How we judged
We looked at what a normal household needs from a wishlist app: whether the free tier is usable, whether you can add a gift by pasting a link, whether the list owner is kept from seeing what has been claimed, whether people can prepare a gift together, whether there is a Secret Santa draw, whether you get reminders, and which languages the interface speaks.
Everything below comes from App Store listings and the apps' own pages, checked on 23 October 2026. Where something could not be confirmed, we say so instead of guessing. We make Gift Buddy, so read its section with that in mind; we have tried to describe its limits as plainly as the others'.
GoWish
GoWish is a Copenhagen service with 13.6 million registered users, a 4.8 rating from about 196,000 ratings, and versions for iOS, Android, the web and a Chrome extension. It is free; it earns through affiliate links and brand partnerships.
It is best for people who want the biggest ecosystem and many languages: twelve, including English, German, French, Polish and Spanish, but not Ukrainian. You add wishes from any store via the share sheet or a link, friends reserve or buy, and the owner cannot see reservations. Lists can be shared by SMS, WhatsApp, Messenger or email, with ready-made partner, wedding and family lists.
Limits: we could not confirm group gifts, Secret Santa or reminders. See the Gift Buddy vs GoWish comparison.
Giftster
Giftster is the family wishlist: iOS, Android and web, free with no in-app purchases listed, 4.8 from roughly 19,000 ratings. People join private family groups, add items by pasting links from any store, and reserve or buy from each other's lists. The person who made the list never sees what has been claimed. It includes a Secret Santa draw with exclusions.
It is best for extended families that want one group across all kinds of phones. Limits: English only, and we could not confirm group gift pooling, birthday reminders or ads. See Gift Buddy vs Giftster.
Elfster
Elfster is "The Secret Santa App" and does that job in detail: name draw, exclusions, a spending limit, and the organizer does not see the pairings. Invites go out by text, email or social media. It also has shareable wishlists from any store, gift guides and price alerts. It is free ("no hidden fees, subscriptions, or premium upgrades"), on iOS, Android and the web, with 4.9 from about 332,000 ratings.
It is best for office and friend-group exchanges. Limits: the Android listing says it contains ads; the App Store lists English only while the site mentions Spanish and French, so the sources disagree; we could not confirm hidden claims, group gifts or reminders. Our Secret Santa guide is app-agnostic.
Giftful
Giftful ("Wishlist & Registry") is free with no in-app purchases listed, on iOS, Android and the web, 4.8 from about 99,000 ratings. You save products from any store, it tracks prices and has a "Find Ideas" section. On personal lists, friends privately claim gifts so the recipient does not see. The interface is available in English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.
It is best for people who shop across many stores and like price tracking. Limits: no Ukrainian, and we could not confirm group gifts, Secret Santa, reminders or ads.
Wishive
Wishive is iPhone only, free and in English. It has too few ratings to show a score. You save from any site, follow friends, mark gifts as reserved or granted to prevent duplicates, and get notifications, including reminders about promised gifts.
It is best for a minimalist who wants a light iPhone-only tool. Limits: we could not confirm a website, Android, hidden claims, group gifts or Secret Santa, and with so few ratings it is hard to judge reliability.
Rewish
Rewish is a Ukrainian product (rewish.io, a site in Ukrainian with a language selector). The iOS app is free and the listing is in English, with 4.9 from only seven ratings; the site says it is also on Google Play. It offers wishlists, gift ideas, collections, a "PiggyBank", import through an in-app browser or the share sheet, items that visitors can claim, and lists for kids and pets. Ukrainian media report more than 2.5 million wishlists, a secondary source we could not check ourselves.
It is best for Ukrainian-speaking users who want a mature feature set. Limits: we could not confirm hidden claims, Secret Santa, reminders or pricing details. See our Rewish comparison.
Gift Buddy
Gift Buddy is a free iPhone app; the Android build is in testing. You follow friends and family, see their lists in one feed, and get birthdays as reminders. Claims are visible to everyone except the owner, and you can claim anonymously. Add a gift by pasting a link and title, photo and price fill in. Up to ten people can prepare one gift together with invitations and roles, but no money is handled. The interface is in English and Ukrainian. Read more in how it prevents duplicate gifts.
The free plan covers five follows and nine of your own gifts; paid plans start at $4.99 a month (pricing). Limits: iOS only, no real web version beyond viewing a public profile, no Secret Santa yet (it is on the public roadmap), no money pooling by design, and a young product with a small user base.
Summary table
| App | Platforms | Price | Hidden claims | Group gifts | Secret Santa | Languages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GoWish | iOS, Android, web, Chrome | Free | Yes | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | 12, no Ukrainian |
| Giftster | iOS, Android, web | Free | Yes | Not confirmed | Yes | English |
| Elfster | iOS, Android, web | Free | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Yes | English (site mentions ES, FR) |
| Giftful | iOS, Android, web | Free | Yes (personal lists) | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | 7, no Ukrainian |
| Wishive | iPhone | Free | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | English |
| Rewish | iOS, Google Play per site | Free on iOS | Not confirmed | "PiggyBank" (details unconfirmed) | Not confirmed | Site in Ukrainian; app listing English |
| Gift Buddy | iPhone; Android in testing | Free plan; from $4.99/month | Yes | Yes, no payments | Roadmap | English, Ukrainian |
Which one should you pick
A big family across iPhone and Android. Giftster or GoWish. Both run everywhere, both hide claims from the owner. Giftster is built around family groups; GoWish has more languages. For avoiding doubled presents at big gatherings, see holiday gifts for a big family.
Secret Santa at work. Elfster, which does the draw, exclusions and budget and keeps pairings from the organizer. Giftster also draws names.
A Ukrainian-speaking family. Gift Buddy or Rewish. Rewish is the more established, with more features; Gift Buddy is iPhone only but keeps your feed to the people you follow and has anonymous claims and group gift preparation. Try both if your relatives are split.
An iPhone-only minimalist. Wishive or Gift Buddy. Wishive is the lighter of the two; Gift Buddy adds birthday reminders and a feed of the people you follow.
If you are comparing two apps for one particular use, the glossary explains the terms, and group gifts without splitting money covers the pooling question.
