CMS

Polylang

Polylang is a French WordPress multilingual plugin developed by WP SYNTEX, one of the two main competitors to WPML. It allows a WordPress site to serve posts, pages, custom post types, taxonomies, menus, and theme strings in multiple languages with URL strategies based on directory, subdomain, or domain. Polylang is open source (free version on wordpress.org) with a paid Pro tier; it is well known among French and European developers for its privacy-friendly approach.

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Overview

What does Polylang do?

What Polylang is

Polylang is a French open source multilingual plugin for WordPress, first released in 2011 and developed by WP SYNTEX SARL (Saint-Aubin-de-Médoc, Gironde). It allows a WordPress site to serve content in multiple languages via translated posts, pages, custom post types, taxonomies, menus, and theme strings. URL strategies include language as directory, subdomain, or full domain. The plugin is free in the WordPress.org repository, with paid Pro and Business tiers for additional features.

What data Polylang processes

Visitor side: a single first-party functional cookie (pll_language, 1 year) storing the language preference. Editorial side: translated copies of the site content in the WordPress database, plus translator user data in WordPress user records. Polylang does not collect visitor analytics and does not call any third-party service for its core functionality.

GDPR and ePrivacy implications

The pll_language cookie is functional and stores a user choice necessary to serve the right content. The CNIL guidance on cookies considers such strictly functional preference cookies exempt from consent. The editorial workflows process site content (which may include personal data) under the controller responsibility. Polylang itself does not introduce any third-party data flow.

International data transfers

None for the core plugin: Polylang runs locally on the WordPress host. The Polylang Pro license activation pings polylang.pro infrastructure (French hosting). The optional Lingotek translation memory integration (separately enabled) is a US-based service and would introduce US transfers for the translated strings; SCCs and DPF would then apply.

Practical compliance steps

Treat the pll_language cookie as functional in the privacy notice (no consent required), mention Polylang in the technical stack section, do not enable the Lingotek integration without a separate consent and DPA review, document the editorial workflow in the RoPA, and exclude pages with special category data from any external translation flow you may set up.

Compliance

Polylang and the GDPR

Legal basis: Legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR) for serving the multilingual experience; not applicable for the language preference cookie when treated as functional
Risk level: low
Applicable regulations: GDPR, ePrivacy Directive, French Loi Informatique et Libertés, CNIL guidelines on cookies

Impact assessment (DPIA)

Polylang processes very little personal data: a language preference cookie (pll_language) and the multilingual versions of the site content stored locally in the WordPress database. Key DPIA considerations: (1) the language cookie is functional and CNIL guidance accepts strictly functional preference cookies without consent; (2) Polylang does not phone home with usage telemetry, beyond the license activation ping for Polylang Pro; (3) editorial workflows process site content under the controller responsibility; (4) the optional Lingotek translation memory integration introduces a US subprocessor relationship for the translated strings; (5) Polylang itself does not call any third-party tracker.

Sample text for your banner

Our website uses Polylang, an open source French multilingual plugin for WordPress, to serve content in multiple languages. Polylang stores your language preference in a small functional cookie so the right version is shown on your next visit. Polylang runs entirely on our server and does not transfer any data to third parties. No consent is required for the language cookie.

Cookies and trackers

What Polylang sets and contacts

Tracking method: WordPress plugin (PHP server-side) for multilingual content management; optional integration with Lingotek for translation memory
Server location: Self-hosted (the Polylang plugin runs on the WordPress site itself). Vendor WP SYNTEX SARL is a French company based in Saint-Aubin-de-Médoc (Gironde).
Cookieless mode available: Yes

Cookies set (1)

Name	Type	Duration	Purpose
pll_language	Functional / Preference	1 year	First-party cookie that stores the language code (e.g., en, fr, de, es) selected by the visitor or auto-detected by the Polylang plugin. Used to serve the correct multilingual content on subsequent visits.

Third-party domains contacted (3)

polylang.pro
www.polylang.pro
wordpress.org/plugins/polylang/

Questions

Frequently asked questions about Polylang

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What cookies does Polylang set?

Polylang sets a single first-party functional cookie, pll_language, with a default lifetime of 1 year, storing the language code chosen by or detected for the visitor. No other cookie is set by the plugin in its standard configuration.

Does Polylang require user consent?

No. The pll_language cookie is functional and falls under the consent exemption for cookies strictly necessary to serve the right content. CNIL guidance explicitly recognises strictly functional preference cookies as exempt from consent.

What is the legal basis for using Polylang?

Legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR) for the multilingual delivery as a necessary editorial feature. The language cookie itself is functional and does not require explicit consent.

Does Polylang transfer data to the United States?

No for the core plugin. Polylang runs locally on the WordPress host and the editor WP SYNTEX is a French company. The Polylang Pro license activation pings polylang.pro infrastructure (French hosting). The optional Lingotek translation memory integration would introduce US transfers but is disabled by default.

Do I need a DPIA for Polylang?

No. Polylang processes very little personal data and runs entirely on your server. A basic Records of Processing Activities entry is sufficient.

How do I implement Polylang compliantly?

Install the free or Pro version, treat the pll_language cookie as functional in your cookie policy, document Polylang in your RoPA, and avoid enabling the Lingotek integration without a separate consent and DPA review.

What are the alternatives to Polylang?

Other multilingual WordPress options include WPML (Cyprus), TranslatePress (Romania), Weglot (France, SaaS proxy), MultilingualPress (Germany), and qTranslate-XT (open source). For headless setups, Strapi i18n, Sanity localised fields, and Drupal multilingual are common options.

How do I update the cookie policy for Polylang?

Add a row for pll_language in the strictly-necessary or functional section: name, purpose (store language preference), duration (1 year), first-party. Specify that Polylang runs on the WordPress server (no third-party data flow) and that the publisher is WP SYNTEX SARL (France).

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