What is a consent management platform?
A consent management platform simplifies cookie consent and management for websites, streamlining the process of obtaining and managing user consent for the collection and use of personal data. This can be for functions like advertising, website performance analysis, and more.
These tools are essential to help websites comply with privacy regulations and frameworks like the GDPR, ePrivacy Directive, CCPA, and other global privacy laws and frameworks. Consent management software enables people to make informed choices about their data collection, processing, and deletion, thereby enhancing individual control over personal information.
Additionally, CMPs play a crucial role in tracking an individual’s consent preferences, maintaining records of their decisions, and controlling tag firing based on these preferences. This functionality helps to ensure compliance with legal requirements while fostering transparency and accountability in data processing practices.
New Google consent requirements for companies in 2024
Google is now requiring that companies using its services implement one of two options: integrate new consent mode parameters directly into Tag Manager or use a Google-certified consent management platform for ad platform access. Advertisers that don’t comply will be restricted from access to significant features, like those for personalization, when running ads in the EU and UK.
How does a consent management platform work?
Consent solutions enable you to track and manage user preferences for collecting personal information. The software keeps you compliant with data protection laws and compliance requirements.
Leading CMP software enables you to handle the entire personal data lifecycle, from initial consent notices to data deletion requests. They do so by detecting cookies on your website, displaying a consent banner to users, offering consent options, logging a person’s choices, and managing consent preferences.
10 of the best consent management platforms
It can be challenging to choose the right CMP platform for your company because there are so many options available. They may seem similar, or include technical or legal references you’re not sure apply to your company. To make it simpler for you to choose the ideal fit, here’s a list of ten comprehensive options selected based on user reviews and ratings.
For each platform, we highlight features, any functionality not included, and pricing, including whether or not they offer a free trial or free version.
Cookiebot™
Cookiebot CMP is a Google-certified CMP that enables you to comply with Google’s requirements for third parties using its services and that collect personal data, like those for Consent Mode or the EU user consent policy. Cookiebot CMP has been designed to be easy to set up and user-friendly and provides automated scanning technology for cookies and other tracking technologies in use on websites.
Cookiebot CMP scans your website regularly to detect all of the cookies and trackers in use, which saves time for website owners. With the cookie declaration feature, data processing services automatically get added to your website’s privacy policy and can populate the consent banner for granular user notifications. All cookies are blocked until a user provides explicit consent for their use.
Cookiebot CMP integrates with Google Consent Mode, Google Tag Manager, and TCF 2.2, as well as with the WordPress Consent API. There is also a free WordPress plugin for sites built on that platform.
Cookiebot Consent Management Platform (CMP) enables compliance with:
- EU’s GDPR/DSGVO
- ePrivacy Directive
- TCF 2.2
- Brazil’s LGPD
- South Africa’s POPIA
- in the US, California’s CCPA/CPRA and Virginia’s VCDPA
Cookiebot CMP offers pre-built templates in addition to `customizable consent banners. There is cookie banner support for nearly 50 languages to provide clear, transparent consent options to users worldwide. Companies can customize fonts, colors, messaging, add their logo, and more.
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The platform securely stores consent for 12 months, with consent information logs available for audit purposes or data subject access requests.
Cookiebot CMP offers multiple pricing plans tailored to the needs of websites of varying sizes and complexities. There is a free plan for sites with fewer than 50 subpages and several paid plans based on website size so you can choose a plan that aligns with your compliance needs and budget. The smallest paid plan is EUR 12 per month per domain. New signups start with a 14-day free trial, enabling you to explore all the CMP’s features.
Get peace of mind and effortlessly achieve compliance using Cookiebot.
Usercentrics
EU-based Usercentrics has customers in over 180 countries and a consent management platform with a comprehensive list of features. Usercentrics CMP is a Google-certified CMP, enabling compliance with Google’s requirements, like those for its EU user consent policy and using Google Consent Mode v2. Usercentrics CMP enables compliance with major worldwide privacy regulations for websites, apps, and connected platforms.
Usercentrics CMP provides numerous integration options with popular marketing tools, workplace apps, and platforms like Google tools, HubSpot, and Mailchimp. It can also collect consent for services connected to YouTube, social plugins, Google Maps, and other social platforms.
Usercentrics CMP addresses the needs of growing businesses needing a scalable solution, and has many features for enterprise-level companies. As such organizations often have multiple people in charge of, or working with, their website data, Usercentrics offers multiple levels of account and permissions management for security and resource distribution.
