Giftster Alternative: A Fair Comparison for Any Shop

What Giftster does well

Giftster is built around the extended family. You invite people into a private group and everyone keeps a list. Its App Store listing says gifts can be marked as reserved or purchased, and the person whose list it is cannot see that status, so the surprise survives. There are apps for iPhone, iPad and Android as well as the website.

It also has a Secret Santa draw for groups of three or more, with exclusions, and it shows upcoming family birthdays. The App Store lists it as free with no in app purchases and rated 4.8 out of 5 from about 17,000 ratings. That is a solid record, and we will not pretend otherwise.

Where people look for something different

The most common reason is the shopping side. A wishlist is only useful if adding to it takes seconds. Giftster has a browser button called Add to Giftster for saving from any store while you shop. Some people want the same speed from a phone, straight from the Share sheet in whatever app they are browsing, and from a laptop in a single click.

The second reason is who you are sharing with. Giftster is group first, so people join your family group. If you would rather send one link to a friend, a partner or an aunt who will never install anything, a plain shared list is simpler.

How HintDrop differs

HintDrop is an 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 Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari, or pasting a link. The name and picture come with it, so a book from one shop, a jumper from another and a candle from a third sit on one list.

You send the list as a link. 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 Giftster is the better choice

Be honest about what you need. Giftster supports child accounts that other family members can help manage, and it has a longer track record as a private family home. If one extended family wants one tidy private group with reserve marking and a draw, Giftster may suit you better than we would.

We are the better fit when the list spans many shops, when the people buying are friends as well as family, and when you want to add things in the moment from your phone without opening another app first.

How to switch, or use both

You do not have to move everything. Start a list for this Christmas, add five things you actually want, and send the link to the person who always asks what you would like. If they use it, it works. If they prefer your family's Giftster group, keep that.

Do not copy a whole list across in one go. Pick the things you still want, because lists get stale. Our guide to Christmas list ideas is a good way to refresh one while you are at it.

Which one should you pick?

Choose Giftster for a private family group with child accounts. Choose HintDrop for a list across many shops that anyone can open from a link, with claiming, birthdays and Secret Santa in the same app. For a wider comparison that includes Elfster and Amazon Wish List, read our best wishlist apps guide.