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Cookie Policy
BrowserBash keeps cookies to a minimum. We use a handful of essential cookies so login and the site work, plus optional Google Analytics cookies you can decline. The open-source CLI you run on your own machine does not use cookies at all.
Last updated: 14 June 2026
What cookies are
Cookies are small text files a website stores in your browser when you visit. On each later request, your browser sends them back, which lets the site remember things between page loads — for example, that you are signed in. We also use closely related browser storage technologies (such as localStorage) for similar purposes; we refer to all of them as “cookies” in this policy for simplicity.
Cookies can be first-party (set by browserbash.com) or third-party (set by a provider we use, such as Clerk or Google Analytics). They can also be session cookies (deleted when you close your browser) or persistent cookies (kept for a set period). This policy covers the cookies used on this website and the optional cloud dashboard only — the BrowserBash CLI runs locally and sets no cookies.
How we use them
We use cookies for a small set of clear purposes:
- Keep you signed in. Authentication and session cookies (set by Clerk) let you log in to the dashboard and stay logged in securely as you move between pages.
- Remember a site preference. A small first-party cookie remembers which variant of the homepage hero you were shown so the page stays consistent on repeat visits.
- Process payments securely. If you buy optional data retention, Stripe sets cookies during checkout to complete the payment and help prevent fraud.
- Understand aggregate usage. With your consent, Google Analytics cookies help us see which pages and features are useful so we can improve the product and docs. These are non-essential and you can decline them.
We do not use cookies for advertising, we do not sell data, and we do not use your activity to train AI models.
Cookies we set
The table below lists the cookies you may encounter. Exact names, additional helper cookies, and durations set by our providers (Clerk, Stripe, Google) can vary as those services update; the entries below describe the categories and typical lifetimes.
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Type | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
__session & Clerk auth cookies | Clerk | Authenticate you and keep your dashboard session signed in and secure. | Essential | Session |
bb_hero | BrowserBash (first-party) | Remembers which A/B homepage hero variant you were shown so the page stays consistent. | Essential / Functional | ~30 days |
_ga | Google Analytics | Distinguishes visitors to measure aggregate, anonymous website usage. | Analytics | Up to 2 years |
_ga_* | Google Analytics | Persists session state for a specific Analytics property (GA4). | Analytics | Up to 2 years |
Stripe checkout cookies (e.g. __stripe_mid, __stripe_sid) | Stripe | Process payment and help prevent fraud during checkout. Set only if you buy optional data retention. | Essential | Session to ~1 year |
Cookie categories
We group the cookies above into two categories:
- Essential cookies. Needed for the site and dashboard to function — logging in, keeping your session, remembering a basic site preference, and completing a payment. Because the site cannot work properly without them, they are not subject to consent and cannot be switched off through a cookie banner. You can still block them in your browser, but parts of the site (such as the dashboard) may stop working.
- Analytics cookies. Optional, non-essential cookies (Google Analytics) that help us understand aggregate usage. They are not required to use the site, and you can decline them and still browse and use BrowserBash normally.
Managing & declining cookies
You are in control. You can decline non-essential analytics cookies and still use the entire site — nothing on BrowserBash is gated behind analytics. There are a few ways to manage cookies:
- Browser settings. Every major browser lets you view, block, and delete cookies. Look under Privacy or Cookies in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge settings. You can block third-party cookies, clear cookies on exit, or remove individual cookies set by
browserbash.com. - Opt out of Google Analytics.You can install Google’s official browser add-on to opt out of Analytics across all sites: Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
- Decline at the banner. Where we ask for consent to non-essential cookies, you can decline; we will then not set Analytics cookies for you.
Note that blocking essentialcookies — for example, Clerk’s session cookies — will prevent you from signing in to or using the cloud dashboard.
Do Not Track
Some browsers can send a “Do Not Track” (DNT) signal. There is no industry-wide standard for how sites must respond to DNT, so we do not currently change our behaviour based on it. Instead, you can rely on the controls above — declining analytics at the banner or using the Google opt-out add-on — to limit non-essential tracking.
Changes to this policy
We may update this Cookie Policy as the product and our providers evolve. When we do, we’ll revise the “last updated” date above. Material changes will be highlighted on the website where appropriate.
Contact
Questions about cookies? Email thetestingacademy@gmail.com. For the full picture of how we handle your data, see our Privacy Policy.