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

Introduction

Choosing a wishlist app on Shopify can feel deceptively simple, but the implications reach far beyond a single button on product pages. Wishlists influence conversion paths, customer retention, email strategies, and even the size of an app stack. Merchants must balance features, integrations, ongoing costs, and long-term value when picking a tool.

Short answer: ESC Wishlist + Save for Later is a low-cost, narrowly focused wishlist tool aimed at stores that need basic saved-for-later functionality and social sharing. Wishlist Mojo presents more tiered feature options—ranging from a free plan to advanced notifications—but both apps have very limited public review data and low ratings in the store. For merchants who want feature depth and cross-functional retention (loyalty, referrals, reviews) without adding multiple single-purpose apps, an integrated platform such as Growave offers better value and fewer moving parts.

This article provides a detailed, feature-by-feature comparison of ESC Wishlist + Save for Later and Wishlist Mojo to help merchants decide which is a better fit for their store. It also examines when an all-in-one retention platform is a more strategic choice.

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

How to Read This Comparison

This comparison focuses on outcomes that matter to merchants: conversion lift, customer retention, average order value (AOV) impact, operational complexity, and long-term value for money. Each app is assessed across feature capability, pricing and value, integrations, user support, implementation complexity, and fit by merchant type.

The analysis uses the available public data: review counts and ratings, documented feature lists and pricing tiers. Where public information is sparse, the review highlights practicality and risk for a merchant evaluating either app.

Why wishlist functionality matters

Wishlists are often undervalued. They are more than a convenience: they shorten purchase friction on return visits, produce email remarketing triggers (price drops, restocks), provide product popularity signals for merchandising, and enable social gifting and referrals. The right wishlist implementation will reduce checkout friction and increase lifetime value by pulling customers back when intent is warm.

Deep Dive Comparison

Features

Core wishlist mechanics

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later

• Offers "save for later" visible under the cart, aiming to present saved items at checkout for a single-click path to purchase.
• Supports unlimited wishlists for customers to categorize products.
• Includes social sharing to expand reach.

Wishlist Mojo

• Promises a traditional wishlist page where customers can store items with one click.
• Free tier supports up to 1,000 wishlist items and white labeling.
• Higher tiers add guest wishlists, data exports, count badges, and notification emails (low stock, price change, back in stock).

Analysis:

• Both apps cover core wishlist expectations: saving items and allowing customers to return later.
• ESC focuses on cart-level placement, emphasizing an immediate path back to checkout. This design can reduce friction for shoppers who have already added items to the cart but want to defer purchase.
• Wishlist Mojo places more emphasis on list capacity, analytics, and lifecycle notifications at higher tiers, which supports more advanced remarketing.

Customization and on-site experience

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later

• Mentions a "broad range of options for customizing how the app looks."
• Keeps the saved items UI under the cart, which is a specific placement that may or may not suit every theme.

Wishlist Mojo

• White labeling is available on the free plan, meaning the wishlist can be branded to match the store.
• Count badges and guest wishlist support (Silver plan and above) help maintain UX continuity across logged-in and guest shoppers.

Analysis:

• Neither app provides a public, exhaustive list of theme-level customization options. For stores with bespoke themes, both may require developer adjustments.
• Wishlist Mojo’s count badges and guest wishlist support are tangible UX features that help drive conversions and maintain visibility across browsing sessions.

Customer signals and lifecycle communication

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later

• Social sharing is built in; email notification features are not explicitly mentioned in available copy.

Wishlist Mojo

• On mid-to-high tiers, offers email notifications for stock and price changes and back-in-stock alerts.
• Includes analytics and data export capabilities to inform merchandising.

Analysis:

• For lifecycle marketing, Wishlist Mojo’s notification features are a meaningful advantage. Emails tied to wishlist events often generate strong reactivation and conversion rates.
• ESC’s social sharing can aid discovery and referral but does not replace lifecycle communications that directly influence retention.

Admin controls and analytics

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later

• Publicly available information does not list extensive analytics or admin exports.

