Analytics without a cookie banner

PureMetrix stores nothing on your visitors' devices. That is why visitor statistics alone usually need no cookie banner. Other services on your site – such as ads, videos or chat – may still need consent.

Why do cookie banners exist at all?

Before a website stores or reads anything on a visitor's device that is not strictly necessary to run the site, it needs the visitor's consent. That is what the EU ePrivacy Directive says, and in Germany § 25 TDDDG (formerly TTDSG).

Google Analytics stores a visitor ID in a cookie. So it may only load once someone clicks “Accept” in the banner. Anyone who declines or ignores the banner never shows up in your statistics.

What does PureMetrix do differently?

Nothing on the device: no cookies, no local storage, no device ID.
Anonymous daily count: IP address, browser details and a random value are combined into a hash that lets us count a day's visitors. The random value changes every day and is deleted after 48 hours. After that nobody – not even us – can link visits to a person. How we measure
Data stays in the EU: hosted by Hetzner, data processing agreement (DPA) under Art. 28 GDPR.
Small script: under 3 KB, so it does not slow your site down.

What do you gain?

Complete numbers: you see every visitor, not only those who accept the banner. See how much you would otherwise miss with the cookie banner traffic-loss calculator.
Less friction: if statistics were the only reason for your banner, it can get shorter or disappear.
Different numbers from GA4 are normal: PureMetrix also counts visitors who never gave consent. Why numbers differ

When you still need a banner

PureMetrix only replaces your statistics. You still need consent if your site uses, for example:

ad and tracking pixels (Google Ads, Meta, LinkedIn)
embedded YouTube videos or Google Maps
chat widgets that set cookies

Tip: embed videos and maps behind a preview image that only loads them after a click. Then they only set cookies when visitors actually want them.

How to go about it

Install PureMetrix and check that visits arrive. WordPress guide
Exclude your own visits, for example for WordPress administrators.
List every other service: open your site in a private window and use the browser's developer tools to see which third-party addresses load. Label each one: statistics, ads, media or support.
Get legal advice on which of these services need consent.
Update your banner and privacy policy: do not put PureMetrix in the banner's “Statistics” category – otherwise the banner blocks measurement until someone agrees. Update your privacy policy the same day.

Check again after updates

New plugins and theme or banner updates sometimes bring cookies back. Afterwards, check in a private window: PureMetrix measures straight away, ad pixels only load after consent.

For agencies: the key arguments

Measurement without cookies – so clients get complete numbers
Data in the EU, DPA available
Consent for ads and chat stays the client's responsibility
Exclude your own visits and send reports to clients via shared link

This page is not legal advice. Have the assessment checked for your whole site.