Until now, chances are high that you have heard of the “GDPR” term that is being more and more discussed online. It’s a recent topic that connects with all the large data breaches and security issues on major online platforms of late.
If you 1) have your own website and, 2)receive visitors from the EU or European Economic Area and, 3)you collect personal data on your website from them, then GDPR applies to you. This is why WordPress cookie consent will be needed from now on.
These regulations also apply to any supplier that is outside the EU and wants to offer services or products and also collects information from people in the EU or EEA.
This article created by our team at wpDataTables is here to help. Continue reading to find out more about WordPress Cookie Consent plugins and which one to pick.
Table of Contents
What is WordPress GDPR Compliance?
This law was put into effect in 2018 to protect data and privacy for people that are inside the European Union. What this means is that you need to ensure that your data processing practices are in line with the GDPR or face harsh penalties.
Beyond active data collection (e.g. a user filling in a form), passive data collection like dropping cookies into a browser and other similar tracking technologies need to be disclosed, and the user must be asked for consent. So, for a WP site, a WordPress cookie consent mechanism is going to be needed in order to act as the regulators say.
There are two different subjects on this matter that relate to data: personal data and processing of the personal data. Personal data stands for any piece of information that can be considered personal data: the name, health information, date of birth, and so on.
Processing of the personal data refers to any activity that is performed on personal data like the storing of an IP address on your web server or database.
To take control of your data in compliance with WordPress GDPR standards, it’s essential to implement robust measures for both active and passive data collection on your website.
By incorporating a comprehensive WordPress cookie consent mechanism and transparently disclosing passive data collection practices, you not only adhere to regulatory requirements but also empower users to make informed decisions about their privacy.
Basic Principles of GDPR
An important aspect of GDPR towards cookie consent is who is going to be accountable for them. The principles that apply for this are:
- Data is processed lawfully and transparently, requiring consent to be given.
- Personal data needs to be collected for a specific, explicit, and legitimate purpose and used for that purpose only.
- Personal data needs to be relevant and limited for collection to only that which is really necessary.
- Personal data needs to be kept up to date.
- Personal data needs to be kept for a short period.
- Personal data needs to be processed with adequate security controls.
- The controller needs to demonstrate the compliance of these principles.
If a business does not comply with Data Protection, significant fines might be applied. They can reach even €20 million or 4 % of the global sales of a business depending on which is higher.
These are the best cookie consent plugins for WordPress
We are going to show you 11 great tools for GDPR compliance that can be used on your website. These tools will help you implement an adequate WordPress cookie consent mechanism so that you are covered in terms of the GDPR and EU cookie regulations.
WP AutoTerms
WP AutoTerms is one of the most used WordPress cookies plugins because it helps you create a privacy policy page with terms and conditions. On top of that, you can also do custom policy pages depending on your needs.
CookiePro
CookiePro is an intuitive system that can help with notifying users of GDPR compliance and it can also scan the site for different cookies that it uses. It’s perfect for WordPress cookie consent and you will be able to use it with ease.
As a bonus, users will be able to disable any cookies that they don’t agree with when visiting the site.
Total GDPR Compliance
This WordPress cookie consent plugin has a lot of useful features that can help you out with GDPR compliance. It has 3 different layouts and 30+ templates to display cookies in different ways.
Even more, the plugin also has inbuilt shortcodes that can add data access request forms, data rectification forms and data forget forms. It’s up to you to decide what and where.
WP GDPR Compliance
This is a useful plugin that helps the website owner to comply with the GDPR regulations. It works in a simple manner and you should not have any kind of problems with it.
GDPR
Another useful plugin that will assist you in getting compliant is this one. It’s perfect for WordPress cookie consent and not only. Just check it out and see for yourself if it can be the one that you should go for.
WP Legal Pages
This plugin is another popular WordPress privacy policy tool that comes with more than 25+ legal page templates and they can be easily updated. All you need to add is the business information once to update all of the templates.
Cookie Notice for GDPR
If you need a plugin that helps you out with WordPress cookie consent this one comes with different options that you can try. What is cool about it is that it can work with Polylang so this means you get multilingual support. It also helps in terms of SEO and you can set the expiration for cookies.
GDPR Cookie Compliance
This plugin has been designed to help you prepare the website you have for the GDPR regulations that are related to cookies.It gives users control over the cookies stored in their browsers and allows for consent to be revoked at any time.
GDPR Cookie Consent
This plugin offers a variety of basic settings for the WordPress cookie consent regulations. You can control if the cookie consent bar is off or on and also choose where you show the information.
The GDPR Cookie Consent also provides some customization options that can fit your site’s design. This means you can choose the cookie bar color, text and, generally speaking, how it appears in front of the users.
