Cookie policy

Last updated: July 3, 2026

This Cookie Policy explains in precise detail how Best Hosting Guide (best-hosting-guide.com) uses cookies and similar tracking technologies. We have written this policy at a level of specificity that goes beyond what most websites provide, because we believe you deserve to know exactly what is stored on your device, by whom, for what purpose, and for how long. If you have questions about anything described here, contact us at besthostingguide@gmail.com.

This policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy at best-hosting-guide.com/privacy-policy/, which provides broader context about our overall data practices.

Section 1: What cookies are

A cookie is a small text file that a website you visit instructs your browser to save on your device. The file contains a string of characters that serves as an identifier. When you return to the same website, your browser sends the cookie back to the server, allowing the website to recognize your browser and retrieve any settings or information associated with it.

Cookies are stored locally on your device in a directory managed by your browser application. They are plain text files, not programs. They cannot execute code, access other files on your device, or carry malware. A cookie is simply a data file that stores a string of information your browser can later retrieve and send back to a server.

Cookies differ from each other in several important ways

First-party cookies are set by the website you are visiting directly. The domain shown in your browser’s address bar is the same domain that sets the cookie. First-party cookies are generally used for functional purposes, such as keeping you logged in, remembering your preferences, and collecting analytics about your use of that specific site.

Third-party cookies are set by a domain different from the one you are currently visiting. They are typically placed through scripts, iframes, or embedded content that the website you are visiting has loaded from a third-party service. Advertising networks, social media platforms, and analytics services commonly place third-party cookies. Because third-party cookies can be read by the third-party domain across many different websites, they are the primary mechanism through which your browsing behavior across multiple sites is tracked for advertising purposes.

Session cookies exist only for the duration of a single browsing session. They are stored in your browser’s memory rather than on your hard drive and are deleted automatically when you close your browser. Session cookies are typically used for functional purposes such as maintaining your navigation state as you move between pages.

Persistent cookies remain on your device for a specified period of time after a session ends, until that period expires or until you delete them manually. Persistent cookies are used for purposes that require recognizing you across multiple sessions, such as analytics tracking and advertising personalization.

Similar technologies include web beacons, also called tracking pixels or clear GIFs. These are tiny transparent images, often one pixel by one pixel in size, that are embedded in web pages or email messages. When your browser or email client loads a web beacon, it sends a request to the server that hosts the image. That request contains data including your IP address, browser type, and the time the page or email was loaded. Web beacons are used in combination with cookies to measure how many people viewed a page, opened an email, or clicked a link. JavaScript tags are another similar technology. When a page loads, these scripts run in your browser and collect and transmit data to a third-party service. Google Analytics and Google AdSense operate primarily through JavaScript tags that also set cookies.

Local storage and session storage are browser-based storage mechanisms that function similarly to cookies in some respects. They allow websites to store data in your browser. Unlike cookies, local storage and session storage data is not automatically sent to the server with each page request. We currently do not rely on local storage or session storage for tracking or advertising purposes.

Section 2: Why we use cookies

Best Hosting Guide uses cookies and similar technologies for four purposes: to operate the site’s core functions, to understand how readers use the site, to deliver advertising that funds the site’s operation, and to remember visitor preferences.

Each purpose is documented in detail in Section 3. We are a publishing operation that earns revenue through advertising. The advertising that appears on this site is served by Google AdSense, which relies on cookies to serve relevant advertisements. We disclose this plainly because transparency about how a site operates is essential for readers to make informed decisions about whether and how to use it.

Section 3: Detailed documentation of cookies on this site

3.1 Strictly necessary cookies

Strictly necessary cookies are essential for this site to function. They support the infrastructure that delivers pages to your browser, protect against certain types of attacks, and maintain your navigation state as you move through the site. These cookies do not collect personal information for advertising or analytics purposes and cannot be disabled without breaking the site’s core functionality.

The following categories of strictly necessary cookies are active on this site:

WordPress platform cookies: This site runs on the WordPress content management platform. WordPress sets functional cookies to manage your navigation session, to maintain security tokens that protect against cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks, and to remember whether you have previously logged in if you have a registered account. For most visitors who arrive from a search engine or external link and have no account, WordPress session cookies are active only during your visit and expire when you close your browser.

