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Top 5 feature-flags services for Go

Feature flags have become an essential tool for Go developers, enabling smoother rollouts, A/B testing, and rapid experimentation. With various options available, choosing the right feature-flag solution can be daunting. In this article, we’ll dive into the top 5 feature-flag solutions for Go developers, comparing their pricing, ease of use, and key features to help you make an informed decision.

#1 Tggl.io
#2 Flagsmith
#3 Split
#4 Unleash
#5 LaunchDarkly
Conclusion

Tggl logoOur top pick#1 Tggl.io

We kick off this list with Tggl, a solid option known for its user-friendly design and seamless Go integration, achieved with just one API call.

Features

Tggl makes it easy to get started with feature flagging by offering a low-cost plan that includes all the basic features you’d expect. This plan is ideal for beginners or smaller teams, providing everything needed to control feature releases, conduct A/B tests, and manage feature flags effectively.

As your requirements become more complex, Tggl’s higher-tier plans offer advanced features such as in-depth analytics, flag change reviews, and server side flag evaluation, giving you more control and insights.

Ease of use

Tggl stands out in our comparison due to its user-friendly design, which places it at the top of our list. We found the interface to be intuitive, and the setup process is quick. To provide a clear example, we recorded a brief video demonstratinghow to activate a flag for 20% of French users. We created similar videos for each service in this article to ensure a fair comparison of their ease of use.

Tggl Demo

As shown in the video, Tggl very straight forward. To complement this, we also gathered user ratings on ease of use and setup time. These ratings reflect actual user experiences and offer additional context on how Tggl performs.

Pricing

In conclusion, Tggl stands out as the most cost-effective option among the feature flag solutions we reviewed, starting at 180/yr for five seats. For smaller teams, pricing is based on the number of seats and request volumes, which helps manage costs effectively. Larger teams, on the other hand, can benefit from a flexible pricing model that allows for unlimited seats while only paying for the volume of requests.

Got to Tggl pricing page

Flagsmith logo#2 Flagsmith

Flagsmith is the next service we're examining in our comparison. Tailored for Go developers, Flagsmith provides a robust set of tools for effective feature management. We'll review its features and pricing in detail to see how it stacks up against other options.

Features

Flagsmith is equipped with all the fundamental tools necessary for effective feature flag management, making it a strong contender for Go developers. The basic plan includes essential features such as feature toggling, offering a solid foundation for most projects.

However, if you’re looking for more advanced features, you’ll need to consider one of the more expensive plans. Those feature include flag scheduling or MFA which starts at $540 a year and reviews, custom roles or audit log which starts at $2 400 a year.

Ease of use

We have recorded a video demonstration to show how to release a feature for 20% of French users using Flagsmith. This will help you compare the ease of use across different platforms, giving you a better idea of how Flagsmith and the others handle feature rollouts in practical scenarios.

Flagsmith's UI should be good enough for anyone to use without too much trouble.

Flagsmith Demo

We've gathered user feedback on two key aspects of Flagsmith: ease of use and setup time. The higher the rating, the more favorable the experience, giving us a clear indication of how smoothly the platform works in practice. Next, we’ll review how Flagsmith performed in these areas based on user input.

Here is what people who are using Flagsmith think about the product (the higher the better):

Pricing

In terms of pricing, Flagsmith tends to be on the higher end, with costs rising quickly as your team size grows. While it offers a range of powerful features, the price may be a limiting factor for smaller teams or projects. To give a clearer picture, we’ve listed a few pricing examples based on various team sizes to illustrate how expenses can scale with growth.

Flagsmith is not the cheapest option from this list, especially for larger teams, the price increase can be steep. Here are some prices to give you an idea:

Got to Flagsmith pricing page

Split logo#3 Split

Split is the next feature flagging tool we'll explore. Designed with Go developers in mind, Split offers a range of functionalities that make it a compelling choice. In the upcoming sections, we'll delve into its features and pricing to better understand its value.

Features

Split provides a comprehensive set of basic features that make it a solid choice for managing feature flags in Go projects. With its core offerings, you can easily toggle features on and off. These essential tools are available even on the lower-tier plans, making Split accessible to teams that need robust feature flagging capabilities without breaking the bank.

However, for those seeking more advanced functionalities, you'll need to opt for one of the more expensive plans. Such as unlimited projects, flag scheduling, custom roles or remote config that start at $7 200 a year and audit log that start at $3 960 a year.

Some other features of Split are only available on the highest plan and will require a call with a sales representative (eg. reviews).

Ease of use

We’re creating a video for each feature flagging tool in this article showcasing how to release a feature for 20% of French users. These demonstrations will allow you to easily compare the usability of Split and other platforms to see which one aligns best with your needs.

Here is the recording of the Split's dashboard where we go through the process of updating the flag.

Split Demo

To provide more insight into Split's usability, we collected user ratings in two areas: ease of use and setup time. A higher rating indicates a smoother experience, helping gauge how quickly teams can adopt the platform and how intuitive it is. Let’s take a closer look at these ratings to see how Split measures up.

