MaxtDesign Cookie Consent – Google Consent Mode v2 vs WPConsent – Cookie Banner & Cookie Consent for Privacy Compliance (GDPR / CCPA / EU Compliance Cookie Notice)

The MaxtDesign Cookie Consent Manager That Actually Works Most WordPress consent plugins either don’t actually control tracking (they just show a form) or they’re so bloated they slow down your site significantly. MaxtDesign Cookie Consent is different: proper Google Consent Mode v2 implementation in under 10KB. Why This Plugin? For Site Owners: You need CCPA/GDPR compliance but don’t want to sacrifice site performance or deal with complex configuration. For Developers: You want clean, efficient code that follows WordPress standards and doesn’t conflict with other plugins. For Agencies: You manage multiple client sites and need a reliable, lightweight solution that just works. Key Features ✓ Actually Controls Tracking Unlike “checkbox theater” plugins that only show forms, this plugin properly implements Google Consent Mode v2, ensuring GA4 and Google Ads respect user choices. ✓ Blazing Fast (<10KB) Zero performance overhead. No database queries during page load. Pure localStorage-based consent management. ✓ Three Style Presets Choose from Minimal, Modern, or Bold popup styles. Customize colors to match your brand. ✓ Works Everywhere Compatible with any theme. Works with Elementor (optional). Mobile responsive. Accessibility compliant (WCAG 2.1 AA). ✓ Developer-Friendly Clean code following WordPress standards. Two shortcodes for easy integration. No jQuery dependency. Vanilla JavaScript. ✓ WP Consent API Ready Acts as a provider for the WordPress Consent API standard. With the free WP Consent API plugin active, your visitors’ choices are respected site-wide by WooCommerce and other consent-aware plugins automatically. ✓ Privacy-First No server-side user tracking. No external API calls. User consent stored locally. GDPR/CCPA compliant by design. What is Google Consent Mode v2? Google Consent Mode v2 (GCM v2) became mandatory in March 2024 for GA4 and Google Ads in the EU. It’s Google’s framework for managing user consent signals across their advertising and analytics products. This plugin implements all four required consent types: analytics_storage – Google Analytics cookies ad_storage – Advertising cookies ad_user_data – User data for advertising ad_personalization – Personalized advertising Without proper GCM v2 implementation, your GA4 and Google Ads tracking may be unreliable or non-compliant. How It Works Visitor arrives → Consent popup appears (customizable position, style, timing) User chooses → Three options: Accept All, Analytics Only, or Decline All Consent stored → User choice saved in localStorage (privacy-friendly, no server tracking) GCM signals updated → Google Analytics and Ads respect the user’s choice immediately No repeat popup → Cookie remembers they’ve seen popup (configurable duration) Popup Customization Style Presets: * Minimal – Clean and subtle * Modern – Rounded and polished * Bold – Strong and prominent Position Options: * Top banner * Bottom banner * Center modal Animation Options: * Slide in * Fade in * No animation Color Customization: Primary color picker to match your brand Shortcodes Display Current Status: [mdcc_consent_status] Shows consent chips: “Analytics: On/Off” and “Ads: On/Off” Manage Consent Interface: [mdcc_manage_consent title="Your Privacy Choices"] Full consent management with Accept/Analytics/Decline buttons and current status display. Both shortcodes update in real-time when consent changes. Optional Elementor Integration Prefer to use a custom Elementor popup? Simply enter your Elementor Popup ID in settings, and the plugin will use your custom popup instead while maintaining proper GCM v2 functionality. Technical Specifications Size: <10KB total (CSS + JS combined, gzipped) Performance: Zero database queries during page load Storage: localStorage-based (no server-side user tracking) Dependencies: None (vanilla JavaScript, no jQuery) Compatibility: WordPress 5.8+, PHP 7.4+ Standards: WCAG 2.1 AA accessible, mobile responsive Perfect For WordPress sites using GA4 or Google Ads CCPA/GDPR compliance requirements Performance-conscious developers Agency client sites needing scalable consent management Anyone tired of bloated consent plugins What This Plugin Doesn’t Do Not a cookie scanner – Doesn’t automatically detect all cookies on your site Not a full compliance suite – Focuses on