Best Wishlist Apps in 2026, Compared Fairly

What a wishlist app has to do

Five things matter. It should let you add something from any shop in a couple of taps. It should let you share the list with a link. It should let the people buying mark what they are getting, without spoiling the surprise for you, so nobody doubles up. It should work on the phones your family actually has. And it should be free, or close to it, because nobody wants to ask Nan to subscribe to something.

Everything else is a bonus. Secret Santa draws, birthday reminders and group gifts are useful, but only if the basics work first. We have judged each app on those five and listed only facts we could source.

Giftster: best for private family groups

Giftster is built around family. You invite people by text or email into a private group, and its App Store listing says gifts can be marked reserved or purchased, with the list maker unable to see that status. There are apps for iPhone, iPad and Android, plus the website, and a browser button called Add to Giftster from any store saves items while you shop. Its Secret Santa draw works for groups of 3 or more, with exclusions, and picks stay secret even from the organiser. It also shows upcoming family birthdays and supports child accounts that others can help manage.

The App Store lists it as free with no in app purchases, rated 4.8 out of 5 from about 17,000 ratings, and Giftster says over 3 million people use it. If you want a tidy private home for one extended family, it is hard to beat. Sources: Giftster on the App Store, Giftster's Add to Giftster listing, AlternativeTo and a GlobeNewswire release of 7 August 2024, all checked 21 October 2026.

Elfster: best for big Secret Santa groups

Elfster started as a Secret Santa site and is still strongest there. Its App Store listing says the generator assigns names automatically, with exclusions so couples do not draw each other, and handles groups from 3 to 300 or more. Wishlists work with any online store: paste a link and the details are fetched, and a free browser extension adds items from other sites. Lists are private by default and shared by sending the link.

It is free, with no premium plan for wishlists according to Elfster's own page. The App Store rating is 4.9 out of 5 from about 332,000 ratings, and 4.8 on Google Play. The listing is tagged with Advertising, which is worth knowing. We could not confirm how Elfster shows who has bought what, so check that before you rely on it for avoiding duplicates. Sources: the Elfster App Store listing, Google Play and elfster.com/content/ultimate-wish-list-app, checked 21 October 2026.

Amazon Wish List: best if you already shop on Amazon

If everyone in your family has an Amazon account, the Amazon Wish List is the path of least resistance. Amazon's own guide says you can add from any Amazon product page with Add to List, keep the list private until you share it with the Invite button, and add an idea when you do not have a specific item in mind. Purchased items are labelled, and a spoil my surprises setting hides them from the list owner. You can add comments and priority levels such as size or colour, and the Amazon app sends price drop alerts.

The limit is the obvious one: it is Amazon's list for Amazon's shop. We could not confirm whether Amazon lists can take items from other shops today, so if you want a gift from an independent brand, test it before you promise anyone. Source: Amazon UK's wishlist guide at aboutamazon.co.uk, checked 21 October 2026.

Our own app: best for a list that spans many shops

This one is ours, so weigh this paragraph accordingly. HintDrop is the all year gifting app for friends and family. You save an idea from any shop by tapping Share on your phone, using the free browser extension on a laptop (Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari), or pasting a link. The name and picture come with it. You share one list, and the people buying tap Dibs so nobody doubles up. It also does birthday reminders, group gifts where everyone chips in, and a free Secret Santa tool with exclusions where the organiser cannot see who drew whom.

It is free on iPhone, Android and the web. Where others are better: Giftster has child accounts and a longer track record with private family groups, Elfster handles very large draws, and Amazon is simplest if you only buy from Amazon. We earn our place when the list has a book from one shop, a jumper from another and a candle from a third.

What about a shared note or a screenshot?

A note in a group chat is free and needs no setup, and for two people it is fine. It stops working when more than one person is buying, because nobody can tell what has already been chosen and you end up asking in the chat, which spoils the surprise. A real wishlist app earns its place once three or more people are buying for you.

How to choose

Start from who is buying. If it is mostly one family in one country that shops on Amazon, use the Amazon list. If you want a private family group with reserve marking and a draw, try Giftster. If you run a large office or friends draw, Elfster is built for it. If you want a single list across many shops, with a share link and no duplicates, try ours.

You do not have to pick one for life. Making a list takes minutes, and the best test is to send it to the person who buys your gifts and see whether they use it. If you are building a Christmas list now, our guide to Christmas list ideas will help you fill it.