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

Introduction

Choosing the right wishlist app for a Shopify store looks simple at first glance, but it quickly becomes a balancing act between features, design fit, cost, and the long-term impact on customer retention. Merchants must decide whether a focused, lightweight tool will satisfy their needs or whether a more customizable or integrated solution is worth the trade-offs.

Short answer: ESC Wishlist + Save for Later is a very simple, low-cost option built for stores that only need a basic save-for-later widget and cart-level reminders. Wishlist Pilot aims for a fuller wishlist experience with tiered plans, email reminders, and session persistence for logged-out customers. For merchants that want to reduce app sprawl and invest in retention as a system, Growave offers a broader suite—wishlists plus loyalty, referrals, and reviews—that often delivers better value for money over time.

This post compares ESC Wishlist + Save for Later (Eastside Co®) and Wishlist Pilot (PilotApps) feature by feature, evaluates pricing and value, examines integrations and support, and highlights which merchants should consider each app. After the head-to-head, the analysis will pivot to the limitations of single-purpose wishlist apps and present an integrated alternative to reduce tool fatigue and increase retention.

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

Feature Comparison: Core Functionality and UX

What each app fundamentally does

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later centers on letting customers save items to purchase later and surfacing those items near checkout. The concept is simple: if a shopper doesn’t buy now, keep the item visible so it’s easy to re-add to cart later. The app emphasizes unlimited wishlists and social sharing.

Wishlist Pilot offers a classic wishlist widget that can be added to product pages, with features that address common wishlist pain points: email reminders for back-in-stock or sales, "fingerprint" session tracking so wishlists persist for non-logged-in visitors, and widget customization.

Both target the same high-level problem—help customers remember products they like—but they solve it with slightly different emphasis. ESC prioritizes the cart-level save-for-later experience and social sharing; Wishlist Pilot prioritizes customer persistence, notifications, and tiered capacity.

Installation and setup

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later:

• One-page install from the Shopify App Store (typical app install flow).
• Focused settings with visual customization for how the widget looks.
• Low complexity; suited for merchants who want a plug-and-play solution.

Wishlist Pilot:

• One-click install is advertised and compatibility with many themes is emphasized.
• Setup includes widget customization and plan selection if the store needs higher wishlist capacity or email reminders.
• Includes import/export support, which is useful if migrating wishlists from another solution.

Practical implication: Both apps are designed for ease of install, but Wishlist Pilot has slightly more options on setup if the store expects higher traffic or wants email reminder automation.

Wishlist persistence and customer identification

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later:

• Likely works best when customers are logged in or use saved cookies/session (not explicitly listed).
• No explicit mention of fingerprint session behavior.

Wishlist Pilot:

• Explicitly lists a "fingerprint session" feature, which helps track wishlists for customers who don’t log in by storing a browser fingerprint. This improves persistence for anonymous visitors and reduces lost wishlists across sessions.

Why this matters: Anonymous session tracking is crucial for stores with high guest checkout rates or where customers browse across devices. A wishlist that disappears between visits is far less effective at driving repeat visits.

Notifications and reminder workflows

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later:

• Primary mechanism is visibility of saved items at checkout and social sharing to increase visibility.
• No explicit mention of automated email reminders for back-in-stock or sales.

Wishlist Pilot:

• Includes email reminders for customers when wishlisted items are back in stock or go on sale (included in mid and higher-tier plans).
• That feature creates direct re-engagement paths without needing a separate email automation tool.

Practical outcome: Wishlist Pilot provides more active re-engagement capabilities. ESC’s approach leans passive—expose saved items at checkout—while Wishlist Pilot actively nudges customers back.

Social sharing and viral reach

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later:

• Built-in social sharing is a core feature designed to extend reach organically. Customers can share lists with friends, which can help referral-like effects with minimal overhead.

Wishlist Pilot:

• No explicit emphasis on social sharing in the provided descriptions. The focus is on persistence and reminders.

Who benefits: Brands that rely on social proof, gifting, or group buying (e.g., wedding registries, gift lists) may appreciate ESC’s sharing feature.

Customization and visual integration

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later:

• Notes a broad range of options for customizing how the app looks on the store. The cart placement is a distinctive UX choice.

Wishlist Pilot:

• Promises a fully customizable widget and customizable button, plus the ability to hide branding on paid tiers.