Usercentrics CMP enables website owners to optimize consent rates through in-depth analytics, A/B testing, full consent banner customization, and more. It also supports over 60 languages.
For companies needing more sophisticated integration of their marketing systems and a Privacy-Led Marketing approach, Usercentrics also provides solutions for preference management, data subject access requests, server-side tagging, and more.
Usercentrics CMP’s paid plans start at EUR 50 per month per domain, and tiers are organized by number of sessions. There is no free plan, but there is a 30-day free trial.
Elevate your privacy strategy and explore Usercentric’s enterprise-grade features.
OneTrust
OneTrust offers expansive CMP software with consent management for websites, apps, and over-the-top (OTT) and connected TV (CTV) channels. It’s a well-known consent management solution that has world-class features but is the most expensive solution on this list.
The platform offered is highly comprehensive, and the suite of features includes ESG reporting, assessment automation, data mapping functions, and more.
OneTrust also has a centralized repository to store customer communication preferences and opt-outs, making compliance easier. Additionally, they enable companies to stay updated with privacy laws and provide self-service audit logs.
The company’s platform offers an extensive feature set, including cookie consent tools, website cookie scanning, and cookie autoblocking functionality. According to user reviews, integrating OneTrust with other systems can be challenging due to its sophisticated set of features. Potentially leading to a lengthier implementation process.
OneTrust does not openly disclose its pricing on its website. According to various sources, contract sizes are reported to commence at approximately USD 50,000 per year. However, the price varies depending on the number of domains and the modules you wish to use. But contracts tend to be long-lasting, which may limit flexibility for companies.
Osano
Osano offers a powerful consent management solution designed to help businesses comply with data protection regulations and manage user consent efficiently. The US-based company has a strong commitment to legal policy management through its platform, and offers a unique “No Fines, No Penalties” Pledge, assuring coverage for fines up to USD 200,000 for users of Osano’s legal workflows.
Osano simplifies compliance with data protection regulations and enables customizable cookie consent banners, helping businesses enhance their data protection practices. The platform’s focus on legal policy management helps to ensure reliability in compliance with regulations.
Osano’s consent and preference management platform comes with a higher cost and is based on a company’s website traffic. Their free plan allows for up to 5,000 monthly website visitors, and the next tier Plus plan is up to 30,000 monthly. In addition, Osano offers pre-designed legal templates for implementation rather than fully customizable options, which could impact users seeking tailored solutions.
Osano’s pricing starts at USD 199 per month for its Plus plan. Additionally, only their paid plans include essential GDPR and CCPA compliance features.
Ketch
Ketch is also based in the US and offers privacy-focused software that provides a wide range of tools and features to help collect and enforce customer privacy preferences, including applications, infrastructure, and APIs.
The Ketch Trust by Design platform includes everything companies need to deploy responsive consent solutions and offers pre-built templates for sustained compliance with the GDPR and CCPA/CPRA, among other regulations. Another noteworthy feature is its native identity resolution, which identifies users across devices and channels to enable custom-made privacy experiences utilizing user preferences.
However, the platform’s onboarding process requires companies to set up one domain at a time, which can be slow and could create high resource demands for enterprises with many websites.
The Ketch platform offers multiple pricing tiers. The Free plan is based on a self-service model and designed to suit small businesses, offering cookie banners and consent management for up to 5,000 monthly visitors. Their paid plans start at USD 350/month and for comprehensive features like DSR automation and data mapping, there is the Pro plan. Pricing details for the Pro plan can be obtained through a customized demo to match each business’s requirements.
Didomi
Didomi is another European-based provider with an established CMP solution. Boasting numerous integrations and offering a mature feature set akin to other competitors in the category, Didomi emphasizes user experience and adherence to major data privacy regulations.
Didomi prioritizes the user experience by offering companies full flexibility in customizing the consent management experience, including the ability to translate content into over 50 languages. Additionally, the company has very responsive customer service, meaning questions get addressed quickly.
Implementing Didomi can be challenging due to its technical nature, which could be challenging for small businesses with limited technical expertise. Moreover, some user reviews have noted that the consent management app could noticeably slow down website loading times, negatively affecting SEO rankings and conversion rates.
Didomi offers a free trial but does not share its pricing information publicly. Those interested need to schedule a demo or call for detailed pricing.