consent management for Google tracking Not multi-platform tracking – Free version handles GA4/Ads only (Pro version coming with Facebook, Hotjar, etc.) For comprehensive cookie auditing and multi-platform tracking control, consider our Pro version (launching 2025). Coming in Pro Version Facebook Pixel control Hotjar tracking control LinkedIn Insight Tag TikTok Pixel Custom script control Consent analytics dashboard Geolocation-based prompts White-label mode for agencies Privacy Policy MaxtDesign Cookie Consent does not collect, store, or transmit any user data. All consent preferences are stored locally in the user’s browser using localStorage. No information is sent to external servers. However, this plugin manages consent for third-party services (Google Analytics, Google Ads). Those services have their own privacy policies: Google Analytics Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy Google Ads Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads It is your responsibility to include appropriate disclosures in your site’s privacy policy about the tracking services you use. Support For support, please use the WordPress.org support forum. Credits Developed by MaxtDesign – https://maxtdesign.com Special thanks to the WordPress community for feedback and testing.

Easiest Cookie Consent Banner & Cookie Consent Management Plugin for WordPress WPConsent is the easiest cookie consent banner plugin for WordPress. Add a customizable cookie banner, automatically block third-party cookies and tracking scripts, scan your website for cookies, and comply with GDPR, CCPA / CPRA, ePrivacy, DSGVO, TTDSG, LGPD, POPIA, APA, RGPD, PIPEDA, and other global privacy regulations – all without writing a line of code. Unlike SaaS cookie consent tools that charge per pageview and store your consent records on their servers, WPConsent is a fully self-hosted cookie consent management plugin (CMP). Every cookie consent record lives in your own WordPress database, so you own your consent data with no monthly cookie consent platform fees and no pageview caps. WPConsent Pro This plugin is the Lite version of WPConsent Pro, which comes with smart geolocation cookie banners, automatic translations, IAB TCF v2.3 consent framework, automatic cookie scanning, eCommerce auto-configuration, “Do Not Sell” CCPA addon, and more. Click here to purchase the best premium WordPress cookie consent plugin now! Fully Customizable GDPR Cookie Banner & Cookie Popup Your cookie consent banner is often the first thing a visitor sees, so it should look like part of your brand – not a generic cookie notice bolted on. WPConsent gives you a fully customizable cookie consent banner that matches your WordPress site’s design while still meeting GDPR cookie consent and CCPA notice requirements. Pick from multiple cookie banner layouts and positions (including cookie popup, cookie modal, & consent banner), adjust every color and text string, drop in your logo, and choose button styles that match your theme. WPConsent’s cookie banner is built for performance, so adding cookie compliance won’t slow your WordPress site down or hurt Core Web Vitals. Inside the preferences panel, visitors can accept or reject cookies by category – essential, statistics, and marketing cookies – with granular cookie control they actually understand. Per-service consent toggles let privacy-conscious visitors approve or block individual tracking services. Automatic Script Blocking for True Cookie Compliance The hardest part of real cookie consent compliance isn’t the cookie popup banner, it’s stopping third-party cookies from firing before visitors say yes. A cookie notice that only warns users while Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel still drop cookies underneath is not GDPR compliance, it’s a liability. WPConsent handles true cookie & script blocking automatically. You don’t need to change how you install your tracking scripts. WPConsent’s automatic script blocking detects the most common third-party cookies and blocks them until the user grants cookie consent, so no tracking cookies are set without consent – as required by GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy regulations. Automatically detected and blocked scripts include: Google Analytics and Google Ads Facebook Pixel (Meta Pixel) Microsoft Clarity (with Clarity Consent Mode) Pinterest Tag Google Tag Manager Stripe, Convert.com, and many more WPConsent integrates with Google