With privacy regulations like GDPR, CCPA, and ePrivacy directives tightening globally, implementing a robust cookie consent solution on your Drupal site is essential. Drupal offers several cookie consent modules to help website owners comply with these laws while enhancing user trust. In this blog post, we’ll compare the most prominent Drupal cookie consent modules, including Klaro Cookie & Consent Management, to help you choose the best fit for your site. We’ll explore their features, ease of use, and compliance capabilities, concluding with a detailed comparison table.
Disclaimer: No liability is assumed regarding compliance with GDPR or other regulations. Always consult legal experts to ensure your site meets local privacy requirements.
Overview of Drupal Cookie Consent Modules
Here’s a breakdown of the key Drupal cookie consent modules available as of June 2025, based on their functionality, configuration options, and compliance features:
1. Klaro Cookie & Consent Management
- Source: https://www.drupal.org/project/klaro
- Description: Klaro is an open-source consent management module that integrates the Klaro! JavaScript library, offering a lightweight, user-friendly way to manage cookie consent. It provides fine-grained control over services, purposes, and external resources, ensuring compliance with GDPR and ePrivacy regulations. Klaro automatically blocks non-essential scripts until user consent is granted and supports multilingual sites.
- Key Features:
- Customizable consent banners with opt-in/opt-out options.
- Automatic attribution of HTML script tags to block third-party resources.
- Supports multiple dialog modes (Silent, Notice, Modal, Consent Modal).
- Multilingual support with translatable texts.
- Blocks unknown external resources by default.
- Stores consent decisions in a strictly necessary cookie (
klaro). - Actively maintained with a stable 3.x branch release candidate as of December 2024.
- Ease of Use: Requires some technical knowledge to configure services and purposes, but the admin interface is intuitive. Automatic attribution simplifies script management for developers.
- Best For: Sites needing a lightweight, open-source solution with granular control over third-party services.
2. COOKiES Consent Management
- Source: https://www.drupal.org/project/cookies
- Description: The COOKiES module focuses on GDPR-compliant user consent management, enabling third-party integrations (e.g., Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel) to function only after user consent. It offers a fully customizable, responsive banner and supports accessibility.
- Key Features:
- Fully responsive and translatable UI.
- Accessibility-compliant design.
- Supports third-party integrations like Google Tag Manager, Matomo, and video embeds.
- Customizable styling via CSS variables or SCSS.
- Includes a “Cookies settings” link for user preference changes.
- Configurable scroll limit to delay banner display for performance.
- Ease of Use: Developer-friendly with examples for integrating third-party modules. Configuration is straightforward via the admin interface, though styling may require CSS knowledge.
- Best For: Sites with multiple third-party integrations needing a customizable, accessible banner.
3. Cookie Consent Notice by CookieYes
- Source: https://www.drupal.org/project/cookieyes
- Description: CookieYes is a third-party service integrated into Drupal, offering automated cookie scanning and compliance with GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy laws. It provides a user-friendly front-end integration without backend modifications.
- Key Features:
- Automatic cookie scanning and categorization.
- Customizable opt-in/opt-out banners with multilingual support.
- Geo-targeting to display banners only in specific regions.
- Consent logging and proof-of-consent documentation.
- Supports Google Consent Mode and IAB TCF.
- Blocks non-essential scripts until consent is granted.
- Ease of Use: Extremely easy to set up due to automated scanning and minimal configuration. Ideal for non-technical users, though it relies on an external service.
- Best For: Sites seeking a plug-and-play solution with automated compliance features.
4. EU Cookie Compliance (GDPR Compliance)
- Source: https://www.drupal.org/project/eu_cookie_compliance
- Description: One of the oldest and most widely used Drupal cookie consent modules, EU Cookie Compliance provides a GDPR-compliant banner with flexible consent methods. It supports blocking cookies and scripts until consent is obtained and is actively maintained with Drupal 10 compatibility.
- Key Features:
- Multiple consent methods: consent by default, opt-in, opt-out.
- Customizable banner placement (top/bottom) and styling.
- Geo-targeting with Smart IP or GeoIP modules.
- Multilingual support for global audiences.
- Blocks cookies and scripts until consent is granted.
- Roadmap for a 2.0 rewrite with enhanced features.
- Ease of Use: User-friendly configuration with clear options for consent methods and banner placement. Some advanced features (e.g., geo-targeting) require additional modules.
- Best For: Sites needing a mature, reliable solution with EU-specific compliance options. Note: Maintainers recommend switching to Klaro for modern Drupal sites due to focus on maintaining stable releases.
