Real Cookie Banner vs SureCookie – GDPR Cookie Consent Banner, Cookie Scanner & Script Blocking

Cookie Banner and Consent Management for your WordPress website – easy to be legally compliant Obtain GDPR (also known as DSGVO, RGPD, RODO, AVG) and ePrivacy Directive (implemented in national law as TDDDG/TTDSG, LOPD-GDD, DTA, TLA, LEK, E-com Act) compliant consents. Find services, cookies etc. and fill all legal information in your cookie banner. More than just a cookie notice! Cookie plugin designed specifically for WordPress websites to simplify setup. Real Cookie Banner is a cookie and consent management plugin. Obtain consent to load services and set cookies for your visitors in accordance with the GDPR and ePrivacy Directive. In addition, content blockers help you to be compliant even if your theme, plugin or content loads styles, scripts or iframes that would transfer personal data. Start now with our guided-configuration and avoid legal risks! ➤ Scan your website and discover services that require consent! Whether the use of the plugin leads to legally compliant data processing largely depends on whether the plugin is configured correctly for your use case. You yourself are responsible for a correct configuration. Free Sandbox You want to try Real Cookie Banner before installing? Take a free sandbox and play around! Create a free sandbox Features of the cookie plugin Consent Management: You can use Real Cookie Banner to store all technical and legal information about services and cookies to obtain informed consents. You can use 160+ service templates and 130+ content blocker templates to quickly and securely provide all the information you need. Content Blocker: Themes, plugins and co. usually load scripts, styles and content that transfer personal data and set cookies before you have the consent of your visitors. You usually cannot control this by yourself. Content blockers make sure that these features are only executed after you have obtained consent. Customize design: You can design the cookie banner according to your wishes. 20+ design templates and 200+ options give you the flexibility to customize the cookie banner perfectly to your needs. From colors and effects to texts, you can unleash your creativity! All changes are displayed in a live preview. Guided configuration: After installation, the checklist will guide you through all steps to be able to set up Real Cookie Banner in a legally compliant manner. We also explain the legalities of features and the legal consequences if you change settings. So, you can quickly and safely set up your cookie banner! Documentation of consents: According to the GDPR, you have to prove that a visitor has consented to cookies and processing of personal data if he or she doubts this. We document consent completely and make it possible to trace the origin of the consent afterwards. You are on the safe side even in the worst case! Native in WordPress: Real Cookie Banner is a cookie plugin specially designed for WordPress. It is fully installed in your WordPress as a native plugin. All consents are processed and stored on your server. Nothing is downloaded from a cloud in your visitor’s browser, which avoids further legal issues. You want a list of all features? Check it out on our website! Supported Languages Real Cookie Banner is localized in all 17 languages that are most commonly spoken in the EU. The plugin has been translated by humans into English, German (informal and formal), French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Dutch (informal and formal), Czech, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian Bokmål, Finnish, Greek, Romanian, Hungarian, Slovak, Slovenian and Croatian. Texts in service templates and content blockers templates are partly machine-translated and will be revised by humans in the future. All Features of Real Cookie Banner Some of the features listed below are only available in the PRO version of Real Cookie Banner. They are marked with an asterisk. Beginner-friendly // solution for the cookie hassle – for everyone Experience effortless setup with guided configurations, extensive localizations and translations, comprehensive website scanning, a free version with essential features, easy-to-follow compliance checklists, and dedicated human support for all your cookie management needs. Consent Management // we take care of compliant consents Be able to obtain consents in compliance with GDPR and ePrivacy Directive through robust consent handling, detailed technical specifications, youth protection features, proactive notifications as soon as new consent must be obtained, privacy-compliant CDN usage, 160+ service templates*, execution of opt-in and opt-out scripts per service, consent to data processing in insecure third countries, automatic cookie