Consent Mode v2, so your Google Analytics and Google Ads tags keep working in consent-denied mode, and you still get modeled conversions without breaking GDPR cookie consent compliance. Whether you add your tracking using WPCode, MonsterInsights, or Google Tag Manager, WPConsent’s script blocking just works. Website Cookie Scanner & Cookie Inspector You can’t get GDPR cookie consent compliance right if you don’t know what cookies your WordPress site is actually setting. WPConsent includes a full website cookie scanner that crawls your site, detects running services, and builds a complete cookie inventory automatically. Our smart cookie scanner API gives you detailed information about each service and cookie it finds, so your cookie policy and consent banner always match what’s really happening on your site: Service Name and Service Description Service Category (essential, statistics, marketing) Service Privacy/Data URL for third-party services Full list of cookies with description, purpose, and duration Our new WordPress Cookie Inspector goes further. It walks your site as a fresh visitor, shows each cookie as it’s set in real time, and guides you through documenting every cookie with category, service, description, and an auto-filled duration. Cookie compliance auditing built right into WordPress. Smart Content Blocking for Embedded Cookies Embedded content is one of the biggest sources of silent third-party cookies on WordPress sites. WPConsent automatically blocks embedded content like YouTube, Vimeo, DailyMotion, Google Maps, and reCAPTCHA from loading until visitors grant cookie consent. For YouTube, Vimeo, and DailyMotion, WPConsent shows dynamic placeholder images loaded from your own website, so the content blocking experience feels branded and intentional, not broken. Choose which embedded cookies content is blocked and customize the placeholders from the WPConsent admin area. Google Consent Mode v2 & IAB TCF v2.3 Consent Framework Modern cookie consent means integrating with the signals advertisers and analytics tools actually use. WPConsent ships with Google Consent Mode v2 and Microsoft Clarity Consent Mode out of the box, and WPConsent Pro adds the full IAB TCF v2.3 Transparency and Consent Framework for programmatic advertising compliance. WPConsent also supports Global Privacy Control (GPC), so visitors sending a GPC signal have their cookie consent preferences respected automatically with a clear message displayed to meet updated CCPA regulations. WPConsent integrates with the official WordPress Consent API, so other privacy-aware plugins can read your cookie consent state. Smart Geolocation for Regional Cookie Banners Different regions have different cookie consent rules. GDPR requires prior opt-in consent in the EU and UK, while CCPA and CPRA focus on opt-out rights in California. WPConsent Pro includes smart geolocation features, so you can show the right cookie consent banner to the right visitor. Serve a strict GDPR cookie banner to EU traffic, a CCPA-style “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” notice to California residents, and a lighter cookie notice elsewhere – all from one WordPress cookie consent plugin. GDPR Cookie Consent Logs & Records of Consent GDPR and similar cookie laws don’t just ask you to collect consent, they ask you to prove it. WPConsent stores searchable, exportable cookie consent logs directly in your WordPress database, so you always have records of consent when regulators, customers, or auditors ask. Every cookie consent record stays self-hosted on your WordPress site. No third-party consent servers, no external consent APIs, no consent data leaving your server for another SaaS tool. You own your consent logs. Automatic Cookie Policy Generator WPConsent includes a built-in cookie policy generator that creates a WordPress cookie policy page from the services your website scanner detected. One click configures a complete cookie policy page with a working template, a live cookie table grouped by category, and editable descriptions – fully translatable. Who Uses WPConsent WPConsent works for any WordPress site that needs cookie consent management, from solo blogs to multi-site agencies: Bloggers & Publishers – GDPR cookie consent banner for WordPress blogs and news sites that run Google Analytics and display ads. eCommerce & WooCommerce Stores – Cookie compliance for WooCommerce with Facebook Pixel, Google Ads, and checkout tracking. Membership & Online Course Sites – Cookie consent records for every registered member in one searchable log. Agencies & Freelancers – Deploy consistent cookie consent management (CMP) across dozens of client WordPress sites. SaaS & Startups – Professional GDPR cookie banner without expensive Cookiebot or OneTrust subscriptions. News & Media Sites – IAB TCF v2.3 consent framework for programmatic advertising revenue. Supports Every Major Global Privacy Regulation WPConsent is a flexible cookie consent plugin built for global privacy compliance. Our WordPress consent management platform (CMP) is designed to help you address cookie law, data protection, and privacy regulations around the world, including: GDPR – General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), ePrivacy Directive, ePrivacy Regulation (European Union) UK GDPR and PECR – Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (United Kingdom) CCPA / CPRA – California Consumer Privacy Act and California Privacy Rights Act (United States) VCDPA, CPA, CTDPA, UCPA – state privacy laws for Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, and Utah LGPD – Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados (Brazil) PIPEDA – Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (Canada) DSGVO and TTDSG (Germany), RGPD (France, Spain, other French-speaking regions) APA – Australian Privacy Principles (Australia) POPIA – Protection of Personal Information Act (South Africa) and many other international cookie law and privacy standards Free Cookie Consent Features The free WPConsent plugin comes loaded with everything most WordPress sites need to add a cookie consent banner and pass basic GDPR and CCPA cookie compliance checks: Customizable cookie consent banner with multiple layouts and positions including cookie popup Automatic script blocking for Google Analytics, Google Ads, Facebook Pixel, Microsoft Clarity, Pinterest Tag, and more Website cookies scanner with full cookie inventory Cookie Inspector for fresh-visitor cookie auditing Smart content blocking for YouTube, Vimeo, DailyMotion, Google Maps, reCAPTCHA Google Consent Mode v2 and Microsoft Clarity Consent Mode integration Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal support Automatic cookie policy page generator Self-hosted cookie consent management (no third-party consent servers) Compliance score dashboard with one-click feature activation Shadow DOM banner for theme-safe styling WP Consent API compatibility Pro Cookie Consent Features WPConsent Pro adds advanced cookie consent management (CMP) features designed for agencies, ecommerce stores, and WordPress sites with international traffic: Smart Geolocation Cookie Banners – Show different cookie consent banners by visitor country or region. Automatic Translations – Translate your cookie consent banner automatically for multilingual WordPress sites. IAB TCF v2.3 Consent Framework – Full Transparency and Consent Framework for programmatic advertising. Automatic Cookie Scanning – Schedule recurring website cookie scans with auto-scan alerts. eCommerce Auto-Configuration – Pre-configured cookie consent rules for WooCommerce and online stores. “Do Not Sell” Addon – Full CCPA / CPRA opt-out workflow with Do Not Sell page. Cookie Consent Logs – Searchable, exportable records of consent stored in WordPress. Priority Support – Faster help from the WPConsent cookie consent experts. Full WPConsent Feature List Customizable Cookie Consent Banner – Fully customizable cookie banner with layouts, colors, logos, and button styles that match your WordPress site. Automatic Script Blocking – Automatically block Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, Microsoft Clarity, Pinterest, and more until visitors give cookie consent. Website Compliance Scanner – Scan your WordPress site to detect cookies, tracking scripts, and third-party services automatically. Easy Cookie Configuration – Point-and-click cookie category assignment with automatic service detection and pre-filled cookie data. Cookie Policy Generator – Auto-generate a compliant WordPress cookie policy page in one click, complete with a live cookie table. GDPR Compliance – Built-in workflow for GDPR, ePrivacy Directive, DSGVO, and UK GDPR cookie consent requirements. CCPA Compliance – CCPA and CPRA cookie banner with Global Privacy Control and “Do Not Sell” support. Fully Self-Hosted Consent – Keep all cookie consent data on your own WordPress site – no