Practical note: Both allow visual tweaks, but Wishlist Pilot’s tiered ability to hide branding may be important for merchants who want a seamless, fully white-labeled experience.

Pricing & Value

Price levels and what's included

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later:

• Monthly plan: $5 / month.
• Offerings are simple and single-plan focused.

Wishlist Pilot:

• Free plan: limited to 2,000 wishlist entries, basic support, one-click install.
• Basic: $4 / month (10,000 wishlist additions, full widget, hide branding).
• Premium: $9 / month (100,000 additions, email reminders, full customization).
• Unlimited: $19 / month (unlimited additions, email reminders).

Direct comparison:

• Entry price: Wishlist Pilot’s free tier undercuts ESC for stores with very light wishlist needs. ESC’s $5 plan is inexpensive but not free.
• Scaling: Wishlist Pilot provides clear scaling options up to an unlimited plan, which helps merchants forecast costs as wishlist activity grows.
• Feature-to-price ratio: Wishlist Pilot’s paid tiers unlock email reminders and higher data capacity, which increases the functional value above ESC’s single $5 plan.

Value for money

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later can be attractive for merchants who want a very simple widget and low monthly overhead. For stores that only need a save-for-later option visible at checkout and some sharing capabilities, $5 per month is straightforward and predictable.

Wishlist Pilot is better value for merchants who need higher capacity, automated email reminders, and the option to hide app branding. The free tier is useful for testing basic functionality before upgrading. As wishlist features generate measurable re-engagement (reminder emails, persistent sessions), Wishlist Pilot’s higher tiers can justify their cost through recovered sales.

Avoid saying “cheaper”: Wishlist Pilot offers better value for money when a store needs email reminders, session persistence, or significant wishlist traffic. ESC provides better value for money for merchants seeking the simplest possible save-for-later solution that sits in the cart.

Billing and upgrade considerations

• ESC: Single $5 monthly plan simplifies billing but limits feature expansion unless the app adds new tiers.
• Wishlist Pilot: Clear upgrade path from free to unlimited helps merchants scale without migrating apps.

Operational note: Frequent app switching to chase features can harm data continuity. A scalable plan (like Wishlist Pilot’s) reduces migration friction.

Integrations and Technical Considerations

Integrations with email, analytics, and other tools

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later:

• No explicit third-party integration list in the provided data. Likely a lightweight setup without deep integrations.

Wishlist Pilot:

• Mentions import/export support and email reminders, implying some level of email capability. No explicit named integrations are provided.

Why it matters: Merchants who use Klaviyo, Omnisend, or other ESPs often want wishlist events to trigger automated flows. Absence of explicit integrations makes it harder to assess how easily wishlist data will feed existing marketing automations.

Theme compatibility and storefront performance

Both apps advertise theme compatibility and one-click installs. Performance considerations include:

• JavaScript load on product pages and checkout flow.
• Impact on page speed and core web vitals, especially on high-traffic stores.

Best practice: Test in a staging environment and monitor page speed after install. Lightweight scripts are preferable, and the fewer DOM manipulations, the lower the risk to theme stability.

Data portability and migrations

Wishlist Pilot:

• Includes import and export data functions, which help migrate wishlists from legacy systems.

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later:

• No explicit import/export mentioned; merchants may face friction if they need to move wishlist data elsewhere.

Merchants planning growth or platform changes should prioritize wishlist apps with export capability to preserve customer data.

Support, Documentation, and Trust Signals

Support channels and responsiveness

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later:

• Smaller app presence with only 2 reviews and a 1-star rating. Support availability is not explicitly listed in the provided data.

Wishlist Pilot:

• Advertises 7/7 English & French support and basic to full support across tiers. No public reviews (0 reviews), so trust signals are limited.

Interpretation: Wishlist Pilot claims consistent support, which is a practical advantage. ESC’s low review count and low rating suggest merchants should vet support responsiveness before committing.

Public reviews and social proof

• ESC Wishlist + Save for Later: 2 reviews, rating 1. Both the small sample size and low rating are cause for cautious evaluation. The rating suggests at least some negative merchant experiences.
• Wishlist Pilot: 0 reviews and 0 rating. Lack of reviews indicates low adoption or recent listing, which limits external validation.

Reliability caution: Low review counts make it hard to assess real-world reliability and support quality. Merchants should request a live demo or test in a staging environment before full rollout.

