How to Add a Cookie Banner to Your Website

Start by checking whether your platform already ships one: Wix and Squarespace both have a built-in banner you switch on in settings. Elsewhere, install a consent tool such as Cookiebot or CookieYes, put its script first in the head, and confirm analytics and ad tags stay silent until a visitor clicks Accept.

Built-in banner or third-party tool, by platform
Platform	Built-in banner?	Where it lives
We.Inc	Yes	... menu > Add-ons > Consent banner (or Cookiebot / CookieYes)
WordPress	No	A consent plugin from Plugins > Add Plugin
Wix	Yes (Usercentrics, basic version free)	Dashboard > Privacy & Cookies
Squarespace	Yes	Cookies & Data Privacy panel
Plain HTML	No	Consent tool script at the top of <head>

Updated October 28, 2026

A cookie banner is only useful if it actually holds back the cookies it asks about. Plenty of sites show a pretty notice while Google Analytics and the Meta Pixel fire on the first page view anyway. This guide covers switching a banner on per platform and then checking that it really blocks.

Add a cookie banner on We.Inc, WordPress, Wix, Squarespace or plain HTML

We.Inc

In the builder, open the ... menu and pick Add-ons.
Find the Consent group and choose Consent banner, or Cookiebot or CookieYes if you already have an account with one of them.
For the built-in banner, add your privacy policy link if you have one; for Cookiebot or CookieYes, paste the ID from that tool.
Flip the switch on. You will see 'Saved. It goes live when you next publish.'
Publish, then open the live site in a private window to see the banner.

The built-in Consent banner uses Google Consent Mode v2 and switches itself on when Google Ads, TikTok, LinkedIn, Microsoft or Snap tags are turned on.

WordPress

In WP Admin, go to Plugins > Add Plugin.
Search for the consent tool you picked (Cookiebot and CookieYes both publish official plugins) and click Install Now, then Activate.
Open the plugin's settings page and connect it to your account or paste its ID.
Run the plugin's cookie scan and review which category each cookie landed in.
Turn on auto-blocking so tracking scripts wait for consent.

On WordPress.com, installing plugins needs a paid plan (Personal, Premium, Business or Commerce).

Wix

In your site's dashboard, open Privacy & Cookies.
Click Add to Site next to 'Add a cookie consent banner', then Agree & Add.
Open Cookie Consent Banner and click Website Scan to detect your cookies.
Set the privacy trigger, language and the link to your policy page.
Turn on the Show banner toggle and check the published site.

The basic Usercentrics banner is free. Editing colours, layout and text needs a paid Usercentrics plan. The banner will not appear unless your domain is properly connected.

Squarespace

Open the Cookies & Data Privacy panel (in Settings, under Website).
Switch on the Cookie banner toggle.
Choose whether to show a Decline all button and a Manage cookies button.
Edit the disclaimer text and add a link to your policy page.
Click Save, then use Customize Banner Style for colour and position.

With Manage cookies and Decline all both off, visitors can only accept, which is unlikely to satisfy EU consent rules. Turn on Decline all.

Plain HTML

Create an account with a consent tool and add your domain.
Copy its script tag and paste it as the first script inside <head>.
Mark your own tracking scripts with the tool's blocking attribute, or rely on its auto-blocking.
Upload the page and test in a private window with the browser's network tab open.

Check the banner really blocks

Open DevTools > Network, filter for 'google-analytics', 'facebook' or 'clarity', reload, and decline. Nothing should load.
Accept, reload, and the same requests should now appear.
In DevTools > Application > Cookies, declined visits should show only necessary cookies such as a session ID.

Sources

Checked October 28, 2026: the cookie banner pages we read.

Wix cookie consent banner setup steps: https://support.wix.com/en/article/displaying-a-cookie-banner-on-your-site
Squarespace cookie banner panel and button options: https://support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/206545727
WordPress.com plans that can install a consent plugin: https://wordpress.com/support/plugins/install-a-plugin/

What the banner has to do, not just say

Under the EU ePrivacy rules and GDPR, the point is prior consent: non-essential cookies stay off until the visitor agrees. A notice that says 'by using this site you accept cookies' does not do that.

So the real work is categorising your scripts. Strictly necessary cookies (a login session, a shopping cart) can run without asking. Analytics, advertising and most third-party embeds belong behind the Accept button.

Built-in banners versus a dedicated tool

Built-in banners are quick and free but basic. Wix's version is powered by Usercentrics, and its free tier lets you link a privacy policy while colours and custom text need a paid Usercentrics plan.

Dedicated tools add automatic cookie scanning, a consent log you can export, geo-targeting so only EU visitors see the banner, and Consent Mode signals for Google tags. Our gallery of cookie consent banner examples shows how different sites lay these out.

How it works

List every script on the site that sets non-essential cookies: analytics, ad pixels, chat, video embeds.
Choose the built-in banner if your platform has one, or pick a consent tool.
Load the consent script before any tracking script so it can hold them back.
Link the banner to your privacy or cookie policy page.
Open the live site in a private window, decline, and confirm no tracking requests leave the browser.

Tips

Give Decline the same weight as Accept. Regulators in the EU have criticised banners where rejecting takes extra clicks.
If you run Google Ads or GA4 for visitors in the EEA or UK, use a banner that sends Google Consent Mode v2 signals, or Google's ad measurement for those visitors suffers.
Banners on Wix do not show in the Editor or Preview, so test on the published site before assuming it is broken.
Re-scan after adding any new embed. A YouTube video or a chat widget can add cookies the banner never listed.

Frequently asked questions

Do I legally need a cookie banner?

If visitors from the EU or UK reach your site and you set non-essential cookies (analytics, advertising, most embeds), consent is generally required before those cookies are set. A site with only strictly necessary cookies may not need one. This is general information, not legal advice.

Is Cookiebot or CookieYes better?

Both scan your site, list cookies by category, block scripts until consent and support Google Consent Mode. The practical differences are pricing tiers, how many pages each plan scans and how the banner looks, so try the free tier of each on your real site.

Why does my banner show but analytics still records everyone?

The analytics tag is loading on its own instead of waiting for the consent tool. Either the tag sits above the consent script, or it was added through a route the tool cannot control. Move it under the tool's control or use its auto-blocking mode.

Can I use the Wix or Squarespace banner and Cookiebot together?

No. Two banners confuse visitors and can record conflicting choices. Switch the built-in one off before installing a third-party tool.

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