In this article we will go through all the rules and the apps for WordPress Cookie Plugins for GDPR complaince . For both you have to do this and the Best WordPress Cookie apps to do the job for you.
Compliance General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR requirements are applicable to websites that collect data related to people in the European Union. Even if you’re running your website outside the EU, as long as you collect data from people or related to people in the EU, your site has to comply with GDPR.
Failure to do so can result in hefty fines. Though GDPR might sound complicated, being compliant isn’t that difficult. If you run your website through WordPress, there are many different GDPR Compliance plugins you can use to ensure you’re compliant with the regulations.
As you could imagine, due to the high demand, there are tens if not hundreds of GDPR plugins out there. Our job today is to recommend you the five best WordPress cookie plugins for GDPR compliance.
What is GDPR?- WordPress Cookie Plugins for GDPR Compliance
GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation. This was a law passed by the European Union aiming to regulate and protect the data of citizens within the EU. Generally, the law gives individuals living in the EU more access and control over their data on the internet.
This applies to websites all over the world that have customers living in the EU. For example, even if you run your website in Asia or North America but have European customers, you must comply with GDPR requirements. Failure to comply with requirements usually result in hefty fines for the companies.
The regulations aim to provide a more consistent protocol and protection for customer’s data in the EU. This includes asking visitor’s consent for data processing, notifying them in the event of data breaches, and making data anonymous to protect an individual’s privacy.
GDPR might sound complicated, being compliant isn’t that difficult. If you run your website through WordPress, there are many different plugins you can use to ensure you’re compliant with the regulations.
As you could imagine, due to the high demand, there are tens if not hundreds of GDPR WordPress Plugins out there. Our job today is to recommend you the five best WordPress cookie plugins for GDPR compliance.
Why Should I Use Plugins for GDPR Compliance?
There are a lot of WordPress plugins out there designed to make a WordPress site GDPR compliant. This gives developers an easier time building web pages while ensuring GDPR Plugin compliance. Plugins for GDPR compliance usually handle cookie consent, delete account forms, and ensure customers are notified in the event of a data breach.
Plugins can make things much more convenient for you when developing a website. Instead of worrying about whether or not your website is compliant with GDPR requirements, you can focus on developing other aspects while plugins will handle the boring and complicates side of your site.
However, since websites are dynamic and vary a lot in terms of structure and functionality, no plugin can ensure that you are 100% compliant with GDPR requirements. So, while you still have to double-check to make sure that you’re complying, the plugins can do most of the work for you.
5 Best WordPress Plugins for GDPR Compliance
1. MonsterInsights
Our first featured plugin is a mainstay on most lists for the best GDPR plugins. It is one of the best on the market and is also very easy to use. MonsterInsights is a Google Analytics plugin. It allows you to add Google Analytics tracking codes on your site and see real-time reports within your WP admin.
This plugin-in allows you to anonymize data and disable personal data tracking, which is both critical aspects of complying with GDPR requirements. There’s also a MonsterInsights add on designed explicitly for EU compliance to make things much easier for you. Even if you track users’ data, you can still do this while complying with the GDPR by asking for consent.
And yes, MonsterInsights can handle that for you as well. Using their EU compliance add-on, the plugin will not load the analytics script unit until consent is clearly given by the user. As it is a Google Analytics plugin, it works very well with Google Analytic’s Chrome extension and also works quite well with the built-in cookie opt-out system of Google Analytics.
While using this plug-in may cost you some money, it can make your life much easier and less stressful.
Pros:
- Compatible with Google Analytic’s Chrome extension
- Real-time reports
- EU compliance add-on
- Page-level cookie notices
- Tracks affiliate links and ads
Cons:
- It can be fairly expensive
2. CookieNotice For GDPR & CCPA
One of the most significant advantages of this plugin is that it’s free. You can download this for no cost at all, and it is an excellent choice for those running a website on a tight budget. On top of being free, this plugin helps you comply with both GDPR and CCPA standards.
