Do I really need a privacy policy?

Yes. If your website collects any data — including analytics, cookies, or email addresses — you're legally required to have one. GDPR (EU), CCPA (California), PIPEDA (Canada), and LGPD (Brazil) all mandate it. Google AdSense, Apple App Store, and Stripe also require one.

Is this a legally valid privacy policy?

PolicyForge generates professionally structured policies based on current privacy law frameworks. While we cover all major compliance areas, we recommend consulting an attorney for complex or high-risk situations. For most small businesses and startups, our policies provide solid coverage.

Why PolicyForge instead of a free template?

Free templates are generic and often outdated. PolicyForge customizes your policy based on your specific data practices — whether you use cookies, process payments, have user accounts, or handle children's data. Pro policies include GDPR/CCPA-specific rights sections that most templates miss entirely.

What's the difference between Free and Pro?

Free gives you 2 basic privacy policies per day. Pro ($12.99 one-time) adds unlimited generations, full GDPR/CCPA rights sections, data retention clauses, security measures, children's privacy, Terms of Service generator, and removes PolicyForge branding.

Is this a subscription?

No. All plans are one-time payments. Pay once, use forever. No recurring charges.

Looking for an iubenda Alternative? Here's What to Consider

iubenda is one of the most well-known privacy compliance platforms, used by over 100,000 businesses worldwide. But its subscription pricing, complex interface, and upsell-heavy model have many small businesses looking for simpler, more affordable alternatives. This guide compares iubenda with PolicyForge across the features that actually matter for your privacy compliance.

Try PolicyForge Free — No Account Required

Generate a GDPR & CCPA compliant privacy policy in under 2 minutes. No signup, no credit card, no subscription. See why businesses are switching from iubenda.

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iubenda vs PolicyForge: Side-by-Side Comparison

Here's how the two platforms compare across the features that matter most for privacy compliance.

Feature	iubenda	PolicyForge
Price	$29-$99+/year	$4.99-$12.99 one-time
Privacy Policy Generator	✓	✓
Cookie Consent Banner	✓ (paid add-on)	✗
Compliance Scanner	✗	✓ (Free)
Terms of Service Generator	✓	✓
Self-Hosted Policies	Hosted by iubenda	You own the text
Account Required	Yes	No
Recurring Cost	Annual subscription	One-time payment

The iubenda Lock-In Problem

One of the most common complaints about iubenda is vendor lock-in. When you use iubenda, your privacy policy is hosted on their servers and embedded on your site via JavaScript or iframe. This creates several problems:

Your Policy Disappears If You Cancel

If you stop paying iubenda, the embedded policy on your website stops working. Your visitors see a broken embed or empty page where your privacy policy used to be. This effectively forces you to keep paying or scramble for a replacement.

No Export of Your Policy Text

iubenda generates your policy on their platform. If you want to switch providers, you need to regenerate your entire policy from scratch. With PolicyForge, you get the full policy text that you copy and paste directly into your site — you own it completely.

JavaScript Dependency

iubenda's embed requires loading external JavaScript from their servers. This adds a dependency on their uptime, can slow down your page load, and creates issues for users who block third-party scripts. PolicyForge's output is plain HTML text with zero external dependencies.

Where iubenda Excels

iubenda has genuine strengths that are worth acknowledging. If these features are critical for your business, iubenda may still be the right choice:

Cookie Solution & Consent Management

iubenda's Cookie Solution automatically scans your website for cookies, categorizes them, and generates a consent banner. It integrates with Google Consent Mode and IAB TCF 2.2. If you need comprehensive cookie management, this is a genuine advantage over PolicyForge.

Internal Privacy Management

iubenda offers tools for managing internal privacy processes like data processing records, consent databases, and data subject access requests. This is useful for mid-size companies that need to demonstrate GDPR compliance beyond just having a privacy policy.

Multi-Language Support

iubenda generates policies in 10+ languages, which is essential for businesses operating across multiple countries. PolicyForge currently generates policies in English only.

