Separating versus ordinary Noether numbers

Let $G$ be a finite group and $K$ a field containing an element of multiplicative order $\mathrm{\mid }G\mathrm{\mid }$. It is shown that if $G$ has a cyclic subgroup of index at most $2$, then the separating Noether number over $K$ of $G$ coincides with the Noether number over $K$ of $G$. The same conclusion holds when $G$ is the direct product of a dihedral group and the $2$-element group. On the other hand, the smallest non-abelian groups $G$ are found for which the separating Noether number over $K$ is strictly less than the Noether number over $K$. Along the way the exact value of the separating Noether number is determined for all groups of order at most $16$. The results show in particular that unlike the ordinary Noether number, the separating Noether number of a non-abelian finite group may well be equal to the separating Noether number of a proper direct factor of the group.