Best Consent Management Platforms (CMPs) for Publishers | 2023

Consent management platforms (CMPs) have become increasingly important in recent years, as businesses strive to stay compliant with data privacy regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the EU and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). By requesting, receiving and storing users’ consent for cookies and other forms of tracking, a CMP makes compliance with data privacy regulations much simpler. Good CMPs will also allow the website owner to track data on users’ consent choices in order to inform other decisions about their site.

With new regulations due to be introduced in several US states over the coming months, and more rulings by regulators in European countries about the interpretation of GDPR also likely in 2023, it’s important that publishers ensure they have a good CMP in place and stay up to date with the latest requirements.

In this blog post, we will discuss the best consent management platforms of 2023, taking into consideration features such as functionality, ease-of-use and affordability.

The Top 5 Consent Management Platforms (CMPs) for 2023

Here are some of the best Consent Management Platforms of 2023, along with their pros and cons:

1. Clickio

Clickio is a leading CMP, available free of charge to all publishers, with a user-friendly interface and various customization options.

Pros:

• Easy-to-use interface and simple setup.
• Design optimized for high consent rates and instant loading.
• Customizable colors, styles, position and wording – with multi-language option.

Cons:

• Free version is Clickio branded.

2. OneTrust

OneTrust is a wider privacy management platform, which includes a CMP with a range of features.

Pros:

• Part of a comprehensive privacy management platform.
• Provides site audit of existing cookies and trackers.
• Automatically sort cookies and banners into predefined categories.
• Customizable banners.
• Free trial available.

Cons:

• Expensive compared to other options.
• Targeted more at large companies – may be overly complicated for smaller sites.

3. Cookiebot

Cookiebot is a popular consent management platform that specializes in cookie consent.

Pros:

• Customizable interface for creating and managing cookie consent forms.
• Supports over 40 languages.
• Detailed analytics on user preferences and consent.
• Different pricing levels depending on the size of your site.

Cons:

• Limited features available in free plan.
• May require technical expertise for customization.

4. TrustArc

TrustArc is a privacy management platform that offers a suite of tools for privacy compliance, including consent management.

Pros:

• Comprehensive privacy management platform.
• Fully managed privacy service available.
• Integrations with popular websites and marketing platforms.
• User-friendly interface for consent management.

Cons:

• More expensive than some other options.
• Potentially steep learning curve for new users.

5. CookiePro

CookiePro is a consent management platform that helps businesses manage cookie and privacy preferences.

Pros:

• Simple and user-friendly interface for creating and managing consent forms.
• Integrations with popular websites and marketing platforms.
• 24/7 customer support.

Cons:

• Limited features compared to comprehensive privacy management platforms.
• May require technical expertise for customization.

Which consent management platform should you choose?

When deciding on the best CMP for your site, here are a few factors to consider:

• Flexibility – do you need to customize the design, layout or wording of your CMP and how easy is this to do?
• Functionality – do you need other, broader privacy management or site performance features?
• Ease of use – is it easy to install, update and manage the CMP, or does it require advanced technical knowledge?
• Reporting – how easy is it to track consent rates and other key stats?
• Cost – what will your budget allow, and is a more expensive CMP worth it?

Ultimately, the decision will come down to the nature of your site and your specific requirements. For larger, more technically advanced sites with bigger budgets, a more comprehensive privacy management system, such as that offered by OneTrust might be most appropriate. However, for smaller sites, the free CMP from Clickio, which is easy to set up and comes with lots of customization options, is likely to be the best choice.

To get Clickio’s free consent management platform on your site, click here.