"Three kids means three birthday lists plus Christmas. Before this, my family would text each other asking 'did you already get the LEGO set?' Now they just check the list. Problem solved."
Jenny M.
Mother of 3
WishApp
Wishlistr vs WishApp
Wishlistr has been around since 2005. That's not nothing. It's a Swedish service, still actively maintained, with 500,000+ claimed users and browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. Honestly, it works fine for basic wishlists. But there's no native mobile app, it runs affiliate tracking through Skimlinks (third-party cookies across 50+ networks), and the coordination features most people actually need for a real gift exchange just aren't there. WishApp fills those gaps. Here's the full picture.
We built WishApp, so we're biased. But we'll be honest.
Last updated: February 2026
The quick version
Wishlistr
Free, ad-free wishlist service with browser extensions and customizable themes
- 500,000+ claimed users and ~185K monthly website visits (Semrush, August 2025)
- Browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge with one-click item adding
- Explore page for discovering public wishlists and connecting with other users
- Founded in 2005 in Sweden, actively maintained with regular updates through 2025
WishApp
Simple, reliable wishlist built for real gift exchanges
- Works with any online store worldwide, native iOS and Android apps included
- Zero ads, zero trackers, zero data selling
- Hidden reservations, group gifting, and Secret Santa built in
- Free forever with no premium tier
Feature-by-feature comparison
How Wishlistr and WishApp stack up on the things that actually matter.
| Feature | Wishlistr | WishApp |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | ||
| Mobile app (iOS) | ||
| Mobile app (Android) | ||
| Browser extension | Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge | |
| Works with any store | ||
| Hidden reservations | ||
| Group gifting | ||
| Secret Santa | ||
| Collaborative wishlists | ||
| No account to view lists | ||
| No ads or trackers | ||
| Native mobile apps |
What actually sets them apart
No native mobile apps at all
Wishlistr is web-only. No iOS app. No Android app. There is a Safari extension in the App Store for adding items from your iPhone, but that is a browser tool, not an app. The site works in a mobile browser, sure, but you are always in the browser. WishApp has native iOS and Android apps. If your friends and family mostly use their phones, that is a real difference in how the thing actually feels to use day to day.
Reservations exist, but group coordination features are missing
Wishlistr does have a reservation system. Friends can mark an item as reserved so nobody buys the same thing twice. That is good. But there is no group gifting where multiple people chip in on one item, no Secret Santa draw, and no collaborative wishlists where two people can manage a list together. If you need real gift coordination for a birthday, wedding, or holiday, those missing pieces matter. WishApp has all of it.
Third-party cookies from Skimlinks
Wishlistr is ad-free. Good. But here's the kicker: staying free comes through Skimlinks, which hooks into 50+ affiliate networks and drops third-party cookies whenever someone clicks a product link on your wishlist. No banner ads, fine, but the tracking is real. WishApp makes money from affiliate commissions too. The difference is we do not pipe your visitors through a third-party tracking network to do it.
Friends need an account just to see your list
This is the friction point that kills a lot of sharing flows. On Wishlistr, people you want to share with need to sign up before they can even see your wishlist. WishApp works the other way around. Send someone a link. They open it. Done. No account, no signup, no friction. That one difference makes a bigger impact than you might expect when you are trying to share a list with your 65-year-old dad or your group of friends who will not bother creating an account.
When to pick each one
Pick Wishlistr if you...
- Prefer a web-based wishlist you can use from any browser without installing an app
- Want customizable visual themes for your wishlists
- Like browsing an Explore page to discover public wishlists and deals
- Want browser extensions on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge for quick item adding
Pick WishApp if you...
- Want your friends to reserve gifts without you knowing who picked what
- Need group gifting, Secret Santa, or collaborative wishlists
- Want friends to see your list without creating an account
- Use a phone as your main device and want a native iOS or Android app
52,000+ wishlists and 150,000+ gifts reserved for birthdays, weddings, and every occasion worth celebrating
"My girlfriend and I share lists with each other. I can reserve stuff without her knowing, which makes birthdays way less stressful. The hidden reservation thing is actually clutch."
Theo P.
College Student
"We used this instead of a traditional registry. Added items from 11 different stores. Stuff we actually wanted, not just whatever one store had. Our guests said it was easier too."
Leila R.
Recent Bride
Frequently asked questions
Wishlistr vs WishApp: the full picture
What Wishlistr is
Wishlistr was founded in 2005 by Niklas Nordlund and Jimmy Nordlund in Gothenburg, Sweden. One of the longest-running wishlist tools on the web. Self-funded since launch, no known outside investment. The platform claims 500,000+ users and pulls around 185K monthly website visits, with sessions averaging about 7 minutes. Top traffic comes from Spain, the US, and Canada. It is free, ad-free, and makes money through Skimlinks, which runs affiliate partnerships across 50+ networks. Browser extensions cover Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. No native iOS or Android apps.
Where WishApp is different
WishApp is not trying to be a social network. It is a wishlist tool for a specific moment: someone asks what you want for your birthday or the holidays, and you want to give them something genuinely useful. Hidden reservations mean friends can claim an item and you never find out who picked what. Group gifting lets a few people chip in together on something expensive. Secret Santa handles the draw. Collaborative wishlists let up to ten people share a list. And your friends open it with one link, no account required. Native iOS and Android apps are part of it. All free, no premium tier, no third-party tracking.
Which one should you actually pick?
So which one? Wishlistr is a solid choice if you want a web-based tool with good browser extension support and you like browsing a social Explore page. Twenty years of operation counts for something. But if you need actual gift coordination, the missing pieces add up fast: no mobile apps, no group gifting, no Secret Santa, no collaborative lists, and people have to create an account just to see your wishlist. WishApp handles that whole side cleanly. Try it free. The people you share with do not need accounts, and setup takes about two minutes.
40,000+ people already making wishlists
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Create my wishlist → No duplicate gifts Friends reserve in secret Works with any store