CCPA stands for the California Consumer Privacy Act. It works similarly to the GDPR, so it’s usually in the best interest of developers to comply with it as well. The plugin allows you to customize cookie notices, including links to your legal pages and privacy policy. It’s a very convenient and easy tool for developers to use.
The plugin is also SEO-friendly and works well with WPML if your website is multi-lingual. While this plugin can’t assure 100% compliance, it integrates well with MonsterInsights and other plugins to make sure you are 100% compliant.
Pros:
- Completely free
- Easy to use
- Integrates with MonsterInsights and Google Analytics very well
- Allows developers to customize the website’s cookie notices
- SEO-friendly and works with WPML
Cons:
- It doesn’t have as many features as other premium plugins
3. WPForms
WPForms is primarily a WordPress contact form plugin, but it also comes with GDPR compliance. With this plugin, you can create contact forms, registration forms, surveys, and just about any type of form for your website.
After creating a form, you can simply go to the settings page and click the GDPR compliance box. This will ensure that you won’t collect any IP addresses on any of the filled out forms. Users can disable tracking cookies through the plugin and won’t store details on the customer’s browser and operating system.
Should you have the need to, you can also turn on GDPR compliance for a single form instead of all the forms. To do this, simply check the GDPR compliance box on each form that you’d like to be GDPR compliable. You can even add a GDPR agreement section to your forms, making things much easier and more compliant with GDPR standards.
This convenient plugin has a premium and free version, both of which come with GDPR compliance.
Pros: -WordPress Cookie Plugins GDPR Compliance
- Free and premium versions are available
- Easy to use
- Can make your forms GDPR compliant
- Allows developers to create any kind of form easily
- You can make all or individual forms GDPR compliant
Cons: Best WordPress Cookie Plugins for GDPR Compliance
- The premium version comes with more useful features than the free one
4. Cookie Yes
This plugin is one of the most popular WP plugins for GDPR compliance. It has been downloaded over 1 million times and is used by people all over the world. Cookie Yes can make your website not only GDPR compliant but also compliant with LGPD of Brazil, CNIL of France, and the CCPA.
The plugin sets the cookie value to “null” by default. That means your site won’t render cookies unless you have the user’s consent. This plugin allows you to scan and categorize cookies for easier management.
You can also customize the cookie consent box by adding your own colors and fonts, and you can even customize what happens when someone clicks “accept”. It’s also WPML compatible for multi-lingual websites, making Cookie Yes one of the most convenient WP plugins for GDPR compliance available today.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- One of the most popular WP plugins for GDPR compliance
- Customize your cookie consent box
- WPML compatible
- Also applicable for LGPD, CNIL, and CCPA
Cons:
- You need to individually list down all the cookies the plugin has to block.
5. WP GDPR Compliance
Our last entry on this list is one of the most convenient GDPR plugins for WordPress. It is completely free, which makes it ideal for those on a budget. However, the developers encourage and accept donations for their hard work.
With the plugin, developers can add a GDPR checkbox to certain areas of their site. To name a few, you can also add the checkbox to comments, registration, and even WooCommerce pages. The plugin also makes it easier for customers to request and access their data.
This is done through a Data Request Page, giving users temporary access to their information. And if they want their information deleted, they can send a request for that. So, this plugin makes the whole complexity around GDPR much more convenient for both developers and customers, making it a top pick for many WordPress users.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Free
- It gives users temporary access to their data
- Allows you to create a GDPR checkbox on some regions of your site
- Simple and user friendly
Cons:
- It cannot be used for consent forms
5 Best WordPress Cookie Plugins for GDPR Compliance - Conclusion
And with that, our list comes to an end. Remember, there is no single plugin that can ensure you are 100% compliant with GDPR standards. That’s why it’s crucial to double-check or use a combination of plugins for GDPR compliance to ensure that you are fully covered.
It’s imperative to comply with these rules as it protects user’s privacy, and failure to comply can result in hefty fines and serious consequences. Making sure a WP website is compliant with GDPR requirements can be challenging, but when using GDPR compliance plugins, it can be both easier for you and safer for your customers. A true win-win situation.
