ESC Wishlist + Save for Later vs Listr: Wishlist + Reminder — An In-Depth Comparison

Introduction

Choosing the right wishlist app for a Shopify store is not just about feature checkboxes — it’s about retention, conversion lift, and how a single add-on will fit into an increasingly crowded app stack. Merchants need tools that increase customer lifetime value and reduce frictions that keep visitors from converting later.

Short answer: ESC Wishlist + Save for Later is a lightweight, low-cost option for merchants who want a simple “save for later” widget under the cart and basic social sharing. Listr: Wishlist + Reminder provides more active wishlist features — social proof counters, automated reminder and price-drop emails, and a freemium-to-premium pricing model that scales. For merchants who want to avoid adding multiple single-purpose apps and instead consolidate loyalty, wishlist, reviews, and referral tools into a single retention stack, an integrated platform offers better value for money than either standalone app.

This post will provide a methodical, feature-by-feature comparison of ESC Wishlist + Save for Later and Listr: Wishlist + Reminder. It aims to help merchants understand which app aligns with their needs, budgets, and growth plans — and to outline how a broader retention platform can eliminate tool sprawl and deliver more predictable long-term ROI.

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later vs. Listr: Wishlist + Reminder: At a Glance

Deep Dive Comparison

Product Positioning and Developer Background

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later (Eastside Co®)

ESC positions the app as a focused save-for-later and wishlist tool that keeps saved items visible near the cart. The selling points emphasize simplicity, unlimited wishlists, and social sharing. The app is priced at $5 per month and has very limited user feedback on the Shopify listing (2 reviews, 1.0 rating). That small sample and low rating indicate either early-stage issues or a mismatch between expectations and delivery for reviewers.

Listr: Wishlist + Reminder (Softpulse Infotech)

Listr targets merchants who want a more proactive wishlist experience. It emphasizes social proof (showing how many others wishlisted an item), automated reminder cadence options, and price-drop notifications. With a freemium model (Free and Premium at $4.99/month), Listr has more user feedback (27 reviews) and a 4.3 rating, suggesting a more mature product-market fit for merchants seeking reminder-driven wishlist functionality.

Core Features Compared

Wishlist Mechanics

ESC:

• Save items for later accessible under the cart; aims to reduce checkout abandonment by keeping saved items one click away.
• Unlimited wishlists so customers can organize items into categories.
• Social sharing to increase visibility.

Listr:

• Guest wishlist support so sign-in isn't required to add items.
• Visual indicators showing how many other customers have the same product wishlisted (social proof).
• Shareable wishlist links for email and social channels.

Takeaway: ESC focuses on cart-level recovery and simple organization; Listr focuses on social proof and frictionless wishlist additions.

Email and Reminder Capabilities

ESC:

• No built-in automated reminder emails noted in the app description. The value is in visibility at cart rather than re-engagement via email.

Listr:

• Automated reminder emails with cadence options (daily, weekly, monthly).
• Price-drop emails that notify customers when a product in their wishlist goes on sale.
• Customizable email templates in the Premium plan.

Takeaway: If re-engagement via email is important, Listr provides clear capabilities; ESC does not emphasize email re-engagement.

Social Proof & Conversion Triggers

ESC:

• Social sharing is available, but no social proof counters (e.g., “X people wishlisted this”).

Listr:

• Shows how many other customers wishlisted the same product; this is a low-effort social proof signal that can increase interest and urgency.
• Top wishlisted products list that can guide merchandising decisions.

Takeaway: Listr is explicitly built to nudge conversion using social proof; ESC is more transactional and passive.

Customization & Branding

ESC:

• Offers a “broad range” of visual customization options to match the storefront.

Listr:

• Customizable wishlist icon and page; Premium adds customizable email templates and my wishlist page.

Takeaway: Both apps allow branding control, but Listr extends customization into email and the wishlist page, which matters for cohesive post-click experiences.

Analytics & Reports

ESC:

• No detailed analytics described in the listing beyond basic wishlist functions.

Listr:

• Analytics and reports are listed as features; merchants can see wishlist activity and top wishlisted products.

Takeaway: Listr provides more actionable data for merchandising and campaign planning.

