# How to choose a cookie consent platform (CMP) ยท Consentl > The questions to ask before you pick a cookie consent platform: the laws it covers, real blocking, Google Consent Mode, proof of consent, speed, data location and price. Source: https://consentl.com/features/how-to-choose # How to choose a cookie consent platform The questions to ask before you pick a cookie consent platform: the laws it covers, real blocking, Google Consent Mode, proof of consent, speed, data location and price. ## Start with your visitors, not with a feature list A consent platform (CMP) shows the cookie banner, holds trackers back until the visitor chooses and keeps proof of that choice. Which one fits depends on where your visitors come from, which tags your site runs and how much time you want to spend on it. The questions below work for any provider; under each one we say how Consentl answers it. ## Does it apply the right rule in each region? Visitors from the EU, the UK and Switzerland need consent before non-essential cookies; most US state laws want an easy opt-out and respect for Global Privacy Control; Brazil and Quebec have their own rules. Ask whether the platform picks the rule from the visitor's location or shows everyone the same banner. **Consentl:** ready-made rules for each region on every plan, chosen from the visitor's country, which is looked up in memory and not stored. See the [cookie banner](https://consentl.com/features/cookie-banner) and the [privacy laws](https://consentl.com/laws). ## Is rejecting as easy as accepting? Regulators check the design: a "Reject all" button on the first layer, nothing pre-ticked, choices per category and a way to change one's mind later. Ask to see the default banner, not a customised one. **Consentl:** "Accept all" and "Reject all" of equal weight, categories, no pre-ticked boxes and a "Cookie settings" link on every page. ## Does it really block trackers before consent? A banner that only records a choice while the tags keep running does not help. Ask how tags written in the page are held back, whether known trackers loaded by code are blocked automatically, and run a scan to check what still sets cookies before consent. **Consentl:** marking tags on every plan, automatic blocking of known trackers on Pro and higher and your own blocking rules on Business. See [script blocking](https://consentl.com/features/script-blocking). ## Does it send Google Consent Mode v2 and other ad signals? If you advertise with Google, consent signals for visitors from the EEA and the UK are required. Meta, Microsoft and TikTok have their own consent signals. Publishers that sell programmatic ads may also need the IAB Transparency & Consent Framework (TCF). **Consentl:** [Google Consent Mode v2](https://consentl.com/features/google-consent-mode) on every plan, including Free; Meta, Microsoft and TikTok signals on Pro and higher. Consentl does not support IAB TCF, so choose a TCF-certified platform if you need it. ## Can you prove consent later? If an authority or a visitor asks how you got consent, you need records: what was shown, what was chosen and when. Ask what each record contains, how long it is kept and whether you can export it. **Consentl:** a pseudonymous record of every choice with the banner version, kept on every plan and exported as CSV. See the [consent log](https://consentl.com/features/consent-log). ## Does it find the cookies your site sets? Plugins, videos and chat widgets add cookies over time. A scanner that visits your site before and after consent shows what runs too early and feeds your cookie declaration. **Consentl:** a [cookie scanner](https://consentl.com/features/cookie-scanner) on every plan, with scheduled scans on Business. ## Languages and accessibility The banner should speak your visitors' language and work with a keyboard and a screen reader, which the European Accessibility Act now expects from many online shops. **Consentl:** ready-made texts in 34 languages, including all 24 official EU languages, editable on Pro and higher; the built-in themes are designed to meet WCAG 2.2 AA. ## Speed on a phone The banner loads on every page, before anything else. Ask how much data and processor time it adds on a phone, and test it on your own site with Google PageSpeed Insights. **Consentl:** see our [speed measurements](https://consentl.com/speed) and the method behind them. ## Where is the data stored? Consent records and privacy requests are personal data. Ask where they are stored, who processes them and whether a data processing agreement is included. **Consentl:** servers and database in Frankfurt, Germany; records contain a shortened IP address, never the full one; the [data processing agreement](https://consentl.com/legal/dpa) is part of the terms. ## What does it cost as you grow? Compare what the free plan includes, which features need a paid plan and whether the price rises with visitors or page views. **Consentl:** a Free plan with the banner, regional rules, Consent Mode v2, the consent log and the scanner, and no traffic limit on any plan. See the [pricing](https://consentl.com/pricing). ## FAQ ### Do I need a consent platform if I only use Google Analytics? If visitors from the EU or the UK come to your site, analytics cookies need consent first, so you need a banner that holds them back until the visitor agrees and records the choice. ### Can I switch from another consent platform? Yes. Remove the old banner and its script, install Consentl, run a scan and check the categories. Visitors are asked once more, because consent given through another tool is not carried over. ### Is a free consent platform enough? For many small sites, yes: Consentl's Free plan covers the banner, the regional rules, Consent Mode v2 and the consent log. Paid plans add automatic blocking and more scanned pages, and Business and Enterprise keep records longer. [Start free](https://app.consentl.com/signup) [Pricing](https://consentl.com/pricing) ## Features - [Cookie banner](https://consentl.com/features/cookie-banner) - [Cookie scanner](https://consentl.com/features/cookie-scanner) - [Google Consent Mode v2](https://consentl.com/features/google-consent-mode) - [Script blocking](https://consentl.com/features/script-blocking) - [Consent log](https://consentl.com/features/consent-log) - [Privacy requests](https://consentl.com/features/privacy-requests) ## Privacy laws - [GDPR and ePrivacy (EU)](https://consentl.com/laws/gdpr) - [UK GDPR and PECR](https://consentl.com/laws/uk-gdpr) - [CCPA, CPRA and US states](https://consentl.com/laws/ccpa) - [LGPD (Brazil)](https://consentl.com/laws/lgpd) - [PIPEDA and Quebec Law 25](https://consentl.com/laws/pipeda)