8 Open Source Consent Management Tools for GDPR (2026)
Managing user consent isn't just a legal checkbox, it's fundamental to building trust with your audience. Whether you're running a website, collecting attendee videos at events, or handling any form of user data, GDPR compliance demands proper consent workflows. For organizations watching their budgets, open source consent management platforms offer a compelling alternative to expensive enterprise solutions.
At SureShot, we help event organizers collect user-generated video content from attendees, which means we understand firsthand how critical transparent consent processes are. The same principles that govern cookie banners on your website apply when you're asking people to share their content and data. Getting consent right protects both your organization and your users, and open source tools give you the flexibility to customize these workflows without vendor lock-in or recurring fees.
This guide covers eight open source consent management platforms you can deploy in 2026. We've evaluated each tool based on GDPR compliance features, ease of implementation, and community support, so you can find the right fit for your technical requirements and privacy obligations.
1. Klaro
Klaro stands out as one of the most lightweight and developer-friendly open source consent management solutions available. Built with vanilla JavaScript, this tool requires no external dependencies and weighs in at under 20KB when minified, making it ideal for performance-conscious websites. You can deploy Klaro on your site in minutes, and its straightforward configuration means you don't need to be a legal expert to get started with GDPR compliance.
What it is
Klaro is a customizable consent manager that gives you complete control over how your website handles cookies and third-party services. The platform lets you block scripts and tracking tools until users explicitly grant permission, ensuring you meet GDPR's core requirement for affirmative consent. You can define different service categories (analytics, marketing, functional) and let visitors choose which types of tracking they'll accept. The interface displays in over 20 languages automatically, which simplifies compliance for international audiences.
Best for
This tool works particularly well for small to mid-sized websites and organizations with technical teams who want granular control. You'll appreciate Klaro if you're building custom applications or managing multiple sites that need consistent consent workflows. Developers who prefer writing configuration files in JSON or YAML will find Klaro's approach intuitive, though it does require some coding knowledge to implement properly.
"Klaro's lightweight footprint and dependency-free architecture make it one of the fastest-loading consent solutions you can deploy."
Setup and integrations
You install Klaro by including a single JavaScript file on your pages and creating a configuration object that defines your services. The platform integrates with Google Tag Manager, Matomo, and most analytics platforms through its service definitions. You can host the files yourself or load them from a CDN, giving you flexibility in your deployment strategy. The GitHub repository includes detailed documentation and example configurations to speed up implementation.
Pricing
Klaro is completely free under the BSD 3-Clause license. You can modify the source code, use it commercially, and deploy it across unlimited domains without paying licensing fees. The project maintains active community support on GitHub where you can report issues or contribute improvements.
2. Silktide Consent Manager
Silktide Consent Manager takes a different approach to open source consent management by offering a fully hosted solution that handles the technical infrastructure while keeping the source code accessible. This platform bridges the gap between self-hosted tools and managed services, letting you audit and modify the code while avoiding server maintenance headaches. Your team gets the transparency of open source with the reliability of a cloud-based system.
What it is
The platform provides a customizable cookie banner and preference center that automatically detects and categorizes cookies on your website. Silktide Consent Manager blocks third-party scripts and trackers until users make their consent choices, ensuring you meet GDPR requirements from day one. The system maintains detailed consent records that you can export for compliance audits, and it updates automatically when privacy regulations change. You configure the consent interface through a web-based dashboard rather than editing code files directly.
Best for
This tool suits organizations that want open source flexibility without managing hosting infrastructure. You'll find it valuable if your team lacks deep technical expertise but still needs to verify how consent data gets processed. Marketing teams appreciate the visual configuration interface, while legal departments value the audit trails and documentation features.
"Silktide combines the transparency of open source with the convenience of a managed service, making it accessible to non-technical teams."
Setup and integrations
You implement Silktide by adding a JavaScript snippet to your website header. The platform integrates with Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, and popular advertising platforms through pre-built service templates. Configuration happens through the web dashboard, where you can customize colors, languages, and consent categories without touching code.
Pricing
Silktide offers a free tier for small websites with basic features. The open source code remains available on GitHub under an MIT license, though the hosted service requires a subscription for larger sites.
3. tarteaucitron.js
TarteAuCitron.js brings a distinctly French approach to GDPR compliance, offering a lightweight consent manager that emphasizes transparency and user control. This open source tool gained popularity in Europe for its strict adherence to GDPR requirements, particularly the principle that cookies should not load until users explicitly consent. You'll find the interface particularly user-friendly for non-English audiences, with built-in support for French, German, Spanish, and other European languages that many global tools overlook.
