Facts first, Data is important. In fact, it’s a necessary part of every organisation, large or small. In today’s world, almost every nation and industry has established regulations for data protection and security. To prevent landing on the wrong side of such laws, you need to ensure 100% compliance.
In this blog, you can expect a brief overview of the GDPR and top GDPR compliance software you’ll definitely need in 2025.
Quick Recap: What’s the GDPR?
The General Data Protection Regulation came into existence in 2018 and has since earned its reputation. It is by far the most respected data protection regulation in the world. As a matter of fact, it served as the template for most of the data protection laws around the world. For instance, the NDPA holds several similarities with the GDPR so much that the major difference between the two is the scope of application.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) mandates organisations that fall under the following categories to have absolute compliance.
- operating in the EU.
- handling data of an EU citizen (no matter where it’s located)
- has a branch in the EU
Does the GDPR apply to your organization? Find out at Johans Consults.
The 7 GDPR principles
At the core of the GDPR, there are 7 principles every company needs to follow. They are;
Integrity and confidentiality
You must employ every means necessary to protect data from unauthorised access, processing, damage, or accidental loss. So, you need a reliable data security system.
Lawfulness, Fairness, and Transparency
You cannot collect data for just any reason. So, whatever purpose you have must be lawful. Also, the data collection process must be transparent and legal.
For instance, you cannot buy personal information from a third party. You need to get the data directly from the data subject itself. Also, you MUST tell the data owner the reason for the collection. Note: This reason must be stated clearly.
Know how to write a GDPR consent statement.
Purpose Limitation.
As an organisation, you can’t just collect data for one reason and process it for several others. Once you’ve used the data for the purposes stated beforehand, you cannot make use of it. again. Although, if the need arises, you should inform the data subjects and seek their consent again.
Data Minimisation
This principle states that you cannot keep every single piece of information you collect. For example, when you collect data through the filling of forms, you’re mandated to keep the ones important to the cause only.
The Ultimate GDPR Compliance Checklist for you
Accuracy
Your organisation must not store incorrect information. Every inaccuracy must be corrected with immediate effect.
Accountability
The GDPR holds every organisation accountable for what they do with users’ data and its safety. Also, you need to prove your compliance with the data protection regulation through proper records.
Storage Limitation
You can only keep data for a limited period of time. The duration depends on the type of data and its sensitivity. For example, you can store financial data for up to 6 years, but health-related data is more limited.
Learn about the Top 12 GDPR Requirements.
So, What is GDPR Compliance Software?
Now that you understand the basics of the GDPR, you must know that compliance isn’t an easy task. Often times, a lot of organisations don’t even know where to begin. Neither do they know how to achieve maximum compliance.
That’s where GDPR compliance software comes in. These softwares are the several tools that assist businesses towards GDPR compliance. Today, these tools come with different functionalities. Some simply record compliance activity, while the advanced others provide audits, reports on data breaches, consent management, and find weaknesses in your compliance strategy using gap analysis.
To narrow down your search, we’ve compiled the top GDPR compliance software for you.
Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager
This is great GDPR compliance software made for Microsoft365 users. To use it, you’ll need
An Office 365 E5 license. The features include;
- Ability to conduct several assessments
- Ability to identify and protect sensitive data
- Protects against unauthorised access
- Implements data minimisation and storage limitations
- Protects against accidental disclosure
- Classifies data based on the level of sensitivity
- Deletes data after a specified period of time
Netwrix
Netwrix supports organisations with GDPR compliance through its Auditor and related tools. Here are some of its remarkable features.
- Data Discovery and Classification: Netwrix finds, classifies, and protects sensitive personal data in accordance with the GDPR. Also, it scans on-premises and cloud-based systems to pinpoint where personal data is stored and ensures that there are controls to secure it.
- Security of Processing: Netwrix provides a clear picture of how data is accessed and shared. By monitoring user behaviour and detecting unauthorised access, it ensures secure personal data processing.
- Breach Notification: Netwrix is GDPR compliance software with data breach alerts. The software aids in quick detection of data breaches by reporting them.
- Audit and Reporting: Netwrix Auditor provides detailed auditing and reporting capabilities. This includes logs of data access, data modification, and user activities, which are crucial for demonstrating accountability.
Not sure if you’re compliant with the GDPR? Contact us at Johans Consults for a detailed assessment.
TrustArc
This here is complete with all GDPR-oriented solutions to help every business plan, implement and even update their GDPR compliance practices. It’s main functions are:
- Reporting to regulator
- Monitoring compliance
- And recording processed activities.
