If your website is accessible to European Union visitors, you must ensure that it complies with the GDPR.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) sets strict guidelines for how websites collect, store, and manage personal information, particularly for users in the European Union.
With the right plugins, you can easily make your WordPress website GDPR-compliant without complicated coding or legal headaches. In this article, we’ve rounded up the top WordPress plugins designed to help you manage consent, secure data, and stay transparent—all while keeping your site user-friendly.
But first, let’s look at what a GDPR plugin is and why you need one.
Table of Contents
- What Is a GDPR WordPress Plugin?
- Why Do You Need a GDPR WordPress Plugin?
- Best 8 GDPR WordPress Plugins
- FAQ
- Summary
What Is a GDPR WordPress Plugin?
A GDPR plugin is a tool available on WordPress that enables website owners to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The GDPR mandates that businesses safeguard the personal information and privacy of EU citizens for any transactions that take place within EU member states. The plugin can assist in managing cookie consent, privacy policies, data access requests, and other GDPR-related obligations.
➡ To learn more about GDPR, read: What Is GDPR and How Does It Impact Your Organization?
Why Do You Need a GDPR WordPress Plugin?
Non-compliance with GDPR can have serious repercussions, including hefty fines of up to 4% of a company’s global revenue or €20 million (whichever is greater).
A GDPR plugin can help you ensure that your website is compliant with the regulation, which is particularly important if you collect and process the personal data of EU citizens. In addition to avoiding penalties, complying with GDPR can enhance your reputation and build trust with your users by demonstrating that you take their privacy seriously.
Best 8 GDPR WordPress Plugins
Various GDPR and cookie consent WordPress plugins are available, but some are definitely better than others. Here, I have narrowed them down to the eight best plugins.
Complianz (Freemium)
🏆 Best for full global data protection compliance.
Complianz is a plugin providing cookie consent for compliance with GDPR and CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act). It supports multiple regulations and includes a customizable cookie policy and conditional notice based on a built-in cookie scan.
Key features:
- provides options for cookie consent;
- offers a customizable cookie notice for specific regions;
- includes banner templates for GDPR-compliant cookie walls and consent;
- blocks third-party cookies and iFrames;
- periodically scans cookies, plugins, and third-party services for changes;
- automatically detects when a cookie notice is required on the website.
Pricing: free, with a premium version available for $59.
Pros:
- integrated statistical tools will automatically anonymize personal data;
- complies with various privacy laws and regulations, including GDPR, RGPD, ePrivacy AVG, DSGVO, LGPD, PECR, UK DPA, CNIL, CCPA, UK GDPR, COPPA, ASL, PIPEDA, CPOPIA, Privacy Act 1988, The “Marco Civil,” Australian Privacy Principles, and the Brazilian General Data Protection Law;
- includes a “Do Not Sell My Personal Information” (DNSMPI) page for CCPA and CPRA.
Cons:
- some users mention a lack of support.
Real Cookie Banner (Freemium)
🏆 Best for EU data protection compliance.
Real Cookie Banner is a WordPress plugin that assists website owners in complying with GDPR and ePrivacy Directive regulations. It simplifies obtaining visitors’ consent to load services and set cookies and provides content blockers to ensure compliance even if themes, plugins, or content loads transfer personal data. The plugin includes a guided configuration to simplify setup and avoid legal risks.
Key features:
- provides guided configuration for easy setup, including explanations;
- includes a checklist to ensure a legally compliant setup of the cookie banner;
- searching for services used on the website through templates and embedded external URLs automatically;
- over 150 service and 120 content blocker templates to avoid technical and legal issues;
- a duty of proof revision that documents consent to comply with GDPR.
Pricing: free, with a PRO version starting at €59.
Pros:
- enables blocking of elements based on the HTML tag for items already included by your theme or plugins;
- allows blocking of specific elements based on custom-defined rules using a flexible and easy-to-understand syntax;
- the design of your cookie banner and content blocker can be customized with more than 200 options to fit perfectly with your corporate design.
Cons:
- certain key features are only accessible through the paid version.
JetFormBuilder (Freemium)
🏆 Best for creating cookie consent forms.
JetFormBuilder is a WordPress form-building solution designed to combine flexibility with powerful tools for dynamic content. Whether you need a simple contact form, a complex multi-step application, or a cookie consent form, it helps users create any type of form imaginable.
With options for intuitive manual setup or AI-assisted form generation, JetFormBuilder simplifies the process while ensuring top-tier security standards, including full GDPR compliance. It also helps to create useful cookie consent forms easily.
Key features:
- 24 field types for form creation;
- possibility to accept payments via Stripe, PayPal, etc.;
- full GDPR compliance;
- AI-powered form generation;
- conditional logic.
Pricing: JetFormBuilder is free but has a premium version with paid add-ons. The cost starts from $49 for one website.
Pros:
- drag-and-drop form creation;
- widgets for Elementor and Bricks;
- possibility to style custom fields;
- 12 available after-submit actions.