CookieYes
CookieYes is based in the UK and advertises itself as providing an all-in-one cookie consent management platform for businesses. Their platform is widely available as a plugin in marketplaces for all the major content management systems, and streamlining setups.
CookieYes enables companies to create a cookie banner that is fully customizable via an intuitive user interface, so they can ensure the banner aligns with their branding. CookieYes’s customer service is known for being helpful and responsive.
CookieYes offers a risk-free trial option, and the website provides a comparison table for the features available in each of their plans, with plans billing monthly per domain without setup fees. There are three tiers: Basic, priced at USD 10/month, Pro at USD 20/month, and Ultimate at USD 40/month. The company offers numerous integration options, though there have been reports of compatibility issues when using CookieYes with multiple other plugins.
TrustArc
TrustArc is an established player in the cookie consent management business, offering a full suite of products and services, as well as a robust set of features, including a gold-level offering to provide industry and regulatory updates every quarter.
TrustArc offers a menu of services from its Privacy Management Platform, so you can pick just the services that you need. It offers consent notifications in 45 languages, robust reporting capabilities, and has a user-friendly interface, making it a suitable option for organizations that do not have dedicated data privacy teams.
A complex CMP such as the solution from TrustArc would benefit from responsive and helpful customer service. However, users have often reported problems with this, citing slow response times and difficulties resolving problems.
TrustArc’s website does not offer any pricing information so you must get in touch with a representative to procure that information.
CookieScript
CookieScript is a smaller, cheaper, and lighter consent management platform that’s best for smaller businesses with fewer domains, who are looking to comply with local privacy laws.
CookieScript is designed to be easy to implement and use. The software offers an intuitive interface that guides users of any technical skill level through each step of the process. The platform can also scan for cookies to let you know what trackers are present on your website. It also enables you to create a branded cookie notice or pop-up.
CookieScript is one of the cheaper solutions included in this round-up. However, its pricing structure is set up and limited by domain bundles — for 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, or 200 domains — which may require companies to pay for more than they need if they fall between these numbers.
Aside from the free plan for one domain and up to 10 scanned pages, CookieScript’s pricing tiers change depending on the number of domains needed. For two or more domains, the tiers are EUR 8, 15, or 19 per month. All plans require a one-year subscription. The free plan includes one domain and is best for small websites needing a simple cookie consent banner.
It’s worth noting that all GDPR tools are only included in their EUR 19 Plus plan.
Quantcast / InMobi Choice CMP
Quantcast Choice, also known as InMobi Choice, markets InMobi CMP as a completely free CMP solution. It’s meant for smaller businesses that need a solution for their website ASAP.
The platform boasts an intuitive interface and a plethora of customization options, enabling publishers to personalize the consent management experience to their exact specifications. Plus, users find the implementation process a breeze. The platform can be up and running on multiple websites in just 15 minutes.
Unsurprisingly for a free CMP, the number of features it offers is limited. Users have reported that integrating InMobi with their existing marketing technology can be challenging. If you have an established complex tech stack, InMobi CMP may not be the right choice for you.
10 of the best consent management platforms compared
We compare these 10 of the best consent management platforms so you can make an informed choice.
