Best Christmas wish list apps, compared
The right wish list app depends on three things: whether everyone has to make an account, whether it works with any store, and whether the person the list is for can see what was bought. We read the help and privacy pages of Elfster, Amazon and MyRegistry, and Giftster's App Store listing, on October 31, 2026 and quote them below. Hollyhush is ours, so we say where it is the weaker choice too.
What the owner of the list can see
| Service | Does the owner see what was bought? | What we found |
|---|---|---|
| Giftster | No | Its App Store listing says "The person who made the list never sees what's been claimed." Giftster's own help site returned errors to our fetch, so we could not read it directly. |
| Elfster | No | The owner "won't be notified or see that the wish has been marked as purchased." The buyer has to be logged in to mark it. |
| Amazon Gift List | Your choice | Amazon help: turn the setting off and "purchased items will not appear to you." It adds that shoppers "will always see what has been purchased." |
| MyRegistry | Not checked | Search excerpts of its help center say owners can look up purchasers, but we could not open that page. Check its help center before you rely on it. |
| Hollyhush list | No | The owner page never shows claims. Others see Someone got this. |
Accounts and the data each service says it collects
Sources for this table: Elfster's privacy page, MyRegistry's privacy statement and Elfster's wishlist settings article, which says Public is "the setting you'll need to share your Wishlist link with someone who doesn't have an Elfster account."
| Service | Account to make a list | Data it says it collects | Who else sees the list |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giftster | Yes. Its App Store privacy label lists name and email. | Contact info and device identifiers, with some used for advertising and tracking, per the developer-provided label. | Family members you invite. We could not confirm how invites work. |
| Elfster | Yes | Name, email, mailing address and birthday if given, plus device and usage data. Its privacy page says advertising partners may track activity and that sharing "may be considered a 'sale' or 'sharing'". There is an opt-out link. | Public: anyone with an Elfster account. Limited and Private settings also exist. |
| Amazon | Yes, an Amazon account | Not reviewed for this page. | Amazon help does not say whether a viewer needs to sign in, so test a link in a private browser window. |
| MyRegistry | Yes. Sign-up takes a first name, last name and email. | The privacy statement says it may share personal information with partners for marketing. You opt out by emailing the company. | Your shipping address is visible to people with access to the list unless you password-protect it or hide it. |
| Hollyhush | No. A private edit link, nothing else. | No name or email is asked. | Anyone you give the family link to, no account needed. |
What to ask of any list app
- Do the buyers need to sign in? Elfster asks a buyer to log in to mark a gift. A grandparent who wants to buy one pair of slippers may give up at that step. Hollyhush buyers tap a link.
- Which stores work? An Amazon list is built around Amazon. Hollyhush takes a pasted link from any store, or plain typed text.
- What happens when someone buys outside the list? Elfster has a mark-as-purchased step for logged-in users. A Hollyhush buyer can tap I got this for a gift bought anywhere.
- Whose data is it? Elfster and MyRegistry say they share data with advertising or marketing partners. Read that section before you type an address into any list.
Which one to pick
| If you want | Pick |
|---|---|
| A year-round family list for birthdays and holidays, with profiles | Giftster, which is built around family groups with accounts |
| A Secret Santa draw with wish lists attached | Elfster, or Hollyhush, which also has wishlists in the draw. See Elfster alternatives |
| Everything comes from Amazon and everyone has an account | An Amazon list. See Amazon wish list alternative |
| One registry for any store that grows over the years | MyRegistry |
| A holiday list in a minute, no sign-up, family buys from one link | Hollyhush |
Where the Hollyhush list is weaker
There are no accounts, so there is no login to recover a list. The private edit link lives on the device where you made it, and a forwarded link cannot edit. If you lose that device without the link, you start a new list. There are no birthday reminders or year-round profiles, and lists are deleted after January 31. If you want a permanent family hub, Giftster fits better. See Giftster alternative for a longer comparison.
How the Hollyhush list works
- Open Hollyhush Christmas list and tap Start my list.
- Add gifts: paste a link from any store or type what you want. Star the one you want most, add a size or color and set How many.
- Send the family link in your group chat or by text.
- Family opens the link, picks a gift and taps I got this. Everyone else sees Someone got this. You see nothing.
- After Christmas the list deletes itself on January 31, or you can keep it another year.
Several family members can join a family board: one link where each person adds their own list. Buy links to stores may earn Hollyhush a small commission at no extra cost to the buyer.
Start your list. It takes about a minute. Start my Christmas list
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Christmas wish list app?
It depends on your family. Giftster suits a year-round family group with accounts. An Amazon list suits an all-Amazon family. Hollyhush suits a one-season list with no sign-up for anyone. The tables above show what each service says about accounts, data and purchases.
Is there a free Christmas wish list app for families?
Yes. Hollyhush lists and Amazon lists are free to start, and Giftster is listed as Free in the App Store. We did not confirm current pricing for the paid extras at Giftster, Elfster or MyRegistry, so check each site.
Which wish list apps hide what was bought from the list owner?
Giftster, Elfster and Hollyhush say so. On Amazon the owner can turn purchases off in a setting. For registries, check how purchases show on your own list before you share it.
Do my family members need an app or account?
For Hollyhush, no: they open a link in a browser. Elfster needs a login to mark a gift as bought. Amazon and MyRegistry do not say on the pages we read, so test a link in a private window.
Can I use a wish list app for kids?
Yes. A parent can make a list with a child and share it with grandparents. See Christmas list for kids.
Make your list
Add what you want, send one link. Family marks what they bought and you never see it.
Start my Christmas list- No account, no app, no email
- Works with any store link
- Deletes itself after January 31
Ready when you are
Make a list in a minute. No sign-up, no name, no email, and you never see what was bought.