Cons:
- it’s not easy for newbies.
JetPopup (Premium)
🏆 Best for creating all types of pop-ups, including GDPR.
JetPopup is a pop-up plugin from Crocoblock that is compatible with Elementor and Gutenberg. You can use it to create many different types of pop-ups, including GDPR. You can see demonstrations of the various GDPR pop-up templates available, which you can customize to suit your particular requirements.
Key features:
- drag-and-drop interface;
- Elementor widgets for creating the layout and adding content;
- customizable pop-up triggers;
- timers and dates for when pop-ups appear;
- variety of pop-up presets.
Pricing: from $22 per year for a single website.
Pros:
- animation effects for pop-ups;
- pre-built templates;
- plenty of customization options.
Cons:
- there is no free version.
CookieYes (Freemium)
🏆 Best for creating a cookie consent banner with minimal setup.
CookieYes is an excellent solution for website owners aiming to ensure privacy compliance and protect users’ privacy rights. The CookieYes GDPR Cookie Consent plugin for WordPress helps websites comply with GDPR, CNIL of France, LGPD of Brazil, POPIA of South Africa, and CCPA/CPRA laws. It adds a customizable cookie banner, a user-friendly interface, and customer support. It also offers advanced analytics and reporting tools to manage the website’s cookie usage.
Key features:
- displaying a cookie consent banner with options to accept or reject;
- provides free access to its web app, including advanced features like consent logs and cookie scans;
- automatically scans and categorizes cookies with just one click;
- displaying the list of cookies on the website’s cookie policy page;
- possibility to set cookie banners for WordPress websites to ensure GDPR compliance;
- offers complete flexibility in customizing the cookie notice, including color, font, style, placement, and functionality upon clicking “Accept All”;
- the Cookie List module creates a neatly displayed table of the cookies used on your website on the Privacy & Cookies Policy page.
Pricing: free, with a paid version starting at $10 monthly.
Pros:
- configuration allows setting up a “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” option on the cookie notice;
- assist in achieving cookie compliance with CNIL, a French administrative regulatory body;
- cookie compliance with POPIA, the data protection law in South Africa.
Cons:
- some users have complained that it connects to the CookieYes website, and once disconnected, it deletes all the cookies from the user’s website.
iubenda (Freemium)
🏆 Good all-in-one solution for GDPR compliance.
The iubenda plugin is an all-in-one solution for GDPR compliance. It provides easy-to-use, lawyer-created text and quickly scans your website to adjust your setup. It supports multiple regulations, including GDPR, CPRA/CCPA, ePrivacy, CalOPPA, LGPD, PECR, and more.
Key features:
- automatically adjusting its solutions to fit the specific needs of a website;
- enables the creation of a customizable cookie banner and offers the ability to manage cookie consent and store GDPR consent proofs legally required for cookies;
- offers a feature to create a CCPA notice with a link that works for DNSMPI, as required by law;
- supports IAB’s TCF to maximize ad revenue;
- quick creation of a privacy and cookie policy that can be customized to suit your needs;
- detects the user’s location and applies the appropriate data privacy settings automatically;
- allows you to collect, store, and manage GDPR consent records for your web forms.
Pricing: free, with a paid version starting from $71.88 per year.
Pros:
- enables the easy and quick creation of professional Terms and Conditions to protect you from potential liabilities;
- allows you to translate all documents into 10 languages with a single click;
- works with Google’s Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP).
Cons: it has a bit of a learning curve.
WP AutoTerms (Freemium)
🏆 Best for creating legal pages.
WP AutoTerms is a WordPress plugin that assists websites in complying with various legal requirements, such as GDPR, CCPA, or Amazon Associates’ disclosure for affiliate links. Previously known as “Auto Terms of Service and Privacy Policy,” the plugin allows users to create a Privacy Policy, Terms & Conditions agreement, or Cookies Policy through a simple wizard. Additionally, users can create and manage their legal pages.
Key features:
- possibility to create a Terms and Conditions page with Terms and Conditions Generator;
- generates a GDPR & CCPA privacy policy for your WordPress website, which includes the necessary wording to comply with these regulations;
- offers Compliance Kits that provide features to help comply with various requirements, such as a Cookie Notice, Update Notice of Legal Pages, Links to Legal Pages, and Endorsements.
Pricing: free, with a Premium version starting from $78 for two websites.
Pros:
- fully customizable;
- covers all legal pages you will need on your website;
- WP AutoTerms quickly resolves technical issues.
Cons:
- GDPR and CCPA features are only available in the Premium version.
GDPR Cookie Compliance (Freemium)
🏆 Great if you want plenty of styling and configuration options.
The GDPR Cookie Compliance plugin helps websites comply with GDPR, CCPA, EU cookie law, DSGVO, and notice requirements. It gives users complete control over cookies stored on their computers, including revoking consent.
