Having a cookie policy, privacy policy, and other legal documents can be challenging to manage for a single website.
How can a business website manage all of it and ensure that they all comply with mandates like the Cookie Law?
This article will cover the most recommended cookie consent managers and how they can help your business website with your cookie policy and privacy compliance.
The 6 Best Cookie Consent Management Platforms Currently Available
Before any website can drop cookies onto a browser or device, they must collect cookie consent, as stated by numerous privacy mandates.
With the many visitors to every single website, tracking them down can be a challenge. That’s where consent management tools come in.
The best cookie management platforms usually function as cookie banner generators and cookie policy generators. They’re the source of the important documents that help websites comply with these mandates.
With the many online platforms out there, finding the best one to work with can be quite challenging. That’s why we’ve found the best ones to help you with your research. These are the best consent management platforms online.
1) TermsFeed
Features
- Adapts based on a user’s geographical location
- Constant policy update notifications
- Easy to navigate UI
PROS
- Pricing transparency
- Update notifications
- Ease of use
- No recurring costs
- Follows international laws
CONS
- Expensive premium plans
- Lacking features as a cookie consent solution
TermsFeed is another excellent tool for overseeing all your legal needs online. It complies with many international privacy mandates, including GDPR, CCPA, and LGPD.
It can easily handle documents from most of these laws, making implementing any necessary guidelines for your site easier.
It’s easy to navigate and user-friendly, making it one of the preferred platforms for all your online legal needs.
You can also access the platform on almost any device, helping you keep track of your statistics anywhere.
People commend TermsFeed for their easy payment plans since there are no recurring fees. However, the one-time payment fee can be expensive for some people.
2) Free Privacy Policy – Best Budget/Free Option
Features
- CCPA, GDPR, and CalOPPA compliant
- Can be downloaded
- Google Analytics and AdSense clauses
- Tutorial for JavaScript code
PROS
- Simple to use
- Paid version is affordable with no recurring costs
- Includes Tutorials and guides
CONS
- Tricky to adjust JavaScript code
- Other website features require the premium version
The Free Privacy Policy website can be pretty tricky. While most comments on their free plan are on how their documents aren’t exactly free, their management tool is.
You can easily oversee any data for your website concerning user consent without having to pay for it. It’s best for keeping track of how your website informs its users.
However, the tricky part is their JavaScript. While others would have a code with only a single line, theirs is more complicated. Fortunately, they provide tutorial videos to help you set it up.
While you have to pay for its other features, your site is guaranteed free and excellent management from Free Privacy Policy’s platform.
3) TermsHub – Best Overall
Features
- Legal document generators
- Cookie scanner
- GDPR and CCPA Compliance
- Consultation with legal counsel
PROS
- Easy to use
- Construct custom legislation-compliant banners
- App is Regularly updated
- Active Customer support
- Affordable
CONS
- No free trial
If you’re looking for the best tool to help you oversee CCPA and GDPR cookie consent, TermsHub may have the solution you need.
Besides being one of the best document generators for your legal needs, it also keeps track of responses from your website’s cookie banner and stores necessary data about it.
It’s regularly updated according to your preferred mandates, especially if your site is accessed in other countries. You don’t have to constantly update it yourself.
Their premium features are great for any user that works as a freelancer or manages a small business. Getting the enterprise plan is recommended if you have more than one domain.
While its free option is only used to create sample documents, its affordable price makes it an excellent deal for your tracking and other legal needs.
4) CookiesYes – Best Value for Money
Features
- Deep scanner
- Scheduled scanning
- Cookie auto-blocking
- Integrated privacy policy generator
PROS
- Affordable
- Easy installation and customization
- Flexible integrations
- Easy to install on WordPress
- Helpful customer support
CONS
- Can be selective with platforms
- Free version is extremely limited in terms of use
Another excellent cookie consent management platform is CookieYes. It ensures compliance with most laws about privacy, including the CCPA, GDPR, and even Saudi Arabia’s PDPL.
On top of creating a reliable and customizable cookie consent banner, it also provides quality preference management at an affordable price.
It supports over 30 languages for your documents and platform, making it easier for you to keep track of user consent and data.
The best part about this platform is its tools to schedule monthly deep scans for websites and laws.
