Giftster vs This Is What They Want
An honest, balanced 2026 comparison — what each app does well, where they differ, and which one fits your family.
Last reviewed: April 28, 2026
Giftster is one of the longest-running family gift list apps on the market, and many extended families have used it for a decade or more. If you're already comfortable with Giftster, that history matters and switching shouldn't be a casual decision.
This page is a fair, side-by-side look at how Giftster and This Is What They Want compare in 2026 so you can pick the one that fits your family — without marketing spin from either side.
Where Giftster wins
Giftster has been around long enough to earn loyal users for real reasons. Here's where it genuinely shines:
- A long track record. Giftster has been refining the multi-family gift list workflow since 2008, which is longer than most competitors have existed.
- Mature native iOS and Android apps. Many Giftster households use the mobile apps daily and are happy with them.
- A large, established user base — if your extended family already has Giftster set up across generations, the network effect is real.
- Familiar reservation flow ("the reaper") that long-time users already know how to use without instruction.
Where This Is What They Want wins
This Is What They Want was designed family-first and shipped some features Giftster doesn't currently document. The biggest differences:
- COPPA compliance is built in, not optional. Verifiable parental consent, an 18+ organizer age gate, and a Parent Data Dashboard for full export and deletion are core to the product.
- AI-assisted item capture: scan a barcode, snap a photo of any product, paste any URL, or just type a description and Gemini fills in the rest.
- Group gifting on any item — multiple relatives can pool money toward one bigger gift with a transparent progress bar.
- Browser extension and PWA install make it fast to add items from any retailer and to use the app like a native app on any phone or desktop.
- Family passcode model means relatives can view and claim gifts without creating an account or downloading anything — useful for grandparents, in-laws, and casual gift givers.
- Price-drop alerts watch product URLs and surface savings of 5% or more so gift givers can shop smart.
Best for…
Giftster is best for: Giftster is a strong fit if your extended family is already on it, you don't need COPPA-grade child-data controls, and a familiar long-running mobile app is more important to you than newer features like AI item capture or group gifting.
This Is What They Want is best for: This Is What They Want is a stronger fit if you have kids under 13 and want documented COPPA compliance, you want to add items from anywhere (barcode, photo, any URL) without typing, you want to pool money for big-ticket gifts, or you want relatives to view lists with just a passcode and no account.
Feature-by-feature: Giftster vs This Is What They Want
A side-by-side look at the features families ask about most. "Not documented" means the feature isn't publicly described on giftster.com or its app store listings — it may exist; we're just not making claims we can't verify.
| Feature | This Is What They Want | Giftster | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Add items from any retailer | Yes (URL, barcode, photo, description) | Yes (URL, manual) | Both support cross-retailer items; we add barcode/photo/AI capture. |
| Surprise-safe claiming (claims hidden from recipient) | Yes | Yes | Both hide claim status from the gift recipient. |
| Group gifting / pooled contributions | Yes (premium) | Not documented | We let multiple givers chip in toward one item. |
| Shared family calendar with reminders | Yes (premium) | Birthday list | Both surface birthdays; ours adds shared calendar export and reminders. |
| Browser extension | Yes | Not documented | Add items from any product page in one click. |
| PWA install (use like an app) | Yes | Native iOS/Android apps | Different approaches — both can live on your home screen. |
| Push notifications | Yes | App notifications | Both notify; ours work in the browser via PWA. |
| Price-drop alerts | Yes | Not documented | We monitor URLs and flag 5%+ price drops. |
| Dark mode | Yes | Yes | Both support dark mode. |
| No-account viewing for relatives | Yes (passcode) | Account required | Casual relatives can browse with no signup. |
| Dedicated child profiles (no kid logins) | Yes | Child accounts | Both support kids; ours never gives a child a login. |
| COPPA-compliant data controls | Yes (Parent Data Dashboard, consent, deletion) | Not documented | Required for collecting data on US children under 13. |
| Pricing | Free forever core, premium from $4.99/mo | Free, with Giftster Premium upgrade | Both have free tiers; check current pricing on each site. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Giftster free?
Giftster offers a free tier and a paid "Giftster Premium" upgrade. Pricing is set on giftster.com and may change. This Is What They Want is also free to start, with premium plans from $4.99/month and a 7-day free trial that does not require a credit card.
What's the best Giftster alternative?
For families with kids under 13, This Is What They Want is the strongest like-for-like alternative because it is COPPA compliant out of the box, supports group gifting, lets relatives view lists without an account, and adds AI item capture (barcode, photo, paste-any-URL).
Can I import my Giftster list into This Is What They Want?
There isn't an automatic Giftster importer today. You can paste each Giftster item URL into This Is What They Want and our parser will fetch the name, photo, and price automatically — most lists move over in a few minutes.
Do family members have to make an account like in Giftster?
No. Only the organizer needs an account. Relatives view and claim gifts using a family passcode in any browser — no account, no app download.
Does This Is What They Want have a native mobile app like Giftster?
Not a native iOS or Android app today. We ship a PWA that installs to your home screen and works offline, plus a browser extension for desktop. For most use cases the PWA experience matches a native app; if you specifically want a native iOS/Android app, Giftster is the more mature option there.
Try This Is What They Want free
Set up your family or group in under two minutes. Free forever core. No credit card required.
Related
- Best family gift list app for 2026 — What to look for in a modern family gift list app.
- Amazon wish list alternative — A universal alternative that works with every store.
- COPPA-compliant gift list for kids — How we keep children's wish lists safe and parent-controlled.