third-party consent servers or SaaS tracking. Smart Geolocation – Show region-specific cookie consent banners based on visitor country or IP (Pro). User Consent Logs – Searchable and exportable records of consent stored natively in WordPress (Pro). Automatic Translations – Multilingual cookie consent banners without manual translation work (Pro). Google Consent Mode v2 – Native Google Consent Mode v2 integration for Google Analytics 4 and Google Ads. IAB TCF v2.3 Framework – IAB Transparency and Consent Framework v2.3 for programmatic advertising (Pro). Global Privacy Control – Automatic GPC signal detection and handling for CCPA compliance. Google Analytics Cookie Consent – Block Google Analytics cookies until consent and pass consent signals through Consent Mode. Facebook Pixel Cookie Consent – Block Facebook Pixel (Meta Pixel) until visitors give cookie consent. WooCommerce Cookie Consent – Cookie consent compliance for WooCommerce stores out of the box. WordPress Cookie Consent – Deep WordPress integration with Gutenberg, classic editor, and popular page builders. Cookie Inspector – Track cookies as they’re set during a fresh-visitor session with guided documentation. Compliance Score Dashboard – See what cookie compliance features are configured and enable them in one click. Smart Content Blocking – Block YouTube, Vimeo, DailyMotion, Google Maps, and reCAPTCHA embeds until cookie consent. Granular Cookie Preferences – Per-service consent toggles inside the preferences panel for precise cookie control. Microsoft Clarity Consent Mode – Block Microsoft Clarity until cookie consent is granted. Shadow DOM Cookie Banner – Banner styles isolated from your theme for perfect WordPress compatibility. WP Consent API Integration – Works with the official WordPress Consent API standard for cross-plugin consent sharing. Import / Export Settings – Move WPConsent cookie consent configuration between WordPress sites quickly. Keyboard-Accessible Banner – Accessibility-first cookie consent banner with keyboard navigation and screen reader support. RTL Language Support – Right-to-left language support for Arabic, Hebrew, Farsi cookie consent banners. Built by the Team whose software powers over 30 million websites WPConsent is brought to you by the team behind some of the biggest names in WordPress including WPBeginner, WPForms, All in One SEO, MonsterInsights, WPCode, and OptinMonster. Our plugins are trusted by over 30 million websites worldwide. When you install WPConsent, you get the same engineering, support, and long-term product investment that powers our WordPress plugin suite. Better Than Cookiebot, CookieYes, OneTrust & Other SaaS Cookie Consent Tools If you’ve researched cookie consent management platforms (CMP), you’ve probably seen Cookiebot, CookieYes, OneTrust, Iubenda, Termly, Usercentrics, TrustArc, Complianz, Didomi, Osano, Enzuzo, Quantcast Choice, Secure Privacy, Clym, Ketch, Piwik PRO Consent Manager, Real Cookie Banner, Cookie Notice & Compliance, and GDPR Cookie Compliance by Moove Agency. Capable tools, but most come with tradeoffs: rising subscription fees, pageview caps, external consent servers, or enterprise pricing. WPConsent is a true WordPress-native cookie consent plugin. Your consent data lives on your WordPress database, pricing is flat (no per-pageview surprises), and the team behind WPBeginner stands behind it. If you’ve been searching for a Cookiebot alternative, a CookieYes alternative, a better Iubenda or Termly replacement, or a self-hosted OneTrust alternative for WordPress, WPConsent is built for you. Branding Guidelines WPConsent™ is a trademark of WPConsent LLC. When writing about our WordPress cookie consent plugin, please use the correct spelling: WPConsent (correct) WP Consent (incorrect) wpconsent (incorrect) Wp Consent (incorrect) WpConsent (incorrect) Cookie Consent Resources Learn more about cookie consent, GDPR cookie compliance, and WordPress privacy: WPConsent Documentation – Setup guides and feature walkthroughs. WPConsent Blog – Privacy news, GDPR guides, and cookie compliance tips. Beginner’s Guide to WordPress and GDPR Compliance – Honest comparisons with other cookie consent plugins. Disclaimer This plugin is not a guarantee of website compliance. It is your responsibility to ensure your website meets all applicable cookie law, data protection, and privacy regulation requirements including GDPR, CCPA, CPRA, LGPD, PIPEDA, and other global privacy laws. …