Swapster Cookie Policy

How we use cookies

Transparent information about cookies on Swapster.

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Cookie Policy

This Cookie Policy explains what cookies are, how we use them on the Swapster Platform, and your choices regarding cookies. By using our platform, you consent to the use of essential cookies as described in this policy.

This policy was last updated on 21 July 2026.

1. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device (computer, smartphone, or tablet) when you visit a website. They help the website remember your preferences and improve your browsing experience.

2. Cookies We Use

Swapster uses essential cookies required for the platform to function, plus analytics and Google Ads cookies to help us understand how people use the platform and measure the performance of our own advertising campaigns. Analytics and advertising cookies are only set if you choose to accept them — we do not use profiling cookies, and we never let third parties advertise to you through our platform.

Even if you don't accept, Google's tag still runs in the background using Google Consent Mode: it sends Google a basic, cookieless signal that a page was viewed, without setting any cookie or attaching it to you personally. This lets Google estimate overall traffic and ad performance statistically, without storing anything about you individually until you accept.

Essential Cookies:
Session Cookie

Name: swapster_session
Purpose: This cookie is essential for user authentication and session management. It keeps you logged in as you navigate through the platform and ensures secure access to your account.

Duration: 120 minutes of inactivity, or until you log out. If you select "Remember Me" when logging in, your session will persist for an extended period.

Type: Essential (cannot be disabled as it's required for the platform to function)

CSRF Token Cookie

Name: XSRF-TOKEN
Purpose: This security cookie protects you from Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attacks by verifying that requests to our platform come from you and not from malicious third parties.

Duration: Session duration

Type: Essential (cannot be disabled as it's required for security)

Cookie Consent Cookie

Name: cookie_consent
Purpose: This cookie remembers your choice regarding our cookie notice, so we don't show it to you again on future visits.

Duration: 1 year

Type: Preference

Analytics & Advertising Cookies (optional):
Google Analytics

Names: _ga, _ga_5WPCQVZHDC
Purpose: These cookies are set by Google Analytics and help us understand how visitors interact with the platform — for example, which pages are most visited and how long people spend on each page. This helps us improve the service. IP addresses are anonymised before being sent to Google.

Duration: Up to 2 years

Provider: Google LLC — see Google's Privacy Policy

Type: Analytics (only set if you accept cookies)

Google Ads

Names: _gcl_au and related Google advertising cookies
Purpose: Used to measure the performance of Swapster's own Google Ads campaigns — for example, whether someone who clicked one of our ads went on to sign up. We do not use this to let third parties advertise to you, and we do not build advertising profiles of individual visitors.

Duration: Up to 90 days

Provider: Google LLC — see Google's Privacy Policy

Type: Advertising (only set if you accept cookies)

3. Third-Party Cookies

We use Google Analytics and Google Ads (both provided by Google LLC) to understand how visitors use the platform and to measure the performance of our own advertising campaigns. Both set cookies on your device only if you have accepted analytics/advertising cookies. Google may process this data on servers outside the UK; Google LLC is certified under the UK-US Data Bridge.

We do not use any other third-party cookies, and we do not use social media tracking cookies or let other companies advertise to you through our platform.

4. Your Cookie Choices

You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings. However, please note that disabling essential cookies will prevent you from using key features of the platform, including logging in and managing your account.

How to manage cookies in your browser:

5. GDPR Compliance

We are committed to complying with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the EU GDPR. Our use of cookies is transparent, minimal, and focused on providing you with a secure and functional service.

You have the right to:

6. Questions or Concerns

If you have any questions about how we use cookies, please contact us at:

Email: [email protected]

For more information about how we handle your personal data, please see our Privacy Policy.

We use essential cookies to keep the site secure and working, and analytics cookies (Google Analytics) to understand how visitors use Swapster. Analytics cookies are only set if you accept — and you can change your mind any time via Cookie settings in the footer. Learn more about our cookies.