policy generation*, organized service groups, accessible legal links, and respectful handling of “Do Not Track” header. Documentation // truly fully documented consents Keep proper documentation of consent obtained, stored efficiently in your WordPress database, insightful consent statistics, and automatic compliance with the obligation to provide evidence in accordance with the GDPR. Content Blocker // load services only with consent Blocking scripts and content with precision until consent has been given, including fonts and URLs, providing visual content replacements, enabling smart URL and style blocking, with custom element blocking automating video playback post-consent, supporting lazy loading for faster pages. Each content blocker is associated with one or more services. With it, content is automatically unblocked when consent is given in the cookie banner. Design // always fits perfectly into your website Customize your cookie banner effortlessly with over 200 design options*, enjoy a preview of design and text changes, and choose from more than 20 stylish design presets* to ensure your banner matches perfectly your website’s design. Accessibility // accessible for everyone on your website Provide an inclusive user experience by complying with the European Accessibility Act and WCAG 2.2 Level AA standards, supported by an accessibility score feature to ensure all design settings meet legal and user-friendly requirements. Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF) // obtain standardized consents Obtain standardized consent collection with full TCF compatibility*, user-friendly configuration interfaces, and Google-certified compliance, ensuring seamless integration with AdSense and compliance to the latest industry standards. Google Consent Mode // obtain consents according to Digital Market Act Comply with the Digital Market Act by integrating Google Consent Mode*, offering explicit consent options, and ensuring smooth integration with Google Tag Manager for efficient consent-based tag management. Special Features // made for professional users Optimize user experience with geo-restriction for targeted cookie banners*, support for popular Google Tag Manager and Matomo Tag Manager*, and streamlined consent forwarding across multiple websites*, making it ideal for professional and international use. Technical // perfection in detail – for WordPress Benefit from advanced technical features including multilingual support for WPML, Polylang, TranslatePress and Weglot, automatic deletion of 1st-party cookies, easy import/export of settings, native WordPress integration, automatic cache flushing for many page caching plugins/systems, WordPress multisite compatibility, Anti-Ad-Blocker mechanisms, and a comprehensive API for developers to extend functionality. You find a list of all features with comprehensive details on our website! Templates & Compatibility Real Cookie Banner can be used to collect consent for almost any tools, plugins and services in your WordPress website. You can easily store the necessary legal and technical information for informed consent in a service and content blocker of the consent management. We have verified that major Google and Facebook services, YouTube, Vimeo or Matomo as well as popular WordPress plugins like Elementor, Jetpack, WooCommerce, Wordfence or Contact Form 7 and many more are compatible. The PRO Version of Real Cookie Banner comes with 160+ service templates and 130+ content blocker templates. These templates save you a lot of time by giving you all the relevant legal and technical information for a service to use it in accordance with the ePrivacy Directive and GDPR. Check out the complete list of all services with templates on our website. Developer Friendly You are a developer and want to write an add-on for Real Cookie Banner or make your plugin compatible with our cookie plugin? We are happy to help you! WordPress actions & filters and REST API Have a look at the API documentation on our website to learn more about how to write code that uses functions of Real Cookie Banner. Free Support We like to work with other WordPress developers. If you need assistants to use our product for your code projects or make your WordPress plugin compatible with Real Cookie Banner, just open a support ticket. Get the PRO version of Real Cookie Banner You will download the free version of this plugin, which contains all core functions that allow you to load services and set cookies according to the GDPR and ePrivacy Directive. Our PRO version offers even more useful features and many service and content blocker templates, which not only make the cookie banner more flexible, but also save you a lot of time to set up the cookie banner in compliance with the law. Learn more about the PRO version.

