Cookiebot is a cookie consent solution by Cybot that helps WordPress sites comply with GDPR and ePrivacy regulations through automated cookie scanning and consent management. The service scans your website thoroughly — identifying cookies, tracking scripts, and similar technologies — then builds a detailed cookie declaration and configures a consent banner that lets visitors control which categories of cookies they accept. What sets Cookiebot apart is its deep scanning engine that can detect cookies set by third-party services embedded on your site, not just the cookies your own WordPress installation sets. It integrates with Google Consent Mode and supports the IAB TCF framework for advertising consent. For compliance-focused sites, it’s a reliable alternative to CookieYes and Complianz GDPR, with particularly strong support for the European advertising ecosystem.
The plugin handles both automatic and manual consent modes, and its auto-blocking feature prevents cookies from being set before the user interacts with the banner. The cookie declaration is automatically updated after each scan, ensuring your privacy documentation stays current.
Competitive Features
- Deep cookie scanner — identifies all cookies including third-party, session, and persistent cookies from embedded services
- Auto-blocking — blocks all non-essential cookies until the user gives explicit consent
- Google Consent Mode — full integration with Google’s consent framework for analytics and advertising
- IAB TCF support — compliant with the IAB Europe Transparency and Consent Framework for advertising
- Auto-updated cookie declaration — cookie list auto-updates after each scan with descriptions and durations
- Multilingual banner — cookie banner automatically adapts to 35+ languages
- Consent statistics — dashboard showing consent rates by category and country
Key Features
- Automated scanning — scheduled scans run weekly to detect new cookies and changes to existing ones
- Prior consent mode — no cookies are placed before the user interacts with the consent banner
- Custom banner design — modify colors, position, and layout of the cookie banner to match your brand
- Cookie declaration shortcode — embed an up-to-date cookie list on any page using
[cookie_declaration] - Consent history — log every consent action with timestamp for legal compliance documentation
- Domain group management — manage consent across multiple domains and subdomains from one account
- Custom blocking — define custom rules for blocking scripts that Cookiebot doesn’t automatically detect
Comparison with Competitors
Cookiebot vs CookieYes
| Aspect | Cookiebot | CookieYes |
|---|---|---|
| Cookie scanner | Deep scan (all sources) | Standard scan |
| IAB TCF support | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-translate | 35+ languages | 45+ languages |
| Consent statistics | Yes | Yes |
| Privacy policy generator | No | Yes |
Bottom line: Cookiebot has a deeper scanning engine that catches more third-party cookies, especially from embedded advertising networks. CookieYes offers a more complete package with privacy policy generation and a more generous free tier for page views.
Cookiebot vs Complianz GDPR
| Aspect | Cookiebot | Complianz GDPR |
|---|---|---|
| Scanning depth | Deep (all services) | Standard (plugin-based) |
| Legal documents | External service | Built-in generator |
| IAB TCF | Yes | Via premium |
| Auto-translate | 35 languages | No |
| Data storage | Cloud (Cookiebot) | Your server |
Bottom line: Complianz GDPR runs entirely on your server and includes full legal document generation. Cookiebot’s cloud-based scanning is more thorough for detecting cookies from embedded services and advertising networks.
Recommended Stack: Cookiebot handles consent management and cookie scanning. For site security alongside compliance, add a dedicated security solution like Wordfence Premium to protect against threats while maintaining regulatory compliance.
Official Changelog (3 Last Versions)
Cookiebot is a premium service with a WordPress plugin component.
Version 4.3.0
Release Date: August 5, 2026
- New deep scan algorithm for detecting dynamically injected third-party scripts
- Enhanced Google Consent Mode v2 with default analytics consent state
- Fixed banner display conflict with Elementor popup builders
Version 4.2.5
Release Date: June 20, 2026
- Improved weekly scanning with selective re-scan of changed pages only
- Added custom blocking rules API for developers to block non-standard scripts
- Fixed consent statistics timezone handling for global websites
Version 4.2.0
Release Date: May 10, 2026
- New domain group manager for multi-site and subdomain consent management
- Added automatic cookie declaration update on each successful scan
- Performance optimization for lightweight script loading on mobile pages
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Cookiebot scan cookies?
Cookiebot’s scanner visits each page on your site using a real browser environment, which means it can detect cookies set by JavaScript, third-party embed scripts, and server-side code. It categorizes each cookie by purpose and updates the cookie declaration automatically after each scan.
Is Cookiebot free?
Cookiebot offers a limited free plan that covers one domain with up to 200 scanned pages. Paid plans start at €12/month and include unlimited scanning, advanced customization, and priority support.
Does Cookiebot work with Google Consent Mode?
Yes. Cookiebot fully integrates with Google Consent Mode v2, allowing Google Analytics, Google Ads, and Google Tag Manager to respect user consent choices. The integration passes default consent states and updates them when users change their preferences.
What is IAB TCF support?
The IAB Europe Transparency and Consent Framework is a standard for digital advertising consent. Cookiebot’s TCF support means advertising networks and ad exchanges can read the user’s consent status from Cookiebot, ensuring ad personalization and measurement comply with privacy regulations.
Can I customize the banner appearance?
Yes. Cookiebot provides a banner customization interface where you can change colors, font, button styles, banner position (top, bottom, left, right), and layout (bar or overlay). Custom CSS can be applied for complete design control.
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