Cookiebot and Iubenda are Europe's two most popular consent management solutions for small to medium businesses. Both offer cookie consent, but take different approaches. Here's how they compare to help you make the right choice.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | Cookiebot | Iubenda |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Denmark (Cybot) | Italy (Bologna) |
| Starting price | Free / $14/mo | $27/year per site |
| Privacy policy generator | No | Yes — modular builder |
| Cookie policy generator | No (auto-generated list) | Yes — full document |
| Terms of Service | No | Yes — generator included |
| Auto cookie scanning | Yes — monthly deep scan | Yes — on installation |
| Script blocking | Automatic + manual | Automatic + manual |
| TCF 2.2 | Yes | Yes |
| Google Consent Mode V2 | Yes | Yes |
| CCPA support | Yes | Yes |
| LGPD support | Yes | Yes |
| Consent proof storage | 12 months | 5 years |
| WordPress plugin | Yes (official) | Yes (official) |
| Multi-site pricing | Per domain | Site bundles available |
| Page load impact | ~40ms | ~35ms |
| Setup time | 15-30 min | 20-45 min |
Cookiebot's Advantages
Superior Auto-Scanning
Cookiebot runs a monthly deep scan of your entire website, automatically detecting and categorizing new cookies. This scan is more thorough than Iubenda's initial scan, catching dynamically-loaded cookies and third-party scripts that only fire on specific pages.
Better Automatic Blocking
Cookiebot's auto-blocking engine is widely considered the most reliable in the industry. It blocks scripts before consent without requiring manual JavaScript modifications. While Iubenda also offers auto-blocking, Cookiebot handles edge cases (like dynamically-injected scripts) better.
Simpler Free Tier
Cookiebot's free tier is straightforward: 1 domain, 50 subpages. It includes the full consent banner and auto-scanning. Iubenda's free offering is more limited and pushes users toward paid plans quickly.
Iubenda's Advantages
All-in-One Legal Suite
Iubenda's biggest differentiator is the integrated legal document generator. It createsGDPR-compliant privacy policies, cookie policies, and terms of service — all maintained and updated as regulations change. Cookiebot doesn't generate any legal documents.
Better Consent Proof
Iubenda stores consent records for 5 years (vs Cookiebot's 12 months). Given that GDPR doesn't specify a consent record retention period but regulators can audit years back, Iubenda's longer retention is a clear advantage.
Lower Cost for Multi-Site
With site bundles starting at $27/year per site and discounted multi-site packages, Iubenda is often cheaper than Cookiebot for agencies or businesses managing 5+ websites.
The Verdict
| Scenario | Winner |
|---|---|
| Just need a cookie banner | Cookiebot |
| Need privacy policy + banner | Iubenda |
| WordPress site | Tie — both excellent |
| Agency with 10+ client sites | Iubenda (pricing) |
| Best auto-blocking | Cookiebot |
| Longest consent proof | Iubenda (5 years) |
| Fastest page load | Iubenda (~35ms vs ~40ms) |
After installing either CMP, verify it's working correctly with a free PrivacyChecker scan. We'll check if cookies are truly blocked before consent and whether the reject flow works as intended.