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

Introduction

Selecting the right wishlist or save-for-later solution is a common decision point for Shopify merchants trying to reduce cart abandonment, capture intent, and increase repeat purchases. Many merchants must choose between lightweight, single-purpose tools and broader platforms that bundle retention features. This article compares two wishlist-focused Shopify apps—ESC Wishlist + Save for Later (Eastside Co®) and Sirius Wish (Sirius Boost LTD.)—to help merchants decide which tool fits specific store needs.

Short answer: ESC Wishlist + Save for Later is a basic, low-cost option for stores that only need a simple save-for-later or wishlist widget and minimal configuration. Sirius Wish offers tiered usage limits and more feature polish on paper, making it a reasonable choice for stores that expect higher activity or want staged upgrades. For merchants who want to consolidate retention tools and avoid installing multiple single-purpose apps, an integrated suite like Growave often delivers better value for money and reduces app fatigue.

Purpose of this post: provide a detailed, feature-by-feature comparison of ESC Wishlist + Save for Later and Sirius Wish, assess pricing and value, evaluate integrations and support, and outline which merchant profiles are best matched to each app. After the direct comparison, the article covers the limitations of single-purpose apps and introduces Growave as a unified alternative that reduces tool sprawl while delivering broader retention outcomes.

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later vs. Sirius Wish: At a Glance

Deep Dive Comparison

Product Positioning and Target Merchant

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later: Positioning

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later positions itself as a lightweight wishlist and save-for-later solution. Its feature list emphasizes:

• Unlimited wishlists so customers can organize saved items.
• Save-for-later placement under the cart to make saved items visible at checkout.
• Social sharing to let customers share lists with friends.
• A broad range of appearance customization options.

At $5 per month, the app targets merchants who want an inexpensive, focused widget to capture product intent without complexity.

Sirius Wish: Positioning

Sirius Wish markets itself as a wishlist tool focused on engagement and reducing cart abandonment. The app highlights:

• Curated wishlists with add/remove/manage capabilities.
• Integration with a Shopify store for a cohesive experience.
• Reduction of cart abandonment by letting customers save products.
• Insights on customer preferences to enable targeted marketing.

Sirius uses a tiered pricing model including a free tier and progressively larger sessions and wishlist action allowances for higher-volume stores.

Feature Comparison

Both apps share core functionality—allowing customers to save products for later purchase—but they diverge on depth and commercial model.

Core Wishlist & Save-for-Later Features

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later:

• Unlimited wishlists per customer (explicitly stated).
• Save-for-later visible under cart, which can increase conversion by surfacing saved items near checkout.
• Social sharing to extend reach through customers’ networks.
• Focus on appearance customization to match storefront design.

Sirius Wish:

• User-managed wishlists with standard add/remove features.
• Emphasizes customer engagement and retention using wishlist signals.
• Promises analytics and insights into preferences (description suggests capability, but specifics and dashboards are not documented in the data provided).
• Scales via plan-based usage limits (sessions and wishlist actions).

Strengths and limitations:

• ESC is straightforward and focused on UX placement (under cart) and customization; it’s very direct about unlimited lists but provides little detail on analytics or admin controls.
• Sirius appears to offer usage tiers and some analytics value but requires merchants to choose a plan appropriate to traffic. The free tier has very limited wishlist actions (100), which may be insufficient for growing stores.

Customization and Front-End Styling

ESC highlights "a broad range of options for customizing how the app looks on your store", implying merchants can adapt UI elements to branding and theme styles. For stores that prioritize visual cohesion, this is important.

Sirius states it can "effortlessly integrate with your Shopify store for a cohesive user experience". That suggests theme compatibility and native feel, but the data does not list a customization toolset, widget types, or CSS hooks.

Practical takeaway:

• For merchants that need visual control and a widget that fits under the cart, ESC explicitly prioritizes customization.
• For merchants who care more about native feel and less about granular styling, Sirius may be acceptable, but confirmation on visual controls is recommended during trial.

Analytics, Insights & Data Export

ESC: No explicit mention of analytics or admin reporting in the provided description. If analytics are essential, merchants should verify the presence of admin dashboards, export tools, or integrations with analytics platforms before committing.

Sirius: The description includes "provides valuable insights into customer preferences," but does not define the level of analytics (e.g., dashboards, export, segmentation). Tiered plans may unlock more reporting, but this requires validation.