What it is
This platform provides a comprehensive consent management system that automatically detects common tracking services and blocks them by default. TarteAuCitron.js gives you pre-configured integrations for over 80 popular services including Google Analytics, Facebook, YouTube, and advertising networks. The system displays clear descriptions of what each service does, helping visitors make informed choices about their privacy. You can customize the interface to match your brand while maintaining GDPR-compliant consent workflows that document user preferences.
Best for
You'll benefit from tarteaucitron.js if you operate websites serving European audiences or need multilingual consent interfaces. Organizations that prioritize privacy-first design appreciate the tool's default-deny approach to third-party services. The platform works well for content-heavy sites that embed videos, social media widgets, and analytics tools that require granular consent control.
"TarteAuCitron.js stands out for its extensive library of pre-configured service integrations, saving hours of technical setup time."
Setup and integrations
You implement this open source consent management solution by including the JavaScript library and initializing it with your service configuration. The platform offers ready-made integrations for major analytics and advertising platforms through simple configuration objects. Setup typically takes less than an hour if you use the default service definitions, though custom services require additional JavaScript coding.
Pricing
TarteAuCitron.js remains completely free under the MIT license. You can deploy it across unlimited domains, modify the source code, and use it commercially without restrictions.
4. CookieConsent by Orestbida
CookieConsent by Orestbida represents a modern approach to open source consent management with its focus on accessibility and customization. This JavaScript library gained traction among developers who wanted a consent solution that looks polished out of the box while remaining simple to configure. You can deploy this tool on any website regardless of your tech stack, and it handles the core GDPR requirements without forcing you into a specific design framework.
What it is
This platform delivers a fully customizable consent banner that supports multiple languages and automatically manages cookie categories. CookieConsent blocks third-party scripts until users grant permission, maintaining compliance with GDPR's requirement for affirmative consent. The library includes built-in accessibility features like keyboard navigation and screen reader support, ensuring your consent interface works for all visitors. You control every aspect of the interface through configuration objects, from colors and fonts to button text and modal behavior.
Best for
You'll find CookieConsent valuable if you need complete design control over your consent interface while maintaining accessibility standards. The tool suits front-end developers who want to integrate consent management into their existing design system. Organizations building progressive web applications appreciate the library's small footprint and framework-agnostic architecture.
"CookieConsent's emphasis on accessibility ensures your consent workflow meets both GDPR requirements and WCAG guidelines simultaneously."
Setup and integrations
You implement this tool by including the JavaScript and CSS files in your project and initializing the library with your configuration. The platform integrates with Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, and custom services through callback functions that trigger after users accept specific categories. Documentation on GitHub provides configuration examples for common use cases.
Pricing
CookieConsent remains entirely free under the MIT license. You can modify, redistribute, and use it commercially without restrictions or attribution requirements.
5. Cookie Consent by Osano
Cookie Consent by Osano started as a simple open source library and evolved into one of the most widely adopted consent management tools on the web. This platform powers consent interfaces on millions of websites globally, offering a battle-tested solution that balances simplicity with robust GDPR compliance features. You can deploy the basic version without creating an account or dealing with complex configuration systems, making it one of the most accessible entry points for organizations new to open source consent management.
What it is
This tool provides a customizable consent banner that you can implement through a single script tag. Cookie Consent by Osano handles cookie blocking and user preference storage automatically while giving you control over the interface design and messaging. The platform supports multiple consent models including opt-in, opt-out, and notice-only configurations depending on your regulatory requirements. You can customize colors, positions, and button text to match your brand identity without modifying the core library code.
Best for
You'll appreciate this tool if you need a quick implementation that works reliably across different browsers and devices. Organizations without dedicated development resources find the straightforward setup appealing, while the customization options satisfy teams with specific brand guidelines. The platform serves websites of all sizes, from personal blogs to enterprise applications.
"Cookie Consent by Osano's widespread adoption means you benefit from years of real-world testing and community-driven improvements."
Setup and integrations
You implement this solution by adding a JavaScript snippet to your website and optionally configuring it through data attributes or a configuration object. The tool integrates with Google Tag Manager and analytics platforms through callback functions that execute after users accept cookies.
Pricing
The basic open source version remains free under the MIT license. Osano offers a commercial platform with additional features, though you can use the open source library indefinitely without upgrading.
6. c15t
c15t (Consent 1st) delivers a minimalist approach to open source consent management that prioritizes transparency and user privacy above all else. This platform emerged from the privacy-conscious developer community as a response to bloated consent managers that create friction in the user experience. You'll find that c15t strips away unnecessary complexity while maintaining full GDPR compliance through its straightforward consent collection and documentation system.
