ESC Wishlist + Save for Later vs. Growave: An In-Depth Comparison

Introduction

Choosing the right retention and conversion tools is one of the hardest decisions a merchant faces when building a Shopify store. With thousands of apps available, every additional feature can add both capability and complexity. This comparison focuses on two approaches: a single-purpose wishlist/save-for-later app and a multi-tool retention platform.

Short answer: ESC Wishlist + Save for Later is a simple, low-cost option that offers basic wishlist and save-for-later functionality; it can work for very small stores that only need a single widget. Growave: Loyalty & Wishlist is a full retention platform that combines wishlist features with loyalty, referrals, reviews, VIP tiers, and deeper integrations—making it a better value for brands that want to increase lifetime value and reduce tool fragmentation.

This post provides an in-depth, objective, feature-by-feature comparison of ESC Wishlist + Save for Later (Eastside Co®) and Growave: Loyalty & Wishlist (Growave). The goal is to clarify strengths, weaknesses, and the real-world trade-offs so merchants can make a practical decision that fits their growth stage and technical constraints.

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later vs. Growave: Loyalty & Wishlist: At a Glance

Deep Dive Comparison

This section compares both apps across the most relevant merchant criteria: core features, pricing and value, integrations, support and onboarding, customization and storefront fit, performance and reliability, data and reporting, and ideal use cases.

Core Feature Comparison

Wishlist and Save-for-Later Functionality

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later

• Provides a classic wishlist tied to customer accounts or guest sessions.
• Stores saved items under the cart as a "saved for later" section so customers see them at checkout.
• Unlimited wishlists, allowing customers to categorize products.
• Social sharing capabilities to let customers share wishlists with friends.
• Customization options for appearance.

Growave: Loyalty & Wishlist

• Includes a fully integrated wishlist that connects to account pages and lifecycle workflows.
• Wishlist can trigger back-in-stock and cart recovery emails, and can be combined with points or rewards in loyalty programs.
• Wishlist entries are tied to a broader customer profile used across loyalty, referral, and review workflows.
• Built-in analytics to see wishlist-to-purchase conversion rates when paired with the platform’s reporting.

Why it matters

• A wishlist as a standalone feature can help capture intent, but its real value depends on the actions it can trigger (e.g., targeted emails, nudges, and rewards).
• ESC delivers the widget; Growave ties wishlist behavior into the lifecycle, which typically produces higher conversion from interest to purchase.

Loyalty and Rewards

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later

• No native loyalty or rewards module. The app is focused on wishlist and save-for-later functionality only.

Growave: Loyalty & Wishlist

• Native loyalty and rewards engine with points, customizable reward actions, and automation.
• Includes VIP tiers (on Growth plan and above) for segmentation by spend or engagement.
• Custom reward actions available on enterprise plans—good for complex loyalty strategies.
• Loyalty data flows into customer profiles for targeted campaigns.

Why it matters

• Loyalty programs are proven to increase repeat purchase frequency and average order value (AOV). If loyalty is a priority, a standalone wishlist will not capture that value.

Referrals and Social Promotion

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later

• Offers social sharing of wishlists, which can deliver viral reach but is limited to manual sharing by customers.

Growave: Loyalty & Wishlist

• Offers referral programs that reward both referrer and referee, with fraud protection on paid plans.
• Referral campaigns are integrated with loyalty—points for successful referrals, trackable through the customer profile.
• Referrals can be automated and tied to custom reward behavior.

Why it matters

• Referral conversion is higher when it’s incentivized and tracked. Growave’s integrated referral tools turn organic sharing into measurable acquisition.

Reviews and UGC

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later

• No reviews or UGC capability.

Growave: Loyalty & Wishlist

• Built-in review collection, automation workflows for review requests, and UGC features like Instagram integration (on Growth plan).
• Supports review attributes, Google Shopping Reviews, and review request email series.

Why it matters

• Social proof and post-purchase reviews drive discovery and conversion. An integrated review system lets a merchant centralize reputation management alongside loyalty and wishlist signals.

Checkout & POS Support

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later

• Focused on storefront experience; no explicit checkout extension or POS features documented.

Growave: Loyalty & Wishlist

• Supports checkout extensions, Shopify POS loyalty QR, and account extensions on advanced plans.
• Built for Shopify Plus: provides more powerful checkout integrations and headless support via API/SDK on Plus plans.

Why it matters

• Checkout and POS integrations enable seamless point-of-sale loyalty and frictionless redemption of rewards—important for omnichannel brands.

Pricing and Value

Pricing is often the decisive factor for small merchants. This section compares cost structures and value delivered.

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later

• Single pricing plan: Monthly plan at $5 / month.
• Very low upfront cost, making it accessible for tiny stores that need just a wishlist widget.
• No documented tiers for advanced features or support. Likely minimal or self-service support.

