Best GDPR Compliance Software of 2026

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), enforced by the European Union (EU) starting in May 2018, is one of the most important data privacy regulations to come into force in the last 20 years. Yet, according to our survey*, 54% of businesses report that they are "not familiar at all" with GDPR.

Primarily, GDPR aims to provide EU citizens with the power to decide how companies use their data. The regulation states that businesses (anywhere in the world) processing EU citizens' personally identifiable information (PII) must ensure its security and privacy. You can find the long list of GDPR requirements on this website.

Noncompliance can lead to fines of up to 20 million pounds or 4% of annual global turnover, whichever is higher. Fines of such magnitude are reason enough to make sure your organization complies with GDPR.

There are several software solutions on the market that can help you remain compliant. In this buyers guide we'll help you decide on the kind of GDPR software that'll best suit you your business. Here's what we'll cover:

What is GDPR software?

Common features of GDPR software

What type of buyer are you?

Benefits of GDPR software

Key consideration when buying GDPR software

What is GDPR software?

GDPR software is a privacy management tool that helps manage customer data, consent forms, and data security. GDPR compliance software facilitates customers' ability to choose the amount and type of data they want a company to store or process. It also helps improve an organization's data storage, governance, and privacy practices.

User access analysis in ManageEngine DataSecurity Plus (Source)

Common features of GDPR software

Choosing GDPR software with the right features is important to ensuring complete compliance. Below we discuss the key features to look for in a GDPR tool.

What type of buyer are you?

GDPR applies to all organizations that process data of EU citizens, irrespective of their business size and industry vertical. The following scenarios represent different buyer types to consider:

• You don't have any of these applications yet: Because of tight budget or limited knowledge you may not have invested in tools that offer features required for GDPR compliance. You can't escape this investment any longer. Going for integrated GDPR platforms will be easier for you to fulfill the requirements.

• You already have some of the applications but need to build out your GDPR tech stack: You may already have implemented some data security tools such as authentication or risk management software. There could still be some gaps, such as in managing customer consent, that prevent you from being fully compliant with GDPR. Identify standalone tools that help remedy the gaps and integrate them with your existing systems.

Benefits of GDPR software

In addition to helping your business stay compliant with GDPR, the software can provide these additional benefits:

• Improve overall cyber defense capabilities: Several GDPR software solutions not only offer features to remain compliant, but also provide data security capabilities for application or network monitoring and encryption. This helps improve your overall security posture and cyber defense capabilities.

• Improve customer trust and loyalty: GDPR compliance software not only helps manage customer data on the back end but also helps capture customer preferences through consent forms and opt-out buttons. Such visible demonstrations of your regard for customer data protection will help improve trust and build loyalty.

Key considerations when buying GDPR software

Even though you might be hurrying to meet GDPR requirements, it is important to consider some of the below parameters when buying GDPR software.

• Look out for well-rounded tools: GDPR is not the only regulation that your business needs to take into account. There're several others as well, such as the California consumer privacy act (CCPA) and the Cookie law. However, most of these regulations underline common themes such as data security, governance, and accountability. Choose data management and security tools with the view to cover the broad regulatory landscape your business is subject to.

• Integrations: The GDPR tool that you implement must integrate with your existing data collection/management/protection systems to support coherent operations. Multiple systems that send out disparate notifications or run conflicting data management rules will only add to your data management worries.

Note: The applications selected in this article are examples to show a feature in context and are not intended as endorsements or recommendations. They have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable at the time of publication.

*Methodology: The data security survey referenced in this article was conducted by Gartner Digital Markets in June 2019 among 714 respondents who reported full-time employment in the United States.