SureCookie is a WordPress cookie consent plugin that helps you scan cookies, display a customizable cookie banner, block non-essential scripts before consent, and store consent logs inside your WordPress database. It is built for site owners, E-commerce stores, agencies, bloggers, and WordPress professionals who want more than a basic cookie notice. SureCookie helps you understand what cookies and third-party services are running on your site, lets visitors manage their choices, and gives you a practical consent workflow without visitor-based pricing. 👉 Try the live demo of SureCookie. Not Just a Cookie Banner A cookie notice can tell visitors that your site uses cookies, but that alone does not manage consent. If analytics scripts, marketing pixels, video embeds, maps, or tag manager scripts run before visitors choose, the banner is only cosmetic. SureCookie connects the banner to the rest of the workflow: scan the site, review detected cookies, block non-essential scripts before consent, store consent logs locally, and keep your cookie policy easier to maintain. How SureCookie Works SureCookie follows a simple WordPress cookie consent workflow: Scan selected pages with the real browser cookie scanner. Review detected cookies, scripts, resources, and third-party domains. Organize cookies into consent categories such as Essential, Functional, Analytics, and Marketing. Enable script blocking so non-essential scripts wait for consent. Show the cookie consent banner and preference modal to visitors. Store consent logs locally in WordPress for review and export. Generate or connect a cookie policy page that reflects your cookie setup. This makes SureCookie more than a WordPress cookie banner. Many cookie plugins focus only on the visitor-facing notice, while SureCookie focuses on what happens before and after it: cookie detection, script blocking, consent records, and policy support. Free Features Included The WordPress.org version of SureCookie includes the core consent workflow: Cookie consent banner: Show a clean banner or notice for visitors. Preference modal: Let visitors review and manage cookie categories. Accept, Accept All, Decline, and Preferences buttons: Control the button text and order. Real browser cookie scanner: Scan selected pages using a browser-based scanning service. Cookie categories: Use Essential, Functional, Analytics, Marketing, and Uncategorized categories. See managing cookie categories. Custom cookies: Add and manage cookies manually when needed. Script blocking: Block non-essential scripts before consent is given. Resource blocking: Manage scripts, iframes, embeds, and objects found during scans. Consent logs: Store visitor choices inside your WordPress database. Consent log filters: Search and filter logs by action, country, IP, and session ID. Consent PDF export: Export individual consent records for documentation. Consent retention settings: Control how long consent logs are kept. Monthly automatic scanning: Schedule recurring scans on the free plan. Scan history and change detection: See what changed between scans, including newly detected cookies and domains. Rule-based category suggestions: Get suggested categories for newly detected cookies. Cookie policy page: Generate a page with dynamic cookie tables. Re-consent controls: Add a Cookie Preferences link through a shortcode or menu item. Re-request consent: Ask all visitors to review choices again when needed. Google Consent Mode support: Send consent states to supported Google services. WP Consent API support: Share consent state with compatible WordPress plugins. Multilingual support: Work with WPML and Polylang for banner and admin text. RTL support: Display frontend cookie policy content correctly for RTL languages. MCP and WordPress Abilities support: Enable AI assistant access to SureCookie management actions when supported. No visitor-based limits: SureCookie does not charge by traffic or monthly visitors. Free vs Pro Clarity Everything listed above is in the free plugin. Advanced workflows are reserved for SureCookie Pro: weekly automatic scans, email scan digests, auto-apply behavior, compliance guard workflows, geographic targeting (which applies CCPA-style opt-out rules per region), and consent forwarding. Compare on the features page or see plans and pricing. Real Browser Cookie Scanner SureCookie uses a browser-based scanning service at https://library.surecookie.com/ to inspect selected pages. See how the cookie scanner works. Instead of only reading static HTML, the scanner loads your pages in a real browser environment. This helps detect cookies and resources that appear after page load, through tag managers, or through third-party scripts. The scanner can help identify: Analytics, marketing, advertising, functional, and preference cookies WooCommerce and WordPress session cookies Third-party domains and resources Tag manager loaded and dynamically injected scripts Monthly Automatic Scanning When enabled, SureCookie runs scheduled monthly scans through WP-Cron. The scan uses the same scanner engine, respects the configured scan scope, and records the latest scan history. Full setup is in the automatic scheduled scanning guide. The scan history can show: Newly detected cookies Removed cookies Recategorized cookies Newly detected third-party domains Whether the scan was manual or automatic The last scan date and cookie count Script Blocking Before Consent SureCookie can block non-essential scripts before the visitor gives consent. When blocking is enabled, SureCookie processes the frontend HTML and converts matching resources so they do not execute until the relevant cookie category is allowed. It can handle scripts as well as embedded content such as iframes, embeds, and objects. This matters because a banner alone does not stop tracking. SureCookie is designed to connect consent choices with technical enforcement. The script blocker also includes safeguards so it skips admin pages, REST requests, AJAX requests, feeds, JSON responses, XML responses, and scanner bypass requests. The resource and script blocking guide covers how scripts, iframes and embeds are matched. Customizable Banner and Preferences SureCookie gives you control over the visitor-facing consent experience. You can customize: Banner message and description Rich text banner content Accept, Accept All, Decline, and Preferences button labels Button order Banner position and width Banner logo Banner animation Background overlay Preference modal heading and description Cookie category labels and descriptions Custom CSS Visitors can accept all cookies, decline non-essential cookies, or open the preferences modal and choose specific categories. See customizing banner content and banner layout for every option, and custom CSS for banner styling if you need finer control. Consent Logs Stored Locally SureCookie stores consent records inside your WordPress database. This is different from many SaaS consent management platforms where consent records live on an external platform. With SureCookie, your consent logs stay on your WordPress site and can be reviewed from the admin area. Consent logs can include: User session ID Consent action, such as accepted, declined, or partially accepted Cookie category preferences Masked IP address Timestamp Country Admins can view, search, filter, delete, and export logs from WordPress. SureCookie also includes retention settings so you can control how long logs are kept. See understanding consent logs and exporting consent logs to PDF or CSV. Cookie Policy Page and Generator SureCookie includes a cookie policy generator that can create a Cookie Policy page for your website. The generated page uses native WordPress blocks and includes a dynamic shortcode that displays cookie tables grouped by category and provider. The cookie policy content can include: Cookie categories Cookie names Purpose or description Duration Domain Last updated timestamp A table of contents when multiple categories are available You can edit the generated policy page in the WordPress editor and keep the dynamic cookie table connected to your scanned and manually added cookies. Walkthrough: how to generate a cookie policy page. Re-Consent and Re-Request Consent Visitors should be able to change their choices later. SureCookie includes a re-consent shortcode: [surecookie_reconsent_button] You can use it to add a Cookie Preferences button on your site. SureCookie can also add a virtual Cookie Preferences item to a selected WordPress navigation menu. Admins can also re-request consent from all visitors. This is useful after updating your cookie policy, adding new tracking tools, changing categories, or making a major consent workflow change. See the re-consent guide. Google Consent Mode When enabled, SureCookie sends consent states for supported Google services and updates them when visitors change their preferences. Setup steps: setting up Google Consent Mode v2. It maps SureCookie categories to Google consent signals, detects Google services from enqueued scripts or the page HTML, and hides block toggles that Google Consent Mode already manages. WP Consent API SureCookie reads its consent cookie and syncs the visitor’s consent state so compatible WordPress plugins can check consent using the standardized WP Consent API flow. Default category mapping includes: Essential to functional Functional to preferences Analytics to statistics Marketing to marketing Developers can customize mappings through filters. Multilingual and RTL Support SureCookie includes multilingual compatibility for WPML and Polylang. It can register and translate banner text, button labels, preference modal text, category labels, and related frontend strings. It also includes RTL support for cookie policy layouts. MCP and WordPress Abilities When enabled, AI assistants and compatible tools can use structured SureCookie abilities to manage settings, cookie categories, consent logs, cookie management, and site scanner actions. Scanner start actions still require care because they contact an external scanning service. Who Should Use SureCookie? SureCookie is a good fit for: WordPress site owners and agencies who need a cookie consent banner across client sites E-commerce stores and publishers using analytics, ads, pixels, embeds, or marketing tools Businesses running tag managers, heatmaps, video embeds, maps, forms, or CRM and conversion tracking Developers who want a