Server session cookies: Our web hosting infrastructure may set session cookies to load-balance traffic across servers and to maintain session state. These are operational necessities of hosting the site and contain no personally identifiable information.

Comment system cookies: If you submit a comment on an article and your browser returns to that article later, WordPress may set a cookie that remembers your name, email, and website URL so you do not need to re-enter them in the comment form. This cookie is set only if you actually submit a comment.

Security cookies: Security services that protect this site from bot traffic, brute-force attacks, and other threats may set cookies that allow them to identify your browser as a legitimate visitor in subsequent requests. These cookies do not track your behavior for advertising purposes.

Retention period: Session duration for most strictly necessary cookies. Comment convenience cookies may persist for up to one year.

3.2 Analytics cookies (Google Analytics 4)

We use Google Analytics 4 (GA4), operated by Google LLC, to collect data about how visitors use this site. The information Google Analytics provides helps us understand which articles attract and retain readers, which navigation paths lead readers to useful content and which result in dead ends, where visitors arrive from, and how the site performs on different devices.

The data Google Analytics collects is processed by Google and provided to us in the form of aggregated statistical reports. These reports show us metrics such as total sessions, unique users, page views, average engagement time, bounce rate, traffic source breakdown, device breakdown, and geographic distribution. The reports do not identify individual users by name, email address, or any other personally identifiable attribute.

We have enabled IP anonymization in our Google Analytics configuration. This means the final octet of your IP address is masked before the data is stored or processed by Google Analytics, preventing Google Analytics from storing or processing your full IP address.

The specific cookies placed by Google Analytics on this site are:

_ga: This is the primary Google Analytics cookie. It assigns a randomly generated numeric identifier to your browser to distinguish you from other visitors. The identifier contains no personal information. It is used to count unique visitors and to prevent the same visitor from being counted multiple times. Retention period: Two years from the date of creation or the date it was most recently updated through a new interaction with this site.

_gid: Used to distinguish users for a shorter measurement window, typically for daily reporting. Retention period: Twenty-four hours.

_gat_UA or _gat_[container-id]: Used to throttle the rate at which data is sent to Google Analytics servers when traffic is high. Retention period: One minute.

_ga_[container-id]: Used by Google Analytics 4 to maintain session state and to persist certain settings across sessions. Retention period: Up to two years.

These cookies are first-party cookies, meaning they are set on the best-hosting-guide.com domain, but the data they collect is transmitted to and processed on Google’s servers in the United States and potentially other countries where Google operates data infrastructure.

To opt out of Google Analytics tracking across all websites you visit, you can install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on, available at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. This browser extension prevents the Google Analytics JavaScript from transmitting information to Google Analytics about your visits.

Google’s data practices for Google Analytics are described in Google’s Privacy Policy at policies.google.com/privacy and in Google Analytics’ specific documentation at support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245.

3.3 Advertising cookies (Google AdSense and Google’s advertising ecosystem)

This site participates in Google AdSense, operated by Google LLC. Google AdSense is an advertising network that allows website publishers to display advertisements selected by Google’s automated systems. The advertisements displayed on this site are chosen based on a combination of the content of the page you are reading and your inferred interests, which Google determines based on your browsing behavior across websites that participate in Google’s advertising network.

Google uses cookies to make this advertising system work. The primary advertising cookies active on this site are:

IDE: Placed by Google through its DoubleClick advertising platform (now part of Google’s broader advertising infrastructure). IDE is used to record what advertisements have been shown to your browser, to track how you interact with those advertisements (such as whether you clicked on one), and to build a profile of inferred interests used to select future advertisements. IDE is the primary mechanism through which interest-based advertising operates. Retention period: Approximately thirteen months, though Google may update the expiry date on subsequent visits.

DSID: Used by Google to synchronize advertising preferences and account information when you are signed in to a Google account. If you are signed in to a Google account in your browser, Google may link your browsing activity on this site to your Google account profile. Retention period: Fourteen days.

AID: Used by Google to link advertising activity across different devices if you have previously signed in to your Google account on those devices. This allows Google to show you coordinated advertising across your desktop, phone, and tablet. Retention period: Approximately thirteen months.

