CookieFirst vs CookieYes
Which cookie consent tool fits your site best?
Are you looking for a cloud-based cookie banner that works on any website without heavy plugins? Then CookieFirst and CookieYes quickly rise to the top. They appear technically similar, but differences in location, performance, and billing models determine which is the best choice for your website.
Where they are identical
Both platforms work cross-platform. You paste a JavaScript snippet onto your website, regardless of whether you use WordPress, Shopify, Webflow, or custom code. They automatically scan your site for cookies, ensure scripts load only after consent, and integrate seamlessly with Google Consent Mode v2. They also both offer a handy policy generator.
Where the difference lies
Origin and Hosting. CookieFirst is a European (Dutch) company and processes all consent logs strictly within the EU. CookieYes is a British company. Post-Brexit, the UK is a so-called "third country" under the GDPR. This is not a hard blocker for most small webshops, but for parties requiring "everything locally within the EU," CookieFirst offers an advantage.
Speed and Performance. CookieFirst is specifically designed to have minimal impact on your Core Web Vitals and load times. They emphasize a minimal, clean codebase. CookieYes is more broadly oriented and extremely focused on ease of use for absolute beginners, resulting in a slightly heavier, "one-size-fits-all" implementation.
Billing Model. Both tools start around $10/month. The difference is in the model: CookieFirst bills based on the selected feature package, regardless of your site traffic. CookieYes bills based on the number of pageviews (traffic-based). For a website with high visitor numbers, CookieYes will become expensive faster.
Quick overview
| CookieFirst | CookieYes | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | from $10/mo | from $10/mo |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| EU-based | ✓ | ✗ |
| Consent Mode v2 | ✓ | ✓ |
Feature comparison
| Feature | CookieFirst | CookieYes |
|---|---|---|
| Google Consent Mode v2 Support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Automated Cookie Scanning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Automatic Script/Cookie Blocking | ✓ | ✓ |
| Customizable Consent Banners | ✓ | ✓ |
| IAB TCF 2.2 Support | — | ⚡ Paid |
| Policy Generator (Cookie/Privacy) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Consent Audit Trail / Logs | ✓ | ✓ |
| Self-hosted Data Processing | ✗ | ✗ |
| CCPA Support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Google Tag Manager Support | ✓ | ✓ |
✓ Included ⚡ Paid plan only ✗ Not available
Platform support
| Platform | CookieFirst | CookieYes |
|---|---|---|
| WordPress | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shopify | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wix | — | ✓ |
| Squarespace | — | ✓ |
| Webflow | — | ✗ |
| Any HTML/JS Website | ✓ | ✓ |
Based on explicit mentions on the vendor's website.
Our recommendation
For European websites with stable traffic, we recommend CookieFirst. The guaranteed data processing within the EU, the strong focus on performance (faster load times), and the predictable, feature-based pricing model are the deciding factors.
Choose CookieYes if you have a relatively small website (which might even fall into their generous free plan) and you want the absolute easiest setup currently available on the market, without concerns about British hosting.
Setting up a banner does not equal compliance. Most violations occur post-installation because scripts still load too early via Google Tag Manager. Always run a free scan after configuration to verify it actually works.
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