Wishlist Mojo

• Provides usage analytics and charts on even the free plan, with data exports available in paid tiers.

Analysis:

• Wishlist Mojo has a clearer analytics story. Merchants who rely on data to prioritize restocks or promotional work will find analytics and exports useful.
• ESC appears to be a lighter, less data-forward tool.

Pricing & Value

Pricing tiers overview

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later

• Monthly plan at $5 per month (single plan listed).

Wishlist Mojo

• Free Plan: Free (1,000 wishlist items; usage analytics; social sharing; white label)
• Silver: $4.95 / month (10,000 items; Google Analytics; count badge; guest wishlists; data exports)
• Gold: $8.95 / month (30,000 items; adds email notifications)
• Platinum: $19.95 / month (100,000 items)

Analysis:

• At face value, ESC has a single low-cost plan ($5/month). Wishlist Mojo offers a free tier and graduated pricing that scales with wishlist item caps and feature additions.
• Wishlist Mojo provides more flexibility to match store scale. For very small stores that simply want a save-for-later button, ESC’s $5 plan is straightforward and predictable.
• Wishlist Mojo provides more capability per dollar at higher tiers, particularly if email notifications and analytics are needed.

Value for money — outcomes focus

When evaluating value, the question should be framed in outcomes:

• Will the app increase conversion or recovery rates through targeted notifications?
• Can the app feed analytics into product and inventory decisions?
• Does the app reduce friction at checkout in a way that translates into measurable revenue?

Wishlist Mojo has features tied directly to those outcomes (notifications, analytics). ESC relies on placement (under-cart saved items) and social sharing—useful but less directly tied to lifecycle recovery.

For merchants focused on pure cost-efficiency and simple UX, ESC offers a clean value proposition. For merchants seeking measurable uplift via notifications and data, Wishlist Mojo typically offers better value for money.

Integrations & Ecosystem

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later

• Not explicitly listed in the available data. No documented integrations beyond core Shopify elements.

Wishlist Mojo

• Works with Google Analytics (explicitly listed).
• Supports data exports, which allows downstream integration with analytics or email platforms.

Analysis:

• Wishlist Mojo’s Google Analytics compatibility helps merchants track wishlist events alongside other site metrics. This enables better behavioral segmentation.
• ESC’s lack of visible integrations raises questions about compatibility with email platforms or analytics flows. For merchants who use Klaviyo, Omnisend, or similar tools, confirm integration capabilities before committing.

Implementation & Technical Considerations

Installation and theme compatibility

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later

• Placement under the cart suggests some theme-specific implementation. Most apps that render inside cart markup will require theme file edits or app snippets to function properly.

Wishlist Mojo

• Offers white labeling and count badges, which implies theme-aware elements; guest wishlist support indicates session or cookie handling.

Analysis:

• Both apps will likely require standard app install steps and potentially minor theme adjustments. Stores with heavily customized themes should budget development time to ensure the wishlist UI matches the site and remains performant.

Performance and mobile optimization

Neither app provides extensive public documentation on performance optimizations or mobile UX specifics. Because wishlist UI is a front-end component, rendering speed and mobile usability are critical. Merchants should test both apps on mobile and monitor page speed after installation.

Data portability and exports

Wishlist Mojo explicitly supports data exports on paid tiers, making it easier to extract wishlist activity for analysis or import into CRM workflows. ESC does not list export capabilities, which may limit use for ops teams that want to combine wishlist signals with purchase data.

Support & Documentation

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later

• Developer: Eastside Co®. Public review data is minimal (2 reviews, rating 1), which makes it hard to assess responsiveness or quality of support.

Wishlist Mojo

• Developer: Shopmojo.app. Public review presence is smaller (1 review, rating 1). Features list suggests some focus on analytics and notifications, but support reputation is unclear.

Analysis:

• Low review counts and low ratings are red flags for both apps. These metrics make it difficult to rely on community feedback for real-world support experiences.
• When considering either app, ask the developer direct questions about SLA, customization help, and expected response windows before installation.

