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A/B Test Sample Size Calculator (Free + Formula Explained)

Know exactly how many visitors you need per variant — before you start — so you never stop a test too early.

Test parameters

Your current conversion rate on the page being tested

Relative improvement to detect — 10% MDE on 5% CR means detecting 5.5%+

Used to estimate test duration in days

Required sample

Enter parameters on the left to calculate

How to use this calculator

Plan your test properly before running a single visitor through it.

1

Find your baseline CR

Go to your analytics and note the current conversion rate of the page you're testing. This is your starting point.

2

Set your MDE

Decide the smallest relative improvement worth detecting. 10–20% is typical. Smaller MDE = more traffic needed.

3

Choose confidence & power

95% confidence and 80% power are industry defaults. Use 99%/90% for high-revenue pages where a false positive is costly.

4

Commit before you start

Note the per-variant sample size. Don't peek at results until you've collected that many visitors in each variant.

The formula (two-proportion z-test)

This calculator uses the standard two-proportion z-test sample size formula: n = (z_α/2 + z_β)² × (p₁(1−p₁) + p₂(1−p₂)) / (p₁ − p₂)²

Where p₂ = p₁ × (1 + MDE/100). z_α/2 = 1.96 at 95% confidence. z_β = 0.84 at 80% power.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Minimum Detectable Effect (MDE)?

The MDE is the smallest relative improvement you care about detecting. If your baseline is 5% and you set MDE to 10%, the calculator sizes your test to reliably detect a variant converting at 5.5% or higher. Smaller MDE = larger sample needed. Most teams use 10–20% for iterative tests.

Should I use 80% or 90% statistical power?

80% power (the default) means an 80% chance of detecting a real effect if it exists. 90% power requires about 25% more traffic. Use 90% for decisions with large revenue impact; 80% is fine for most iterative tests.

Why does adding more variants increase sample size?

Each variant needs its own independent sample. With 3 variants you need 3× the per-variant sample. For 3+ variants, also consider using 99% confidence to account for the increased chance of a false positive from multiple comparisons.

What if I have very low traffic?

Low traffic means you need to either run tests for longer, increase your MDE (only test for larger changes), or combine with qualitative research. If a test would take longer than 8 weeks, reconsider whether A/B testing is the right approach for that page right now.

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