WordPress-native consent workflow with hooks and APIs, and consent logs kept inside WordPress Important Legal Note SureCookie provides technical tools for cookie scanning, script blocking, consent collection, consent logging, and cookie policy management. No WordPress plugin can guarantee legal compliance on its own. Privacy and cookie requirements depend on your website, visitors, region, policies, data processing practices, and legal obligations. For legal advice, consult a qualified legal professional. External Services SureCookie uses external services for cookie scanning, site verification, and geolocation. Cookie Scanning SureCookie connects to https://library.surecookie.com/ to provide real browser-based cookie scanning and smart categorization. When you run a scan, SureCookie sends the selected page URLs to the scanning service. A browser-based scanner visits those pages and detects cookies, scripts, resources, and third-party domains. Scanner Registration and Authentication Before the first scan, SureCookie performs a one-time registration handshake with library.surecookie.com/api/register. The request sends: Site URL WordPress admin email SureCookie version A temporary installation nonce (one-time, random) The scanning service verifies the site through a temporary REST endpoint, then returns site-specific credentials and a verification token. These credentials are stored locally in a non-autoloaded WordPress option and are used for authenticated scan requests. Consent IP Logs and Region Detection For consent logging and country detection, visitor IP addresses may be processed through MaxMind-backed region detection through SureCookie’s service. This helps SureCookie record the country in the consent log. IP addresses are masked before being stored in your WordPress database. MaxMind attribution: https://www.maxmind.com Service URLs SureCookie scanning and geolocation service: https://library.surecookie.com/ SureCookie privacy policy: https://surecookie.com/privacy-policy/ MaxMind: https://www.maxmind.com Data Stored Locally SureCookie stores plugin settings and consent data in your WordPress database. This can include: Banner and preference modal settings Cookie categories Custom cookies Scanned cookies Scanned resources Scan history Consent logs Cookie policy page ID Automatic scan settings Scanner credentials Consent logs and scan results can be viewed, exported, or deleted from the WordPress admin. Privacy and Data Processing SureCookie processes data through its API service at library.surecookie.com for cookie scanning, scanner authentication, and region-aware consent logging. Here is what happens and why. What We Send to SureCookie Services During the one-time scanner registration and site verification flow, SureCookie sends the site URL, the WordPress administrator email, the SureCookie version, and a temporary installation nonce. The scanning service uses these to verify your site and issue credentials, then returns a verification token that SureCookie exposes at a temporary REST endpoint for domain verification. After registration, scan requests use site-specific credentials stored locally in WordPress and do not resend the admin email. When a scan runs, SureCookie sends selected page URLs to the scanning service so a real browser can detect cookies, scripts, resources, and third-party domains. What Is Processed and Why Cookie scanning: Selected page URLs are scanned in a real browser environment to detect cookies, scripts, resources, and third-party domains. Cookie categorization: Detected cookie details, such as names, domains, and durations, are used to help categorize cookies. Region detection: Visitor IP addresses may be processed through MaxMind-backed region detection to determine country-level location for consent logs. IP addresses are masked before being stored in your WordPress database. Consent records: Consent choices, timestamps, category preferences, and session details are logged locally in your WordPress database. Where Data Lives Consent logs, scan results, settings, and scanner credentials are stored in your WordPress database. Data sent to library.surecookie.com for scanning and geolocation may be temporarily processed for those features. SureCookie does not sell this data or use it for advertising. Data Retention and Control Consent logs and scan results can be viewed, exported, or deleted from your WordPress admin. Consent log retention periods are configurable in plugin settings. Scanner credentials are stored locally in a non-autoloaded WordPress option. Security API communication uses HTTPS. Scan requests use authenticated site credentials after the registration flow. Site credentials are used to sign later scan requests. Because visitor data and selected page URLs can be processed through SureCookie services, you should mention this in your site’s privacy policy where appropriate. Full details: https://surecookie.com/privacy-policy/ For questions about data processing, visit https://surecookie.com/support/. Useful Links SureCookie Website Documentation Support Forum Privacy Policy Live Demo About Brainstorm Force SureCookie is built by Brainstorm Force, the team behind Astra and other widely used WordPress products.