5. Simple Klaro
- Source: https://www.drupal.org/project/simple_klaro
- Description: A lightweight alternative to the main Klaro module, Simple Klaro provides a minimal implementation of the Klaro! JavaScript library. It relies on a single configuration file for settings, making it ideal for simple setups.
- Key Features:
- Basic consent banner with customizable texts and translations.
- Controls script execution based on consent.
- Deletes cookies via regular expressions when consent is revoked.
- Minimal configuration via a single file.
- Multilingual support based on HTML lang attribute.
- Ease of Use: Requires manual configuration of the Klaro JSON file, which may be challenging for non-developers. Cache clearing on settings changes simplifies updates.
- Best For: Small sites or developers comfortable with JSON configuration seeking a lightweight Klaro implementation.
6. CookieConsent
- Source: https://www.drupal.org/project/cookieconsent
- Description: CookieConsent integrates the Cookie Consent JavaScript plugin (version 2.0.9) to provide a simple, lightweight solution for EU Cookie Law compliance. It’s maintained by Synetic but has no stable releases as of June 2025.
- Key Features:
- Lightweight consent banner with basic customization.
- No external module dependencies.
- Uses an older version of the Cookie Consent plugin.
- Limited to basic cookie consent functionality.
- Ease of Use: Easy to set up for basic needs, but lacks advanced features and modern compliance options. Configuration is minimal but dated.
- Best For: Small sites with minimal cookie usage needing a quick, basic solution. Note: Limited maintenance and outdated plugin version make it less suitable for modern compliance needs.
Key Considerations for Choosing a Module
When selecting a cookie consent module, consider the following factors:
- Compliance Needs: Ensure the module supports GDPR, CCPA, and other relevant regulations. Features like consent logging (CookieYes) or geo-targeting (EU Cookie Compliance, CookieYes) are critical for region-specific compliance.
- Ease of Setup: Non-technical users may prefer CookieYes for its automation, while developers might opt for Klaro or COOKiES for customization.
- Third-Party Integrations: If your site uses tools like Google Analytics or Facebook Pixel, COOKiES and Klaro offer robust integration options.
- Multilingual Support: All modules support multilingual sites, but CookieYes and EU Cookie Compliance excel in global audience targeting.
- Maintenance and Support: Actively maintained modules like Klaro, EU Cookie Compliance, and CookieYes are safer bets for long-term use. CookieConsent’s lack of stable releases is a concern.
- Performance: Lightweight options like Klaro and Simple Klaro minimize performance impact, while CookieYes’s external service may introduce slight overhead.
Comparison Table: Drupal Cookie Consent Modules
| Feature | Klaro | COOKiES | CookieYes | EU Cookie Compliance | Simple Klaro | CookieConsent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GDPR Compliance | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial |
| CCPA Compliance | Partial | Partial | Yes | Partial | Partial | No |
| Customizable Banner | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| Multilingual Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Geo-targeting | No | No | Yes | Yes (with add-ons) | No | No |
| Automatic Cookie Scanning | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Blocks Non-Essential Scripts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Consent Logging | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Third-Party Integration | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited | Limited | No |
| Accessibility Compliance | Partial | Yes | Yes | Partial | Partial | No |
| Google Consent Mode Support | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| IAB TCF Support | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Ease of Setup | Moderate | Moderate | Easy | Easy | Advanced | Easy |
| Actively Maintained | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (Stable focus) | Yes | No |
| Drupal Versions Supported | 8/9/10 | 8/9 | 8/9/10 | 7/8/9/10 | 7/8/9 | 8/9/10 |
| Free/Open-Source | Yes | Yes | No (Service) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Conclusion
Choosing the right Drupal cookie consent module depends on your site’s specific needs:
- Klaro is ideal for developers seeking a lightweight, open-source solution with granular control and active development.
- COOKiES excels for sites with multiple third-party integrations and a focus on accessibility.
- CookieYes is perfect for non-technical users needing automated scanning and comprehensive compliance features, though it’s a paid service.
- EU Cookie Compliance remains a reliable, mature option for EU-focused sites, but its maintainers suggest transitioning to Klaro for modern setups.
- Simple Klaro suits small sites with basic needs and developers comfortable with manual configuration.
- CookieConsent is outdated and best avoided for modern compliance requirements.
For most Drupal sites, Klaro or CookieYes are the top contenders due to their balance of features, compliance, and maintenance. If budget is a constraint, Klaro’s open-source nature makes it a strong choice, while CookieYes is worth the investment for automated compliance and peace of mind.
Note: Always verify compliance with legal experts, as module features may not cover all regulatory nuances.
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