Elfster Alternative: A Fair Free Secret Santa Draw

What Elfster does well

Elfster began as a Secret Santa site. Its page says wishlists are free with no premium plan, lists are private by default and are shared by link. It also links to generators for Secret Santa, White Elephant, Yankee Swap and Dirty Santa, and to office and online gift exchange pages.

Its App Store listing says it handles groups from 3 to 300 or more, with exclusions so couples do not draw each other, and a rating of 4.9 out of 5 from about 332,000 ratings. For a big draw, that is a strong track record.

What to check before you choose

Elfster's own page says its browser extension adds items from Amazon, Etsy, Target or any online store with one click. The page does not say how purchases are marked, so we cannot tell you whether the list owner can see what has been bought. Ask the group before you rely on it. Its App Store listing is also tagged with Advertising, which is worth knowing if you care.

A fair Secret Santa draw needs three things

First, exclusions, so partners and housemates are not matched. Second, a draw the organiser cannot peek at, otherwise the organiser knows everything and the fun leaks out. Third, a budget stated up front so nobody spends five times more than their match. Everything else is nice to have.

Set the rules in the group chat before the draw, not after. A short note with the budget, the date and whether gifts should be useful or funny avoids most awkwardness.

How HintDrop does it

HintDrop's Secret Santa tool is free. The organiser sets exclusions, and cannot see who drew whom. People can reveal privately, and each person can have a list on HintDrop with ideas saved from any shop through the phone Share sheet, the free browser extension or a pasted link.

When your match is a mystery, a list makes the gift easy. When people tap Dibs on a list, nobody doubles up. The same app also does birthday reminders and group gifts where everyone chips in, so it stays useful after December.

Where Elfster is the better choice

If you are running a very large office draw, or you need White Elephant or Yankee Swap style exchanges, Elfster lists those as features and has a long record with large groups. For a small group of friends or family that wants a private draw plus lists from any shop, we are a good fit. You can find our Secret Santa tool at hintdrop.app/secret-santa.

Choosing a budget and gifts

A budget of 10 to 30 in your own currency suits most groups. Useful beats funny for people you barely know, such as a good notebook, a nice candle or a tin of something tasty. Our family Secret Santa ideas and Secret Santa gift ideas guides have lots of examples you can browse in the shop.