Implementation and Merchandizing Strategies

How wishlists should be used strategically

Wishlists are not just a convenience feature; they represent intent and can drive retention and repeat purchases when used correctly. High-impact ways to use wishlists:

• Trigger email reminders for price drops, promotions, or restocks (higher conversion than cold outreach).
• Use wishlists to segment customers by product interest and personalize cart abandonment messages.
• Promote shared wishlists to encourage gifting and organic reach.

ESC and Wishlist Pilot support different parts of this strategy. ESC emphasizes in-cart visibility and social sharing, which can boost conversion at checkout and encourage viral reach. Wishlist Pilot supports automated reminders and session persistence, which can be used to trigger personalized marketing flows.

UX placement and merchandising

• ESC’s under-cart "saved for later" placement ensures visibility at the critical decision moment—checkout. This can convert indecision into an immediate purchase.
• Wishlist Pilot’s product-page widget supports discovery and mid-funnel engagement. Combined with email reminders, it keeps products top of mind.

Recommendation: Align wishlist placement with merchant goals. Want more immediate wins at checkout? ESC’s in-cart approach is suitable. Want richer, long-term engagement and reactivation? Wishlist Pilot’s product-level wishlist and reminders are preferable.

Data and Reporting

What each app provides in analytics

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later:

• No explicit analytics features mentioned in the provided data. Visual customization is emphasized, but merchant reporting is unclear.

Wishlist Pilot:

• Advertises "Beautiful Statistics" across tiers, implying analytics dashboards on wishlist use, popular products, and perhaps conversion from wishlist to purchase.

Why analytics matter: Understanding which items are wishlisted and how often those lists convert to purchases informs inventory planning, promotions, and merchandising. An app that surfaces this data provides strategic value beyond the widget itself.

Customization & Branding

How white-label and design control differ

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later:

• Offers a broad range of visual customization. Unclear whether the app adds its branding or allows hiding.

Wishlist Pilot:

• Paid tiers explicitly allow hiding the app’s branding, which is important for brands seeking full visual integration.

Merchants prioritizing brand control should confirm the ability to hide app attribution before selecting a plan.

Security, Privacy & Compliance

Data handling and privacy concerns

Both apps deal with personally identifiable information when wishlists are tied to email addresses, and with browser fingerprints for anonymous sessions. Merchants should review each app’s privacy policy and security practices:

• Does the app store wishlist data on third-party servers?
• Is data encrypted in transit and at rest?
• How long is anonymous session data retained?

Given the limited public information, merchants should contact developers to confirm compliance with GDPR, CCPA, and other applicable regulations.

Performance & Scalability

Handling increasing wishlist volume

ESC Wishlist + Save for Later:

• Single price point could create limits if wishlist demand grows or if the app needs more advanced features.

Wishlist Pilot:

• Explicit scaling from a free tier to an unlimited plan supports growth. The tiers specify wishlist addition capacity, which helps merchants forecast costs and performance.

Scalability advantage: Wishlist Pilot’s tiering makes it more prepared for stores expecting rapid growth in wishlist usage.

When Each App Makes Sense: Use Cases and Recommendations

When ESC Wishlist + Save for Later is a solid choice

• Merchant needs a minimal save-for-later widget that appears at checkout to capture second thoughts.
• Priority is in-cart visibility rather than long-term re-engagement.
• Merchant wants social sharing of wishlist items as a simple virality mechanic.
• Budget-conscious stores that prefer a single low-cost monthly fee and want minimal configuration.

ESC strengths: Simple UX focus, in-cart placement, social sharing, straightforward pricing.

ESC limitations: Limited or unclear automation, low public reviews and rating suggest careful vetting, potential lack of exports/integrations.

When Wishlist Pilot is a better fit

• Merchant wants persistent wishlists for anonymous users (fingerprint session).
• Email reminders for restock and sales are important to re-engage customers automatically.
• The store anticipates higher wishlist volumes and wants a clear upgrade path.
• Merchant values analytics ("Beautiful Statistics") and the ability to hide branding on paid tiers.

Wishlist Pilot strengths: Session persistence, email re-engagement, scalable plans, branding control in paid tiers.

Wishlist Pilot limitations: Limited public reviews mean less external proof; integrations are not explicitly listed; some features require a paid tier.