The plugin is customizable, allowing users to upload their logo, colors, and fonts and change all text. It offers flexible script loading options and includes buttons for accepting, rejecting, closing, and changing settings. The plugin has a simple, intuitive user interface and is available in 18 languages.
Key features:
- the plugin does not collect or store user data on its servers. Instead, it stores data locally on the website;
- users have complete control over their stored cookies, including revoking consent;
- fully customizable, with options for uploading logos, changing colors and fonts, and modifying all text;
- possibility to choose between the top or bottom placement for the cookie consent banner;
- it offers flexibility regarding which scripts are loaded by default or only when the user consents;
- supports all major caching servers and plugins, is available in 18 languages, and is optimized for PHP 7 and PHP 8.
Pricing: free, with a Premium version starting from £59 per year.
Pros:
- includes options for “Accept,” “Reject,” “Close,” and “Settings” buttons and allows for consent expiration settings;
- mobile-responsive and optimized for accessibility guidelines and SEO;
- compatible with WPML, WP Multilang, TranslatePress, QTranslate, and Polylang and includes a .pot file for translations.
Cons:
- some users mention a lack of support.
FAQ
GDPR is a data protection and privacy regulation adopted by the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, and the European Commission in April 2016. It became effective on May 25, 2018, and applies to all organizations that collect, process, or store the personal data of EU citizens.
GDPR applies to any organization, regardless of its location, that collects, processes, or stores the personal data of EU citizens. It applies to data controllers (organizations that determine the purpose and means of processing personal data) and data processors (organizations that process personal data on behalf of data controllers).
Personal data means any information that relates to an identified or identifiable individual. It includes names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, IP addresses, and other data types that can be used to identify an individual.
The key principles of GDPR are transparency, lawfulness, and fairness in processing personal data. GDPR also requires organizations to collect only the minimum amount of data necessary for their purposes, keep data accurate and up-to-date, and ensure personal data’s security and confidentiality.
Non-compliance with GDPR can result in significant fines of up to €20 million or 4% of global annual revenue, whichever is higher. In addition to fines, organizations may face legal action and reputational damage.
Organizations can ensure compliance with GDPR by appointing a Data Protection Officer (DPO), implementing technical and organizational measures to ensure the security and confidentiality of personal data, and regularly reviewing and updating their data protection policies and procedures.
The features you should look for in a GDPR WordPress plugin depend on your website’s specific needs. However, some common features include cookie consent banners, data access request forms, data deletion request forms, and privacy policy generators.
Some GDPR WordPress plugins are free, while others charge a fee. The cost depends on the plugin’s features and the level of support provided.
When choosing a GDPR WordPress plugin, consider its features and whether they align with your website’s needs. You should also read reviews and check whether the plugin is compatible with your current WordPress theme and plugins.
Even if you use a GDPR WordPress plugin, you still need a privacy policy. GDPR requires one, and it should be easily accessible on your website.
No, a GDPR WordPress plugin cannot guarantee compliance with the regulation. Compliance also depends on your website’s practices and processes for handling personal data.
There are some risks associated with using a GDPR WordPress plugin, such as plugin conflicts and compatibility issues with other plugins. Therefore, it’s essential to thoroughly research and test any plugin before implementing it on your website.
To install a GDPR WordPress plugin, log in to your WordPress dashboard, click “Plugins,” then “Add New.” Search for the plugin you want to install and click “Install Now.” Once the plugin is installed, click “Activate” to enable it on your website.
Summary
GDPR compliance is a crucial aspect of website ownership, mainly if you collect and process the personal data of EU citizens. A GDPR plugin can help you ensure your website complies with the regulations and avoid hefty fines and legal action. The eight plugins described in this article offer a range of features to help you achieve GDPR compliance, and it is important to choose one that aligns with your website’s specific needs.
To recap, here are the GDPR plugins reviewed:
- JetFormBuilder helps to create cookie consent forms.
- Complianz provides full global data protection compliance by managing cookie consent, privacy policies, data access requests, and other GDPR-related obligations.
- Real Cookie Banner helps websites comply with GDPR and ePrivacy Directive regulations by simplifying obtaining consent from visitors and providing content blockers to ensure compliance.
- JetPopup is compatible with Elementor and Gutenberg and creates many different types of pop-ups, including GDPR.
- CookieYes helps websites comply with GDPR, the CNIL of France, the LGPD of Brazil, and the CCPA/CPRA laws by adding a customizable cookie banner, a user-friendly interface, and customer support.
- iubenda is an all-in-one solution for GDPR compliance that offers a customizable cookie banner, cookie consent management, and privacy policy generator.
- WP AutoTerms allows users to create legal pages, which assists websites in complying with various legal requirements, such as GDPR, CCPA, or Amazon Associates’ disclosure for affiliate links.
- GDPR Cookie Compliance helps websites comply with GDPR, CCPA, EU cookie law, DSGVO, and notice requirements by providing users complete control over cookies stored on their computers and a customizable cookie consent banner.