Growave: Loyalty & Wishlist

• Free plan: allows up to 100 orders/month (500 total orders), includes loyalty points, wishlist, reviews, and Growave branding.
• Entry plan ($49 / month): advanced rewards, referrals, nudges, review automation, Shopify POS, +1 integration, and 24/7 email support.
• Growth plan ($199 / month): VIP tiers, dedicated loyalty page, Google Shopping Reviews & Instagram UGC, back-in-stock wishlist emails, more orders allowed, priority support.
• Plus plan ($499 / month): checkout extensions, headless API/SDK, custom reward actions, unlimited integrations, customer success manager, phone support.
• Pricing aligns with increasing value: higher tiers unlock automation, integrations, and personalized support.

Comparing value for money

• ESC’s $5/month price is attractive for the widget-only use case. However, it does not solve retention beyond giving customers a place to save items.
• Growave’s paid plans cost more but bundle multiple growth levers into one platform. For most scaling merchants, the combined ROI of loyalty, referrals, reviews, and wishlist often outweighs the separate cost of multiple single-purpose apps.

Practical consideration

• Add-on costs: When merchants add separate loyalty, review, and referral tools to a wishlist widget, the cumulative cost can exceed a single integrated platform’s price. Consolidation can therefore be better value for money over time.

Integrations and Ecosystem Compatibility

Integrations determine how data flows between tools, marketing automation, helpdesk, and analytics.

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later

• Categories: wishlist.
• Integrations are not prominently documented. Appears to be a front-end widget without deep integrations to custom stacks.

Growave: Loyalty & Wishlist

• Integrates with common tools and platforms including Klaviyo, Omnisend, Gorgias, Recharge, Postscript, and many storefront builders.
• Works with Checkout, Shopify POS, Customer accounts, Shopify Flow, Pagefly, LayoutHub, GemPages, Shopney.
• Designed to work with headless Shopify via APIs on advanced plans.

Why integrations matter

• Checkout triggers, email automation, and helpdesk integration allow loyalty and reviews to be actionable. For example, Klaviyo integration lets merchants use wishlist and loyalty events in email flows.
• Growave supplies these integrations natively; a wishlist-only app would require bridging with additional tools.

Support, Onboarding, and Documentation

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later

• Small app with only 2 reviews and a 1.0 rating. The review volume and rating suggest merchants have had negative experiences or inadequate support, though the sample is tiny.
• Documentation and onboarding resources are likely minimal.

Growave: Loyalty & Wishlist

• 1,197 reviews and a 4.8 rating, indicating broad user adoption and general satisfaction.
• Offers 24/7 technical support, dedicated customer success managers on Plus, and detailed documentation.
• Onboarding quality increases with price — Growth and Plus plans include onboarding and priority support.

Why it matters

• Time-to-value is driven heavily by how quickly a merchant can configure, customize, and launch campaigns. Dedicated onboarding and responsive support reduce friction, especially for merchants implementing multiple features.

Customization and Brand Fit

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later

• Provides a range of visual customization options for the widget to match store aesthetics.
• Likely limited to theme-based customization without backend control for logic or deep branding.

Growave: Loyalty & Wishlist

• Offers full flexibility to customize app branding and tailor experiences for headless implementations.
• Loyalty pages, reward UX, and emails can be customized—important for brand consistency.
• Advanced teams can use APIs and SDKs on Plus plans for deeper, code-level customizations.

Why it matters

• Brand experience extends beyond a widget. For merchants prioritizing a consistent, premium customer journey, Growave’s customization will pay off.

Data, Reporting, and Revenue Attribution

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later

• Provides basic saved-item data; unclear how much reporting is available on conversions from wishlist to sale.
• Limited analytics means merchants must infer impact using general order data.

Growave: Loyalty & Wishlist

• Analytics and reporting across loyalty actions, referral conversions, review performance, and wishlist-to-purchase rates.
• Data exports and integrations into analytics platforms allow for stronger revenue attribution.
• This visibility helps merchants calculate true ROI of retention programs and optimize campaigns.

Why it matters

• Without measurable results, a merchant struggles to justify spend. Integrated reporting reduces guesswork.

Implementation, Performance, and Store Speed

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later

• Lightweight single-function apps are often less likely to add global JavaScript bloat, but actual performance impact depends on implementation.
• A simple widget that injects a small amount of code can be fast if well-built.

Growave: Loyalty & Wishlist

• A larger platform with multiple modules can have a bigger initial footprint, but modern platforms optimize for performance and allow selective module loading.
• Growave provides headless and checkout extensions designed for scale on Shopify Plus, and documentation to help minimize load times.

Why it matters

• Site speed affects conversion and SEO. Evaluate both apps in a staging environment for real-world performance impact.