Practical recommendation:

• Neither app is documented here as offering robust analytics comparable to a full retention platform. Merchants that rely on wishlist data for segmentation or lifecycle campaigns should confirm reporting capabilities before choosing either app.

Social Sharing & Virality

ESC explicitly includes social sharing as a core feature to increase brand reach. That is useful for social-first stores that want wishlist content to spread organically.

Sirius also suggests wishlist sharing but is less specific in the provided copy. If social sharing is a conversion path for a brand, test the apps’ sharing flows to ensure shared links render correctly on social platforms and track referral traffic.

Pricing & Value

Pricing is a common decision factor. This section considers absolute cost, value for money, and scaling behavior.

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later Pricing

• Monthly plan: $5 / month

As a single, low-cost plan, ESC is attractive for stores that want a minimal cost solution. At $5 per month, merchants can get a simple wishlist widget without significant budget commitment.

Value considerations:

• Low monthly cost reduces experimentation risk.
• Limited visibility into usage caps, add-ons, or support terms means the $5 may represent minimal functionality—verify included features before purchase.

Sirius Wish Pricing

• Free: Free (6000 Sessions, 100 Wishlist Actions)
• Starter: $14.99 / month (12,000 Sessions, 1500 Wishlist Actions)
• Pro: $49.99 / month (60,000 Sessions, 15,000 Wishlist Actions)
• Premium: $89.99 / month (110,000 Sessions, 60,000 Wishlist Actions)

Value considerations:

• Free tier offers an easy test but 100 wishlist actions will run out quickly for any active store.
• Pricing scales with the number of sessions and wishlist actions; stores with higher traffic will need higher tiers.
• On paper, Sirius is suited for stores that need predictable scaling of usage and are willing to pay for increased capacity.

Comparative assessment:

• ESC provides a single low-cost option; it may be the best value for money for stores that only need basic functionality and predict low wishlist usage.
• Sirius offers usage-based tiers that can be better value for stores with medium to high volumes, provided the app’s features justify the price points.

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and Tool Sprawl

One often overlooked cost is the operational complexity of multiple single-purpose apps. Installing one app for wishlist behavior might lead merchants to add other single-point apps for reviews, referrals, or loyalty. Each app introduces subscription costs, potential theme conflicts, and additional maintenance.

• ESC: Low subscription cost but limited scope — likely requires additional apps for reviews, loyalty, and referrals.
• Sirius: Also wishlist-only — similar risk of tool sprawl.

Merchants should weigh the direct subscription cost against the overhead of multiple apps when choosing a path.

Integrations & Platform Compatibility

Integration points determine how wishlist signals feed other systems, such as email, SMS, CRM, and ads.

ESC:

• Works With: (not specified in provided data)
• Category: wishlist

Sirius:

• Works With: (not specified in provided data)
• Category: wishlist

Observations:

• Neither app’s provided data lists specific integrations (Klaviyo, Omnisend, Recharge, etc.). This is an important gap since wishlist data is most valuable when it feeds lifecycle automations and personalization platforms.
• Merchants that rely on email or SMS segmentation should confirm whether either app can forward wishlist events, export data, or integrates with common ESPs.

Recommendation:

• Before installing, request a list of available integrations or confirm webhook/API support to capture wishlist events in marketing automation tools.

Setup, UX, and Merchant Controls

Installation & Theme Compatibility

• ESC: Emphasizes appearance customization and placing the save-for-later under the cart. This indicates a theme-aware widget, but merchants should test compatibility with custom themes and Shopify Online Store 2.0 sections.
• Sirius: Claims effortless integration, implying straightforward install. Still, verify how the app handles theme updates, liquid changes, and app uninstallation cleanup.

Merchants should test the app in a development theme to ensure compatibility and review how CSS or JavaScript injection is handled.

Customer Experience

Key UX aspects include how customers access wishlists, cross-device persistence, and requiring accounts or offering guest wishlist options.

• ESC: Unlimited wishlists suggests user-side organization is possible; check whether guest wishlist support exists and if wishlists sync across devices.
• Sirius: Allows curated wishlists; merchants should confirm whether lists are tied to customer accounts and whether anonymous wishlists persist via cookies or require login.

Checklist for merchants during trial:

• Does wishlist persist across sessions and devices?
• Are wishlists tied to customer accounts or anonymous?
• Can customers share wishlists via links or social channels?
• Are wishlist items surfaced at checkout or cart page?

