How to Set Up Google Consent Mode V2 Without a Paid CMP(100% Free)

📘 Introduction

In today’s privacy-first world, businesses must comply with data protection laws like GDPR and CCPA. Google Consent Mode V2 makes this possible by allowing websites to adjust tracking behavior based on a user’s consent choices — all while preserving essential analytics and ad data.

In this guide, you’ll discover a Free Google Consent Mode V2 setup using only Google Tag Manager, with no need for a paid Consent Management Platform (CMP). Whether you’re a small business or a marketer looking to stay compliant without extra tools, this tutorial shows how to implement Google Consent Mode without CMP for free using a custom banner and local storage.

✅ Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have:

A live website where you can insert custom code
An active Google Tag Manager (GTM) account
A configured Google Analytics 4 (GA4) property
Basic understanding of JavaScript and GTM

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Step-by-Step Setup Guide

Step 1: Create a Custom HTML Tag to Show Banner & Store Data

In GTM, create a Custom HTML tag.
Paste your JavaScript code that:

Displays the consent banner with options (Allow All, Deny All, Save Preferences).

Saves the user’s consent choices (like ad_storage, analytics_storage, etc.) into localStorage.

Set the trigger to Consent Initialization – All Pages to ensure this loads early.
Save and publish this tag.

Step 2: Create GTM Variables to Capture Consent Data from Local Storage

Create 5 Custom JavaScript variables in GTM:

ad_storage

analytics_storage

functionality_storage

personalization_storage

consent_choice

Each variable reads the corresponding value from your localStorage object where the banner saved consent.
This lets GTM access the user’s consent state dynamically on every page.

Step 3: Create a Tag to Set Default Consent (Google + Microsoft Tags)

In GTM, create a new tag.
Select Consent Mode (Google + Microsoft Tags) tag type.
Configure it to set the Default Consent states using the 5 variables you created.
Set the trigger to Consent Initialization – All Pages so it fires before any other tags.

Step 4: Create a Tag to Set Updated Consent (Google + Microsoft Tags)

Create another Consent Mode (Google + Microsoft Tags) tag.
Configure this tag to Update Consent using the same 5 GTM variables.
Set the trigger to fire on All Pages — this tag will update consent dynamically based on stored user preferences.

Step 5: Testing Your Consent Mode Setup

Use GTM Preview Mode and Google Tag Assistant to test:

The banner appears correctly.

Consent values are saved properly in localStorage.

Both Consent Mode tags fire in the correct order with correct consent states.

Test different user actions (Allow, Deny, Save Preferences) and verify that tags behave accordingly.

Step 6: Publish Your GTM Container Version

Once tested thoroughly, publish your GTM container.
Your site now runs Consent Mode V2 without a CMP — fully controlled by your custom JavaScript and GTM setup.

Step 7: Testing & Validation

To ensure your Google Consent Mode V2 setup works properly, follow these validation steps:

Google Tag Assistant (Preview Mode)

Enter Preview Mode from your GTM workspace.
Navigate your website.
Look for key consent signals in the debug panel:
- Consent Initialized
- Consent Updated

Consent Debug Mode

Append #gtm_debug=GTM-XXXXXXX to your site URL (replace with your container ID).
This activates Consent Debug Mode.
Inspect how consent signals are passed and stored.

GA4 DebugView

Navigate to: GA4 Admin > Configure > DebugView
Interact with your site using different consent combinations.
Confirm that the appropriate events fire based on user choices.

Step 8: Final Publish & Deployment

After successful testing:

Click Submit in your GTM workspace
Add a version name like Consent Mode V2
Click Publish to push changes live

📝 Post-Publish Tip
Monitor:

Real-time traffic in GA4 DebugView
Consent status & event flows in your live site

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Is this Consent Mode setup really 100% free?
Yes — it uses only free tools like GTM and GA4. The banner is custom-built without a paid CMP.

Q2: Does Consent Mode replace the need for a cookie banner?
No. You still need a consent banner. Consent Mode only communicates the choices.

Q3: What happens if a user denies consent?
Google tags send aggregated, cookieless pings. Tracking accuracy decreases, but compliance remains intact.

Q4: Will this affect my existing Google tags?
Yes. Tags automatically adapt based on the user’s consent choices.

Q5: How often should I revisit my setup?
At least annually — or when your website or privacy regulations change.

Conclusion

By following this guide, you’ve implemented Google Consent Mode V2 without the need for a paid CMP. You now have:

✅ Full control over how consent is collected and used
✅ A flexible setup tailored to your brand’s UX
✅ Compliance with global privacy laws
✅ A 100% free and ethical data-tracking solution using GTM

📞 Need Help Setting Up Google Consent Mode V2 for Free?

Avoid compliance risks and tracking issues.