Trust, Security & Privacy

Both apps are wishlist-only solutions. Stores should ensure apps meet privacy and data handling expectations—particularly around guest wishlists and any email notifications. Review each app’s privacy policy and Shopify App Store permissions during install. If email delivery is handled through third-party SMTP or the app itself, verify compliance with local regulations (such as GDPR).

Who Should Choose Which App? (Use Cases)

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later is a solid fit for:

• Merchants who want a minimal, under-cart save-for-later placement and simple social sharing.
• Stores where the wishlist is not central to retention strategy, but convenience at checkout matters.
• Brands on a tight monthly budget that prefer a straightforward $5/month tool.

Wishlist Mojo is a better choice for:

• Merchants who expect wishlist volume to scale and need a tiered plan that serves up to 100,000 items.
• Stores that require lifecycle notifications (price drop, back-in-stock) and analytics to fuel remarketing.
• Teams that want exportable data and Google Analytics event tracking to combine wishlist signals with broader behavioral data.

Neither app is currently a clear fit for merchants who want a cross-functional retention stack (loyalty, referrals, reviews, wishlists) without adding multiple single-purpose apps. For long-term retention and LTV improvement, consolidating features matters.

Comparative Strengths and Weaknesses — Quick Summary

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later

• Strengths: Simple UX placement; unlimited wishlists; low monthly cost; social sharing.
• Weaknesses: Limited public reviews and low rating; sparse integration and analytics info; unclear support.

Wishlist Mojo

• Strengths: Tiered plans for scaling stores; analytics and exports; notification emails at higher tiers; GA integration.
• Weaknesses: Limited public reviews and low rating; small developer review footprint; higher complexity at scale adds maintenance overhead.

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

Many merchants reach a critical point where multiple specialist apps create more work than value. Adding one app for wishlists, another for loyalty, a different one for reviews, and separate referral tools increases monthly cost, multiplies maintenance tasks, and complicates customer data flows. This is often called app fatigue: accumulating single-purpose tools that fragment data, complicate integrations, and make iterative experimentation slower.

Growave promotes a "More Growth, Less Stack" philosophy designed to reduce app sprawl by combining wishlist, loyalty, referrals, and reviews into one retention-focused platform. Consolidation reduces overhead and often improves outcomes because customer signals flow across features rather than being siloed.

Key advantages of an integrated approach

• Unified customer profiles that connect wishlist events to loyalty activity and referral behavior.
• Simplified analytics: product interest from wishlists can feed loyalty campaigns and review requests without export/import steps.
• Lower operational overhead: fewer app installs mean fewer theme edits, fewer conflict points, and a single support channel.

Growave’s suite includes loyalty, referrals, wishlists, VIP tiers, and review collection tools that enable merchants to run cohesive retention strategies. Merchants can build loyalty and rewards that drive repeat purchases while also using wishlists to trigger lifecycle actions.

How Growave addresses app fatigue issues

• Single billing and consolidated maintenance for multiple retention features, reducing time spent managing vendor relationships.
• Integrated behavioral triggers: a wishlist save can be tied to points, email flows, or review requests without separate middleware.
• Built-in integrations with commonly used tools that merchants already rely on, meaning fewer custom integrations are needed.

Merchants looking to compare an integrated solution should evaluate whether wishlist signals are isolated or if they can be put to use in cross-channel retention strategies. For example, a wishlist-triggered discount within a loyalty program is a more valuable activation than a wishlist single email from a standalone app.

Practical ways to evaluate an all-in-one platform

When testing an integrated retention platform, focus on these outcome measures:

• Retention lift: Are repeat purchase rates improving after loyalty and wishlist campaigns are set up?
• Increase in customer lifetime value (LTV): Are customers participating in loyalty programs buying more over time?
• Reduction in tool overhead: Has the number of apps, theme snippets, and integrations decreased?
• Time to value: How quickly can campaigns be launched using native feature combinations?

Growave supports these evaluations by making it possible to combine wishlists with loyalty campaigns and review automation in a single place. Teams can also collect and showcase authentic reviews while tying reputation signals to promotional programs.