Trust Signals: Reviews and Track Record

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later

• Number of reviews: 2
• Rating: 1.0
• Low review count and poor rating raise questions about reliability, support, or suitability for production stores. Small sample sizes are not definitive, but a 1.0 average is an immediate red flag.

Growave: Loyalty & Wishlist

• Number of reviews: 1,197
• Rating: 4.8
• Large review volume with high rating indicates broad acceptance and trust among merchants. This is a strong signal for merchants considering longevity and vendor stability.

Compliance, Privacy, and Data Ownership

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later

• No detailed documentation available publicly about data storage, compliance certifications, or data ownership in the app listing.

Growave: Loyalty & Wishlist

• As a platform handling customer data and automations, Growave documents integrations and data flows. On enterprise plans there are enterprise-level features and support for compliance needs.
• Merchants should review Growave’s privacy documentation and data processing terms before connecting PII to confirm GDPR and other regulatory fit.

Why it matters

• Storing and using customer data requires compliance attention, especially for loyalty programs and email workflows.

Use Cases and Buyer Guidance

This section summarizes which app suits which merchant profile based on business size, goals, and technical resources.

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later — Best for:

• Very small stores that only need a wishlist widget and nothing else.
• Merchants with minimal budgets who prefer a $5/month, plug-and-play widget.
• Stores that are not yet investing in retention programs, email automation, or loyalty.

Limitations to accept:

• No loyalty, reviews, referrals, or deep integrations.
• Low review count and poor rating suggests careful vetting in staging environment before production use.

Growave: Loyalty & Wishlist — Best for:

• Growing direct-to-consumer brands that want to increase customer lifetime value (LTV).
• Merchants who want to consolidate wishlist, loyalty, referrals, and reviews into a single platform.
• Brands using Klaviyo, recharge, Gorgias, or other commonly integrated apps who need reliable data flows.
• Shopify Plus merchants looking for checkout and headless support.

Limitations to accept:

• Higher monthly cost at advanced tiers.
• More features mean a slightly longer initial setup time but greater long-term return.

Practical buyer decision framework

• If the only need is a wishlist widget and budget is the overriding constraint, ESC may serve in the very short term.
• If the goal is retention, higher repeat purchase rate, and sustainable growth, an integrated platform like Growave will typically deliver better long-term ROI and less tool churn.

Migration and Coexistence Considerations

• Coexistence: Avoid running two wishlist widgets at the same time. This causes UX confusion and potential data conflicts.
• Migration: Moving from a basic wishlist to an integrated platform requires mapping customer identifiers so wishlists migrate into the loyalty/customer profile.
• Data continuity: For best results, export any saved lists and import into the new platform (if supported) or rely on customer account association to rebuild wishlist data.
• A/B testing: Before fully committing, test the new system on a subset of traffic and measure wishlist-to-order conversion and retention lift.

The Alternative: Solving App Fatigue with an All-in-One Platform

App fatigue — the slow accumulation of single-purpose tools that create fragmented customer data, higher monthly costs, and increased maintenance — is a common problem for growing brands. Each additional app can multiply support requests, create theme conflicts, and produce overlapping email triggers that confuse customers.

Why merchants hit app fatigue

• Short-term needs lead to single-feature installs (wishlists, referrals, reviews), but each new function often requires separate configuration.
• Multiple vendor relationships increase administrative overhead.
• Fragmented data hinders coherent customer experiences—for example, loyalty points not recognized at checkout, or wishlist actions not tracked for email campaigns.

"More Growth, Less Stack" as a solution

• Consolidating retention features under one platform reduces integration points and simplifies ownership of customer interactions.
• An integrated suite allows merchant to orchestrate loyalty, referrals, wishlist behavior, and reviews from a single customer profile.
• Centralized data and unified automation reduce ambiguity in attribution and create smoother lifecycle experiences.

How an integrated platform addresses the limitations described earlier

• A wishlist tied to loyalty and email workflows converts intent into purchase more effectively than a standalone widget.
• Unified referral and loyalty rewards reduce manual reconciliation and make incentives clearer and easier to redeem.
• Centralized support and documentation reduce time-to-value, especially when onboarding new retention tactics.

Growave as the integrated option

• Growave packages wishlist capabilities alongside loyalty & rewards, referrals, reviews & UGC, and VIP tiers so merchants can deploy multiple programs without increasing the number of vendors.
• For merchants evaluating consolidation, reviewing how pricing scales across a combined set of features is crucial—an integrated plan can be better value for money versus several single-point subscriptions.

Contextual links to explore specific platform benefits:

• Merchants evaluating consolidation may want to compare plans and features to decide the right bundle for their needs; it’s practical to view pricing and plan differences to match business volume and feature needs by visiting the consolidate retention features page.
• To see how loyalty integrates with wishlist and referral strategies, merchants can read about loyalty and rewards that drive repeat purchases.
• If review automation and UGC are priorities, checking how to collect and showcase authentic reviews helps evaluate what merged capability looks like.