| CMP name | Pros | Cons | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cookiebot | – Google-certified CMP- Simple setup and onboarding flow- Automatically detects and controls all cookies and trackers – Fully customizable cookie banners- Supports nearly 50 languages | – Only for web – Free plan only available for small websites | – Free 14-day trial for all new accounts. – Free plan available for 50 subpages or fewer – Premium plan from EUR 12/month per domain |
| Usercentrics | – Google-certified CMP – Intuitive interface with numerous integration options- Extensive analytics dashboard with options for A/B testing- Supports over 60 languages- Offers different admin roles- Customer Success Team and good customer support | – No free plan- Initial manual effort in the implementation process – Customer Success Manager only available in the Premium package | – Free 30-day trial available for web and app – Paid plans start at EUR 50/month |
| OneTrust | – Offers many additional features for enterprise companies – Very up-to-date with privacy laws- Many integration options with other business intelligence platforms | – Complex and lengthy implementation process- Most expensive option on the market | – They offer a 14-day free trial – Pricing varies depending on the number of domains and the modules you need |
| Osano | – Strong commitment to legal policy management- Risk-free guarantee- Very customizable cookie consent banners | – Monthly cap on site traffic- Cut-and-paste legal templates that may limit customization | – They do not offer a free trial – Paid plan starts at USD 199/month |
| Ketch | – Many advanced features and tools- Custom APIs available- Offers native identity resolution that identifies users across devices and channels | – Slow onboarding process that requires companies to set up one domain at a time- Clunky user experience and user interface | – Offer a free plan – Essentials plan starts at USD 350/month – Pro plan pricing can only be obtained via a customized demo |
| Didomi | – Offers a lot of integration options- Prioritizes the user experience- Supports over 50 languages | – The CMP can impact your page load speed- Challenging integration process | – No free plan and no public pricing information |
| CookieYes | – Fully customizable cookie banner- Good customer service- Easy to implement and use | – Limited number of features- Not powerful enough for enterprise-level companies | – Offer a 7-day free trial for all plans – Paid plans start at USD 10/month/domain |
| TrustArc | – It offers consent notifications in 45 languages – Robust reporting capabilities – User-friendly interface | – Poor customer service- Unclear pricing | – No pricing information is available |
| CookieScript | – Easy to implement and use- Automatically scans cookies- Customizable cookie banner | – You will need to pay for a higher price point even if you have fewer domains- All GDPR tools are only offered in their Plus plan | – Offers a free plan if you need a simple cookie consent banner – Paid plans start at EUR 8/ month and go to EUR 19/ month, but pricing changes depending on the number of domains |
| Quantcast | – 15 minutes to implement- Intuitive interface | – Limited number of features- Not powerful enough for enterprise-level companies | – Completely free |
How to choose the right consent management platform
To pick the right consent management solution for your company, you’ll want to look at:
- privacy compliance for various regulatory and business requirements (including auditing)
- degree of customization
- integration options
- technical resource requirements
- scalability
- pricing, particularly based on monthly, per domain, etc.
- analytics and reporting functionality
If you have a simple website and an audience or customer base located in a limited area (e.g. only in the region covered by the GDPR), and thus only need to comply with one regulation, pretty much all the CMPs can get the job done as they offer basic features for free. But be sure to check the CMP’s functionality against requirements of relevant regulations, frameworks, or business stipulations, like the latest ones from Google.
However, larger organizations will likely require robust and scalable functionality, multi-regulation and language support, and full customization options. Therefore, an enterprise consent management platform that offers advanced features, customization options, extensive integrations, and seamless scalability might better suit enterprises seeking to achieve compliance with multiple regulations across many sites and platforms.
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Cookiebot™ does not provide legal advice, and information is provided for educational purposes only. We always recommend engaging qualified legal counsel or privacy specialists regarding data privacy and protection issues and operations.
The information presented in this article is accurate based on publicly available sources as of the date of publication. Details about products, features, pricing, etc. may change over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
A consent management platform (CMP) is a software solution that helps websites collect and manage user consent for the processing of personal data, to enable compliance with data privacy regulations like the GDPR.
To set up a consent management platform on a website, it’s best to inject the CMP script directly into the website’s source code before the tag manager-script. Alternatively, you can load the CMP through the tag manager by configuring privacy settings in the Experience Platform Web SDK tag extension and creating rules to set consent based on visitor actions.
Consent management tools show visitors a cookie banner to give them information about data collection and use and their privacy rights, as well as manage their consent preferences. It securely stores these choices and can share them with third-party services by permission, enabling privacy regulation compliance.
You likely need a consent management platform if your website collects and processes personal data, which most websites do via cookies and other tracking technologies, from users residing in areas under data privacy regulatory jurisdiction, which is most of the world at this point.
Google does not offer its own CMP but rather has a CMP Partner Program where it certifies and partners with third-party CMP providers, such as Cookiebot CMP. These partner solutions meet specific requirements and enable integrations with tools Google requires, like Consent Mode, which integrates with CMPs and is required in some jurisdictions to enable the full functioning of Google services where personal data is in use.
Google Consent Mode signals consent information collected from websites via a CMP to Google tools and enables websites to adjust the behavior of Google tags and scripts based on the user’s consent preferences for data collection and processing.
To pick the right consent management solution for your company, you’ll want to look at the following and ensure it meets your company’s needs:
- privacy compliance for various regulatory and business requirements (including auditing)
- degree of customization
- integration options
- technical resource requirements
- scalability
- pricing, particularly based on monthly, per domain, etc.
- analytics and reporting functionality
The information presented in this article is accurate based on publicly available sources as of the date of publication. Details about products, features, pricing, etc. may change over time.