Pricing & Value

Pricing should be evaluated by both absolute cost and the value delivered relative to merchant goals.

ESC:

• Single plan visible: Monthly plan at $5/month.
• For merchants who only need a visible save-for-later module under the cart, $5/month is a straightforward price. However, the app’s minimal review base and low rating reduce certainty about support and long-term updates.

Listr:

• Free tier includes up to 100 wishlist items and up to 100 wishlist emails, customizable icons, and social sharing. That gives merchants a chance to trial basic functionality without commitment.
• Premium at $4.99/month unlocks unlimited items, email reminders, price-drop emails, and deeper customization.
• For many merchants, $4.99/month for reminders and pricing alerts presents strong value for money, especially compared to paying separately for a dedicated email or marketing tool to deliver price-drop notifications.

Value considerations:

• If the goal is occasional wishlist visibility only, ESC’s $5/month might appear similar in cost to Listr’s $4.99/month premium plan. But Listr’s additional email and analytics features typically yield higher ROI for stores that drive repeat purchases through reminders.
• The freemium approach of Listr reduces acquisition friction for smaller merchants to test reminder-driven re-engagement before upgrading.

Integration & Compatibility

ESC:

• Works with standard Shopify storefronts; positions itself as a cart-adjacent widget.
• No publicized list of deep integrations with popular email or automation platforms.

Listr:

• Compatible with product filter apps and supports email reminders and price-drop emails. While not a replacement for a full ESP, it plugs into merchant workflows by sending reminder emails directly.
• For stores that rely on third-party email platforms, Listr's standalone reminder emails reduce the need for complex integrations but may duplicate some ESP functionality.

Integration takeaway:

• Neither app offers the deep, multi-channel integrations of larger retention platforms, so merchants with complex stacks may need to manage data silos.

User Experience — Installation, Setup, and Maintenance

ESC:

• Installation is likely straightforward given the focused feature set. The app markets a broad range of customization options, but the few public reviews suggest merchants should test the interface in a staging store before full launch.

Listr:

• Setup includes enabling reminders, configuring cadence, and customizing icons and templates (Premium). The Free plan reduces risk and lets merchants evaluate how reminders and price-drop emails behave in real traffic.

Developer responsiveness:

• With only 2 reviews at a low rating, ESC’s public feedback provides limited insight into ongoing support quality.
• Listr’s larger review base and higher rating suggest more merchant satisfaction with support and ongoing improvements.

Data Ownership, Privacy, and GDPR Considerations

Both apps collect wishlist interactions and, in Listr’s case, email addresses (for reminders and price-drop notifications) depending on configuration. Merchants must ensure:

• Customer consent is captured and managed according to regional regulations.
• Data portability and deletion workflows are available if customers request removal.
• The app’s privacy policy lines up with the store’s policy and Shopify’s data handling guidelines.

When using a freemium or low-cost app, verify where customer data resides and how it can be exported. Larger retention platforms typically provide clearer export and compliance controls.

Performance & Technical Considerations

Technical performance of wishlist apps can impact storefront load times and UX. Considerations include:

• Script loading: Apps that inject heavy scripts can slow page load. Test with Real User Monitoring or Lighthouse.
• Theme compatibility: Check interactions with custom themes and page builders.
• Mobile behavior: Wishlists should be responsive and unobtrusive on mobile carts and product pages.

Because ESC embeds a saved-for-later section under the cart, test that this doesn’t interrupt checkout or cart upsell flows. Listr’s guest wishlist and shareable links can be more forgiving for mobile users who don’t want to sign in.

Support & Reputation

ESC:

• 2 reviews with a 1.0 rating on the Shopify listing raise red flags for merchants who prioritize dependable support.

Listr:

• 27 reviews and a 4.3 rating indicate a stronger track record and higher merchant satisfaction.

Support expectations:

• Lower-rated apps may still function for basic use, but merchants should expect to invest time in troubleshooting and possibly reach out to the developer for fixes.
• Higher-rated apps generally have clearer onboarding, faster issue resolution, and more frequent updates.

Security & Maintenance Risk

Small, single-feature apps may face greater maintenance risks over time:

• Developers may discontinue support.
• Shopify’s API changes could break apps if they are not actively maintained.
• Lack of integration depth can create data silos that complicate migrations.

Merchants should check update frequency, changelogs, and developer responsiveness before committing.

Practical Use Cases: Which App Fits Which Merchant?

• Merchants on a tight budget who want a minimal save-for-later option directly under the cart and simple social sharing: ESC Wishlist + Save for Later could be sufficient, provided the merchant is comfortable with the limited review history and support signals.
• Merchants who want to actively re-engage potential buyers with automated reminder emails, price-drop notifications, and social proof counters: Listr: Wishlist + Reminder is a stronger fit. The free tier reduces risk, and Premium unlocks capabilities that directly affect reactivation and conversion.
• Merchants who need analytics to inform merchandising (e.g., "top wishlisted items") and want to run price-drop or reminder campaigns: Listr is better positioned.
• Merchants with larger, multi-channel operations that require consolidated loyalty, reviews, referrals, and wishlists to increase LTV: Both single-purpose apps will eventually force merchants to add more tools. For such merchants, an integrated solution is a more strategic long-term choice.

Pros and Cons — Quick Reference

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later

• Pros:
  • Simple focus on save-for-later at cart
  • Unlimited wishlists for organization
  • Low monthly price ($5)
• Cons:
  • Very small review count and low rating (2 reviews, rating 1)
  • No reminder or price-drop emails highlighted
  • Limited evidence of integrations or analytics

Listr: Wishlist + Reminder

• Pros:
  • Free tier to trial functionality
  • Automated reminder and price-drop emails in Premium
  • Social proof counters and analytics
  • Higher public rating (27 reviews, 4.3)
• Cons:
  • Free tier limits (100 items/emails)
  • Some merchants may outgrow single-purpose functionality
  • Potential overlap with ESP features

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

Single-purpose apps solve specific needs fast, but they also create “app fatigue.” That fatigue shows up as a larger monthly bill, data fragmentation, duplicate functionality across apps, and more time spent managing maintenance and support.

App fatigue challenges:

• Multiple dashboards and siloed analytics make it hard to measure total retention lift.
• Duplicate features (email reminders in one app, loyalty in another) create customer confusion and backend complexity.
• Integrations multiply maintenance points; every extra app raises the chance of conflicts after theme or Shopify updates.

A different approach is to consolidate retention features into one integrated platform that reduces complexity while increasing the ability to measure and optimize LTV.

Growave’s "More Growth, Less Stack" proposition is designed to address this problem head-on. By combining loyalty programs, referrals, reviews & UGC, wishlist, and VIP tiers into one suite, merchants can reduce tool sprawl and get unified reporting and customer profiles.

• For a merchant deciding between single-purpose wishlist apps and a broader retention approach, consider how wishlist data will be used. Is it only to nudge an immediate purchase? Or should wishlist activity feed into loyalty point incentives, review prompts, or VIP tier qualification? Consolidation makes those cross-channel actions straightforward.
• Merchants can also reduce the operational overhead of maintaining separate reminder emails and loyalty notifications. For example, wishlist-driven alerts and reward nudges can be orchestrated from the same platform, producing a cleaner and more strategic customer experience.

Explore how to consolidate retention features by reviewing Growave’s pricing framework and plans for the breadth of tools included. For merchants evaluating the long-term cost/benefit, compare the cumulative monthly cost of multiple single-purpose apps against an integrated plan designed for retention.

Growave integrates multiple retention levers in one place:

• Build loyalty and rewards that drive repeat purchases — create a points economy, VIP tiers, and redeemable rewards that tie directly to wishlist actions and referrals.
• Use wishlist data as a trigger to collect and showcase authentic reviews — turning saved interest into UGC and social validation.
• For merchants using Shopify Plus or pursuing enterprise growth, review tailored solutions for high-growth Plus brands that include dedicated onboarding and integration support.
• To evaluate how other merchants use an integrated approach in practice, read customer stories from brands scaling retention.

