Best My Wishlist Alternatives

My Wishlist is a simple web-based wishlist where friends and family reserve gifts. It works well if you want a free list with reservations and no sign-up requirements for visitors. Anyone who receives the shared link can view the items in a standard web browser.

This page is for people who want a list without product suggestions or sponsored items. It also covers features for visitors, such as searching a list and sorting items by price. The guide compares My Wishlist with Things To Have on ten practical criteria, alongside other alternatives worth considering.

What My Wishlist does well

• You can add items from any shop, with details filled in from a link.
• Friends and family can reserve gifts without the list owner seeing.
• The service is free to use, and it includes a bookmarklet that reads item details for you.
• It works in a web browser, with no app to install.

Why people look for an alternative to My Wishlist

Web only, and spartan. It runs in a web browser without native mobile apps. There are no reminders and no birthday layer.

Thin feature set beyond the core list and reservations. The help pages describe no search tool or price sorting for visitors.

Limited public information on privacy and export. The help pages cover account deletion, but they do not mention a way to export your data.

My Wishlist vs Things To Have

View without an account

Relatives who are asked to register before seeing a list often stop there. Fewer steps between getting a link and viewing the items mean more people use the list.

Things To Have. Anyone with the link can open a shared list directly in a browser. No account, app or sign-up is needed to view the items. Visitors only need to sign in if they choose to reserve a gift on a list where reservations are turned on.

My Wishlist. People who receive your link can open the list without logging in. Reserving an item asks only for an email address, which also adds the visitor as your friend on My Wishlist.

Verdict: Even.

Reservations

Marking an item as reserved prevents duplicate gifts. People buying from your list can see what is already taken before they choose.

Things To Have. You can turn reservations on for any list. Visitors sign in to reserve an item, which marks it as taken for other guests.

My Wishlist. Anyone with access to your list can reserve a gift using an email address.

Verdict: Even, as both let visitors reserve items.

Free, no paywall

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

Things To Have. The entire service is free to use, with no paywalls on any feature. There are no limits on the number of lists you create or the items you add.

My Wishlist. Its help pages state that the site can be used completely free of charge. The service earns its revenue through affiliate links instead.

Verdict: Even, as both are free.

No ads

Product suggestions pull a list away from what the owner actually wants. Visitors should see the items you chose and nothing else.

Things To Have. There are no adverts and no sponsored products. The platform has no recommendations and no algorithmic feed. A list shows only what its author added.

My Wishlist. Adding an item without a link brings up suggested products from its Gift Ideas catalogue. Some items carry affiliate links. The site also earns revenue as an Amazon Associate.

Verdict: Things To Have is ahead.

Any store

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

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

My Wishlist. It supports online shops from every country. You can add items from any store using a link.

Verdict: Even, as both accept links from any shop.

Autofill

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

Things To Have. Pasting a link fills in the title, photo and price without needing a browser extension. You can also save items using a bookmarklet, an iOS Shortcut or an embeddable button.

My Wishlist. Pasting a link prefills the title and image from shops in any country. You can also add items using its browser extension or bookmarklet.

Verdict: Even, as both services automatically fill in item details from a link.

Works on any device

A family list has to work on every phone and computer in the family. Leaving out one platform leaves out relatives who want to buy a gift.

Things To Have. It operates as a website and an installable web app. Anyone can view or manage lists in a browser on any device with nothing to install.

My Wishlist. It is also a web app and does not offer native mobile apps. It can be added to the home screen on an iPhone or Android phone.

Verdict: Even, as both run in any browser.

Sort & filter

Most gift givers shop with a clear budget in mind. Being able to search a list and sort it by price helps friends find a suitable gift without scrolling through every item.

Things To Have. Any visitor can search a list, set a maximum price, and sort items by price in either direction without an account. Prices listed in different currencies are converted so they compare properly.

My Wishlist. Owners can drag items into a custom order and divide lists into categories. There is no search tool or price filter for visitors in its help pages.

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

Export your data

A list kept for years is worth keeping outside any one service. Having an export file makes moving to another tool straightforward.

Things To Have. You can export your lists as a JSON file from Settings → Data exports. The import tool accepts pasted links or files in .txt, .md or JSON format. It also provides a preview before you save.

My Wishlist. Its help pages explain how to delete an account, but they do not mention an export.

Verdict: Unclear, as My Wishlist's documentation does not say.

MCP

The Model Context Protocol lets an AI assistant such as Claude or ChatGPT read and update your lists. This allows you to add items or plan gifts by talking to your assistant.

Things To Have. You can connect Claude, ChatGPT or your own agent over MCP at https://thingstohave.app/mcp. You approve its permissions and can revoke access at any time. The assistant can add items you mention, tidy your lists and help work out what to buy the friends you follow.

My Wishlist. My Wishlist publishes no MCP server, ChatGPT app or Claude connector. Its website and help pages do not mention any tools for AI assistants.

Verdict: Things To Have is ahead, as it supports MCP connections while My Wishlist does not.

Final verdict

• You want a list with no product suggestions that visitors can sort by price: Things To Have. It displays items added by the author, without adverts or product suggestions. Visitors can set a maximum price and sort items by price.
• You want what My Wishlist is best at (a quick free list with reservations and no signup ceremony): stay with My Wishlist. Friends can view lists without logging in, and reserving asks only for an email address.

My Wishlist, Things To Have and the runners-up

Frequently asked questions

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