Support, Documentation & Reliability

Reviews & Social Proof

• ESC: 2 reviews, rating 1. Low sample size but a poor rating can indicate unresolved issues or unmet expectations.
• Sirius: 0 reviews, rating 0. No reviews means limited public feedback; merchants must rely on trial usage or developer communication.

Interpretation:

• Low review counts make it hard to gauge real-world reliability. Merchants should test both apps thoroughly in a staging environment and contact support with specific use-case questions.

Developer Support & SLA

• Neither app provides detailed support SLA data in the provided information.
• At minimum, merchants should confirm support channels (email, chat, phone), average response times, and escalation paths for critical bugs.

Privacy, Data Ownership & Compliance

Wishlists capture customer intent and may include personal data. Merchants need to confirm:

• Where wishlist data is stored and whether it is exported or accessible.
• Compliance with GDPR and other privacy laws (data deletion, export requests).
• How third-party sharing links handle personally identifiable information.

Action items:

• Request the app’s privacy policy and data handling details.
• Confirm that uninstalling the app does not leave orphaned data or break the storefront.

Performance & Scalability

Performance impacts conversion. Consider:

• Client-side impact: Does the widget load asynchronously? Are scripts optimized to avoid blocking critical page rendering?
• Server-side load: For high-volume stores, confirm the app’s capacity to handle concurrent wishlist actions (Sirius shows explicit session limits to manage scale).
• Caching & CDN usage: Apps that use CDNs and optimized JS reduce latency.

Sirius’s tiered sessions model is an explicit attempt to match resource usage to plan capacity; ESC does not disclose scaling behavior, which may be fine for small stores but risky as traffic grows.

Security Considerations

Both apps operate on storefronts; merchants should verify:

• Use of secure endpoints (HTTPS).
• Secure storage of personal data.
• Adherence to Shopify’s app review and security expectations.

If handling wishlist data across channels, ensure no insecure tokens or exposures exist in shared links.

Use Cases and Merchant Recommendations

This section outlines which app fits specific merchant profiles.

• Best for small hobby stores or merchants testing wishlists on a tight budget:
  • ESC Wishlist + Save for Later. The $5/month cost and simple widget are ideal for merchants who only want a minimal save-for-later feature and low overhead.
• Best for stores with predictable upgrade paths and higher session volumes:
  • Sirius Wish. The free tier allows testing; as traffic grows, merchants can upgrade to a plan with higher session and wishlist allowances. This model fits stores that expect wishlist interactions to scale.
• Not ideal if:
  • The store needs integrated retention tools (loyalty, reviews, referrals) in a single platform.
  • The merchant requires robust analytics and deep integrations with ESPs or CRMs.
  • The merchant wants enterprise-level support or headless/checkout extensions.

Pros and Cons Summary

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later

• Pros:
  • Very low monthly cost ($5).
  • Unlimited wishlists per customer.
  • Save-for-later placement under the cart can boost conversion at checkout.
  • Social sharing capability.
• Cons:
  • Very few public reviews and a low rating (2 reviews, rating 1).
  • Minimal documented integrations and analytics.
  • Single-purpose; likely requires additional apps for broader retention needs.

Sirius Wish

• Pros:
  • Free tier for basic testing.
  • Tiered pricing that scales with sessions and wishlist actions.
  • Positioning emphasizes customer engagement and preference insights.
• Cons:
  • No public reviews to validate reliability (0 reviews, rating 0).
  • Free tier’s wishlist action limit (100) is very low.
  • Unclear integration depth and analytics specifics based on available data.

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

Merchants that evaluate ESC Wishlist + Save for Later and Sirius Wish inevitably face a larger question: is a single-purpose wishlist app the right strategy, or is it better to adopt an integrated retention platform? The following section explains the problem of app fatigue and how an all-in-one approach addresses it.

What Is App Fatigue?

App fatigue is the operational and strategic overhead that accumulates when merchants install multiple single-function apps to cover individual needs—reviews, loyalty, referrals, wishlists, and so on. Symptoms include:

• Increasing monthly subscription costs across several apps.
• Technical conflicts between apps and theme changes.
• Fragmented data: wishlist signals live in one app, reviews in another, and loyalty data in a third, making unified segmentation and orchestration difficult.
• Higher maintenance burden: frequent app updates, separate support tickets, and multiple integrations to manage.

The cost of app fatigue goes beyond dollars; it affects customer experience consistency, marketing effectiveness, and team bandwidth.

Why Consolidate Retention Features?

