Cookie Policy
Last updated: 25 May 2026
1. What is a cookie?
A cookie is a small text file a website stores in your browser. It can remember preferences, count visits, or, in the case of advertising, help tailor ads. Some sites also use localStorage, which works similarly but does not expire automatically.
2. Categories we use
2.1 Strictly necessary (always on)
| Name | Set by | Purpose | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|---|
ee:consent:v1 | This site (localStorage) | Remembers your consent choice so the banner doesn't reappear every page. | Persistent (until cleared) |
ee:theme | This site (localStorage) | Stores your light / dark mode preference. | Persistent |
ee:installDismissed | This site (localStorage) | Hides the PWA install prompt after you dismiss it. | Persistent |
| Calculator inputs | This site (localStorage) | Remembers your last calculator values across refreshes. | Persistent |
2.2 Analytics (only after consent)
| Name | Set by | Purpose | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|---|
_ga | Google Analytics 4 | Distinguishes unique users (anonymised). | 2 years |
_ga_G-8GBZKT1BZL | Google Analytics 4 | Persists session state for this specific property. | 2 years |
_gid | Google Analytics | Distinguishes users for 24h. | 24 hours |
IP anonymisation is enabled. We do not link analytics data to any personal identifier. When consent is denied, GA4 runs in consent-mode cookieless ping mode — it sends aggregated counts but does not store these cookies.
2.3 Advertising (Google AdSense)
| Name | Set by | Purpose | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|---|
__gads | Google AdSense | Measures ad performance and frequency capping. | 13 months |
__gpi | Google AdSense | Stores ad personalisation preferences. | 13 months |
IDE / NID | Google DoubleClick | Personalised advertising and conversion tracking. Only set when you accept personalised ads. | Up to 24 months |
If you click Reject non-essential, AdSense runs in non-personalised ads mode and the personalised-ads cookies above are not set. Some ad frequency/fraud-prevention cookies may still be set as strictly necessary for AdSense to function.
2.4 Third parties on interaction
| When | Service | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Submitting the contact form | Formspree | Session cookie for spam protection. |
| Subscribing to the newsletter | Buttondown | Session cookie for the embed submit. |
| Loading fonts | Google Fonts | No cookies set (Google Fonts API does not set cookies for font requests). |
3. How to change or withdraw consent
- Re-open the banner: clear localStorage for this site (DevTools → Application → Local Storage → select
https://epicenterexchange.com→ right-click → Clear). Reload the page — the banner reappears. - Disable personalised ads system-wide: visit Google Ad Settings.
- Opt out of Google Analytics on every site: install the official GA opt-out add-on.
- Browser controls: all modern browsers let you block third-party cookies entirely (Settings → Privacy).
4. Why we monetise
This site has no paywall, no login, no affiliate funnel, no paid tip groups. Google AdSense covers the (small) cost of the domain and the optional API server, and lets us keep every article, every calculator, and the entire backtester free forever. We never run gambling, payday-loan, or other prohibited categories of ads.
5. Changes
If we add or remove cookies, this page will be updated and the version of ee:consent:v1 will be bumped — your previous choice will be cleared and the banner will reappear so you can review.