GetCookies vs Termly: Detailed Comparison

## Two Different Approaches Termly wants to be your legal compliance suite. Policy generator. Terms generator. Cookie consent. All in one place. GetCookies wants to do one thing perfectly: cookie consent with the best performance and developer experience. Neither approach is wrong. But they lead to different trade-offs. ## The Quick Comparison | Feature | GetCookies | Termly | |---------|------------|--------| | **Bundle Size** | 1KB loader | ~35KB | | **Setup Time** | 5 minutes | 15-30 minutes | | **Policy Generator** | No | Yes (major feature) | | **Free Tier** | Unlimited pages | 10,000 visitors/month | | **Paid Plans** | From $9/month | From $10/month | | **Consent Mode v2** | Automatic | Requires setup | | **Developer API** | Modern, event-driven | Basic callback style | ## Termly's Unique Value: Policies Termly's big advantage is integrated policy generation: - Privacy Policy generator - Terms of Service generator - Cookie Policy generator - EULA generator If you need policies AND consent, Termly offers convenience. Everything in one dashboard. **But here's the thing**: Termly's free policy generator works independently from their consent tool. You can generate policies with Termly for free and use a different CMP. ## The Performance Gap ### GetCookies ``` Initial load: 1KB (synchronous loader) Full widget: ~15KB (async, after render) Blocking JavaScript: 1KB ``` On a 3G mobile connection: - Download: ~8ms - LCP impact: Negligible ### Termly ``` Initial load: ~35KB Full widget: Included in initial load Blocking JavaScript: ~35KB ``` On a 3G mobile connection: - Download: ~250ms - LCP impact: Noticeable For sites where Core Web Vitals determine search rankings, that difference matters. ## Google Consent Mode v2 Since March 2024, Google requires Consent Mode v2 for EU advertising. ### GetCookies ```html ``` All four v2 signals set correctly. Registered Developer ID included. Zero configuration. ### Termly - Enable in Termly dashboard - May need GTM configuration - Additional steps for v2 signals - Testing required It works when configured correctly, but requires more steps. ## Setup Comparison ### GetCookies: 5 Minutes 1. Sign up (1 minute) 2. Add domain (30 seconds) 3. Copy script (30 seconds) 4. Deploy (3 minutes) Consent Mode v2 works immediately. Third-party pixels handled automatically. ### Termly: 15-30 Minutes 1. Sign up (2 minutes) 2. Configure consent banner settings (5 minutes) 3. Customize appearance (5 minutes) 4. Wait for initial scan (5+ minutes) 5. Configure GTM triggers if using Consent Mode (10 minutes) 6. Deploy (2 minutes) More options means more decisions and more time. ## Pricing ### GetCookies | Plan | Price | Domains | Page Views | |------|-------|---------|------------| | Free | $0/month | 1 | Unlimited | | Starter | $9/month | 3 | Unlimited | | Professional | $29/month | 10 | Unlimited | | Agency | $79/month | Unlimited | Unlimited | ### Termly | Plan | Price | Domains | Visitors | |------|-------|---------|----------| | Free | $0/month | 1 | 10,000/month | | Basic | $10/month | 1 | 25,000/month | | Pro | $35/month | 3 | 200,000/month | **Key difference**: Termly limits by visitors. GetCookies doesn't limit page views. A site with 50,000 monthly visitors needs Termly's $35/month plan but works fine on GetCookies' $9/month plan. ## Developer Experience ### GetCookies ```javascript // Clean, modern API if (window.GetCookies.hasConsent('analytics')) { initAnalytics(); } // Show preferences window.GetCookies.showPreferences(); // Event-driven window.addEventListener('getcookies:consent', (e) => { const { analytics, marketing } = e.detail; handleConsentChange({ analytics, marketing }); }); ``` ### Termly ```javascript // Callback-based API Termly.on('consent', function(consent) { if (consent.categories.analytics) { initAnalytics(); } }); ``` Both work. GetCookies feels more aligned with modern JavaScript patterns. ## Third-Party Pixel Support ### GetCookies Built-in automatic integration: - Meta Pixel (`fbq`) - TikTok Pixel (`ttq`) - Pinterest Tag - LinkedIn Insight - And more... Pixels are notified automatically when consent changes. No configuration needed. ### Termly Manual configuration through GTM or script attributes. You handle the pixel consent calls yourself. ## When to Choose Termly Choose Termly if: - You need privacy policy generation - You need terms of service generation - You want all-in-one legal compliance - You prefer more customization options - You're non-technical and want guided setup ## When to Choose GetCookies Choose GetCookies if: - You already have policies (or will generate them separately) - Performance and Core Web Vitals matter - You want Consent Mode v2 without configuration - Third-party pixel auto-integration is important - You prefer minimal setup time ## The Hybrid Approach You don't have to choose one for everything: **Option 1: Termly policies + GetCookies consent** - Generate policies with Termly (free) - Use GetCookies for consent banner (better performance) **Option 2: Any policies + GetCookies consent** - Use Termly, Iubenda, or a lawyer for policies - Use GetCookies for consent Best policies meet best performance. ## Migration Path ### From Termly to GetCookies ```html ``` Keep using Termly's policies. Just switch the consent tool. ## The Verdict **Termly** is a solid all-in-one compliance suite. If you need policies generated and don't have them yet, Termly's convenience is valuable. **GetCookies** is a focused consent tool with best-in-class performance. If you have policies (or will generate them separately), GetCookies is faster, smaller, and handles Consent Mode v2 automatically. Different tools for different priorities. --- **Ready for the fastest consent setup?** [Get started with GetCookies](https://getcookies.co)