Best Wishlist Apps in the UK for 2026

Disclosure: WantThis is our app. We built it because we wanted a wishlist app that combined gift list sharing, price tracking, and Secret Santa in one place — without needing three separate apps. We're including ourselves in this comparison because we genuinely believe we stack up well, but we'll let you be the judge.

WantThis lets you create three types of list: gift lists for occasions (birthdays, Christmas, weddings), personal wishlists for things you want, and shopping baskets for items you buy regularly. You can add items from 30+ UK retailers by pasting a product URL or sharing directly from your phone — WantThis automatically extracts the title, price, and image.

The price tracking feature monitors items across retailers like Amazon, John Lewis, Argos, Boots, Currys, and IKEA. You set a threshold (say 10%) and get email and in-app alerts when the price drops. There's a price history chart so you can see trends over time — handy for deciding whether to buy now or wait for a sale.

When you share a list, friends and family can view it without creating an account. They can reserve items to prevent duplicate gifts, and the list owner never sees who reserved what — keeping surprises intact. Sharing works via link, WhatsApp, email, or QR code.

WantThis also includes a built-in Secret Santa organiser with random name drawing, budget setting, exclusion pairs, and integrated wishlists. Plus a Letters to Santa feature where children write printable Christmas letters linked to a real shopping list for parents.

Best for: UK families who want gift list sharing, price tracking, and Secret Santa in one free app.

Giftwhale is a popular UK-based gift list app used by over 113,000 families. It does one thing really well: let you create a gift list, share it, and let people secretly reserve items. Paste a product URL and Giftwhale auto-fills the details. Share via link, WhatsApp, or email.

Giftwhale also offers Secret Santa with automatic name drawing, budget limits, and exclusion rules. It supports child accounts for managing family wishlists, and has tools for charities and organisations.

The main limitation is that Giftwhale doesn't track prices. If spotting deals and sale prices matters to you, you'll need a separate tool for that. But if you just want a clean, no-fuss gift list to share with family, Giftwhale is a solid choice.

Best for: Families who want a straightforward gift list without extra features.

Basket positions itself as a smart shopping companion rather than a pure gift list app. It excels at saving items from any retailer, tracking prices, and automatically applying discount codes at checkout via its browser extension. It also offers cashback on purchases from partnered retailers.

Where Basket falls short for gift-giving is sharing. While you can create and share wishlists, there's no gift reservation system — so friends can't secretly mark items as "I'm buying this" to avoid duplicates. There's also no Secret Santa feature. Basket is really designed for personal shopping rather than coordinated gift buying.

Basket has polished apps for iOS (4.6 stars), Android (4.3 stars), and a Chrome extension (4.9 stars). If your priority is personal deal-hunting over gift coordination, Basket is excellent.

Best for: Personal shoppers who want price alerts, coupons, and cashback.

Listful is one of the most established wishlist apps, with over 2 million users and 162 million wishes added. It offers universal wishlists for any occasion, price tracking with sale notifications, and the ability to mark items as purchased to prevent duplicates.

A nice touch is the customisable visual themes (Classic, Pink, Ocean, Sage) which let you personalise the look of your list. Listful works across mobile, tablet, and desktop with full sync, and has both iOS and Android apps rated 4.9 stars across 15,000+ reviews.

Listful doesn't offer Secret Santa or any group gifting coordination features. It's primarily US-focused, so while it works internationally, UK-specific retailer support may not be as deep as UK-built alternatives.

Best for: Users who want a mature, polished wishlist app with broad retailer support.

Amazon's built-in wishlist is the option most people know about. It's deeply integrated into the Amazon shopping experience — you can add items with one click, share lists, and friends can purchase directly. Items are marked as bought automatically.

The obvious limitation is that it only works with Amazon products. If you want to add items from John Lewis, Argos, IKEA, or any other retailer, you're out of luck. There's no price tracking (beyond Amazon's own occasional price alerts), no Secret Santa, and viewers need an Amazon account.

For pure Amazon shopping, it works fine. But most people buy gifts from multiple shops, which is where universal wishlist apps have a clear advantage.

Best for: People who exclusively shop on Amazon.

GoWish focuses purely on gift list creation and sharing. It's clean, simple, and designed specifically for occasions like birthdays and Christmas. You can add items from any retailer and share your list with friends who can mark items as reserved.

GoWish doesn't have price tracking, Secret Santa, or personal wishlist features. It's a focused tool for one job: sharing a gift list. If that's all you need and you don't care about price alerts or extra features, GoWish keeps things simple.

Best for: People who want the simplest possible gift list with no extras.

Elfster is the biggest name in Secret Santa, with over 17 million users. If your only goal is organising a Secret Santa gift exchange for work, friends, or family, Elfster has the most mature feature set: automated name drawing, wish list creation, gift tracking, and email notifications.

Elfster also supports general wish lists and gift exchanges beyond Secret Santa. However, it doesn't offer price tracking, and participants need to create an account. It's primarily a seasonal tool — you'll likely only use it in November and December.

Best for: Organising large Secret Santa exchanges with many participants.