Privacy Policy Generator Online — Create a Privacy Policy Free
The free Privacy Policy Generator produces a complete privacy policy or terms of service document from your website details in seconds. Fill in your company name, contact email, and data collection practices — get a ready-to-use policy document with no signup required.
Why Every Website Needs a Privacy Policy
A privacy policy is not optional for websites that collect any personal data — and nearly every website does, even if it only uses Google Analytics. Legal requirements include:
- GDPR (EU) — required for any website accessible to EU residents that collects personal data
- CCPA (California) — required for businesses meeting certain thresholds that collect California residents' data
- App stores — Apple App Store and Google Play both require a privacy policy URL for every published app
- Google AdSense and Analytics — require a disclosed privacy policy as a condition of service
- Stripe, PayPal, and other payment processors — require merchants to have a published privacy policy
Beyond legal compliance, a clear privacy policy builds trust with users. Research consistently shows that visible, readable privacy policies correlate with higher conversion rates on sign-up forms.
What a Privacy Policy Must Cover
| Section | What to explain |
|---|---|
| Data collected | What personal data you collect (name, email, IP, cookies, payment info) |
| Purpose of collection | Why you collect each type (service delivery, analytics, marketing) |
| Legal basis (GDPR) | Consent, legitimate interest, contract, or legal obligation |
| Third-party sharing | Which processors receive data (Google, Stripe, email providers) |
| Data retention | How long you keep data and the deletion schedule |
| User rights | Access, rectification, deletion, portability, objection |
| Cookies | Types used (essential, analytics, advertising) and how to opt out |
| Contact information | Email address or form for privacy requests |
| Policy update date | When the policy was last revised |
How to Use the Privacy Policy Generator
- Open the Privacy Policy Generator.
- Select the document type: Privacy Policy or Terms of Service.
- Enter your company name, website URL, and contact email address.
- Select your country (used for jurisdiction references).
- Set the effective date for the policy.
- Check the applicable data practices: personal data collection, analytics, cookies, third-party sharing.
- Click Generate to produce the document, then Copy to use it.
GDPR: What European Law Requires
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies to any website that processes personal data of EU residents, regardless of where the website is hosted. Key requirements:
Data controller vs data processor
As a website owner, you are the data controller — you determine the purpose and means of processing. Companies like Google Analytics, Mailchimp, or Stripe that process data on your behalf are data processors. Your privacy policy must identify your data processors (or at minimum, describe the categories of processors).
Legal bases for processing
GDPR requires a legal basis for every processing activity. The six bases are: consent, contract performance, legal obligation, vital interests, public task, and legitimate interests. For most small websites:
- Contact form data — contract performance or legitimate interest
- Analytics cookies — consent (requires a consent banner)
- Account creation — contract performance
- Marketing emails — consent
User rights under GDPR
Your privacy policy must inform users of their rights and provide a contact method to exercise them. Rights include: access, rectification, erasure (right to be forgotten), restriction, portability, and objection to processing.
CCPA: California Consumer Privacy Act
The CCPA applies to for-profit businesses that meet at least one of these thresholds:
- Annual gross revenue exceeding $25 million
- Buys, sells, or shares the personal data of 100,000+ consumers or households annually
- Derives 50%+ of annual revenue from selling consumers' personal data
Most small websites and indie products do not meet these thresholds, but if you do, CCPA requires a “Do Not Sell My Personal Information” opt-out link on your homepage and specific disclosure rights.
CPRA (California Privacy Rights Act, 2023) expanded CCPA with additional rights including data correction, limiting use of sensitive personal information, and automated decision-making opt-outs.
Cookie Consent and Cookie Banners
Under GDPR and ePrivacy Directive, non-essential cookies (analytics, advertising) require prior informed consent. This means a cookie banner must appear before any non-essential cookies are set. “Consent by scrolling” or pre-ticked boxes are not valid consent.
Cookie types and their treatment:
| Cookie type | Examples | Consent required? |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly necessary | Session ID, auth token, CSRF token | No — cannot function without them |
| Functional | Language preference, UI settings | Debated — most DPAs say yes |
| Analytics | Google Analytics, Hotjar | Yes — requires explicit consent |
| Advertising | Google Ads, Facebook Pixel | Yes — most regulated category |
Privacy Policy vs Terms of Service
These are separate documents that serve different purposes:
- Privacy Policy — explains what data you collect, how you use it, and users' rights. Required by law in most jurisdictions for any data-collecting website. Protects users.
- Terms of Service — establishes the rules for using your website or service, limits your liability, and defines acceptable use. Protects the business. Required by contract law only if users must agree to use the service.
Most websites need both. A privacy policy without terms of service leaves the business exposed to liability for user actions. Terms of service without a privacy policy may violate data protection laws.
When Generated Policies Are Sufficient
A generated privacy policy is appropriate for:
- Small personal websites and blogs with no user accounts
- Simple SaaS products in early stages collecting only email and usage analytics
- Side projects and open-source tools that need a policy to meet app store or ad network requirements
- Proof-of-concept products before legal review is warranted
When to Get Legal Review
Generated policies are templates and do not constitute legal advice. Consult a qualified attorney when:
- Your product collects health, financial, or children's data (subject to HIPAA, PCI-DSS, or COPPA)
- You operate across multiple jurisdictions with conflicting requirements
- You handle significant volumes of EU resident data (GDPR enforcement risk)
- Your business model depends on data sharing with third parties
- You are raising investment or preparing for acquisition due diligence
Generate Your Privacy Policy
Fill in your details, select your data practices, and get a complete privacy policy or terms of service document ready to publish. No signup.
Open Privacy Policy Generator