What’s the difference between a first-party and a third-party cookie?

First-party cookies

Cookies that are generated and stored by a website a user visits are called first-party cookies. Website publishers use first-party cookies to collect data about the visitor’s behaviour and interests. First-party here refers to the domain that a user visits i.e. only the website publisher have access to these cookies.

Third-party cookies

Cookies that are generated and stored by a different website other than the one the user is visiting are called third-party cookies. Third-party cookies are created when a user visits a website that includes elements from other sites, such as third-party images or ads. These cookies track similar information as first-party cookies but are primarily used for ad retargeting.

First-party cookiesThird-party cookies
Set byWebsite publisherAffiliate networks and advertisers (like Facebook, Amazon, AdSense)
PurposeImprove user experienceRetarget users with
custom ads
TracksTracks users only on one domainTracks users across different domains
How to disableBlock/delete from browser settingsBlock/delete from browser settings