How is WhyIQ different from LandingScore?

LandingScore returns an AI-derived score for a landing page along with an audit checklist of issues. WhyIQ runs 50 distinct visitor archetypes against the page and reports which ones would bounce, with named confusion points, exit reasons, and ranked fix recommendations. The unit of analysis is different: LandingScore outputs a single page-level grade, WhyIQ outputs a per-archetype diagnosis where each simulated visitor has its own cognitive profile, traffic source, and intent level. Both work on new pages and established pages with live traffic.

When is a single score enough versus per-archetype simulation?

A single landing page score is enough when you need a quick health check, a portfolio-level overview of many pages, or a tracking metric to watch over time. Per-archetype simulation is the right tool when a low score is not actionable on its own and you need to know which segment is bouncing and why, when validating a redesign and you need granularity beyond 'better or worse', or when an established page underperforms and you need to identify the cognitive failure modes to fix. WhyIQ also outputs a single overall score (the WhyIQ Score, 0-100) on top of the per-archetype detail, so it covers both modes.

Does WhyIQ work on established sites with live traffic?

Yes. Most WhyIQ scans run on live pages that already get traffic. Site scans cover up to 50 pages in 10 to 15 minutes, so an established multi-page site can be audited in one pass. The behavioral simulation does not require traffic to produce useful output; it produces the same per-archetype diagnosis on a page that has 100 visitors per month or 100,000.

What is the methodology behind WhyIQ's scoring?

WhyIQ's scoring is calibrated against 200+ peer-reviewed papers in cognitive load theory, eye-tracking, trust formation, decision science, dual-process theory, and persuasion knowledge. Each of the 50 simulated visitor archetypes has parameters set from published effect sizes (e.g. advertising skepticism distribution, persuasion knowledge level, processing mode, cognitive load capacity, regulatory focus). Production validation across 16 live sites returned 89.5% extraction accuracy and under 2.1% score-to-score variance. The /science page documents the engine in full.

What does WhyIQ cost compared to LandingScore?

LandingScore pricing varies and should be checked on their site directly. WhyIQ starts at $19 per month (Solo, 5 page scans), $39 per month (Starter, 20 scans including multi-page site scans), $89 per month (Pro, 50 scans, branded reports), or $249 per month (Agency, 150 scans, full white-label and client workspaces). The free tier includes 1 page scan when you sign up, no credit card required. Per-scan unit cost on Agency drops to about $1.66.

What does WhyIQ NOT replace?

Lightweight one-shot grading tools that just return a number, when a number is genuinely all you need (a quick gut check across many pages, a portfolio-level metric for executive reporting). WhyIQ's per-archetype detail is more than needed for those cases. WhyIQ also does not replace live user research (interviews, session recordings, surveys), A/B testing infrastructure, technical SEO audits, or strategic experimentation roadmaps. It replaces the behavioral diagnosis step.

Page grade vs per-archetype diagnosis

LandingScore grades the page. WhyIQ shows you which archetype bounces and why.

LandingScore returns an AI-derived score for a landing page along with an audit checklist. WhyIQ runs 50 distinct visitor archetypes against the page in about 2 minutes and reports which ones would bounce, with named confusion points, exit reasons, and ranked fix recommendations. Both work on new pages and established sites with traffic. The two outputs are at different levels of granularity: pick a single score when that is enough, pick per-archetype simulation when a low score needs explanation.

	LandingScore	WhyIQ
Unit of analysis	Single page-level AI score	Per-archetype + overall score
Visitor view	Aggregate / heuristic	50 distinct archetypes
Output shape	Score + checklist of issues	Failure-mode list with per-archetype quotes
Behavioral simulation	Heuristic check	Yes (50 simulations per scan)
Methodology basis	AI heuristic grading	Calibrated from 200+ peer-reviewed papers
Answers 'which visitor and why'	No	Yes
Works on established sites	Yes	Yes
Works on new / pre-launch	Yes	Yes
Multi-page site scan	Per-page grading	Up to 50 pages per scan
Starting price	Check landingscore.app	From $19 per month

What WhyIQ replaces

The gap between 'page scores 67' and 'here is what to change'

A page-level grade tells you a page underperforms. Per-archetype simulation tells you which visitor type bounced and what to do about it.

The 'one number, no clue what to fix' moment

A page-level grade of 67/100 tells you the page underperforms, but not which segment bounces or which fix moves the score most. WhyIQ surfaces the 50 simulated visitors behind the score, what each one said, and ranks the fix list by behavioral impact.

The heuristic-vs-research methodology gap

AI heuristic grading is faster but less defensible. WhyIQ's parameters are calibrated against 200+ peer-reviewed papers across cognitive load theory, trust formation, decision science, and persuasion knowledge. Each finding can be traced back to published effect sizes.

The 'next step is unclear' deliverable

Score plus checklist tells you what is wrong; per-archetype simulation tells you what to change. WhyIQ outputs the specific element + the issue + the concrete fix per recommendation, ranked by impact across the simulated visitor pool.

The visibility into who actually bounces

An aggregate score collapses every visitor type into one number. WhyIQ separates impulse buyers, skeptical evaluators, comparison shoppers, mobile thumb-browsers, regulated B2B procurement, and 16 other archetypes, so the optimization decision is informed not guessed.

Honest about limits

What WhyIQ does not replace

If a single number is genuinely enough, a lightweight grader is the faster choice. WhyIQ trades speed for depth.

Quick portfolio-level grading across many pages when a single number is genuinely sufficient

Lightweight one-shot grading workflows where speed matters more than depth

Real-user research like interviews, session recordings, and surveys

A/B testing infrastructure, analysis, and statistical-significance guidance

Strategic experimentation roadmaps and CRO programme design

When each is the right call

Use WhyIQ when

A low score is not actionable and you need to know which segment is bouncing and why
An established page underperforms and you need cognitive-level diagnosis
Validating a redesign or new landing page before it goes live
Auditing a multi-page site in one pass (up to 50 pages per scan)
Defensible methodology matters: WhyIQ is calibrated from 200+ peer-reviewed papers
A client wants to see what kind of visitor leaves their page

Use LandingScore when

A single page-level grade is all you need
Quick portfolio-level health check across many pages
Tracking a score over time as a top-line metric
Speed matters more than depth on this particular audit
A lightweight checklist of issues is the right deliverable shape

Other comparisons

WhyIQ vs Manual CRO Audit WhyIQ vs Hotjar WhyIQ vs MyWebAudit WhyIQ vs Fibr WhyIQ vs Wynter

Get a score AND the 50 archetypes behind it.

Paste any URL. WhyIQ returns a 0-100 overall score, plus the 50 simulated visitors behind it: who bounced, who would convert, the named confusion points, and the prioritized fixes. Free first scan, no credit card.

Calibrated against 200+ peer-reviewed papers. Works on live pages, redesigns, and pre-launch URLs.