Complianz GDPR
This plugin does everything that you need for GDPR compliance. It can detect if you need any cookie warning and also integrates with Google Analytics. It’s great if you want to scan your site for cookies or generate new ones so give it a try.
Ninja GDPR Compliance for WordPress
Another plugin that helps you with the GDPR compliance is Ninja. It doesn’t have its own templates but you can add shortcodes to the existing pages of your website.
Cookiebot | GDPR Compliant Cookie Consent and Notice
This plugin is perfect for WordPress cookie consent because it gives users the chance to choose from different categories. This means they will be able to easily withdraw or change their consent.
Ultimate WP GDPR Compatible Toolkit for WordPress
This is a premium plugin that helps you get your website GDPR compatible with just a few clicks. The plugin has all the data needed and it will keep your website safely within the terms of the recently launched data protection laws.
GDPR Cookie Consent Banner
GDPR Cookie Consent Banner is a great plugin to use for your WordPress cookie consent. It offers a consent banner together with a cookie policy page and it’s an absolute breeze to set up.
FAQ on WordPress cookie consent plugins
How do WordPress Cookie Consent Plugins work?
Well, in the simplest terms, these nifty plugins help website owners showcase a banner or pop-up, letting visitors know about the cookies and tracking stuff on the site.
It’s all about being transparent and ensuring users know what’s going on with their data. Remember the whole GDPR compliance and EU data protection? Yeah, that’s where these come into play. Transparency is key in today’s digital age!
What’s the big deal about GDPR and these plugins?
So, GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation. It’s this huge EU data protection law that mandates businesses to be super clear about how they collect and use user data.
And guess what? Those cookie notifications you see everywhere? That’s websites trying to be compliant. If you have a WordPress site, these plugins are the easiest way to stay on the right side of the law.
Why can’t I just ignore the whole cookie thing?
Ah, I get it. It feels like just another thing to deal with, right? But ignoring it isn’t a good idea.
If your website interacts with folks from the EU, then the EU Cookie Law and GDPR compliance are crucial. Plus, it’s all about user privacy and trust. No one likes feeling like their data’s being used without them knowing, you know?
Do all websites need a cookie consent plugin?
Not all, but a good chunk of them do. Especially if they’re using things like analytics, ads, or other third-party services. These usually set cookies.
If you’re keen on respecting user consent and following regulations like GDPR and CCPA, it’s a good move. It’s like the polite thing to do in the digital realm.
How often should I update the plugin?
You’d be surprised, but things change quite a bit in the data protection world. So, it’s a smart move to regularly check for updates.
Developers usually tweak things here and there to align with the latest privacy regulations. Staying updated ensures your website remains compliant and that nifty cookie banner does its job right.
Are these plugins a one-size-fits-all solution?
I wish! But, nope. Every website’s a bit different. Some might need just a basic cookie notification, while others might need more advanced consent management features.
Dive into the plugin settings, see what fits best for your site, and always keep an eye on those privacy tools.
How do I choose the right plugin for my site?
Look, with so many options out there, I’d suggest checking out reviews and maybe even testing a few out. Think about your site’s needs. Need detailed cookie settings options?
Or just a basic cookie pop-up? See which plugin offers the right balance of features and simplicity. Oh, and don’t forget to check compatibility with your WordPress version!
Can I customize the look and feel of the consent banner?
Absolutely! Most plugins let you play around with the design, colors, and text of your cookie banner. After all, you want it to gel well with your website’s vibe.
But remember, while making it stylish, ensure the message about user privacy and data collection is clear. It’s all about striking that balance.
What if users don’t give consent?
Good question! If users opt out or don’t give consent, the cookies (especially the non-essential ones) shouldn’t be activated.
That’s the whole point of opt-in and opt-out. It respects their choice. Some plugins even block certain scripts until the user says “Yep, I’m okay with this.”
Is a cookie consent plugin enough for complete GDPR compliance?
While these plugins are super helpful, GDPR compliance is a broader area. It covers more than just cookies.
So, while a cookie consent plugin handles the cookie law part, you’d also want to ensure you’ve got a solid privacy policy, handle data breaches appropriately, and respect data subjects’ rights. It’s a piece of the puzzle, but there’s more to the whole picture.
Conclusion on WordPress cookie consent plugins
No matter your type of WordPress site (company website, forum, personal blog, etc.), you need to pay attention to WordPress cookie consent and any other regulations that come with GDPR. Failing to do so may result in harsh penalties levied against you.
Luckily, there are a ton of plugins available that you can choose from for just this purpose. It’s important to note that you might not need all the functionality of any given plugin, so choose accordingly.
If you enjoyed reading this article on WordPress cookie consent plugins, you should check out this one about WordPress payment plugins.
We also wrote about a few related subjects like WordPress scheduling plugins, WordPress coming soon plugins, WordPress popup plugins, WordPress archive plugins, and WordPress timeline plugin.
