Do I need a cookie banner if I don't run ads?
Ads are not the trigger. What matters is whether you set any non-essential cookies at all, and most sites do, through analytics, embeds, chat widgets and more, even with no advertising anywhere.
What actually triggers consent
The requirement under PECR is about non-essential cookies, not advertising specifically. If your site sets anything beyond strictly necessary cookies, you need consent. Running ads is just one common way to set them, not the only one.
The things that catch ad-free sites
- Google Analytics or any analytics tool.
- Embedded YouTube videos, Google Maps or social feeds, which drop their own cookies. See whether embedded YouTube needs consent.
- Live chat widgets, A/B testing tools, heatmaps.
- Marketing pixels you installed "just in case" but are not actively advertising on.
When you genuinely do not need one
If your site truly sets only strictly necessary cookies, no analytics, no embeds, no pixels, then you do not need a consent banner. That is rarer than people think. The honest way to know is to audit what your site actually sets, not what you intended it to set; a quick check shows every cookie firing.
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