TAID: Similar to AID, used for cross-device advertising linking. Retention period: Approximately thirteen months.

test_cookie: A short-lived cookie placed by Google to verify that your browser supports cookies before proceeding with advertising-related operations. Retention period: Fifteen minutes.

These advertising cookies are third-party cookies placed by Google’s domains (including doubleclick.net and googleadservices.com) through the Google AdSense script loaded on this site’s pages. Because they are third-party cookies set by Google’s domains rather than by best-hosting-guide.com directly, they can be read by Google across any website that participates in Google’s advertising network.

This is the mechanism through which cross-site behavioral tracking for advertising purposes works. When you visit this site and Google’s advertising script loads, Google can associate your visit here with visits to other sites in its network, building a picture of your browsing interests that informs the advertisements shown to you across the web.

To manage your Google advertising preferences, visit Google Ads Settings at adssettings.google.com. This page allows you to review what Google infers about your interests, correct any inaccuracies, and opt out of interest-based advertising from Google.

To opt out of interest-based advertising from other companies in the Digital Advertising Alliance, visit aboutads.info.

To opt out of interest-based advertising from companies in the Network Advertising Initiative, visit networkadvertising.org/choices.

Note that opting out of interest-based advertising does not mean you will stop seeing advertisements on this site. It means the advertisements will be selected based on the content of the page you are reading (contextual advertising) rather than on your browsing history (behavioral advertising). Some readers find this distinction important and prefer contextual advertising. Others prefer to see personalized ads. The choice is yours.

3.4 Functional and preference cookies

Some features of this site may use cookies to remember your preferences or settings across visits. Examples include whether you have dismissed a site notice or cookie consent banner, whether you prefer a particular display mode, or other interface preferences you may have indicated. These cookies improve your experience by preventing you from being shown the same notices repeatedly.

Functional cookies do not transmit information to advertising networks and do not track your behavior for analytics or advertising purposes.

Retention period: Up to twelve months from the date of last interaction, or until you manually delete them.

Section 4: Complete cookie table

The following table documents all cookies known to be active on this site as of the date of this policy. Cookie implementations may change as we update our services. We will update this table when material changes occur.

Section 5: Managing and disabling cookies

You have multiple options for controlling cookies on your device. Below we describe each option in detail so you can choose the approach that fits your needs and preferences.

5.1 Your browser’s built-in controls

Every major browser includes tools for managing cookies. These tools allow you to view all cookies currently stored on your device from any website, delete specific cookies or all cookies at once, block specific categories of cookies such as third-party cookies, and set rules for how your browser handles future cookie requests.

Google Chrome: Open the Chrome menu (three vertical dots, top right), select Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Cookies and other site data. From here you can choose to allow all cookies, block third-party cookies (recommended for those concerned about behavioral tracking), block all cookies, or see all cookies and site data currently stored. You can also access this page directly at chrome://settings/cookies.

Mozilla Firefox: Open the Firefox menu (three horizontal lines, top right), select Preferences or Settings, then Privacy and Security. Under the Enhanced Tracking Protection section, you can choose Standard, Strict, or Custom protection levels. Strict mode blocks all third-party cookies by default. You can also manage individual stored cookies by clicking the Manage Exceptions button or the cookies and site data link.

Apple Safari: Open Safari’s menu bar, select Safari, then Preferences, then Privacy. Check or uncheck the option to prevent cross-site tracking to control third-party cookies. You can also click Manage Website Data to see and delete cookies stored by specific websites.

Microsoft Edge: Open the Edge menu (three horizontal dots, top right), select Settings, then Privacy, Search and Services. Under Tracking Prevention, choose Basic, Balanced, or Strict. Strict mode blocks the broadest range of tracking cookies. You can also click Choose what to clear to delete existing cookies.

Opera: Open the Opera menu, select Settings, then Advanced, then Privacy and Security, then Site Settings, then Cookies and site data.

Brave: Brave browser blocks many third-party cookies and advertising trackers by default. You can adjust these settings under Settings, then Shields.

5.2 Targeted opt-out tools

If you want to opt out of specific types of tracking without broadly disabling cookies, the following targeted tools are available:

Google Ads Settings (adssettings.google.com): Manage what Google infers about your interests and opt out of interest-based advertising from Google across all sites.

