Best WishTogether Alternatives

WishTogether is a collaborative wishlist app designed to prevent duplicate gifts. It works well for friends who want to coordinate a shared gift without group logistics. If that matches your situation, it may cover everything you need.

This page is written for people who want an export they can run themselves at any time. It compares WishTogether with Things To Have on the ten factors that decide whether a wishlist gets used. It also lists the other alternatives worth considering alongside them.

What WishTogether does well

• Secret reservations are its headline feature.
• Setup is simple, as you only need to share a link.
• It supports group contributions for bigger wishes.
• It offers public, friends-only and private lists.

Why people look for an alternative to WishTogether

Young and thin on track record compared with the established apps. Newer services can change course or close. WishTogether also lacks an in-app export, so you must request your data if you leave.

Group contributions mean platform payments, and that comes with the question of who holds the money. Pooling funds for larger wishes requires processing payments through the platform.

WishTogether vs Things To Have

View without an account

Grandparents and distant relatives are often the people most eager to buy the right gift. An account wall in front of the list turns many of them away.

Things To Have. Anyone with the link can open a list in a standard web browser. You do not need an account, an app or a sign-up to view the items. Visitors do not need to install anything on their devices to see what is on the list.

WishTogether. Recipients do not need an account to view a wishlist or reserve an item on it. You can send lists by email, and the service was designed for family members who are less technical.

Verdict: Even, since both open from a plain link.

Reservations

Marking an item as reserved prevents duplicate gifts. People who buy from your list can see what is already taken.

Things To Have. Visitors can reserve an item when you turn reservations on for that list. Guests sign in to reserve an item, and other visitors can see that it is taken.

WishTogether. Visitors can reserve an item directly on a shared list without an account. Other visitors can see that the item is taken.

Verdict: Even, since both apps let visitors reserve items.

Free, no paywall

A wishlist gets heavy use around a few dates each year. Limits that appear at those moments disrupt gift planning for family gatherings. You want to add items without worrying about an arbitrary allowance.

Things To Have. The entire service is free, with no paywall and no limits on lists or items.

WishTogether. The WishTogether website lists a free plan of three wishlists with ten items each, alongside a Premium plan at $1 a month for unlimited lists. Its app store listings describe the app as free with no premium tiers.

Verdict: Things To Have is ahead, as WishTogether limits its free plan to three lists of ten items.

No ads

A list that promotes products to its owner and guests stops being a personal list. Sponsored items distract relatives from the gifts you selected.

Things To Have. There are no advertisements, sponsored products, algorithmic feeds or product recommendations. Visitors see only the items you choose to save.

WishTogether. Its App Store listing states "No ads. No hidden costs." and notes that the app does not collect or sell data.

Verdict: Even, since neither shows ads.

Any store

Good gift ideas come from small shops and independent websites as well as big retailers. A list needs to accept items from anywhere.

Things To Have. Your lists accept links from any online shop.

WishTogether. Pasting a link from any online store adds the item to your list. You can also add items from local shops that lack a website by typing their name and location.

Verdict: Even, since both accept items from any online store.

Autofill

Entering a title, price and photo by hand for each gift is slow. It often causes people to stop adding items to a list.

Things To Have. When you paste a link, Things To Have fills in the title, photo and price without requiring a browser extension. You can also save items with a bookmarklet, an iOS Shortcut, or an embeddable button for shop owners.

WishTogether. Pasting a link from an online store fetches the product details automatically. The service also provides a browser extension to help you add items while you shop.

Verdict: Even, since both services autofill item details from a link.

Works on any device

A shared family list needs to work on everyone's phone. Relatives use different devices and operating systems. If an app only supports certain devices, someone gets left out.

Things To Have. Things To Have is a website and an installable web app that runs on any modern device. You do not need to install software to view or manage lists, because any browser works. You can also save the site as a web app on your home screen.

WishTogether. WishTogether provides dedicated apps for iOS and Android, along with a web app. Guests can open a shared list from a plain link on a phone or computer.

Verdict: Even, since both cover phones and the web.

Sort & filter

A guest with a set budget wants to find a suitable gift quickly. Scrolling through a long list takes time if you cannot narrow the items down. Filters help family members find gifts within their price range.

Things To Have. Any visitor can search your list, set a maximum price, and sort items by price in either direction. This works whether a guest is signed in or not. The app converts prices in different currencies so visitors can compare them directly.

WishTogether. You can organise wishes into categories, add tags, and mark favourite items as priorities. The public documentation for WishTogether does not state whether visitors can search, sort or filter a list.

Verdict: Unclear, because WishTogether's documentation does not say whether guests can sort or filter items.

Export your data

Newer services can close or change course unexpectedly, as Carted did in 2025 and Kit.co in 2026. Without a backup, people lose lists of ideas that took years to gather. An export keeps your information safe on your own computer.

Things To Have. You can open Settings → Data to download your lists as a JSON file at any time. The import tool accepts pasted links, text files, Markdown files and JSON files. A preview appears on screen before any imported items are saved.

WishTogether. The application does not offer a self-service download tool in its settings. If you want a copy of your saved gifts, you must submit a request to the team.

Verdict: Things To Have is ahead, with an export you run yourself.

MCP

The Model Context Protocol lets an AI assistant read and update your lists. You can add items or plan presents for family and friends by talking directly to your assistant.

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

WishTogether. WishTogether does not publish an MCP server, a ChatGPT app or a Claude connector. Its website and help pages do not mention one.

Verdict: Things To Have is ahead, as WishTogether publishes no MCP server.

Final verdict

• You want an export you can run yourself: Things To Have is the better option. You can download your lists as a JSON file from your settings at any time. It has no paywalls, no ads and no account requirement for guests.
• You want what WishTogether is best at (friends coordinating a shared gift without group logistics): stay with WishTogether. It handles group contributions for bigger presents. It also keeps reservations hidden so gifts remain a surprise.

WishTogether, Things To Have and the runners-up

Frequently asked questions

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