A Guide To Choosing The Best Consent Management Platform: Features, Pros & Pricing

Need a cookie banner that’s more than just a pop-up? A privacy policy that doesn’t fall apart every time laws change?

If you run a website or app, handling privacy isn’t optional; it’s the baseline. Between GDPR, CCPA, and the incoming wave of global regulations, staying on top of consent isn’t just about ticking boxes. It’s about building trust, protecting your business, and avoiding legal headaches you don’t have time for.

But with so many tools out there, from free WordPress plugins to full-blown enterprise suites, how do you know which one’s right for you?

In this post, we’ve rounded up 9 of the most popular consent management platforms and broken them down in plain English:

✅ What they offer
✅ Which businesses they’re best for
✅ Where they shine and where they fall short

We’ll cover everything from pricing and ease of use to features, integrations, and overall function. Because the best tool isn’t just the one with the most features, it’s the one that fits your needs. At the end of this blog post, you’ll find a side-by-side comparison.

What is a consent management platform (CMP), and how does it work?

First things first. A consent management platform (CMP) helps website and app owners collect, manage, and document user consent in line with privacy regulations like the GDPR, CCPA, and more. In a nutshell, it’s what powers the cookie banner you see when you first land on a site, but the best ones go much deeper than that.

At a basic level, a CMP lets users decide what data they’re comfortable sharing. But behind the scenes, it also needs to:

• Block cookies and tracking scripts until consent is given
• Store and log consent preferences
• Provide options for users to withdraw or update consent
• Stay aligned with legal requirements that change over time

What should you look for in a consent management platform?

Not all tools are built the same. Here’s what actually matters when choosing the right consent management platform:

• Ease of setup – Are you comfortable spending hours tweaking code or bringing in developers to do so?
• Regulation coverage – Does it support GDPR, CCPA, LGPD, and other privacy laws?
• Customization – Can you adapt the look and feel to your brand?
• Legal reliability – Are the policies and mechanics backed by actual legal experts?
• Automatic updates – Does it automatically update to align with changing laws or will you have to scramble last minute to manually check laws and update your policies?
• Performance impact – Does it run smoothly without slowing your site down?
• Integrations – Does it integrate with CMS systems like WordPress or online stores like Shopify?
• Built in Google Consent Mode – Does it help you recover marketing data when users reject cookies, especially for Google Ads and Analytics?
• IAB’s TCF – Does it share user consent with ad partners so you can run ads easily and stay compliant?

The Best Platforms for Cookie Consent and Data Compliance

1. iubenda

Best for: Businesses of all sizes that want a low-effort, high-trust way to handle compliance, without building a solution from scratch.

iubenda helps you get the important stuff in place: privacy and cookie policies, banners, and consent records in one tool, backed by real legal experts. It’s used by over 150,000 companies worldwide, from solopreneurs to SaaS giants, and is designed to help you generate privacy and cookie policies, manage consent, and handle legal disclosures without needing a law degree.

Everything’s easy to set up and built to stay updated as laws change, so you’re not constantly chasing new requirements. You don’t need to know the ins and outs of GDPR or CCPA either, because iubenda handles that part. All you need to do is copy and paste one line of code, tweak what you need, and get back to running your business.

✅ Standout features

• Auto-scan automatically scans your website for cookies, trackers, and third-party services to identify exactly which disclosures you need in just a few minutes
• Privacy and cookie policy generators built and maintained by real lawyers
• Customizable cookie banners that integrate with Google Consent Mode v2
• Consent database and logs that store records in a compliant format
• Easily manage and store consents across multiple platforms, handle data subject requests and whistleblowing reports, optimize newsletter opt-ins, and more.
• Seamless plugins for WordPress, Shopify, and more
• 15 languages and localization options
• Automatic updates when laws change

Pricing:

• Free plan available with basic features
• Paid plans start around €2.99/month, depending on your needs
• Flexible pricing based on which tools you activate, so you never pay for more than what you actually need

Keep in mind:

• You’ll need a paid plan to access multiple languages, Consent Database, and Terms and Conditions Generator.

A great fit for businesses of all sizes looking for an easy-to-use, attorney-quality solution to keep their websites and apps compliant with the law.

2. Consentmanager

Best for: Enterprise businesses that want a reliable, customizable cookie banner solution with added compliance tools.

Consentmanager is a best-in-market platform for managing cookie banners and collecting valid user consent, and is especially popular with European companies that need to stay aligned with GDPR and ePrivacy guidelines.