Integrations matter — plug into existing flows

An integrated platform only succeeds if it fits the existing tech stack. Growave supports many commerce and marketing platforms, making it easier for merchants to maintain workflows with tools like Klaviyo and Recharge and to operate on Shopify Plus. For merchants on enterprise plans, Growave provides solutions for high-growth Plus brands that include checkout extensions and customizable launch plans.

Merchants considering moving from a single-purpose wishlist to an integrated platform should aim to migrate wishlist data and map key events (save, remove, purchase) into the new system. Because Growave supports common integrations, that mapping often requires less engineering work than stitching together multiple apps.

Feature mapping: wishlist vs. wishlist + retention

• Wishlist-only apps: Offer targeted wishlist features, sometimes with analytics and notifications.
• Integrated platforms: Offer wishlist plus the ability to convert wishlist signals directly into loyalty rewards, targeted referrals, and review triggers.

This integration enables richer strategies. For instance, a merchant can reward customers with points for adding items to a wishlist or invite friends to view a wishlist link and receive referral credit for resulting purchases—mechanics that multiply conversion touchpoints.

Real operational benefits

• Reduced theme conflicts: fewer apps modifying the same markup reduces breakage risk.
• Centralized data governance: a single source of user activity (wishlists, points, referrals) simplifies GDPR and privacy compliance.
• Faster experimentation: building multi-step retention flows is faster when components are native to one platform.

Merchants who are hesitant to migrate can first test a hybrid approach by installing an integrated platform in parallel and running A/B campaigns comparing the consolidated approach with the legacy stack.

Book a personalized demo to see how a unified retention stack accelerates growth. Book a personalized demo

Cost comparison — short and long term

Single-purpose wishlist apps often appear cheaper month-to-month. However, when loyalty programs, referrals, and review automation are added from separate vendors, monthly costs multiply and complexity rises. Consolidation often produces better value-for-money because:

• Feature overlap is eliminated.
• Data becomes actionable across features.
• Support burden is centralized.

Merchants should calculate total cost of ownership (TCO) including licensing fees, developer hours for integration and maintenance, and estimated revenue gains from combined features. Growave’s pricing tiers allow merchants to scale while keeping multiple retention tools under one plan. Merchants can review pricing details to consolidate retention features. For straightforward app installation, merchants can also install Growave from the Shopify App Store.

How Growave routes wishlist signals into retention workflows

• Wishlist save triggers can be used to award loyalty points, nudging users toward future purchases.
• Wishlist items can prompt review requests after purchase to build social proof.
• Wishlist events can be added to segmentation rules for email or SMS campaigns, increasing relevancy of outreach.

These combined uses turn passive interest into measurable value. For example, adding wishlist items could automatically increase a customer's VIP tier eligibility if they convert, reinforcing engagement loops.

Merchants can learn from customer stories from brands scaling retention to see how similar integrations perform in real operations.

Migration considerations

When consolidating, plan for:

• Exporting wishlist data and user mappings from the legacy app (Wishlist Mojo supports data exports on paid tiers).
• Re-creating any guest wishlist behavior or badges if they are crucial to UX.
• Testing campaign triggers and ensuring email flows are not duplicated across systems.

If a merchant wants an interactive walkthrough of migration steps, they can book a personalized demo to see how migration is handled and timelines for launch.

Where Growave fits relative to ESC and Wishlist Mojo

• If wishlist is the only retention priority and simplicity is paramount, ESC’s $5 plan will work.
• If scaling wishlist item volumes and lifecycle notifications are the primary needs, Wishlist Mojo provides staged capacity and emails.
• If the goal is to build repeat purchase engines—loyalty, referrals, reviews—while keeping wishlist functionality, an integrated platform represents a better long-term investment. Merchants can review Growave’s tiered options to consolidate retention features and reduce app stack complexity. For quick installation on Shopify, merchants can install Growave from the Shopify App Store.