Consolidation reduces friction and improves outcomes by:

• Centralizing customer signals so wishlist behavior, reviews, and loyalty activity inform one another.
• Reducing theme and script conflicts through fewer vendor integrations.
• Simplifying billing and support with one vendor relationship.
• Enabling coordinated campaigns that use loyalty points, wishlist triggers, and review requests to drive repeat purchases.

Merchants aiming to increase LTV and retention often find better ROI by consolidating features in a single platform that integrates seamlessly with marketing automation and customer support tools.

Growave’s "More Growth, Less Stack" Philosophy

Growave frames its approach as "More Growth, Less Stack." The idea is to replace multiple single-purpose apps with one integrated platform that includes wishlist capabilities plus loyalty, referrals, reviews & UGC, and VIP tiers. This reduces tool sprawl while enabling coordinated retention strategies.

Key outcomes Growave aims to deliver:

• Increased repeat purchases through loyalty and rewards programs.
• Improved social proof and conversion via automated review collection and UGC.
• More referrals by incentivizing customers to share.
• Wishlist functionality that ties directly into loyalty and lifecycle campaigns.

Merchants evaluating single-purpose wishlist apps should also consider how wishlist signals will be used downstream—if the plan is to trigger loyalty points or follow up with personalized emails, an integrated solution can save setup time and produce more reliable outcomes.

How an Integrated Platform Changes the Equation

An integrated platform shifts the focus from point solutions to lifecycle orchestration.

• Wishlist behavior becomes an actionable event that can automatically award points or trigger email flows.
• Reviews and UGC are tied to customer segments for targeted reengagement.
• Referral campaigns reuse existing loyalty infrastructure, reducing duplication.

This consolidated approach lowers the operational overhead of building a retention tech stack and often provides better value for money relative to purchasing several single-purpose apps.

Growave Feature Highlights and Relevant Links

Growave combines multiple retention tools in one platform. For merchants exploring alternatives to single-purpose wishlist apps, these Growave capabilities are worth reviewing:

• Loyalty and rewards that drive repeat purchases — see how loyalty programs can be configured to reward wishlist actions and repeat purchases. loyalty and rewards that drive repeat purchases
• Collect and showcase authentic reviews to build trust and increase conversion rates. collect and showcase authentic reviews
• Customer stories from brands scaling retention are useful to validate how integrated features operate together and deliver outcomes. customer stories from brands scaling retention
• For merchants on Shopify Plus or scaling stores, Growave offers enterprise-focused options and integrations. Explore solutions for high-growth Plus brands

Growave also provides multiple ways to get started:

• Merchants can compare pricing plans to see which tier aligns with order volume and required features.
• Merchants can install from the Shopify App Store to test basic capabilities in a live store environment.
• To evaluate fit and custom requirements, book a personalized demo to see how an integrated retention stack improves retention. <-- Hard CTA (1 of 2)

Note: The links above each appear in context to show how wishlist signals pair with loyalty, reviews, and customer stories. For merchants specifically evaluating wishlist features, reviewing these integrated capabilities clarifies the value of combining wishlist data with rewards and review automation.

How Growave Addresses the Limitations Found in ESC and Sirius

• Centralized Data: Instead of wishlist behavior isolated in a single app, Growave uses wishlist events as part of a unified customer profile that feeds into loyalty and review workflows.
• Reduced App Count: Deploying Growave reduces the need for separate loyalty, reviews, and referral apps, lowering the chance of script conflicts and the monthly subscription total.
• Advanced Integrations: Growave documents integrations with common tools for lifecycle marketing and customer support, reducing the engineering effort to route wishlist data into existing automations.
• Predictable Scaling: Pricing is based on order volume and feature tiers, which can be clearer than per-session models for teams forecasting growth. Merchants can consolidate retention features to avoid per-feature add-ons.
• Support & Proven Track Record: Growave shows a high number of reviews and a strong rating, which can be reassuring for merchants who value vendor reliability. Merchants can also install from the Shopify App Store to access store listing details and reviews.

When a Single-Purpose App Still Makes Sense

There are cases where a single-purpose app remains the right choice:

• Extremely tight budgets where the only requirement is a visible save-for-later widget and nothing else.
• Very small stores with limited traffic that do not expect to add loyalty or referral features in the near future.
• Merchant preference for minimal vendor relationships and willingness to accept the trade-offs of a fragmented stack.

However, merchants who plan to scale or who want to use wishlist data to drive automated retention are more likely to find better long-term results with an integrated platform.

