Best mesh Alternatives

mesh is a social wishlist app for saving products from any store and sharing personal taste. It focuses on friends. Friends can view each other's lists and vote on saved items. It provides tools to browse and shop alongside friends in a dedicated space.

Other people need a wishlist that relatives can open directly without installing software or registering for an account. mesh keeps lists inside its mobile app. Its listings describe no way for people outside the app to view them. This guide compares mesh with Things To Have on ten key criteria, alongside other alternatives.

What mesh does well

• Save from any website or app through the system share sheet. Sending a link to mesh works like sending it to a friend.
• Private or public lists, with voting. Friends can vote on products you are considering.
• iOS and Android. The service was built as an app for both platforms.
• It is built around friends. It focuses on sharing personal taste and seeing what friends like.

Why people look for an alternative to mesh

App-only. There is no web version to open on a computer. Its listings describe no way to view a list outside the mobile app.

Social product. mesh focuses on sharing tastes and voting on items with friends. It lacks the reservations that family gift lists need.

Small scale and no export documented. Small apps can close without warning, and the lists go with them.

mesh vs Things To Have

View without an account

A gift list often goes to relatives who will not install a new shopping app. Asking people to register first creates an extra hurdle. Some family members will close the link and never see the list.

Things To Have. Anyone with the link can open a shared list in a web browser. They can view every item without an account and without installing an app. A visitor only needs to sign in if they choose to reserve a gift.

mesh. Lists are shared with friends inside the app. Friends can view each other's items and save products to their own lists. The store listings describe no way for people outside the app to open a list in a browser.

Verdict: Things To Have is ahead for lists shared beyond a circle of mesh users.

Reservations

Marking an item as reserved prevents duplicate gifts. People buying from a list can see what is already taken.

Things To Have. Visitors can reserve an item when you turn reservations on for your list. They sign in to make a reservation. That lets other visitors see that the gift is taken.

mesh. Friends can vote on items, and you can move things you bought yourself to a purchased list. Its listings describe no way for others to reserve an item.

Verdict: Things To Have is ahead, as mesh does not offer reservations.

Free, no paywall

Most people only open a wishlist a few times a year for birthdays or holidays. Paying an ongoing subscription for occasional use rarely makes sense.

Things To Have. Everything is free to use, with no paywall of any kind. You can make as many lists as you like and save an unlimited number of items.

mesh. The app was free to download onto a phone. Its store listing described no paid tiers or subscription fees.

Verdict: Even, as both are free.

No ads

Product recommendations turn a personal wishlist into a place to sell extra goods. Relatives looking for a present should see only the items you chose yourself.

Things To Have. The site runs without advertisements or product recommendations. There are no sponsored items and no algorithmic feeds to distract visitors. A shared list displays only the items the author saved.

mesh. Its app store listing promised no suggested recommendations and no advertisements.

Verdict: Even, as neither shows ads.

Any store

Good gift ideas come from small shops and independent websites as well as big retailers. A wishlist should accept items from anywhere.

Things To Have. A list accepts a link from any online shop.

mesh. It saves items from any website or mobile app through the system share sheet on a phone.

Verdict: Even, as both accept products from anywhere.

Autofill

Typing a title, price and photo by hand for each item is slow. It is often why people stop adding things to a list.

Things To Have. Pasting a link fills in the title, photo and price, with no browser extension needed. You can also save items using a bookmarklet, an iOS Shortcut or an embeddable save button.

mesh. You can save items from any website or mobile app through the share sheet on your phone. The app's documentation does not say whether it fills in item details.

Verdict: Unclear, as the app's documentation does not say.

Works on any device

Family members use different phones, tablets and computers. A list that only works inside a mobile app leaves out anyone using a desktop computer.

Things To Have. It is a website and an installable web app. You can view, create and manage lists in any browser without installing software.

mesh. It was built only as an iOS and Android app, with no web version for a desktop. Its Google Play listing was removed in October 2024, and its App Store page no longer loads.

Verdict: Things To Have is ahead, as it works in any browser on any device.

Sort & filter

Longer lists become difficult to navigate without tools to narrow down the choices. People often shop with a specific budget in mind when buying a present. Sorting by price helps them find a suitable gift quickly.

Things To Have. Any visitor can search a list, whether they are signed in or not. They can set a maximum price and sort items by price in either direction. Prices listed in different currencies are converted so they compare accurately.

mesh. Saved items can be moved around by hand. Its store listing mentions no search, price sorting or filtering options.

Verdict: Things To Have is ahead, as it lets visitors search and sort by price.

Export your data

Small apps can close, sometimes without warning. If an app shuts down without an export tool, your lists go with it.

Things To Have. Under Settings → Data, you can export your lists as a JSON file. The import tool accepts pasted links or a .txt, .md or JSON file. It gives you a preview before saving.

mesh. Its listings do not mention an export.

Verdict: Unclear, as mesh does not document an export.

MCP

MCP lets an AI assistant such as Claude or ChatGPT read and update your wishlists. You can add items or plan gifts by talking to your assistant.

Things To Have. You can connect Claude, ChatGPT or your own agent over MCP, choose its permissions and revoke access at any time. Your assistant can then add items you mention, tidy your lists and help work out what to buy the friends you follow.

mesh. The app appears to be discontinued. It is gone from the App Store and Google Play, and its domain is parked. It published no MCP server.

Verdict: Things To Have is ahead, as mesh has no MCP server and appears to be discontinued.

Final verdict

• You want a free list to send to family who will not sign up: Things To Have. Anyone can open your list in a browser without an account. When you turn reservations on, signed-in visitors can reserve items anonymously.
• You want what mesh is best at (shopping with friends and discovering what they like): stay with mesh. It works well for friends who want to share product ideas and vote together inside the app.

mesh, Things To Have and the runners-up

Frequently asked questions

Keep comparing

• Best wishlist apps, all of them ranked against the same ten criteria
• Every comparison, one page per app