Do you need a cookie banner for website analytics?
Short answer: if your analytics tool stores cookies or similar data on visitors' devices, you usually need their consent in the EU and Norway. If it stores nothing on their devices, the consent rule for cookies does not apply to it.
Where the rule comes from
The EU ePrivacy rules say a website may only store or read information on a visitor's device with their consent, unless it is strictly necessary for a service the visitor asked for. Analytics is generally not seen as strictly necessary, so analytics cookies need consent. Norway applies the same principle through its electronic communications law. That is why so many sites show a cookie banner.
Why Google Analytics usually needs a banner
Google Analytics sets cookies (such as _ga) to recognise returning visitors. Under the rule above, that needs consent. Visitors who decline or ignore the banner are then not counted, so your numbers show only part of your traffic.
How cookie-free analytics is different
Cookie-free tools count visits without storing anything in the browser. Varde, for example, sets no cookies, uses no local storage and does no fingerprinting. It counts unique visitors with a hash based on a secret that rotates every day, and it never stores IP addresses. The security page explains exactly how.
Because nothing is stored on the visitor's device, the cookie consent rule does not apply to Varde, and you can count every visit without a banner.
What still applies
- Other tools on your site may still need a banner: ad pixels, embedded videos, chat widgets or Google Analytics itself if you keep it.
- Privacy law (GDPR) still applies to any processing of personal data. Mention your analytics tool in your privacy policy, and check that your provider offers a data processing agreement.
- Rules and how regulators read them change. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Check with your own adviser if you are unsure.
Removing your banner, step by step
- List everything on your site that sets cookies (your browser's developer tools show them).
- Replace cookie-based analytics with a cookie-free tool.
- Remove or replace the other tools that need consent, if you can live without them.
- If nothing that needs consent is left, you can remove the banner. Update your privacy policy either way.