Pricing Scenarios and ROI Considerations

Estimating regained revenue from wishlist features

Wishlist-driven revenue depends on factors like wishlist adoption rate, email open/click-to-conversion, and average order value. Key levers:

• Email reminders: If reminders convert even a small percentage of opens into purchases, the cost of higher-tier wishlist plans can be justified quickly.
• Cart visibility: Making saved items visible at checkout reduces friction and increases conversion among returning visitors.

Practical rule of thumb: Track the incremental conversion from wishlists over a 60–90 day window. If the app’s additional features meaningfully increase conversions or average order value, upgrade costs are typically recoverable.

Risks and Red Flags

• Low or zero reviews: Both apps have limited public reviews (ESC 2 reviews, rating 1; Wishlist Pilot 0 reviews). This increases the importance of testing in staging and requesting detailed documentation and support response time.
• Unclear integrations: Neither app lists robust, named integrations with popular ESPs or CRMs. Ask developers for technical documentation on webhooks, APIs, or CSV export formats.
• Data portability: ESC lacks explicit import/export mention. Wishlist Pilot includes import/export—preferable for migration readiness.

Merchants should pilot either app on a small percentage of traffic, measure key metrics, and ensure the app’s retention data is exportable before rolling out broadly.

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

Most merchants do not want to manage dozens of single-purpose apps. Accumulating point solutions for wishlists, loyalty, referral, and reviews creates maintenance overhead, duplicated data, inconsistent customer experiences, and retained value leakage. This section explains how consolidating retention tools into a single platform reduces friction and increases customer lifetime value.

The problem: app fatigue and feature fragmentation

App fatigue shows up as:

• Multiple billing lines and vendor relationships to manage.
• Disparate datasets that make customer behavior analysis harder.
• Inconsistent design and messaging across loyalty, wishlist, and review touchpoints.
• More opportunities for conflicts between apps that inject code into the storefront.

A wishlist alone rarely solves retention. Wishlists show intent, but to convert that intent into lifetime value, merchants need coordinated tactics: loyalty incentives for returning customers, referral hooks for sharing, and social proof via reviews. Stitching these together across multiple apps costs time and creates gaps.

The solution: an integrated retention stack

Growave’s approach centers on "More Growth, Less Stack": consolidate wishlists, loyalty, referrals, reviews, and VIP tiers into one platform so merchants can manage retention holistically. This reduces the number of third-party scripts on the storefront and centralizes data for more accurate customer segmentation and automation.

• Combine wishlists with loyalty to reward customers who save or share products.
• Trigger referral campaigns from wishlists that are shared socially.
• Surface user-generated content from wishlists and purchases into product reviews and social feeds.

Merchants can learn how to consolidate retention features and evaluate whether integrating multiple retention channels in one platform reduces operational overhead.

How integrated features drive better outcomes

• Unified data enables better personalization. Knowing what a customer has wishlisted and their loyalty status allows targeted messages that convert at higher rates.
• Cross-feature promotions (e.g., extra points for adding items to wishlist or sharing a wishlist) increase engagement and lifetime value.
• Centralized analytics offer a clearer view of the funnel from wishlist addition to purchase to repeat purchase.

Explore Growave’s Shopify App Store listing to see how a consolidated approach compares to single-purpose apps in implementation and management: install from the Shopify App Store.

Growave’s "More Growth, Less Stack" in practice

Growave packages loyalty, referrals, reviews, wishlist, and VIP tiers so merchants can reduce the number of separate vendors and get coherent cross-functional campaigns. Specific ways this helps merchants:

• Reward customers for wishlist actions directly from the loyalty program: reward points for adding items to a wishlist or for sharing it with friends.
• Automatically trigger review requests after purchases for products that were wishlisted, boosting review relevance and authenticity.
• Use wishlist data to feed personalized loyalty rewards or product recommendations.

See how a single platform combines these programs and can affect retention strategy by exploring loyalty and rewards that drive repeat purchases.

Technical and commercial benefits of consolidation

• Reduced script footprint on the storefront, which helps page performance.
• Centralized support and a single billing relationship reduce vendor management time.
• Consistent visual styles across widgets—wishlist, loyalty badges, and referral prompts—create a smoother buyer experience.
• Built-in integrations with popular ESPs and CRMs (e.g., Klaviyo, Omnisend) make it easier to use wishlist data in lifecycle marketing.

Merchants can also see how Growave surfaces social proof and manages review collection and display in one place by learning how to collect and showcase authentic reviews.

