Ranking methodology
How we rank — and on which points.
Two numbers, four sets of criteria. That's it. Here's exactly what each one measures.
The scores
Every CMP has two scores
Protection score
How well the product is built for DPDP
Our review of the product itself — does it cover DPDP properly, is it secure, is it easy to deploy. DPDP fit matters most, security next, ease of use last.
Live scan score
How the vendor's own website behaves
The same DPDP audit that runs at /scan, applied to the vendor's public homepage. If a CMP's own site isn't DPDP-clean, that tells you something.
The criteria
The points we check
DPDP fit
Weighted mostHow directly the product maps to the DPDP Act 2023 + Rules 2025.
What we look for
- Section 5 itemised consent notice
- Section 6 — withdraw as easy as grant
- Section 8 audit log + breach reporting
- Section 9 verifiable parental consent
- 22 official Indian languages supported
- India-resident DPO option for SDFs
Security
Weighted heavilyPublished certifications, hosting posture, breach history.
What we look for
- SOC 2 Type II
- ISO 27001 / 27701
- India-resident hosting option
- TLS, HSTS, CSP on the marketing site
- Public breach-disclosure history
- Documented penetration-test cadence
Ease
Weighted lightlyHow fast a typical Indian site can get a working banner live.
What we look for
- Free tier or transparent SMB pricing
- Self-serve signup (no demo gate)
- WordPress / Shopify / GTM integrations
- Pre-built DPDP templates
- One-line embed documented
- Time-to-banner under 1 day
Live scan
The 10 DPDP markers we check on the vendor's site
Cookie consent banner
Granular, prior consent with reject as easy as accept.
Privacy / consent notice
Plain-language Section 5 notice with purpose, categories, rights.
Consent withdrawal
Obvious mechanism — Section 6 symmetry.
Data-collection transparency
Forms, trackers, integrations all disclosed.
Third-party trackers
No analytics / ad pixels firing before consent.
Grievance officer
Published Section 8(10) Grievance Officer + SLA.
Data Principal rights
Access / correction / erasure / nomination reachable.
Cross-border transfer disclosure
Where data leaves India and why.
Children & age-gate
Verifiable parental consent for under-18s.
Security signals
HTTPS, HSTS, CSP, X-Content-Type, no leakage.