Where PolicyForge Excels

One-Time Pricing (No Recurring Fees Ever)

PolicyForge Starter costs $4.99 once. Pro costs $12.99 once. Not per month. Not per year. Once. With iubenda, you're paying $29-$99+ every year. Over 3 years, that's $87-$297+ with iubenda vs $4.99-$12.99 total with PolicyForge.

You Own Your Policy (No Lock-In)

PolicyForge generates plain text that you copy and paste into your website. No embeds, no JavaScript, no dependency on our servers. If you decide to stop using PolicyForge tomorrow, your privacy policy keeps working perfectly because it's just text on your site.

Free Compliance Scanner

PolicyForge includes a free compliance scanner that analyzes any website's privacy posture across 11 dimensions. Enter any URL and get an instant compliance score. iubenda does not offer a comparable free scanning tool.

No Account or Signup Required

PolicyForge works instantly. No account creation, no email verification, no onboarding flow. iubenda requires signup and walks you through a multi-step setup process before you can generate anything.

Simpler Interface

iubenda's dashboard can feel overwhelming with its many modules, add-ons, and configuration options. PolicyForge has a single-page generator: answer questions, click generate, get your policy. The entire process takes under 2 minutes.

The Real Cost of iubenda Over Time

iubenda's pricing page shows relatively low numbers, but the subscription model means costs compound year over year:

Time Period	iubenda Pro	PolicyForge Pro	You Save
Year 1	$29+	$12.99	$16+
Year 2	$58+	$12.99	$45+
Year 3	$87+	$12.99	$74+
Year 5	$145+	$12.99	$132+

Based on iubenda Pro plan pricing as of early 2026. With cookie consent add-on, costs increase to $99+/year ($495+ over 5 years).

Who Should Switch to PolicyForge

✓

Small businesses and freelancers

If iubenda's subscription feels like overkill for your needs, PolicyForge gives you the same core output at a fraction of the cost.

✓

Developers who want to own their policy text

No JavaScript embeds, no hosted policies, no dependency on a third-party service. Just plain text you control completely.

✓

SaaS builders and startups

You need a privacy policy and terms of service, not a full compliance platform. Generate both in 5 minutes and get back to building.

✓

Multi-project developers

iubenda charges per site. PolicyForge Pro covers unlimited generations for all your projects with one payment.

Who Should Stay With iubenda

▶

You need cookie consent management

iubenda's Cookie Solution is one of the best in the market. If you need automated cookie scanning, consent banners, and Google Consent Mode integration, iubenda delivers this and PolicyForge does not.

▶

You operate in multiple languages

iubenda supports 10+ languages. If your business serves customers in non-English markets and you need localized policies, iubenda has a clear advantage here.

▶

You need internal privacy management tools

If you need to manage data processing records, handle DSAR requests, or maintain a consent database for GDPR compliance, iubenda's broader platform makes sense.

Ready to Switch from iubenda?

Stop paying $29-$99/year for something that should cost $4.99 once.

Generate a GDPR & CCPA compliant privacy policy in under 2 minutes. No account required. No vendor lock-in. No recurring fees.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is PolicyForge a good alternative to iubenda?

PolicyForge is an excellent alternative for businesses that need privacy policy generation, terms of service generation, and compliance scanning without a recurring subscription. PolicyForge costs $4.99-$12.99 one-time compared to iubenda's $29-$99+/year. However, if you need a cookie consent banner or internal privacy management, iubenda may be the better choice.

How much does iubenda cost per year?

iubenda's Pro plan starts at approximately $29/year for basic policy generation. Adding cookie consent increases this to $99+/year. Over 3 years, that's $87-$297+. PolicyForge charges a one-time fee with no recurring costs.

Does PolicyForge have a cookie solution like iubenda?

PolicyForge generates cookie policies but does not offer a cookie consent banner or automated cookie scanning. If cookie consent management is critical, consider using PolicyForge for policy generation and a dedicated free cookie consent tool like CookieYes.

Can I switch from iubenda to PolicyForge?

Yes. Generate a new policy with the privacy policy generator, customize it for your business, and paste it directly onto your website replacing iubenda's embed code. The switch takes about 5 minutes.

Is PolicyForge free to try?

Yes. PolicyForge offers 2 free policy generations per day. The compliance scanner is completely free with no limits. No account or credit card required.