Free cookie banners: 10 questions to ask before you choose

A useful free cookie banner combines clear visitor choices with tools to manage the setup behind them. Before choosing one, check traffic allowances, scanning, tag controls, records and the cost of the features your website actually needs. A zero-price entry point and a lasting Free plan are not always the same offer.

Here are ten questions that make comparisons more useful than a long list of ticks.

1. Is it a plan or a trial?

Ask whether the offer expires, whether a payment card is required and what happens at the end. A trial can be a good way to evaluate software, but it should not be mistaken for an ongoing operating cost of zero.

Passiro's Free plan has no trial countdown and does not require a credit card. Paid plans support the product; you can stay on Free while it meets your needs.

2. What happens when traffic grows?

Find the definition of a billable visitor or page view. Ask whether exceeding an allowance changes the bill, disables the banner or triggers another limitation.

Passiro includes unlimited visitors. That describes traffic, not every part of the product. Scanning capacity and record-export windows still have defined limits.

3. What does the scanner actually cover?

A page limit, a scan frequency and an on-demand allowance are three different things. Compare all three. A weekly scan of 100 pages is not interchangeable with a monthly scan of 500.

Free includes monthly automatic scans of up to 500 pages. A scan is a view of the pages and conditions inspected; it is not proof that every possible visitor journey has been tested.

4. Does it control tags as well as show a banner?

Check what stops optional scripts before permission and how categories are assigned. Ask how manually embedded tools and unknown scripts are handled.

Use the same test website when evaluating providers. Add the tools you actually use and follow the four-state banner test. A feature name is less useful than seeing the intended behaviour.

5. Is Consent Mode v2 included?

If you use Google Analytics or Ads, examine how the banner communicates consent choices and how you will verify the mapping. Ask about both defaults and updates.

Passiro includes Consent Mode v2 on Free. For the reporting implications, start with our marketer's guide.

6. Can the banner fit the website?

Look beyond a colour picker. Check mobile layout, readable controls, translated text and the preference panel. Try a long business name and longer button labels before deciding.

Passiro includes the visual editor on Free. Adding your own logo and removing Passiro branding are paid features, so include them in the comparison if they matter to your brand.

7. What evidence can you retrieve?

Consent history and export access are not necessarily the same. Ask how long records are retained and which dates you can export on each plan.

On Free, Passiro's plan overview lists up to 13 months of consent-log retention and exports covering the last 30 days. Check those limits against your own process rather than assuming unlimited visitors means unlimited historical exports.

8. Which regional and advertising requirements apply?

A small service business using analytics has different requirements from a publisher monetising advertising inventory. Identify the frameworks and vendor integrations you need before comparing plans.

Passiro's IAB TCF and GPP support is listed on Pro and above. Do not confuse those capabilities with Consent Mode v2, which is included on Free. Review any current publisher certification requirements separately.

9. Who handles changes and support?

Decide who reviews new trackers, investigates a failed test and maintains the cookie information. Software can reduce the work; someone still needs to own the result.

Also check support channels and response expectations. A plan is only a good fit if your team can operate it with the help available.

10. What would make an upgrade worthwhile?

Write down an actual trigger: your own logo, more scan capacity, a longer export window or API access. “We might grow” is too vague to justify buying everything now.

Passiro Pro is €9 per domain per month when billed monthly. Business is €29 per domain per month on the same basis. Compare the current plan features and allowances before choosing. If Free does the job, stay on Free.