Cookie analysis in real Chrome
Cookienator loads every page in a real headless Chrome browser and records all cookies with category, first- or third-party origin and lifetime – not just by parsing source code.
Features
What Cookienator checks
An overview of the features, from consent simulation to the final verdict.
More than
2,257 Cookies
Cookienator has already eaten, and more are added every day - even on your website - whether you like it or not.
Consent simulation in three phases
Before interaction, after rejection and after acceptance: the scanner clicks the cookie banner itself and compares which cookies are set in each phase.
Tracker detection
Requests to known analytics and marketing providers such as Google, Meta, TikTok and Microsoft are detected using a maintained list and assigned to statistics or marketing.
A clear verdict for every scan
Every scan ends with a clear result: passed, review or violation, depending on whether tracking cookies were set before consent or despite rejection.
Subpage crawling
Starting with Pro, Cookienator follows internal links instead of checking only the homepage, revealing consent errors across the entire site.
Built for agencies
Multiple projects, recurring checks and traceable reports make it easy to monitor the consent status of many client websites.
Hungry too? Let's hunt some cookies.
Get startedFrequently Asked Questions
FAQ
Questions around cookie auditing, consent, and tracking tend to come up again and again. In our FAQ, we explain how Cookienator checks websites for cookies and trackers, what the three consent phases mean, and what matters when it comes to cookie banners. Can't find your question? Just get in touch.
Cookienator is a tool that automatically audits websites for cookies and tracking technologies. It loads a page in a real browser and records which cookies and trackers are set, and in which phase – before consent, after rejection, and after acceptance. The result is a clear report showing whether a cookie banner actually does what it promises.
Cookienator is designed for companies, agencies, web developers, SEO and online marketing professionals, and freelancers who want to keep an eye on the cookie and tracking situation of their own or their clients' websites. The offering is intended exclusively for business customers (entrepreneurs within the meaning of § 14 German Civil Code), not for consumers.
Cookienator opens the specified website in a real, automated browser – not just by reading the source code. It simulates the behavior of a visitor: it checks which cookies are already set before any interaction, then clicks "Reject" in the cookie banner and afterwards "Accept," comparing what happens in each phase.
The three phases reflect how a real visitor deals with a cookie banner: before consent (page just loaded, nothing clicked yet), after rejection (visitor declines), and after acceptance (visitor accepts). The first phase is especially revealing: if tracking cookies are already being set here, that points to a problem – because, as a rule, no non-essential cookies may be set without consent.
Cookienator records all cookies that are set, along with their origin (first- or third-party) and lifetime, and detects requests to well-known analytics and marketing services – such as Google Analytics, Google Ads, Meta/Facebook, TikTok, or Microsoft. These are assigned to the relevant categories such as statistics or marketing.
No. Cookienator is a technical tool that shows you which cookies and trackers are being set. It provides the technical basis for an assessment but does not replace a legal review by a qualified professional. The legal responsibility for a website always remains with its operator.
Cookienator helps you identify technical issues – for example, tracking cookies that are set despite rejection or even before consent. These are typical stumbling blocks when implementing the GDPR and the German TTDSG. However, whether a website is ultimately legally compliant depends on many additional factors and should be assessed by a qualified professional.
A cookie banner is only the visible surface. What matters is what happens technically in the background: a properly configured consent mechanism prevents non-essential cookies from being set before the visitor has agreed. Many banners look correct but don't actually block the trackers – and this is exactly the gap Cookienator uncovers.
Yes. In the free plan, the homepage is audited; in the paid plans, Cookienator also follows internal links and checks subpages. This way, consent issues that only occur on certain pages are found as well.
A scan usually takes just a few minutes. Cookienator runs in the background, so you don't have to wait – the result is then available as a report.
No. Cookienator may only be used for your own websites or those you are authorized to audit – for example, on behalf of a client. Auditing third-party domains without authorization is not permitted.
Cookienator offers a free entry-level option as well as paid plans with more projects and greater scan depth. All prices are net, plus statutory VAT. You'll find the current overview on the pricing page.
Payment is processed securely via the payment provider Mollie. Depending on availability, payment methods such as SEPA direct debit, credit card, and PayPal are available. Subscriptions run monthly and can be canceled at any time.
Yes. Payment processing is handled by Mollie; Cookienator itself does not store any credit card data. Details on the processing of personal data can be found in our Privacy Policy.
Yes. Cookienator is especially designed for agencies and service providers who manage multiple websites. In the larger plans, you can create several projects and keep track of the consent status of all your clients' sites.