Cookie Policy
Last updated: March 2026
What Are Cookies
Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently, remember your preferences, and provide information to site owners. CloudToolStack uses cookies and similar technologies (such as localStorage) to improve your experience and support our advertising-funded free service.
Essential Cookies
These cookies and storage items are strictly necessary for the website to function properly. They cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually set in response to actions you take, such as setting your preferences or using our tools.
| Name | Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| theme | localStorage | Stores your light/dark theme preference | Persistent |
| cookie-consent | localStorage | Records your cookie consent choice so the banner is not shown again | Persistent |
| recent-tools | localStorage | Remembers your recently used tools for quick access | Persistent |
These items are stored entirely in your browser using the Web Storage API (localStorage). They are not transmitted to our servers and do not track you across websites.
Analytics Cookies
We may use analytics cookies to understand how visitors interact with our website. These cookies collect information such as which pages are visited most often, how long users spend on a page, and whether any errors are encountered. All information collected by these cookies is aggregated and anonymous.
If and when Google Analytics is enabled, the following cookies may be set:
| Name | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| _ga | Distinguishes unique visitors | 2 years |
| _ga_* | Maintains session state | 2 years |
| _gid | Distinguishes unique visitors (24-hour window) | 24 hours |
Advertising Cookies
CloudToolStack uses Google AdSense to display advertisements. Google AdSense uses cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to our website and other sites on the internet. These cookies enable Google and its partners to deliver advertising that is relevant to you.
Personalized vs. Non-Personalized Ads
Personalized ads (also called interest-based ads) use cookies to build a profile of your browsing interests and show you advertisements that are more relevant to you. This involves tracking your activity across multiple websites.
Non-personalized ads do not use cookies for ad targeting. Instead, they are based on the content of the page you are viewing and general location (such as your country). Non-personalized ads may still use cookies for frequency capping, aggregated ad reporting, and to combat fraud and abuse.
Your cookie consent choice determines which type of ads you see. If you decline advertising cookies, you will see non-personalized ads only.
Google AdSense and DoubleClick Cookies
The following cookies may be set by Google AdSense and the DoubleClick ad network when you visit CloudToolStack:
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| IDE | DoubleClick (Google) | Used to serve targeted advertisements. Stores information about how you use the website and any other advertisements seen before visiting CloudToolStack. | 1.5 years |
| DSID | DoubleClick (Google) | Links your activity across devices if you are signed in to your Google account, enabling cross-device ad measurement and targeting. | 2 weeks |
| __gads | Google AdSense | Measures interactions with ads served on the site and prevents the same ads from being shown too many times. | 1.5 years |
| __gpi | Google AdSense | Collects data on visitor behavior for ad optimization. | 1.5 years |
| NID | Stores preferences and other information, such as preferred language and ad personalization settings. | 6 months |
Third-Party Cookies
In addition to our own cookies, third-party cookies may be placed on your device by our advertising partners. CloudToolStack works with the following third parties that may set cookies:
- Google AdSense (How Google uses cookies in advertising)
- DoubleClick by Google (Google Privacy Policy)
We do not control these third-party cookies. Please refer to each provider's privacy policy for more information about their practices.
Cookie Consent Controls
When you first visit CloudToolStack, a cookie consent banner is displayed at the bottom of the page. You can choose to accept or decline non-essential cookies. Your choice is saved in your browser's localStorage so the banner does not appear on subsequent visits.
If you accepted cookies and wish to change your preference, you can clear the cookie-consent entry from your browser's localStorage (see instructions below), and the consent banner will reappear on your next visit.
How to Manage and Delete Cookies
Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can typically find these options in the "Privacy" or "Security" section of your browser preferences. Here is how to manage cookies in common browsers:
- Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies and other site data
- Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
- Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data
- Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Manage and delete cookies and site data
To clear localStorage items (theme, cookie consent, recent tools), open your browser's Developer Tools (usually F12), navigate to the Application or Storage tab, select Local Storage, find the cloudtoolstack.com entry, and delete the individual items or clear all data.
Please note that blocking or deleting cookies may affect the functionality of our website. Essential cookies and localStorage items are required for features like theme persistence and cookie consent memory.
Opt-Out of Personalized Advertising
You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting the following resources:
- Google Ads Settings -- manage how Google ads are personalized for you
- Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) Opt-Out -- opt out of targeted advertising from NAI member companies
- Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) Opt-Out -- opt out of interest-based advertising from DAA participating companies
Changes to This Policy
We may update this cookie policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. We will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page when we make changes.
Contact
If you have questions about our use of cookies or this cookie policy, please contact us at privacy@cloudtoolstack.com. You can also visit our privacy policy or reach us through our contact page.