Cookie Policy

1. What Are Cookies?

A cookie is a small text file that is placed on your device (computer, mobile phone, or tablet) when you visit a website. Cookies are widely used to make websites work more efficiently and to provide information to the website owner.

Most cookies contain a unique identifier called a cookie ID, which is a string of characters that websites and servers associate with the browser on your device. This allows websites to:

• Remember your preferences and settings
• Understand how you use the website
• Track conversions and affiliate sales
• Provide personalized experiences
• Analyze website performance

Cookies do not contain viruses or malware and cannot access other files on your device. However, they do allow websites to collect information about your browsing activity.

2. Cookie Categories

Cookies can be classified by type and by purpose. We use the following categories:

2.1 Essential Cookies

These cookies are necessary for the website to function properly. They enable core functionality such as:

• Maintaining your session while browsing
• Remembering your login information
• Securing transactions and preventing fraud
• Complying with legal requirements

Legal basis: Contract and legal obligation. These cookies are necessary for the website to function and do not require consent.

2.2 Preference Cookies

These cookies store information about your preferences and choices to enhance your experience:

• Language and locale preferences
• Saved plant wishlists and searches
• Display preferences (dark mode, layout choices)

Legal basis: Consent and legitimate interest. While not strictly necessary, these cookies significantly improve user experience.

2.3 Analytics Cookies

These cookies help us understand how visitors use our website so we can improve it. They collect anonymous data about:

• Pages visited and time spent on each page
• Links clicked and user flow
• Browser type and operating system
• General geographic location
• Traffic sources and referrals

Privacy-friendly approach: We use Plausible Analytics and PostHog, which are GDPR-compliant analytics tools that:

• Do not track individual users across websites
• Do not use cookies for tracking (in the case of Plausible)
• Aggregate data to prevent individual identification
• Comply with all UK GDPR requirements

Legal basis: Consent and legitimate interests in understanding user behavior to improve our service.

2.4 Affiliate and Marketing Cookies

These cookies track your interactions with retailer links to enable our affiliate commission program:

• Tracking which retailer links you click
• Recording if you complete a purchase
• Verifying commission eligibility
• Preventing fraud and duplicate commissions

Important: Affiliate cookies may be set by third-party networks (Awin, CJ Affiliate, Amazon Associates) and are governed by their privacy policies. These networks may track your activity across multiple websites.

Legal basis: Contract (our affiliate agreements) and legitimate interests in operating our affiliate program.

3. Specific Cookies We Use

Below is a detailed table of cookies currently in use on PlantCompare:

Note: Cookie names and durations may vary as we update our analytics and affiliate providers. This table is current as of February 2026. We will update this page if we add or remove major cookie providers.

4. First-Party and Third-Party Cookies

4.1 First-Party Cookies

These cookies are set by PlantCompare directly and are used to:

• Maintain your session and login information
• Store your preferences and wishlist
• Remember your search history

We control these cookies entirely and they are not shared with advertisers or other third parties (except as required for service delivery).

4.2 Third-Party Cookies

These cookies are set by our partners and service providers:

• Analytics Providers (Plausible, PostHog): Set cookies to help us understand how you use our website
• Affiliate Networks (Awin, CJ, Amazon): Set tracking cookies to monitor clicks and sales
• CDN and Hosting Providers: May set security and performance cookies

Third-party providers have their own privacy policies, and we recommend reviewing them to understand their data practices.

5. Session and Persistent Cookies

Cookies are also classified by duration:

• Session Cookies: These are temporary and are deleted when you close your browser. They are used for login sessions and security.
• Persistent Cookies: These remain on your device for a set period (from days to years). They are used to remember your preferences and track affiliate conversions.

6. How to Manage and Disable Cookies

Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can:

• Accept all cookies
• Reject all cookies
• Accept only essential cookies
• Delete cookies stored on your device
• Set your browser to notify you when a cookie is about to be set

6.1 Browser-Specific Instructions

Google Chrome

1. Click the menu button (three dots) in the top right
2. Select "Settings"
3. Click "Privacy and security" in the left sidebar
4. Select "Cookies and other site data"
5. Adjust your cookie preferences

Mozilla Firefox

1. Click the menu button (three lines) in the top right
2. Select "Settings"
3. Click "Privacy & Security" in the left sidebar
4. Under "Cookies and Site Data," select your preference
5. Click "Manage Exceptions" to customize settings

Safari

1. Click "Safari" in the top menu
2. Select "Preferences"
3. Click the "Privacy" tab
4. Adjust "Cookies and website data" settings
5. Click "Manage Website Data" for detailed control

Microsoft Edge

1. Click the menu button (three dots) in the top right
2. Select "Settings"
3. Click "Privacy, search, and services" in the left sidebar
4. Under "Cookies and other site data," adjust your preferences

Note: You can also manage cookies globally through your device settings or use privacy tools like:

• Browser extensions that block tracking cookies
• Do Not Track (DNT) browser settings
• Private/Incognito browsing modes

7. Impact of Disabling Cookies

Disabling cookies may affect your experience on PlantCompare:

• Disabling Essential Cookies: You may not be able to log in, use certain features, or complete transactions
• Disabling Preference Cookies: Your preferences, wishlists, and search history will not be saved between sessions
• Disabling Analytics Cookies: We will not receive data about your usage, but this will not significantly impact your browsing experience
• Disabling Affiliate Tracking Cookies: Affiliate networks may not properly attribute purchases, and we may not receive commission credits (however, you will not be charged differently)

We recommend keeping essential cookies enabled to ensure PlantCompare functions properly. You can safely disable non-essential cookies if you prefer.

8. Third-Party Cookie Providers – Privacy Policies

Our third-party service providers set their own cookies. We recommend reviewing their privacy policies:

9. Opting Out of Specific Tracking

While we recommend using your browser settings to manage cookies, some services provide direct opt-out options:

9.1 Advertising and Affiliate Opt-Out

You can opt out of targeted advertising and affiliate tracking through:

• Network Advertising Initiative (NAI): NAI Opt-Out Tool
• Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA): DAA Opt-Out Tool
• Your Online Choices (UK/EU): Your Online Choices

9.2 Do Not Track (DNT)

Some browsers include a "Do Not Track" (DNT) setting. We respect DNT signals when present, though industry-wide DNT standards are not yet standardized. You can typically enable DNT in your browser's privacy settings.

10. Updates to This Cookie Policy

As our website evolves, we may add, remove, or update cookies. We will update this policy to reflect any changes to our cookie practices. Major changes will be communicated via email or a prominent notice on our website.

Last updated: February 2026

11. Questions About Cookies?

If you have any questions about our cookie practices or would like more information about how we use cookies, please contact us: