GDPR Compliance Software for Small Businesses: An Honest Guide

The GDPR Software Market Has a Problem

The GDPR created a massive compliance industry almost overnight. When the regulation took effect in 2018, hundreds of software companies rushed to sell "GDPR compliance solutions" to panicked business owners. Many of those products were overpriced, overcomplicated, and over-promised.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Privacy regulations are complex and change frequently. You should consult a qualified attorney or data protection professional for guidance specific to your business. The information here is based on the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR) and related guidance, as of the date of publication.

Eight years later, the market has matured, but the core problem remains: most GDPR compliance software is designed for large enterprises with dedicated privacy teams and six-figure budgets. If you are a small business trying to comply with GDPR, the software landscape can feel like shopping for a car and finding only semi-trucks.

This guide cuts through the noise. We will cover every category of GDPR compliance software, name real products, give honest assessments of what is good and what is overkill, and help you figure out what your business actually needs. Spoiler: it is probably less than you think.

What GDPR Compliance Actually Involves

Before we talk about tools, let us be clear about what GDPR requires. The regulation covers a broad set of obligations, but for a small business, the ones that drive software purchases are:

Lawful basis and consent management (GDPR Article 6, Article 7) — You need a legal reason to process personal data. For many activities (like marketing emails), that reason is consent, and you need to collect and record it properly.
Cookie compliance — If your website uses cookies that are not strictly necessary (analytics, advertising, social media), you need informed consent before setting them.
Data subject rights (DSARs) — People can request access to their data (GDPR Article 15), ask you to delete it (GDPR Article 17), correct it (GDPR Article 16), or restrict its processing. You must respond within 30 days (GDPR Article 12(3)).
Records of processing activities (ROPA) (GDPR Article 30) — You need to document what personal data you process, why, where it is stored, who has access, and how long you keep it.
Data breach notification (GDPR Article 33) — If you experience a breach that risks people's rights, you must notify your supervisory authority within 72 hours and, in serious cases, notify the affected individuals.
Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) — Required for high-risk processing activities (automated decision-making, large-scale profiling, processing sensitive data at scale). Most small businesses do not need these.
Data Protection Officer (DPO) — Required for public authorities and businesses whose core activities involve large-scale monitoring or processing of sensitive data. Most small businesses do not need one.

Now let us look at the tools for each category.

Consent Management Platforms (CMPs)

Consent management is the most common entry point for GDPR software purchases, usually driven by the need for a cookie banner.

What You Need

Under GDPR, you must obtain informed, specific, freely given consent before setting non-essential cookies. This means:

Visitors must be able to accept or reject different categories of cookies
You cannot use pre-ticked boxes
You cannot make "accept all" the only visible option (the French CNIL and other regulators have cracked down on this)
You must keep records of consent
Visitors must be able to withdraw consent as easily as they gave it

A CMP handles all of this. It scans your site for cookies, categorizes them, displays a consent banner, blocks non-essential cookies until consent is given, and records consent for your audit trail.

The Options

Free and Low-Cost (Under $20/Month)

CookieYes — One of the most popular CMPs for small businesses. Free tier covers sites with up to 100 pages per scan. Paid plans start around $10/month. Supports GDPR, CCPA, and other regulations. Good balance of features and simplicity.

Termly — Similar to CookieYes with a free tier and affordable paid plans. Includes a cookie policy generator and consent logging. The interface is clean and setup is straightforward.

Osano — Free tier available. Transparent pricing model. Also includes vendor monitoring, which tracks the privacy practices of third-party tools you use (useful for knowing whether your analytics provider changed their data practices).

Complianz — WordPress plugin. Free version covers basic cookie consent. Premium version (around $45/year) adds more features. If you run WordPress, this is one of the easiest options to implement.

Mid-Range ($50 to $300/Month)

Cookiebot (Usercentrics) — Well-established CMP with strong regulatory coverage. Automatically scans your site monthly, categorizes cookies, and maintains a cookie declaration page. Pricing based on page count. Respected by European regulators.

Iubenda — Italian company that offers cookie consent, privacy policy generation, and internal privacy management. Plans from about $10/month for basic needs, scaling up for larger sites. Strong in the EU market.

Enterprise ($500+/Month)

OneTrust CookiePro — The enterprise standard. Comprehensive scanning, consent management, and preference center. Integrates with the broader OneTrust platform. Priced for organizations with significant web presence and compliance complexity.

TrustArc Cookie Consent — Another enterprise-grade option with deep regulatory coverage and integration capabilities.

Our Take on CMPs

For a small business website, CookieYes, Termly, or Osano's free tier will get you compliant. Spend $10 to $20/month if you need more features (like multi-language support or higher scan limits). There is no reason to spend $500/month on cookie consent unless you operate dozens of high-traffic websites across multiple jurisdictions.

The most important thing is not which CMP you choose — it is that the implementation is correct. A free CMP properly configured beats an expensive one badly implemented. Make sure non-essential cookies are actually blocked until consent is given, not just hidden behind a banner that does nothing.