Besides being one less thing to add to your appointments, it also helps keep your website secure and updated.
The downside of this tool is how limited its free version can be. However, it’s also affordable, providing you with everything you need to track user data.
5) Privacy Policies
Features
- Document generators
- GDPR, CCPA, CalOPPA, and CPRA compliant
- Supports multiple platforms
- Automated and fast management
- Documented training
PROS
- Supports multiple languages
- Easy and flexible consent customization
- Documented tutorials
- Simple pricing scheme
CONS
- App contains processing errors
The Privacy Policies site is one of the simplest platforms to help produce and keep track of consent and other legal documents.
They can easily support multiple platforms, whether your site is accessed through mobile apps, SaaS, or computer browsers.
Its flexibility helps you request consent on more platforms.
It has an easy payment scheme, much like the previous platform, which can help you access the features not available with their free option.
However, it falls short because of the occasional processing errors, which could be a hassle for some platform users, especially those looking to urgently implement cookie consent banner changes.
6) Termly
Features
- GDPR, LGPD, and CCPA compliant
- Real-time auto-updates
- Multiple business platforms
- Annual payment plans
- Cookie scanner
PROS
- Free trial
- Simple installation
- Affordable all-in-one solution
- Excellent customer support
CONS
- No updates for the free option
Termly is a reliable consent management platform that can help you handle different data and documentation needs when it comes to cookies.
It has a free option that allows you to keep track of consent preferences and store them properly.
It also supports different languages, making it flexible when complying with international laws.
Its best feature is risk management, ensuring that all legal documents are up-to-date. However, you will need a subscription to stay updated with all the legalities involved.
It also has one of the best WordPress cookie consent plugins, making it easier to handle and track down your visitors’ consent.
What are Cookie Consent Management Platforms?
Consent management platforms help you gather and store data on consent from different kinds of cookies, like the third-party cookies on your site.
They also update your systems with the laws in place, helping you stay compliant and avoid unnecessary fees.
There are two types of consent management platforms, standalone and integrated.
The standalone consent management platforms provide specific management-related solutions for your solutions. To function, you’ll have to set it up with existing marketing analytics or data-handling software.
The integrated consent management platforms are your one-stop platforms, like most platforms on our list. They’re more efficient because they can handle all tasks regarding cookie consent and other legal documentation.
Benefits of Cookie Consent Management Platforms
At this point, you might already understand why you need a cookie policy. Once you have everything with your cookie policy, what happens next?
A cookie consent tool can help you sit back once you’ve set your cookie banner and other legal documents.
Its primary purpose is to track user consent and make the necessary changes in case laws are updated or changed. It automatically ensures your compliance with regulations.
Once it receives consent from a user, it stores the preferences for a specific time until it asks again once it expires. It lets users browse without constant popups asking for their consent.
It also helps with allowing and blocking cookies according to your users’ cookie preferences.
REMINDER: Having this platform doesn’t automatically mean compliance. It’s only an aid to help you oversee it better.
Factors to Consider when Choosing a Cookie Consent Management Platform
Consent management platforms can have many features to help handle documentation for multiple websites.
It automates tracking and provides the statistics and data you need to ensure compliance with different laws. However, features alone don’t make excellent tools for privacy management.
We considered these factors when choosing the best cookie consent management platform.
How It Can Manage Other Consent Issues and Compliance with GDPR
EPrivacy Directive and GDPR compliance are some of the most important things to consider online. They’re regional laws that prioritize the data privacy of every user in a large territory.
A GDPR cookie consent has many requirements to ensure the safety of people online. While it’s established for EU citizens, it can apply to anyone.
Your consent management tool should keep track of any issues with your document.
The government can charge you if you cannot implement the necessary changes. These tools help you stay aware of these changes.
Even if your site is not in the EU, you’d have to conform to it if you have visitors from this region.
Management of Visitor Consent Records
The primary purpose of these cookie consent tools is to help manage your visitor’s records.
They help you by taking note of your user’s consent. If they decide to accept all the cookies of your site or a select few, your management tool will keep a record of it.
Some platforms can also update your cookie banners to ensure that your website complies with important laws. Others will update you regarding the necessary changes.
When looking for the best consent management platform, look into how they oversee data and how you’re informed as a user of that platform.
