What Your CMP Charges When a Subdomain Counts as a Domain
The quote said twelve euros a month. The invoice said ninety. The difference was three subdomains, and the CMP counts each one as a domain. Nobody lied. The pricing page said per domain, and the team read domain as website. The CMP reads it as hostname.
Cookiebot is the clearest example, because its pricing is public and its rule is explicit: every subdomain counts as a domain, and the tier is set by the page count of each one. A site with a blog subdomain, a shop subdomain, and a help center is four domains on the invoice, not one. The free tier covers one domain and 50 subpages, which a real content site outgrows in a month.
The tier change that caught small accounts
Since August 18, 2025, the cheaper 15 euro tier has been closed to accounts with fewer than four domains. A two- or three-site account pays 30 euros for each mid-sized domain instead. That is the number that turns a 15 euro quote into a 90 euro invoice: three hostnames, each billed as a domain, each at the higher tier, because the account is too small for the discount that was supposed to make it cheap.
The fix is not a different CMP. It is counting hostnames before you buy. List every subdomain that serves pages: www, blog, shop, support, app, the staging host if it is public, the regional hosts. Then read the pricing page with that list in hand and multiply. If the vendor bills per domain, the number that matters is the hostname count, not the brand count.
When flat pricing wins
Per-domain pricing punishes exactly the architecture small teams actually run: one brand, several subdomains, each small. Flat pricing flips the math. Enzuzo's Growth plan covers four domains and its Pro plan covers ten, at a flat monthly rate, which is why it tops the multi-domain comparisons for small businesses. CookieYes charges per domain too, ten dollars a month for one, so it stays cheap only while the hostname count stays at one. iubenda charges per site from 5.99 euros a month billed yearly, and the same counting applies.
The question to ask before signing is not the starting price. It is what happens when you add a subdomain. If the answer is a new line on the invoice, the cheap plan was a single-hostname plan, and your site is not a single hostname.
Keep reading: CMP Pricing: Per Domain or Per Session, and What Each One Hides, Consent Records: How Long to Keep Proof, and What Counts, and Consent Renewal After 12 Months: What Actually Has to Happen cover the nearby cases in this series.
Frequently asked questions
Does Cookiebot count subdomains as separate domains?
Yes. Every subdomain counts as a domain, and the tier is set by the page count of each one. A site with blog, shop, and help subdomains is four domains on the invoice, not one.
What changed about Cookiebot pricing in August 2025?
The cheaper 15 euro tier closed to accounts with fewer than four domains on August 18, 2025. A two- or three-site account now pays 30 euros for each mid-sized domain.
What is the free tier limit?
One domain and 50 subpages. A real content site outgrows that quickly, and every subdomain beyond the first is billed separately.
Which CMPs charge flat rates for multiple domains?
Enzuzo's Growth plan covers four domains and Pro covers ten at a flat monthly rate. CookieYes and iubenda charge per domain or per site, so they stay cheap only while the hostname count stays low.