffic for validation against past behavior |
| Setup time | Longer (design, build, QA) | Fast (pick date, launch) |
| Behavior context | Often limited to metrics | Heatmaps + recordings explain the “why” |
| Best for | New ideas, promos, pricing experiments | Regression checks, copy/layout rollbacks, “did we break a winner” |
| Stakeholder proof | CTR/conv deltas | Deltas + user evidence (abnormal clicks, scroll depth, plays) |
| Risk | New build can degrade KPIs | Lower build risk (uses known past version) |
How it works with UXsniff
- Pick a page and date
Choose a stable past snapshot as your Variant B. - Set goals
Sign-ups, clicks, revenue, micro-conversions. - Launch
UXsniff serves the snapshot. Heatmaps and session recordings auto-capture. Abnormal clicks are flagged. - Decide
See conversion lift or drop. Watch a few recordings. Scan click and scroll maps. Ship the winner with confidence.
Absolutely satisfied how Time-Travel A/B saved tons of dev work! We’ve pit today’s pricing page against last quarter’s snapshot in an afternoon. Sign-ups lifted 7%, confirmed by heatmaps and session recordings. Exciting simplicity!
Nikita Ilin — Product Lead at Chainstack
What you learn
- Did the new layout improve conversions
- Which sections gained or lost engagement
- Where abnormal clicks cluster (dead zones, hidden CTAs)
- How fold depth changed across devices
- Whether to keep the change or roll back
Real-world use cases
- Pricing page: Old table vs new value blocks
- Product page: Legacy gallery vs new carousel
- Signup flow: Short form vs long form from last quarter
- Landing pages: Past headline vs current hero
Limitations to know
- Very old snapshots can miss assets. UXsniff flags this early. Pick a nearby date if needed.
- Big site changes (routing, auth) may limit page-level replays. Start with public pages.
When to use each method
Choose Traditional A/B when testing net-new concepts or seasonal promos.
Choose Time-Travel A/B when validating recent changes or checking for regressions without a rebuild.
Many teams run both. Use Time-Travel for quick truth. Use Traditional to explore new directions.
Lightweight privacy and performance
- Async script
- Honors existing consent choices
- No invasive fingerprinting
- Secure infrastructure
FAQ
Do I need developers
Add one script. If you already track with UXsniff, you can launch from the dashboard.
Will this slow my site
The script loads asynchronously and defers heavy work.
What if a snapshot is incomplete
We warn you before launch. Pick another date.
Can I test multiple pages
Yes. Create tests per URL.
How do you attribute conversions
Last-touch within the test window. You can adjust the window in settings.