API to Deliver Consent PopUps
An application programming interface or API is a feature that allows different software to communicate about functions.
When looking for a consent tool to work with, it’s important to look into communication between software.
It ensures that one site can perform adequately, even with all the extensions.
Problems with clicking on a popup can be a sign of nudging, which is against GDPR cookie consent laws. You can get fined if there are issues with how popups communicate information.
Allows You to View All Consent Activities
These tools usually have dashboards that allow you to view consent activities from your users.
For security, it’s important to keep the private information of each user.
It only collects the necessary data to understand how visitors respond to your request for consent regarding cookies.
These dashboards should only be used to show owners important data on consent. Some can comprehensively present these data, which can help you further improve your systems.
Allowing you to view consent activities can also help keep track of changes and improve your website as a whole.
Most platforms have this on their free option, while others may need a subscription to access this feature.
Seamless Integration with Other Platforms
When choosing a cookie consent tool, it’s best to check if it will easily integrate with the other web platforms connected to your website.
These include hosting platforms and other content management which enhance your website’s content and usability.
Since its job is to help you handle important documents and user consent, it has to keep track of those despite changes to your website proper.
These include third parties like Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager, which heavily rely on their connection to your website and any active request for consent.
There shouldn’t be inconsistencies, no matter how many features are added to one domain.
Cost/Value for Money
It’s important to consider the cost of all content management systems in your business plan, including those for consent management.
Since it’s used for privacy management and handles many users’ personal data, it’s best not to compromise the features for the price.
It will ensure that all important data from your users are tracked and kept safe.
Some can have four plans to choose from, while other platforms can have a paid and free version. It’s your choice on which setup you would like.When looking into the pricing model of your consent management platform, look for simple and easy payment plans. There shouldn’t be any upfront installation or hidden charges.
Our Top Picks
There are many available CMS platforms online. However, some are designed to specifically help with the data from your cookie policy and other documents.
Here’s a recap of our top picks for consent managers to help keep your business website compliant with data privacy laws.
Best Budget/Free Option – Free Privacy Policy
Even though most of their features aren’t free, as their name suggests, their consent management platform can be easily accessed for free.
Adding this to the tools your website needs will have little to no effect on your business plan and finances.
This may be an excellent option if you’re starting a small business or blog.
Best Value for Money – CookiesYes
CookieYes’ features make it the best consent management platform at its price point.
It’s easy to use on almost any major domain known online and is flexible when it comes to customizations.
Keep your legal documents and consent requirements up-to-date with this reliable platform.
Best Overall – TermsHub
TermsHub is the best option for all kinds of website owners, freelancers, and small businesses alike.
It’s easy to use and accessible to most businesses, making it one of the best platforms for all your legal needs.Not only will you get a reliable cookie consent banner, but you’ll also be able to easily track its inner workings and how it’s helping your website stay compliant with all legalities.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
You may still have more questions about consent management platforms.
We’ve gathered the commonly asked questions to help you further your research.
How Do You Manage Cookie Consent to be Compliant?
There are many laws to consider when creating and managing your cookie consent. It’s important to stay aware of the provisions in these laws.
Generators and management platforms are available online. Most are created with guidance from legal experts to provide the best legal documents to different businesses.
Having help with cookie consent management can help your documents stay up to date with law amendments and revisions.
It will ensure that you’re constantly updated with any changes.
By following the proper cookie consent requirements, your website can be compliant with the different privacy laws implemented.
Do I Really Need a Content Consent Management Platform?
While it’s not exactly a need, these platforms HELP make privacy management a lot easier.
A site can have thousands or millions of visitors a day. That’s plenty of consent and data to handle.
Automation, such as content management systems, exists to help oversee these data and ensure that you’re on track with everything.
What is GDPR Cookie Consent?
The General Data Privacy Regulation is the basis of privacy laws of the different European Union states. It’s also become the basis of other international privacy laws.
The EU’s GDPR requires that websites inform users of their rights, especially regarding personal data.
It also includes gathering consent from every website visitor regarding the use and storage of information.
The GDPR can be one of the reasons a business website needs a cookie policy.
Conclusion
Websites work hard to protect their users online. However, they may need tools to help with each legal action they take.Having a reliable consent management platform can help you keep track of the important documents and consent needed for security purposes.