Implementation Checklist — What to Audit Before Installing a Wishlist App

• Theme compatibility: Confirm the app supports the theme or plan for development time.
• Data exports: Is wishlist activity exportable for analytics or migration?
• Notifications: Does the app handle back-in-stock and price change emails?
• Guest behavior: Does the app support guest wishlists and account linkage?
• Analytics: Are wishlist events trackable by Google Analytics or server-side analytics?
• Support SLAs: What are expected response times and available support channels?
• Long-term cost: Estimate the cost if loyalty, referrals, or reviews need to be added later.

Making the Choice — Decision Criteria by Merchant Type

Small, low-SKU merchants on a tight budget

• Priorities: Low cost, simple setup, minimal overhead.
• Likely choice: ESC Wishlist + Save for Later for its simplicity and predictable price.

Growing merchants who want data and lifecycle triggers

• Priorities: Analytics, email notifications, scalable item limits.
• Likely choice: Wishlist Mojo for tiered scalability and lifecycle emails.

Brands building long-term retention and LTV programs

• Priorities: Loyalty programs, referrals, integrated review collection, multi-feature automation.
• Likely choice: An integrated platform like Growave to avoid stacking single-purpose apps.

Enterprise or Shopify Plus merchants

• Priorities: Enterprise integrations, headless support, dedicated launch plans.
• Likely choice: Growave’s Plus plan supports custom reward actions, unlimited integrations, and dedicated onboarding to fit complex needs. See solutions tailored for high-growth Plus brands.

Conclusion

For merchants choosing between ESC Wishlist + Save for Later and Wishlist Mojo, the decision comes down to scale and desired outcomes. ESC provides a low-cost, focused wishlist that surfaces saved items under the cart and offers social sharing. Wishlist Mojo delivers a more scalable, analytics-oriented approach with notification emails and tiered item limits. Both apps have limited public review data and low Shopify ratings, which increases the importance of direct vetting—asking developers about support, integrations, and performance before installation.

For merchants who want to move beyond single-purpose apps and build sustained retention, an integrated retention platform reduces complexity and produces stronger long-term returns. Growave helps merchants consolidate wishlist, loyalty, referrals, and review collection so signals are connected and campaigns work together to increase LTV. Merchants can evaluate Growave pricing and plans to see how consolidation impacts total cost and operational overhead and can consolidate retention features today. For merchants who prefer installing directly from Shopify, Growave is also available to install from the Shopify App Store.

Start a 14-day free trial to see how consolidating wishlist, loyalty, reviews, and referrals reduces app overhead and improves customer retention. Start a 14-day free trial

Frequently asked questions

Q: How do ESC Wishlist + Save for Later and Wishlist Mojo differ in terms of growth impact? A: ESC focuses on checkout friction reduction with a save-for-later widget under the cart and social sharing. That can slightly improve conversion for customers postponing purchase. Wishlist Mojo scales wishlist capacity, provides analytics, and offers notification emails—features that support reactivation campaigns and data-driven merchandising. For measurable growth beyond single purchases, an integrated approach tying wishlist events to loyalty and reviews tends to produce larger and more persistent gains.

Q: Which app offers better analytics and export capabilities? A: Wishlist Mojo offers usage analytics and data exports (available on paid plans), enabling merchants to analyze wishlist behavior and integrate it into broader reporting. ESC’s public documentation does not list export functionality, which makes Wishlist Mojo the clearer choice for data-driven teams.

Q: How does an all-in-one platform compare to specialized apps like these two? A: An all-in-one platform connects wishlist signals to loyalty, referrals, and review collection without additional integrations. This reduces maintenance overhead, enables richer automation (for example, awarding points for wishlist actions), and centralizes reporting. Consolidation can lead to better long-term value for money because it reduces duplicated capabilities and simplifies campaign orchestration.

Q: If a store starts with a wishlist app and later wants loyalty and referrals, what should be considered? A: Consider data migration and event mapping first: ensure wishlist data can be exported or captured to transition to the new system. Evaluate whether wishlist events can be re-triggered or backfilled in the loyalty program. Also calculate the total cost of adding separate loyalty and referral apps versus switching to a single platform that includes all features. If migrating to an integrated tool, ask about onboarding, data migration support, and timelines.