JWT vs Session Cookies for UK Web App Authentication — Honest Comparison (2025)
Session cookies (server-side sessions) are the right default for most UK web applications: simpler, more secure (no token leakage), easier to revoke (important for UK GDPR right to erasure and FCA account closure), and no client-side token management. JWTs are genuinely better for: stateless APIs consumed by multiple clients, microservices needing to pass identity across service boundaries, and mobile apps where cookies are less natural. ClickMasters uses sessions for web apps and JWTs for APIs. JWT vs sessions is a UK web app authentication decision with real UK GDPR and FCA compliance implications. The most common mistake: using JWTs for web apps where sessions are simpler and more secure.
| Factor | Session Cookies (Server-Side) | JWT (JSON Web Tokens) |
|---|---|---|
| Token storage | Server (database/Redis) | Client (memory/localStorage/cookie) |
| UK GDPR right to erasure | ✅ Delete session = immediate revocation | Complex — JWT valid until expiry unless blacklisted |
| FCA account suspension | ✅ Instant — delete session | Delay until token expiry (minutes to hours) |
| PECR cookie consent | Session ID cookie is strictly necessary — no consent needed | Same if stored in httpOnly cookie |
| XSS vulnerability | ✅ httpOnly cookie — JS cannot access | ❌ If stored in localStorage — XSS can steal token |
| CSRF protection | Requires CSRF token or SameSite=Strict | Not vulnerable to CSRF (no cookie) |
| Microservices / API gateway | Requires session lookup per request | ✅ Stateless — verify signature only |
| Mobile app authentication | Less natural — cookie management complex | ✅ Natural — Bearer token in header |
| ClickMasters default | Web apps | APIs and microservices |
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