Free tool
Do I Need a Cookie Banner? Free 1-Minute Checker
Answer four quick questions about your site's analytics, ads and embeds to find out whether you likely need a cookie consent banner under GDPR and ePrivacy.
Answer the questions
Your result appears here as soon as every question has an answer.
This is a quick guide based on how the EU ePrivacy rules and GDPR are commonly applied. It isn't legal advice. Rules differ by country, so check with a lawyer or your local data protection authority for your exact setup.
What the rules actually say
In the EU, the ePrivacy Directive (Article 5(3)) requires consent before you store or read information on a visitor's device, unless it's strictly necessary for a service they asked for. The UK has the same rule under PECR. GDPR then governs any personal data you collect.
So the question isn't really “do I use cookies?” but “does my site store or read anything on the device that isn't strictly necessary?”
Usually needs consent
- Google Analytics and other cookie-based analytics
- Ad and retargeting pixels (Meta, Google Ads, TikTok, LinkedIn)
- Embeds that set third-party cookies, like standard YouTube embeds
- Personalisation and A/B testing cookies
Usually doesn't
- Login, shopping cart, security and load-balancing cookies
- Remembering a visitor's consent choice itself
- Cookieless analytics that store nothing on the device and keep no personal data
How to drop the banner
Replace cookie-based analytics with a cookieless tool, load embeds only after a click, and remove ad pixels you don't use. Many sites find that after this, nothing left needs consent.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a cookie banner for Google Analytics?+
For EU, EEA and UK visitors, generally yes. GA4 sets cookies that aren't strictly necessary, so regulators expect opt-in consent before it loads.
Do I need a cookie banner if I don't use cookies?+
The ePrivacy rules cover storing or reading anything on a visitor's device, not just cookies. If your site and tools store nothing non-essential, there's usually nothing to ask consent for.
Do essential cookies need consent?+
No. Cookies that are strictly necessary for something the visitor asked for, like staying logged in or keeping a cart, don't need consent, though you should still mention them in your privacy policy.
Is this legal advice?+
No. It's a quick guide based on how the rules are commonly applied. For your exact situation, ask a lawyer or your data protection authority.
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