Migration considerations

Switching from a point wishlist app to an integrated retention platform should include plan for:

• Exporting wishlist data (if available) and importing into the new system.
• Mapping loyalty tiers and referral parameters to the new platform.
• Testing customer flows in a staging environment and validating email triggers.

Growave’s resources and customer stories can help stores understand migration patterns and outcomes. Read customer stories from brands scaling retention to see practical examples and timelines.

How Growave compares on trust signals

• App store presence and adoption: Growave’s Shopify App Store listing and multiple hundreds of reviews signal a higher adoption and active merchant base. See the app store entry to evaluate the community feedback: install from the Shopify App Store.
• Review volume and rating: Growave displays notably higher review counts and ratings, which provide stronger social proof compared with the very small sample sizes of the two single-purpose apps compared earlier.

Cost perspective and pricing transparency

Consolidation can appear more expensive at first glance because platforms like Growave have broader pricing tiers. However, evaluated as "total cost of ownership," the integrated approach often presents better value for money than paying for multiple specialized apps. Merchants can compare plans and decide based on monthly orders and required feature set by visiting a consolidated pricing overview to consolidate retention features.

Migration Checklist: Moving From a Single-Purpose Wishlist to an Integrated Suite

• Audit current wishlist usage: total entries, conversion rate, and email reminder performance.
• Export wishlists and customer data if the current app provides export functionality.
• Map desired outcomes: loyalty integration, referral triggers, review automation.
• Test widget behavior in a staging theme to ensure no conflicts with existing scripts.
• Measure baseline KPIs for 30 days pre-implementation and 60 days post-implementation.

Explore the pricing tiers and sign-up options to determine which consolidated package suits the merchant’s order volume and growth plans: compare plans and pricing.

Conclusion

For merchants choosing between ESC Wishlist + Save for Later and Wishlist Pilot, the decision comes down to simplicity versus scalability and automation. ESC Wishlist + Save for Later suits small stores that want a minimal save-for-later widget visible at checkout and social sharing without complexity. Wishlist Pilot is better for merchants that need persistent wishlists for anonymous users, automated email reminders, and a clear upgrade path as wishlist activity rises.

Beyond those two choices, many merchants find greater long-term value in an integrated retention platform that centralizes wishlists with loyalty, referrals, and reviews. Consolidation reduces vendor management, preserves data continuity, and opens cross-feature strategies that single-point wishlist apps cannot deliver on their own. For teams ready to reduce tool sprawl and invest in retention as a system, Growave presents an alternative that bundles wishlist functionality with loyalty and review management. Merchants can compare plans, assess fit for their order volume, and start trialing the platform by visiting the Growave pricing page to consolidate retention features.

Start a 14-day free trial of Growave to see how a unified retention stack accelerates growth and reduces the number of point solutions a store needs to manage. Start a 14-day free trial

FAQ

What are the main differences between ESC Wishlist + Save for Later and Wishlist Pilot?

• ESC focuses on a simple save-for-later experience located under the cart, plus social sharing. Wishlist Pilot focuses on product-level wishlists with session persistence, email reminders, and scalable plans. ESC is minimal and low-touch; Wishlist Pilot is better for stores that want automation and growth capacity.

Which app is easier to implement?

• Both advertise one-click installs and theme compatibility, so initial implementation is straightforward. Wishlist Pilot may require additional configuration for reminders and plan selection, while ESC is more plug-and-play for a single cart-level widget.

How should a merchant decide between a single-purpose wishlist app and an all-in-one platform?

• Consider long-term retention strategy and operational overhead. If wishlist behavior will be tied to loyalty, referrals, or review requests, an integrated platform reduces friction and delivers better coordinated campaigns. For merchants wanting to centralize retention tools, it’s helpful to evaluate consolidated platforms and compare total cost of ownership rather than the monthly cost of each point app. Learn more about combining wishlist and loyalty strategies by exploring loyalty and rewards that drive repeat purchases.

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

• An all-in-one platform removes cross-app complexity by centralizing data, widgets, and campaigns. This enables cross-feature incentives (for example, rewarding wishlist shares through a loyalty program) and simplifies analytics. Specialized apps can be lighter-weight and cheaper initially, but they often require manual coordination and multiple vendor relationships as a store grows. For merchants planning to scale retention programs, an integrated approach often provides better value for money and operational simplicity. See how centralized review and UGC workflows can support retention by learning how to collect and showcase authentic reviews.