Cookie Scanners

Cookie scanners are a subset of consent management. They crawl your website, identify all cookies and tracking technologies, and categorize them (necessary, analytics, marketing, etc.).

Do You Need a Separate Cookie Scanner?

Probably not. Most CMPs include cookie scanning as a built-in feature. If you are using CookieYes, Cookiebot, or any of the CMPs listed above, you already have a cookie scanner.

Standalone cookie scanners are useful if you want to audit your site without committing to a specific CMP, or if you need a detailed technical audit for a complex web application.

Free Cookie Scanning Tools

Cookiebot free scan — Scan up to 5 pages for free to get a baseline of what cookies your site sets.
CookieMetrix — Free online scanner that analyzes your cookie usage.
Browser developer tools — Open Chrome DevTools, go to Application > Cookies, and you can see every cookie set by your site. Free, manual, but effective for small sites.

DSAR Management

When someone exercises their right of access (or deletion, correction, or data portability), you need a process to handle the request within 30 days.

What You Need

At minimum:

A way to receive requests (email address, web form)
A tracker to log requests and monitor deadlines
Response templates
A documented process for searching your systems

The Options

Free: A spreadsheet and email templates. For small businesses handling fewer than 20 DSARs per year, this is genuinely all you need. See our full guide on building a DSAR workflow and our DSAR software comparison.

Mid-Range ($200 to $1,000/Month):

Ketch — DSAR automation with integrations to common SaaS tools
Transcend — Automated data retrieval from connected systems
Osano — DSAR management as part of their broader platform

Enterprise ($1,000+/Month):

OneTrust DSAR Management — Full automation with hundreds of integrations
TrustArc Individual Rights Manager — Enterprise-grade DSAR handling
BigID — Data discovery and DSAR fulfillment combined

Our Take on DSAR Tools

Most small businesses should start with the free approach. A good spreadsheet, solid templates, and a clear process will handle the workload. Only invest in dedicated DSAR software when you are consistently handling more than 20 requests per year and the manual process is eating up too much time.

Data Mapping Tools

GDPR requires a Record of Processing Activities (ROPA) — a document that describes what personal data you process, the legal basis, retention periods, and who has access. Data mapping tools help you create and maintain this record.

What You Need

A structured document or database that covers:

Each processing activity (e.g., "customer order fulfillment," "email marketing," "employee payroll")
The categories of personal data involved
The legal basis for processing
The source of the data
Who the data is shared with
Retention periods
Technical and organizational security measures

The Options

Free: A spreadsheet. For a small business with a straightforward data landscape, this works. Create a tab for each processing activity, or use a single sheet with columns for each required field.

Low-Cost:

GDPR Register — Purpose-built ROPA tool. Affordable pricing aimed at SMBs.
Privasee — AI-assisted GDPR compliance tool that helps generate your ROPA and other documentation.

Mid-Range to Enterprise:

OneTrust Data Mapping — Automated data discovery and mapping. Enterprise pricing.
BigID — AI-powered data discovery that builds your data map by scanning your actual systems.
Transcend Data Mapping — Automated mapping through tech stack integrations.

Our Take on Data Mapping

The spreadsheet approach works for most small businesses. Spend two hours documenting your processing activities and you will have a functional ROPA. The automated tools are impressive but are solving for scale and complexity that most small businesses do not have. Update your spreadsheet annually or whenever you add a new system or change a significant process.

Breach Notification Tools

GDPR requires you to notify your supervisory authority within 72 hours of becoming aware of a personal data breach that poses a risk to individuals' rights and freedoms. If the risk is high, you must also notify the affected individuals.

What You Need

A breach assessment process (to determine severity and notification requirements)
A breach notification template
Contact details for your relevant supervisory authority
A breach register to log all incidents

The Options

Free: Most supervisory authorities have online breach notification forms. The UK's ICO has a straightforward portal, as do most EU member state authorities. You do not need software for this — you need a process and a template.

Paid:

OneTrust Incident Management — Automated breach assessment, notification workflows, and regulatory reporting.
TrustArc Breach Management — Similar capabilities in the enterprise space.

Our Take on Breach Tools

Unless you are in an industry with frequent breach incidents, you do not need breach notification software. What you need is:

A one-page breach response plan (who does what, in what order)
Pre-written notification templates (for the authority and for individuals)
Your supervisory authority's contact details and notification portal bookmarked
A breach register (a spreadsheet logging all incidents, including those that did not require notification)

This costs nothing and is sufficient for most small businesses.

DPO Software

If you are required to appoint a Data Protection Officer (or choose to appoint one voluntarily), DPO software helps them manage their responsibilities — tracking compliance activities, managing DSAR workflows, documenting assessments, and maintaining the ROPA.

Do You Need a DPO?

GDPR requires a DPO if:

You are a public authority or body
Your core activities require regular and systematic monitoring of individuals on a large scale
Your core activities involve large-scale processing of special categories of data

Most small businesses do not need a DPO. If you do, the tools listed above for DSAR management and data mapping serve most of a DPO's tooling needs. There are dedicated DPO platforms (like GDPR365 and Keepabl), but they are really just bundled versions of the tools we have already discussed.

