K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist vs. First Wish ‑ Wishlist & Boards: An In-Depth Comparison

Introduction

Choosing the right wishlist app can affect conversion, average order value, and customer retention, yet merchants face a crowded app store with many single-purpose options. This comparison focuses on two wishlist-focused Shopify apps—K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist (by Kaktus) and First Wish ‑ Wishlist & Boards (by Vellir)—to clarify which one fits different merchant needs.

Short answer: K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist is a strong choice for merchants who want a lightweight, easy-to-install wishlist with visual placement options and basic sharing features. First Wish ‑ Wishlist & Boards promises more structured lists and admin analytics but, based on current public data, shows limited adoption and tepid ratings that raise concerns about maturity and support. For merchants who want to avoid tool fragmentation and capture more retention outcomes (loyalty, referrals, reviews, wishlists) within one system, Growave presents a higher-value, consolidated alternative.

This article provides a feature-by-feature, objective comparison of both apps—covering UX, sharing, admin analytics, pricing and limits, integrations, and support—so merchants can decide which app fits their store today and what trade-offs to expect as the business scales.

K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist vs. First Wish ‑ Wishlist & Boards: At a Glance

Deep Dive Comparison

Overview of positioning and maturity

K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist (Kaktus) positions itself as a fast, user-friendly wishlist that emphasizes visible CTAs (floating button, header icon) and social sharing. The app has a moderate adoption signal with 81 reviews and a high average rating of 4.7, suggesting merchants find the core wishlist experience solid.

First Wish ‑ Wishlist & Boards (Vellir) claims to offer curated boards, cross-device sync for logged-in users, and an admin dashboard of activity metrics. However, public data shows a single review and a rating of 1.0, indicating limited adoption or early release status and raising questions about reliability, quality assurance, and support responsiveness.

These signals matter because wishlist features touch the storefront and billing flow; merchants should weigh both feature fit and vendor maturity.

Features

Wishlist UI and placement

K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist:

• Offers a floating wishlist button and a header/navigation icon to keep the CTA visible on product pages and across the catalog.
• Supports multiple wishlist views: dedicated page, popup, and embedded wishlist.
• Customizable labels, icons, and colors to better match store branding without coding.
• Notifications for "add to wishlist" actions that provide immediate user feedback.

First Wish ‑ Wishlist & Boards:

• Provides typical add-to-wishlist buttons and supports anonymous and logged-in users.
• Emphasizes curated boards—collections of saved products that customers can group for events, projects, or categories.
• Claims device synchronization for logged-in customers, enabling continuity across desktop and mobile.

Analysis:

• If the immediate goal is a prominent, always-accessible wishlist CTA and a simple save-for-later flow, K Wish List’s floating button and header integration are strong advantages.
• If a brand expects shoppers to build multiple named collections (boards) and return to them, the curated boards concept in First Wish is valuable—provided the feature works consistently and scales.

Sharing and social features

K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist:

• Social media sharing of wishlist items and lists.
• Useful for gift-focused shopping and seasonal promotions where customers share wishlists with friends and family.
• Sharing is mentioned as built-in across plans, including the free plan.

First Wish ‑ Wishlist & Boards:

• Boards are explicitly shareable via social media and messaging apps.
• Works for visitors and logged-in users, broadening the shareable audience.
• Sharing fits well with social commerce strategies and collaborative shopping.

Analysis:

• Both apps surface social sharing; K Wish List focuses on quick sharing primitives while First Wish frames sharing within curated, named boards. For stores that want customers to create sharable gift lists or event-specific boards, First Wish’s structure is theoretically better—but reliability and UX quality are decisive.

Account sync and cross-device behavior

K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist:

• Supports customer wishlists tied to accounts, which enables persistence for logged-in customers.
• No detailed public documentation on automatic cross-device sync scope beyond "Customers Wishlists."

First Wish ‑ Wishlist & Boards:

• Explicitly advertises cross-device synchronization for logged-in customers.
• Also caters to anonymous visitors with saved items, subject to usage caps in free tier.

Analysis:

• Cross-device sync is critical for conversion: many shoppers browse on mobile and checkout on desktop, or vice versa. First Wish claims sync explicitly; K Wish List supports account-based wishlists but is less explicit about sync mechanics. Merchants requiring firm cross-device persistence should validate sync behavior during trial.