This integrated model helps merchants:

• Remove duplicate functionality spread across multiple apps.
• Reduce monthly overhead and administrative complexity.
• Use a single customer profile to orchestrate loyalty points, wishlist reminders, referrals, and review requests.

Book a personalized demo to see how an integrated retention stack improves retention and simplifies operations. (Hard CTA)

Growave also provides clear visibility into pricing and plan comparisons to help merchants pick the right plan for their order volume and growth stage. Merchants can examine how consolidation affects their total monthly spend and whether the additional retained customers justify moving to a unified platform. To explore plan features and pricing in detail, review options that explain trade-offs between entry-level and enterprise-grade plans.

For merchants ready to evaluate without commitment, discover Growave on the Shopify App Store to test functionality directly within a Shopify environment. Aggregating wishlist, rewards, reviews, and referrals can deliver compounded growth outcomes that single-purpose wishlist apps rarely achieve on their own.

How to Decide: Practical Decision Framework

When evaluating ESC, Listr, or an integrated platform, use the following decision criteria (each a short checklist of considerations for merchants):

• Business objective:
  • If the primary objective is quick cart-clear friction reduction and a visible save-for-later widget, a lightweight app may be enough.
  • If the objective is to re-engage visitors and generate repeat purchases through reminders and price-drop alerts, prioritize reminder-capable apps.
• Data use:
  • If wishlist data will remain siloed for a single campaign, a standalone app suffices.
  • If wishlist behavior should inform loyalty rewards, VIP statuses, or review prompts, consolidation is preferable.
• Scale and maintenance:
  • Small merchants with minimal tech overhead may accept multiple small apps.
  • Growth-oriented merchants should favor fewer integrated apps to reduce maintenance risk and improve cross-channel orchestration.
• Budget and ROI:
  • Compare the total monthly spend of multiple single-feature apps to the integrated plan cost. Factor in expected uplift in repeat purchases and the operational time saved.
• Support and reliability:
  • Favor apps with clear support histories and higher user ratings. A well-supported integrated vendor often provides faster issue resolution for cross-feature problems.

Conclusion

For merchants choosing between ESC Wishlist + Save for Later and Listr: Wishlist + Reminder, the decision comes down to scope and re-engagement needs. ESC is a simple option for merchants who only need a save-for-later module under the cart and basic social sharing at a low monthly price. Listr is better suited for merchants who want reminder-driven re-engagement, price-drop emails, social proof counters, and modest analytics — and the freemium model makes testing low-risk.

For merchants concerned about scaling and long-term retention, adding more single-purpose apps will create complexity and duplicate features. Consolidating wishlist, loyalty, referrals, and reviews into a single platform reduces tool sprawl and improves the ability to drive repeat purchases and lifetime value. To evaluate how consolidation can simplify a tech stack and amplify retention, review the options available and see pricing to compare total cost and benefits.

Start a 14-day free trial to see how an integrated retention stack reduces app fatigue and accelerates growth. (Hard CTA)

FAQ

Q: Which app is easier to implement for a basic save-for-later feature? A: ESC Wishlist + Save for Later is designed as a focused save-for-later widget that sits under the cart and offers unlimited wishlists. Implementation should be straightforward, but merchants should test theme compatibility. Listr also supports guest wishlist behavior and is easy to implement, but includes additional configuration for reminders and email templates.

Q: Which app has better re-engagement features like reminder and price-drop emails? A: Listr: Wishlist + Reminder clearly emphasizes automated reminder emails and price-drop notifications, with cadence control (daily/weekly/monthly) and customizable templates on Premium. ESC does not advertise automated reminder emails in its listing.

Q: How do user reviews compare between the two apps? A: ESC has very limited public feedback (2 reviews, rating 1), which makes it hard to evaluate long-term reliability. Listr has 27 reviews and a 4.3 rating, suggesting higher merchant satisfaction and more mature support and features.

Q: How does an all-in-one platform compare to specialized apps? A: An integrated platform reduces data silos, consolidates reporting, and allows wishlist activity to be immediately actionable across loyalty, reviews, and referral workflows. While single-purpose apps can be cheaper or simpler initially, an integrated retention suite often delivers better value for money at scale because it combines multiple growth levers into one coherent system.