Implementation Guidance and Migration Considerations

If a merchant chooses to switch from a single-purpose wishlist to an integrated stack, practical migration steps include:

• Audit existing wishlist data and export lists if the current app supports export.
• Map wishlist events to the new platform’s event schema (e.g., wishlist_added, wishlist_removed).
• Test cross-device persistence and sharing links after migration.
• Update marketing automations to trigger from wishlist events (e.g., abandoned wishlist reminders, point rewards for wishlist actions).
• Monitor performance and page load impact following the new app installation.

Growave provides integration and onboarding resources to support migrations; merchants should review customer stories from brands scaling retention to learn practical approaches others have used.

Which App Is Best For Which Merchant?

• ESC Wishlist + Save for Later is best for:
  • Merchants needing a low-cost, simple save-for-later widget.
  • Stores that want wishlist items surfaced under the cart to nudge checkout conversions.
  • Merchants comfortable shipping wishlist data to separate tools later if needed.
• Sirius Wish is best for:
  • Merchants who want a free-to-start option with obvious upgrade paths for increasing sessions and wishlist actions.
  • Stores that expect medium to high wishlist action volumes and prefer a usage-based pricing model.
  • Merchants who will validate the app’s analytics and integration promises during trial.
• Growave (the integrated alternative) is best for:
  • Merchants who plan to use wishlist behavior in broader retention campaigns (loyalty, referrals, reviews).
  • Stores that prefer fewer apps, centralized data, and coordinated automations.
  • Brands that value enterprise features, detailed integrations, and a unified support experience. Merchants can compare Growave plans or install from the Shopify App Store to begin evaluation.

Conclusion

For merchants choosing between ESC Wishlist + Save for Later and Sirius Wish, the decision comes down to scope and growth expectations. ESC offers the simplest, lowest-cost way to add save-for-later capability and visible wishlist placement under the cart. Sirius provides a usage-based path with a free tier and multiple upgrade options for stores that expect higher volumes and want a clear scaling model.

However, both tools are single-purpose wishlist solutions. Merchants who want to reduce tool sprawl and make wishlist behavior a first-class signal in lifecycle marketing should consider a consolidated retention platform. Growave bundles wishlists with loyalty, referrals, reviews, and VIP tiers so wishlist events can directly drive rewards, review invites, and segmented campaigns—helping increase retention and customer lifetime value without adding separate apps for each function.

Start a 14-day free trial to see how Growave reduces tool sprawl and drives retention by combining wishlists with loyalty, referrals, and reviews into one platform. <-- Hard CTA (2 of 2)

Additional ways to evaluate Growave include exploring how to consolidate retention features, reading customer stories from brands scaling retention, and learning how to collect and showcase authentic reviews that convert.

FAQ

How do ESC Wishlist + Save for Later and Sirius Wish differ in long-term value?

ESC is a very low-cost, focused widget that can be the right short-term choice for stores prioritizing minimal expense and a save-for-later UI. Sirius scales via usage tiers and may be better if a store expects to grow wishlist interactions and needs clearer capacity thresholds. For long-term value, consider whether wishlist signals need to feed loyalty, reviews, or lifecycle automations—if so, an integrated platform generally offers better ROI.

Which app offers better analytics and integrations?

Based on the provided information, neither app lists robust reporting or integration details. Sirius mentions insights into customer preferences but lacks specifics. Merchants should request integration lists and demo admin dashboards for both apps. If integrated analytics and direct ESP/CRM connections are required, an all-in-one platform will usually be the more reliable option.

Can wishlist actions trigger rewards or loyalty points with these apps?

Not explicitly in the provided data. ESC focuses on wishlist and save-for-later placement and social sharing. Sirius mentions preference insights but does not confirm native loyalty interactions. To have wishlist actions influence loyalty, merchants should either verify native support or use a platform that natively combines wishlist and loyalty functionality.

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

An all-in-one platform consolidates customer signals and retention features—wishlists, loyalty, reviews, and referrals—so merchants can run coordinated campaigns without multiple vendors. This reduces maintenance, lowers the likelihood of script conflicts, and centralizes reporting. For merchants seeking to increase retention and LTV efficiently, integrated platforms typically provide stronger long-term value for money than a stack of single-purpose apps. For merchants wanting to explore this option, comparing plans can help determine which tier matches order volume and feature needs; merchants can compare Growave plans or install from the Shopify App Store to begin testing.