All-in-One Platforms: Are They Worth It?

Several vendors sell comprehensive GDPR compliance platforms that bundle everything — consent management, cookie scanning, DSAR handling, data mapping, breach notification, and DPO tools.

The Case For

Single vendor, single interface, single bill
Integrated workflows (e.g., a DSAR triggers automatic data searches across mapped systems)
Centralized compliance dashboard
Usually stronger audit trails

The Case Against

Expensive — enterprise platforms start at $25,000/year and go up fast
Complex — implementation takes months, not days
Overkill — most small businesses use 10% of the features
Vendor lock-in — once you build your compliance process around a specific platform, switching is painful

The Realistic Assessment

All-in-one platforms are designed for companies with privacy teams, compliance budgets, and complex data environments. If you are a small business, you will pay for a lot of capability you never use.

A more pragmatic approach: pick the best point solution for your most pressing need (usually cookie consent), handle the rest with free tools and good processes, and upgrade individual pieces when they become a genuine bottleneck.

What You Actually Need at Different Company Sizes

Solo and Micro Business (1 to 5 People)

Cookie consent: Free CMP (CookieYes, Termly, or Osano free tier) Privacy policy: Generated using a free tool, reviewed by a lawyer if budget allows DSARs: Manual process with email + spreadsheet Data mapping: Spreadsheet ROPA Breach plan: One-page response plan + templates Annual cost: $0 to $500

Small Business (6 to 25 People)

Cookie consent: Free or low-cost CMP ($0 to $20/month) Privacy policy: Generated + lawyer-reviewed ($500 to $1,500 one-time) DSARs: Manual process with templates, consider upgrading to a low-cost tool if volume exceeds 10-20/year Data mapping: Spreadsheet ROPA, updated annually Breach plan: Written response plan + templates + team training Annual cost: $500 to $3,000

Growing Business (26 to 100 People)

Cookie consent: Paid CMP ($20 to $100/month) Privacy policy: Lawyer-drafted and reviewed annually DSARs: Consider mid-market tools (Ketch, Transcend, Osano) if volume exceeds 20-50/year Data mapping: Consider a dedicated tool if your tech stack is complex Breach plan: Formal incident response plan, tested annually Annual cost: $3,000 to $15,000

Mid-Market (100+ People)

At this point, evaluate all-in-one platforms or a curated set of best-of-breed tools. You likely need dedicated privacy staff and a more formalized compliance program.

Five Rules for Buying GDPR Software

Rule 1: Start Free, Upgrade When Needed

There is no shame in using spreadsheets and free tools. They work. Upgrade when the manual process becomes a genuine bottleneck, not because a vendor's sales pitch scared you.

Rule 2: Buy for Your Actual Problems

Do not buy a platform because it has 47 features. Buy a tool that solves the specific problem you are facing today. Cookie consent? Buy a CMP. High DSAR volume? Buy a DSAR tool. Not both, unless you need both.

Rule 3: Check Implementation Requirements

Before buying, ask: how long does implementation take? Do we need a developer? Do we need a consultant? A tool that takes three months to implement and requires $10,000 in consulting fees is not "affordable" just because the license is cheap.

Rule 4: Verify Regulatory Claims

Any tool can claim "GDPR compliance." Verify that the tool's approach actually matches your regulatory requirements. Read the documentation, not just the marketing page. If a CMP claims to block cookies but doesn't actually prevent scripts from firing, the banner is decorative, not compliant.

Rule 5: Plan for Maintenance

Every tool requires ongoing maintenance — updating cookie scans, adjusting consent flows, maintaining integrations, onboarding new team members. Factor this time into your cost calculation.

The Bottom Line

GDPR compliance is not a software problem. It is a process problem with some software components. The businesses that do this well are not the ones with the fanciest tools — they are the ones with clear processes, trained staff, and good documentation.

For most small businesses, here is all you need:

A properly configured cookie consent banner (free to $20/month)
A correct, up-to-date privacy policy
A manual DSAR process with templates and a tracker
A spreadsheet-based Record of Processing Activities
A one-page breach response plan
Basic employee training on data protection

Total cost: under $1,000 per year. Add a lawyer review of your privacy policy and you might spend $2,000 to $3,000 total. Compare that to the $25,000+ that enterprise platforms charge and ask yourself: does my 20-person business really need what a 20,000-person company needs?

References

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): Regulation (EU) 2016/679. Full text
Information Commissioner's Office (ICO): ICO for organisations

Last reviewed: February 2026. Privacy laws change frequently. Verify all statutory references against the current text of the law and consult qualified legal counsel before making compliance decisions for your business.

Get the Foundation Right

The single most important GDPR compliance activity for most small businesses is handling data subject requests properly. It is where the rubber meets the road — a real person asking a real question about their data, with a real deadline. Our DSAR Compliance Guide gives you a complete framework for managing these requests, including templates, checklists, and workflows designed specifically for small businesses.

Download the DSAR Compliance Guide