Cookieless form analytics: how to see where people quit your form without cookies

Why cookies became a problem for analytics

Under EU and UK rules, storing cookies that aren't strictly necessary generally needs the visitor's consent. Many visitors click "Reject", and cookie-based tools then see only part of the traffic.

Since 31 October 2025, Microsoft Clarity needs a valid consent signal for visitors from the EEA, the UK and Switzerland. Without it, Clarity sets no cookies for those visitors, and features like recordings and funnels can be limited (Microsoft Learn).

What a form tool really needs to know

To answer "which field do people quit on?", a tool needs surprisingly little:

• Which form and fields exist on the page.
• Whether each field was filled in or left empty, never what was typed.
• How long people spent in each field, and how often they came back to it.
• Which kind of error appeared (required, wrong format), not the value that caused it.
• Whether the form was really sent.

All of this can be counted for one page visit at a time. There's no need to recognise the same person tomorrow, so there's no need for a cookie.

What to check before choosing a tool

1. Cookies and browser storage: does it set cookies or store an ID in the visitor's browser? The vendor's cookie documentation should say.
2. Typed values: does it record keystrokes or field contents? Masking helps, but not recording at all is safer.
3. Recordings: session replays capture a lot by default. If you only need form numbers, you may not need them.
4. IP addresses: are they stored, or only used to receive the data?
5. Data location and processor agreement: where is the data stored, and will the vendor sign a data processing agreement?

Does cookieless mean no consent needed?

Not automatically. Whether you need consent depends on what a tool reads from or stores in the visitor's device, what data it processes and your country's rules. Cookieless tools make the answer much simpler, but mention them in your privacy policy and check with your own adviser if you're unsure.

How Formleak does it

Formleak sets no cookies, stores no IP addresses and never reads what people type. It measures the things in the list above, per page visit, and shows a funnel per field with the worst one in red. The only thing it ever stores in a browser is an opt-out flag, and only for a site owner who asks to leave out their own visits. Details are in our privacy and GDPR guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is there form analytics that works without cookies?

Yes. Formleak, for example, sets no cookies and never reads what people type. It counts filled and empty fields, time and error types per page visit.

Does Microsoft Clarity need cookie consent?

For visitors from the EEA, UK and Switzerland, Clarity needs a valid consent signal since 31 October 2025. Without it, Clarity sets no cookies for them.

Is session recording GDPR compliant?

It can be, with masking, consent and a clear privacy policy, but it captures much more than you need to fix a form. Check with your own adviser for your situation.

Can a tool track form fields without recording keystrokes?

Yes. Knowing that a field was filled, how long it took and which error appeared is enough to find the problem field.