✅ Standout features

• Recommended by lawyers and data protection experts
• 200+ customizations, 30+checkbox designs, and 20+ button options to choose from
• Strong focus on GDPR and ePrivacy compliance
• Simple setup with just one line of code to copy and paste
• Consent A/B testing and reporting tools
• Integrates easily with most CMS and ad platforms
• Predefined texts in over 35 languages
• Easy-to-use privacy-friendly Website Analytics
• Now includes privacy and cookie policy generation
• Fully compatible with IAB’s Transparency and Consent Framework and Google Consent Mode

Keep in mind:

• Interface can feel a bit complex for first-time users

A great fit for teams that want more control over consent design and data tracking.

3. Complianz

Best for: WordPress users who want an all-in-one compliance plugin.

Complianz is a WordPress plugin designed to make privacy compliance more manageable. It covers cookie consent, legal documents, and regional compliance rules (GDPR, CCPA, and more).

✅ Standout features

• Trusted by 1 million users
• Constantly updated to match current laws
• Designed specifically for WordPress
• Flexible banner designs
• Smart site scanner that automatically detects and handles cookies in use before visitors see them
• Region-specific banner behavior (e.g., GDPR vs. CCPA)
• Legal documents in multiple languages
• Users say the setup wizard is quick and easy
• 30-day money-back guarantee

Keep in mind:

• Designed exclusively for WordPress
• More advanced features require a paid plan

Ideal for WordPress users who want privacy features that work smoothly out of the box.

4. Cookiebot

Best for: Mid-sized businesses that want consent features with a focus on automation.

Cookiebot scans your site for cookies, categorizes them, and helps you display a compliant cookie banner without much manual setup. It’s widely used and trusted, especially in the EU.

✅ Standout features

• Automatic cookie scanning and categorization
• Simple setup and clean UI
• Multi-language support
• Compatible with Google Tag Manager and Consent Mode

Keep in mind:

• The free plan is limited, and branding can’t be removed

A good fit for businesses that want automated cookie management but have legal docs handled elsewhere.

5. Usercentrics

Best for: Enterprise-level businesses with complex needs, looking for detailed control and integrations.

Usercentrics is a heavy-duty consent management platform often used by large websites and enterprise companies. It offers granular control over data tracking and powerful integration capabilities.

✅ Standout features

• Advanced data control and user segmentation
• Strong analytics and consent audit tools
• Affiliate and partner programs
• Customizable banners and multilingual support

Keep in mind:

• May be better suited to complex setups than small sites

A good fit for businesses that rely on marketing data and advertising revenue.

6. Piwik PRO

Best for: Companies that want privacy-friendly analytics and consent tools in one.

Piwik PRO offers analytics software built with privacy in mind, along with consent management features to help align with regulations. It’s often positioned as a more compliant alternative to Google Analytics.

✅ Standout features

• Full analytics suite with consent tracking built in
• Server location controls for privacy-conscious businesses
• Free core plan available
• Clear documentation and onboarding support

Keep in mind:

• Some users find its interface less intuitive than other platforms
• Scaling tends to be pricier than other alternatives

A good fit for businesses that need analytics and consent tools in one place.

7. Secure Privacy

Best for: Multi-region businesses needing strong policy support and consent features.

Secure Privacy is a compliance platform that focuses on data protection laws across multiple jurisdictions. It helps you display region-specific banners and generate legal documents.

✅ Standout features

• Region-specific compliance (GDPR, CCPA, LGPD, etc.)
• Includes privacy policy and cookie policy generators

Keep in mind:

• Some users report needing detailed guidance during initial setup and configuration

A good fit for businesses operating across multiple countries that need a fast setup.

8. Didomi

Best for: Companies looking for real-time consent data and user journey tracking.

Didomi provides consent management along with real-time data tools to help businesses understand and optimize user experiences. It’s often used by marketing teams looking to tie privacy to performance.

✅ Standout features

• Real-time consent data dashboards
• Customizable banners and forms
• Advanced integrations with CRM and ad tech
• Strong support for mobile apps

Keep in mind:

• Doesn’t offer a free plan
• Pricing is not listed on the website so you need to call for a custom quote
• May degrade performance for larger websites with high traffic

A good fit for marketing teams that want to link compliance with campaign performance.

9. Enzuzo

Best for: Small teams and startups that want privacy basics covered.

Enzuzo is a lightweight tool for cookie consent and privacy management. It offers a free plan you can use forever, making it a good fit for small businesses just getting started with compliance.

✅ Standout features

• Native integrations for several website builders
• Free plan is available to use forever

Keep in mind:

• Some users report difficulties with the interface
• Fewer customization options compared to other options

A good beginner-friendly choice for eCommerce, Shopify stores, and service-based businesses like marketing agencies.

Consent Management Platform Comparison: Side by Side

Your consent management platform shouldn’t just help you meet today’s legal standards, but keep you ready for what’s next.

The right tool makes compliance easier, not harder; it works in the background, keeps your policies up to date, and ensures your users’ trust is protected at every touchpoint.