What it is
This tool provides a lightweight consent interface that focuses on clear communication about data collection practices. c15t implements a strict opt-in model where no tracking occurs until users explicitly grant permission. The platform maintains detailed consent logs that document when users made their choices and what they agreed to, giving you the audit trail needed for compliance verification. You configure the consent categories through simple JavaScript objects that define your services and their purposes.
Best for
You'll benefit from c15t if you value minimalist design and want to avoid overwhelming visitors with complex consent interfaces. The platform suits privacy-focused organizations that want their consent process to reinforce rather than undermine their privacy commitments. Development teams building lightweight applications appreciate the tool's small codebase and lack of external dependencies.
"c15t's minimalist philosophy means your consent interface loads faster and creates less friction in the user experience."
Setup and integrations
You implement this solution by including the JavaScript library and defining your service configuration. The platform integrates with analytics and tracking tools through callback functions that execute after users grant consent. Documentation provides examples for common services.
Pricing
c15t remains completely free under an open source license. You can deploy it across unlimited domains without licensing fees or usage restrictions.
7. Open Consent by Visible Privacy
Open Consent by Visible Privacy takes a community-driven approach to solving consent management challenges for small organizations and developers. This platform emerged from the recognition that many open source consent management tools focus on enterprise needs while leaving smaller projects without accessible compliance solutions. You get a straightforward consent system that handles GDPR requirements without requiring extensive technical expertise or dedicated legal resources.
What it is
This tool provides a consent collection interface that integrates with your existing privacy infrastructure. Open Consent manages cookie preferences and user choices through a customizable banner that explains data practices in plain language. The platform stores consent records locally or integrates with your backend systems, giving you control over how consent data gets managed. You configure the interface through JSON files that define your tracking services and their purposes.
Best for
You'll find this platform valuable if you run smaller websites or applications where compliance matters but budgets limit your options. Organizations building privacy-respecting products appreciate the tool's focus on user rights over business convenience. The straightforward configuration suits teams without dedicated compliance specialists.
"Open Consent prioritizes accessibility for smaller organizations that need GDPR compliance without enterprise-level complexity."
Setup and integrations
You implement this solution by including the JavaScript library and configuring your consent categories. The platform integrates with common analytics tools through standard callback patterns that execute after users grant permission.
Pricing
Open Consent remains free under an open source license. You can deploy it without restrictions across your projects and modify the source code to fit your requirements.
8. Complianz GDPR Cookie Consent
Complianz GDPR Cookie Consent brings WordPress-specific expertise to open source consent management with a plugin that handles the technical complexity of GDPR compliance for content management systems. This platform specializes in automatically detecting and categorizing cookies that your WordPress site uses, eliminating the manual configuration work that other solutions require. You get a consent system built specifically for the WordPress ecosystem, which means better compatibility with themes, plugins, and hosting environments that power millions of websites.
What it is
This tool provides a complete consent management solution designed exclusively for WordPress installations. Complianz automatically scans your website to identify tracking scripts, analytics tools, and third-party services that place cookies on visitor browsers. The platform generates customizable consent banners that block cookies until users make their choices, maintaining strict GDPR compliance through its opt-in framework. You configure policies through the WordPress admin interface rather than editing code files, making compliance accessible to site administrators without technical backgrounds.
Best for
You'll appreciate this platform if you run WordPress websites that need GDPR compliance without custom development work. Organizations managing multiple WordPress sites benefit from the consistent implementation across their web properties. The automated cookie detection suits teams that lack the resources to manually audit and configure every tracking service.
"Complianz eliminates hours of manual cookie auditing by automatically detecting and categorizing tracking scripts on your WordPress site."
Setup and integrations
You implement this solution by installing the WordPress plugin through your site's admin dashboard. The platform integrates with Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, and popular WordPress plugins through automatic detection and pre-configured service definitions.
Pricing
Complianz offers a free version with basic features under the GPL license. Premium versions include additional compliance features and priority support through paid licenses.
Next steps
Choosing the right open source consent management platform depends on your technical resources, hosting preferences, and compliance requirements. Each tool in this guide offers legitimate GDPR compliance capabilities without the recurring costs of enterprise solutions, letting you allocate budget toward improving your actual services rather than paying for vendor lock-in. You can start by testing one or two platforms that match your technology stack, then expand your implementation as you gain confidence with the consent workflows.
At SureShot, we know that transparent consent processes build trust with your audience, whether you're managing website cookies or collecting user-generated video content from event attendees. Privacy compliance strengthens rather than weakens relationships when you implement it thoughtfully. If you're building systems that require user consent workflows and want to see how professional platforms handle privacy at scale, book a demo with our team to explore how we approach consent management in practice.