Snow software
Snow Software is a GDPR risk assessment solution available on cloud, mobile, or on-premise. Below are some of its remarkable features.
- GDPR Risk Assessment: Snow Software identifies applications and devices that handle personal data and notes those with weak protections, e.g., encryption or anti-virus.
- Continuous Monitoring and Reporting: Snow’s solution keeps constant analysis of applications that process personal data and generates reports to help mitigate risks.
- Internal Threat Mitigation: The software focuses on reducing internal threats, such as corrupt employee actions and unsecure applications. To do so, the software flags risky devices and users.
- Comprehensive Asset Management: Snow also offers broad IT asset management features like license compliance tracking and software usage meters. So, you gain control over your IT systems.
In addition, Snow software comes with an automated discovery feature that lets you know which user has specific access to apps and how they use them. Although useful, it’s not the best GDPR compliance software for small businesses. Why? Some reviews mention that the software is costly.
Solarwinds
Next, the SolarWinds software. It is designed with large companies and enterprise-level businesses in mind. For that reason, GDPR compliance is just one part of the entire features of the software.
Basically, SolarWind is a great platform for consent management. Due to its perfect network monitoring, compliance auditing, and real-time alerting capabilities, you can expect perfect security.
As a downside, SolarWinds is complicated for a person who just wants a simple GDPR compliance solution. It’s better suited for network and systems engineers. Also, if youre looking for GDPR compliance only, SolarWind’s an overexpensive option.
Auditboard
Another one of such platforms is Auditboard. Besides helping your organisation comply with over 10 regulations—GDPR included—it offers risk management and operational evaluation systems. Perfectly, it offers a free plan to those who want nothing complex—basics only.
Downsides
- The software doesn’t offer gap analysis, data mapping, or unauthorised disclosure protection.
- No automation for features other software services automate
- It doesn’t integrate well with some platforms.
- It offers very little customisation upon implementation.
Axeptio
Axeptio is a superb for it’s GDPR tools for consent management. Famous for its user-friendly interface, It offers customisable cookie consent banners, integration with platforms like WordPress, and supports granular consent, allowing users to control how their data is managed.
Key strengths
- easy installation, flexibility, and advanced vendor tracking, which helps businesses efficiently manage consent across multiple platforms.
- Smooth integration with tools like Google Tag Manager and Matomo.
- low-code implementation, which makes it easy for non-developers
However, here’s a few downsides:
- Some users find the back-office setup a bit complex when customising widgets.
- More customisation options and integrations with external platforms are needed.
How To Choose GDPR Compliance Software
As you’ve most likely noted, there’s no shortage of options where GDPR compliance software’s concerned. But how do you make the right choice? Here’s a list of factors to consider.
Your business needs
Map out what your business needs and why. Each software stands out in unique areas. What software A offers may not be what you need. So, identify your core needs. Does your business need data mapping? Or data protection impact assessments?
Cost
This is an important factor to consider. While large corporations have no limit, small businesses need to watch how much they spend. So, check out solutions that fit into your budget.
Quality
To get your money’s worth, check out the quality of the GDPR compliance software. Take advantage of demos and walkthroughs offered by GDPR compliance providers to assess how effective the software is.
Customising abilities
There’s no software that’ll fit your needs entirely, but check if it’s customizable. That way, you can adjust to your company’s desires as it grows.
Support service
You’ll definitely need support from time to time, so you’ll need a dedicated provider. To get a better view of the software’s support service, conduct a trial test of the product. Also, check out onlreviewsview and weed out those with bad reviews.
Become GDPR-compliant with Johans Consults
At Johans Consults, we assess your data protection and security systems and improve them to help you achieve GDPR compliance. Need help figuring out what to do? Book a free 1-on-1 consultation with our experts today.
FaQS You May Have
What makes software GDPR compliant?
If it incorporates data encryption, comprehensive access controls, and stores data securely, then the software is GDPR compliant. Additionally, the software should enable user consent management and data subjects to access, correct, or delete their data easily.
How do software tools help with GDPR compliance?
Keyword is “automation”. Rather than manually carryinmg out compliance tasks like data mapping, consent management, data breach management etc., GDPR compliance softwares automate these tasks to improve compliance practices and eliminate risks.
Can GDPR compliance software integrate with my existing systems?
Yes, GDPR compliance software can integrate (easily!) with your existing systems like Hubspot, CRMs, and even email systems.