Here is what people who are using Split think about the product (the higher the better):

Pricing

Pricing is one area where Split can become costly, particularly as team size increases. While it delivers a strong feature set, the pricing structure might be challenging for teams looking to stay within a tight budget. To help you better assess the cost, we’ve provided a few pricing examples based on different team sizes to show how quickly expenses can add up.

Split is not the cheapest option from this list, especially for larger teams, the price increase can be steep. Here are some prices to give you an idea:

Got to Split pricing page

Unleash logo#4 Unleash

Next, we have Unleash, which is a strong option for managing feature flags in Go applications. We'll take a closer look at what Unleash brings to the table in terms of features and pricing, helping you determine if it fits your project needs.

Features

Unleash offers all the essential features you’d expect from a feature flagging service, making it a reliable choice for most Go projects. Its lower-tier plans include key functionalities like feature toggling, ensuring that even teams on a budget can effectively manage their feature deployments.

For those who need more advanced capabilities, however, some features are reserved for the higher-tier plans.

Some other features of Unleash are only available on the highest plan and will require a call with a sales representative (eg. unlimited projects, reviews, custom roles, unlimited environments, unlimited seats and flag scheduling).

Ease of use

To showcase Unleash's UI, we’ve prepared a short video demonstration. In the video, we’ll walk you through the process of releasing a feature for 20% of French users. Unleash may not the most user-friendly tool from this list, but at least it gets the job done fairly quickly.

Unleash Demo

To give a better sense of how Unleash performs in real-world use, we’ve gathered user ratings for two key areas: ease of use and setup time. These ratings, with higher scores indicating better performance, provide insights into how quickly teams can get started with the platform and how intuitive it is to use in day-to-day operations. Let’s take a look at how Unleash fared in these categories.

Here is what people who are using Unleash think about the product (the higher the better):

Pricing

When it comes to pricing, Unleash is not the most affordable option on the list. The cost can rise quickly as your team size grows. While it offers robust capabilities, the pricing may become a concern for smaller teams or those with limited budgets. To give you a better sense of what to expect, we’ve included a few example price points based on team size to help you gauge how costs might scale as your needs evolve.

Unleash is not the cheapest option from this list, especially for larger teams, the price increase can be steep. Here are some prices to give you an idea:

Got to Unleash pricing page

LaunchDarkly logo#5 LaunchDarkly

LaunchDarkly is the next service we're examining in our comparison. Tailored for Go developers, LaunchDarkly provides a robust set of tools for effective feature management. We'll review its features and pricing in detail to see how it stacks up against other options.

Features

LaunchDarkly is equipped with all the fundamental tools necessary for effective feature flag management, making it a strong contender for Go developers. The basic plan includes essential features such as feature toggling, offering a solid foundation for most projects.

However, if you’re looking for more advanced features, you’ll need to consider one of the more expensive plans. Those feature include duplicate flags, unlimited projects or reviews which starts at $1 000 a year.

Some other features of LaunchDarkly are only available on the highest plan and will require a call with a sales representative (eg. custom roles and flag scheduling).

Ease of use

To help you compare the ease of use between the tools, we’re recording a video for each one showing how to roll out a feature for 20% of French users. These videos will give you a hands-on look at how LaunchDarkly and the other platforms operate, making it easier to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses.

Unlike what you might have heard, it is actually not that hard to setup a flag in LaunchDarkly.

LaunchDarkly Demo

To help evaluate LaunchDarkly's performance, we collected user ratings for both ease of use and setup time. These ratings, where higher numbers reflect better experiences, give a clear picture of how simple it is to get up and running with the platform and how user-friendly it is. Let’s dive into the results to see how LaunchDarkly stacks up.

Here is what people who are using LaunchDarkly think about the product (the higher the better):

Pricing

LaunchDarkly isn’t the most budget-friendly tool, and the price can climb significantly as the size of your team increases. To give you a sense of how costs can escalate, we’ve included some example pricing based on team size to help you evaluate whether LaunchDarkly fits your financial requirements.

LaunchDarkly is not the cheapest option from this list, especially for larger teams, the price increase can be steep. Here are some prices to give you an idea:

Got to LaunchDarkly pricing page

Conclusion

Selecting the right feature flag tool is a crucial decision that can significantly impact your development workflow and feature deployment strategies. In this article, we compared 5 leading feature flag solutions for Go, examining their features, ease of use, and pricing. Through our video demonstrations, we provided practical insights into how each platform operates, allowing you to see firsthand the user experience and setup processes.

When choosing a feature flag solution, consider not only the feature set and pricing but also how the tool fits into your team's existing processes and technical stack. Ease of use can greatly affect adoption and efficiency, so take advantage of trial periods or demos when available.

We hope this comparison has provided valuable insights to help you make an informed decision. By selecting the tool that best matches your requirements, you can streamline your feature management, reduce deployment risks, and ultimately accelerate your development cycle.