TL;DR
For GDPR compliance: Use ExperimentHQ or PostHog—both offer privacy-first approaches that can work without cookie consent banners. Key features: EU hosting options, no third-party cookies, data minimization. Avoid tools that require extensive tracking cookies.
Privacy Comparison
| Tool | GDPR Compliant | EU Hosting | No Cookies | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ExperimentHQ | Best Overall | |||
| PostHog | Best Self-Hosted | |||
| VWO | — | — | Requires consent | |
| Optimizely | — | — | Requires consent |
GDPR Requirements for A/B Testing
Lawful basis for processing
Legitimate interest or consent required
Data minimization
Only collect what's necessary
Storage limitation
Don't keep data longer than needed
Right to erasure
Users can request data deletion
Do You Need Consent?
It depends on your implementation:
- • No consent needed: First-party, session-based testing with no personal data
- • Consent may be needed: Cross-site tracking, persistent cookies, personal data collection
- • Always consult legal: GDPR interpretation varies by country and use case
Our Recommendation
For privacy-first testing: ExperimentHQ with minimal data collection. No third-party cookies, EU-friendly.