Book a personalized demo to see how an integrated retention stack improves retention and reduces tool fragmentation. (Book a personalized demo)

Why these links matter here

• They allow merchants to see practical plan structures and feature sets while assessing the viability of moving from standalone widgets to a unified platform.
• The pricing page helps quantify the comparative cost of consolidation; seeing the integration options demonstrates operational benefits.

Real-World Considerations: Implementation Workflow

A realistic plan for switching from a wishlist-only setup to an integrated platform looks like this:

• Audit current tools and map out overlapping triggers and data flows (e.g., email triggers in Klaviyo, abandoned cart flows, manual discount codes).
• Identify must-have integrations (email provider, subscription platform, helpdesk) and confirm availability on the target platform.
• Export current wishlist and customer data where possible; plan for reconciling identifiers (customer emails, customer IDs).
• Launch on a staged environment or small percentage of traffic to test triggers like back-in-stock emails and wishlist-to-order attribution.
• Monitor KPIs: repeat purchase rate, AOV, wishlist-to-purchase conversion, referral conversion rate, and net retention.

Performance metrics to track

• Repeat purchase rate changes month over month
• Average order value for loyalty members vs. non-members
• Conversion rate lift for customers with wishlist items
• Referral-driven revenue and acquisition cost per referral
• Review submission rate and influence on product conversion

Head-to-Head Summary (Objective)

• Feature Breadth: ESC offers wishlist and save-for-later only; Growave offers wishlist plus loyalty, referrals, reviews, VIP tiers and more.
• Integration Surface: ESC is light on integrations; Growave connects with major email, subscription, and store builders.
• Pricing: ESC is extremely low-cost for one feature; Growave offers more value by bundling features that otherwise would require multiple subscriptions.
• Support & Trust: ESC has 2 reviews and a 1.0 rating; Growave has 1,197 reviews and a 4.8 rating—this difference suggests greater reliability and merchant satisfaction for Growave.
• Best Fit: ESC fits tiny, single-feature needs. Growave fits merchants that want to grow repeat business, centralize retention, and avoid app sprawl.

Conclusion

For merchants choosing between ESC Wishlist + Save for Later and Growave: Loyalty & Wishlist, the decision comes down to scope and growth objectives. ESC is a low-cost, focused tool that provides a wishlist and save-for-later functionality for merchants who only need that one widget. Growave offers a much broader retention toolkit—wishlist, loyalty, referrals, reviews, VIP tiers, checkout and POS integrations—that is designed to increase customer lifetime value and reduce the number of separate tools that a merchant needs to manage.

If the objective is short-term and narrow (only a wishlist), ESC may be sufficient. For brands focused on sustainable growth, improved retention, consolidated data, and long-term ROI, Growave offers better value for money because it replaces multiple single-purpose tools with one integrated platform.

Explore Growave’s plans and see which bundle fits the store’s order volume and feature needs by reviewing available options on the consolidate retention features page. For a hands-on walkthrough, merchants can also find the app in the Shopify marketplace to check install and compatibility details via the Shopify App Store listing.

Start a 14-day free trial to test how a unified retention stack replaces multiple single-purpose apps and accelerates growth. (Start a free trial)

FAQ

Q: How does ESC Wishlist + Save for Later compare in reliability to Growave: Loyalty & Wishlist?

• ESC has only 2 reviews and a 1.0 rating in the app listing, which suggests limited adoption and potential issues with support or functionality. Growave has 1,197 reviews and a 4.8 rating, indicating stronger market trust and likely more robust support and product stability.

Q: Can a merchant use ESC and Growave together?

• Technically, a merchant could install both, but running two wishlist widgets or overlapping triggers is not recommended. This leads to UX confusion and possible data mismatches. If migrating, export wishlist data and plan a staged cutover to avoid duplicated customer events.

Q: Which option is better for increasing repeat purchases and LTV?

• A dedicated wishlist widget captures intent but does not actively drive repeat purchases. An integrated platform that includes loyalty and referral programs—like Growave—provides the mechanics and automation to drive repeat purchases and increase LTV.

Q: How does an all-in-one platform compare to specialized apps?

• An all-in-one platform reduces tool sprawl, centralizes customer data, and simplifies automation. While specialized apps may be cheaper per feature upfront, the combined cost and operational complexity of multiple vendors often outweigh the simplicity of a unified solution—especially as the brand scales. For practical exploration of the combination of loyalty, reviews, and wishlist in one place, merchants can examine how to collect and showcase authentic reviews and build loyalty and rewards that drive repeat purchases.