Giftwhale 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
Giftwhale is a newer, refined family wishlist app with a clean modern design and a focus on being trustworthy and easy to share. If you've been looking at modern alternatives to older brands like Giftster, Giftwhale is on most shortlists for good reason.
This page compares Giftwhale and This Is What They Want fairly so you can decide which one fits your family best.
Where Giftwhale wins
Giftwhale has been around long enough to earn loyal users for real reasons. Here's where it genuinely shines:
- Polished, modern visual design that feels welcoming on first use.
- Quick onboarding for new families.
- Reservation system that's easy for first-time gift givers to understand.
- Growing community and regular updates.
Where This Is What They Want wins
This Is What They Want was designed family-first and shipped some features Giftwhale doesn't currently document. The biggest differences:
- COPPA compliance built in: verifiable parental consent, an 18+ organizer age gate, and a Parent Data Dashboard for full export and deletion.
- AI item enrichment via barcode scan, photo capture, paste-any-URL, or typed description — powered by Gemini.
- Group gifting lets multiple relatives pool money toward one bigger gift with a transparent progress bar.
- Shared family calendar with birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, exportable to Google/Apple/Outlook with email and push reminders.
- Family passcode model — relatives can view and claim gifts in any browser without creating an account.
- Browser extension and PWA install for fast everyday use.
- Price-drop alerts on tracked URLs.
- Privacy stance: no ads, no data selling, no third-party advertising or behavioral profiling of children.
Best for…
Giftwhale is best for: Giftwhale is a strong fit if you want a modern, simple family wishlist with a clean reservation flow and you don't need group gifting, COPPA-grade child data controls, or AI-assisted item capture.
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 pool money for bigger gifts, you want barcode/photo capture in addition to URLs, or you want a shared family calendar with reminders and exports.
Feature-by-feature: Giftwhale 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 giftwhale.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 | Giftwhale | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Add items from any retailer | Yes (URL, barcode, photo, description) | Yes (URL) | Both cross-store; we add barcode/photo/AI. |
| Surprise-safe claiming | Yes | Yes | Both hide claim status from the recipient. |
| Group gifting / pooled contributions | Yes (premium) | Not documented | Pool money toward one item. |
| Shared family calendar with reminders | Yes (premium) | Birthday reminders | Both surface birthdays; ours adds shared exportable calendar. |
| Browser extension | Yes | Not documented | One-click add from any product page. |
| PWA install | Yes | Web app | Install to home screen on any device. |
| Push notifications | Yes | Not documented | Browser push for reminders and activity. |
| Price-drop alerts | Yes | Not documented | Auto-watch URLs for 5%+ drops. |
| Dark mode | Yes | Yes | Both support dark mode. |
| No-account viewing for relatives | Yes (family passcode) | Account-based sharing | Casual relatives don't need to sign up. |
| Dedicated child profiles (no kid logins) | Yes | Not documented | Built for kids without giving them an account. |
| COPPA-compliant data controls | Yes (Parent Data Dashboard, consent, deletion) | Not documented | Required for US under-13 data. |
| Pricing | Free forever core, premium from $4.99/mo | Free | Both have free tiers. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Giftwhale free?
Giftwhale is free to use. This Is What They Want is also free to start, with premium plans from $4.99/month for collaborative features like group gifting and the shared family calendar. All paid plans include a 7-day free trial with no credit card required.
What's the best alternative to Giftwhale?
For families with kids, families who want group gifting, or families who want documented COPPA compliance, This Is What They Want is the strongest alternative. It keeps the modern feel of Giftwhale and adds child profiles, group gifting, AI item capture, and a shared family calendar.
Can I import my Giftwhale list?
There's no automatic importer today. Paste each item URL into This Is What They Want and the parser will pull the name, photo, and price automatically.
Do I have to make every recipient sign up?
No. Only the organizer creates an account. Relatives use a family passcode to view and claim gifts in any browser — no account, no app.
Is This Is What They Want safe for kids?
Yes. We're COPPA compliant, never give children their own login, never sell data, never run third-party ads, and provide a Parent Data Dashboard to view, export, or delete your family's data at any time.
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.