Google Analytics Opt-out Add-on (tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout): A browser extension that prevents Google Analytics from collecting data about your visits to any website.

Digital Advertising Alliance opt-out (aboutads.info): Opt out of interest-based advertising from member companies in the DAA.

Network Advertising Initiative opt-out (networkadvertising.org/choices): Opt out of interest-based advertising from NAI member companies.

5.3 Global Privacy Control

Global Privacy Control (GPC) is a browser-level signal that communicates a general opt-out preference for the sale or sharing of personal information to websites you visit. Unlike individual opt-out tools, GPC operates automatically based on your browser settings.

As of July 2026, recognizing and honoring GPC signals is legally required in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Texas, Montana, New Hampshire, Nebraska, Oregon, Delaware, New Jersey, Minnesota, and Maryland. When we detect a GPC signal from your browser, we treat it as a request to opt out of the sharing of your personal information for advertising targeting under applicable state law.

To send a GPC signal, use a browser with built-in GPC support (Brave and Firefox support GPC) or install a browser extension that broadcasts the GPC signal. The Global Privacy Control specification and a list of tools that implement it is available at globalprivacycontrol.org.

5.4 Effects of disabling cookies

Disabling strictly necessary cookies: Pages may not load correctly. Navigation may break. Security features may not function. We recommend leaving strictly necessary cookies enabled.

Disabling analytics cookies only: The site will function completely normally for you. We will have less information about how readers use the site, which may slow down our ability to identify and fix content or usability issues. Disabling analytics cookies has no effect on the advertisements you see.

Disabling advertising cookies only: The site will function completely normally. You will continue to see advertisements on this site, but they will be selected based on the content of the page rather than your browsing history. Some browsers, when advertising cookies are blocked, may show you repeated advertisements because the frequency-capping mechanism that prevents overexposure to the same ad also relies on cookies.

Disabling all cookies: The site may partially or fully break. Strictly necessary session cookies are required for basic page delivery and security features.

Section 6: Cookies and children

We do not knowingly use cookies to collect personal information from children under thirteen years of age. If we become aware that cookies have collected information from a child under thirteen, we will take steps to delete that information. For concerns about children’s privacy on this site, contact us at besthostingguide@gmail.com.

Section 7: The evolving landscape of cookie law in the United States

The legal framework governing cookies in the United States has changed significantly in recent years and continues to change. Unlike the European Union, which has a single overarching framework in the ePrivacy Directive and the General Data Protection Regulation, the United States has developed a patchwork of state-level laws that each address cookies and tracking technologies in different ways.

As of July 2026, twenty states have enacted comprehensive privacy laws that address the use of cookies and tracking technologies to varying degrees. California’s law, the most developed of these, requires businesses to disclose specific categories of data collected through cookies, to provide opt-out mechanisms for the sale or sharing of personal information (which can include behavioral data collected through advertising cookies), and to honor browser-based opt-out signals including Global Privacy Control.

Colorado, Connecticut, and Virginia have enacted similar requirements. Indiana, Kentucky, and Rhode Island enacted comprehensive privacy laws effective January 1, 2026. Connecticut is enhancing its sensitive data definitions and youth protections effective July 1, 2026. Several other states have laws that take effect later in 2026 or in 2027.

What this means for you as a reader of this site: the rights you have regarding cookies on this site depend in part on which state you live in. California residents have the most developed set of rights under current law. Residents of the other nineteen states with active comprehensive privacy laws have rights that vary by state but generally include the right to opt out of targeted advertising and the right to access and delete personal data collected about you.

We monitor changes in applicable law and update our cookie practices and disclosures accordingly. If you have a question about your specific rights in your state, contact us at besthostingguide@gmail.com.

Section 8: Changes to this cookie policy

The cookies active on this site may change as we add or remove services, update platforms, or change our analytics or advertising configuration. We will update this policy and the cookie table in Section 4 when material changes occur. The Last updated date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

Section 9: Contact

For questions about this Cookie Policy or our use of cookies:

Best Hosting Guide
besthostingguide@gmail.com
best-hosting-guide.com/contact/

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