Customization and branding

K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist:

• Offers label, icon, and color customization to match the storefront style.
• Multiple display options (float, icon, embedded) give flexibility to integrate with various themes.

First Wish ‑ Wishlist & Boards:

• Mentions customizable or translatable labels and the ability to create and name boards.
• Less explicit about visual customizability or theme friction.

Analysis:

• For brands with strict visual guidelines, K Wish List appears to provide straightforward customization tools to maintain consistency without code. First Wish supports textual customization but may require further verification for deeper styling controls.

Analytics, admin dashboard, and insights

K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist:

• Notes tracking wishlist usage to gain product interest insights, but public detail on analytics dashboard and metrics is limited.

First Wish ‑ Wishlist & Boards:

• Highlights an admin dashboard with usage metrics, activity reports, and best-performing products from wishlists.

Analysis:

• First Wish claims more robust admin reporting out of the box, which is useful for merchandising (identifying products with high interest but low conversion). K Wish List may provide tracking, but merchants seeking a dashboard for marketing or inventory decisions should test First Wish’s analytics during the trial—keeping in mind the uncertainty around stability.

Pricing & Value

K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist pricing summary

• Free Plan (Free to install): Includes floating button, header icon, add-to-wishlist button, add-to-wishlist notification, social media sharing, popup & embedded wishlist types, customer wishlists, and support.
• Growth: $6.70 / month — feature list aligns with free plan (may include higher usage allowances or branding removal; merchants should confirm differences).
• Growth 2: $19.99 / month — same feature list publicly listed; differences likely lie in usage or support SLA.

Value considerations:

• K Wish List provides a functional free tier that covers most basic wishlist needs—useful for smaller stores or merchants wanting quick A/B tests.
• Paid tiers are inexpensive and positioned for incremental usage or additional support; however, publicly available plan differences are unclear and should be confirmed with the developer before upgrading.

First Wish ‑ Wishlist & Boards pricing summary

• Free: Up to 1,000 wishlist adds/month (supports anonymous and logged-in customers).
• Beginner: $9.90 / month — 5,000 wishlist adds/month, unlimited boards, sharing.
• Advanced: $19.90 / month — 20,000 wishlist adds/month.
• Pro: $29.90 / month — 50,000 wishlist adds/month.

Value considerations:

• First Wish uses a usage-based model measured in wishlist adds per month, which can be beneficial for stores with predictable volumes. The free tier is limited by the 1,000-add cap.
• For high-traffic stores with active social sharing, the adds cap may push merchants to higher tiers quickly, making First Wish potentially more expensive for larger catalogs or highly social stores.

Practical pricing trade-offs

• Merchants that primarily need a visible wishlist CTA and occasional sharing may find K Wish List’s free tier provides better short-term value.
• Merchants expecting heavy usage, multiple boards per customer, or curated social campaigns should weigh First Wish’s monthly caps against expected adds. The tiered pricing provides a predictable scaling path but can become more expensive at higher traffic levels.
• Both apps are single-function tools. Merchants should calculate total cost of ownership: a wishlist app plus a reviews app, loyalty app, and referral app multiplies subscription fees and increases management overhead.

Integrations & Technical Compatibility

K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist:

• Listed as working with Checkout.
• Designed to be theme-friendly with floating buttons and embedded widgets.
• Integration notes beyond checkout are limited in public listing.

First Wish ‑ Wishlist & Boards:

• Works With field is not listed publicly, creating uncertainty for merchants on compatibility with checkout customizations, subscription platforms, or headless/Plus setups.

Analysis:

• Merchants using advanced checkout flows (subscriptions, headless storefronts, or Shopify Plus checkout extensions) should verify compatibility with the app developer before install.
• K Wish List’s explicit "Works With: Checkout" tag suggests some level of checkout integration, but the depth is unclear. First Wish needs direct confirmation of compatibility, especially for merchants using apps like Recharge or custom checkouts.

Implementation, Theme Compatibility, and Performance

K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist:

• Marketed as “set up in minutes with no coding required,” implying standard snippets, theme app blocks, or app proxy flows.
• Floating buttons and embedded widgets can cause layout shifts if not well-implemented; merchant reviews suggest generally positive UX, but testing is recommended.

First Wish ‑ Wishlist & Boards:

• Promises easy install and works for anonymous and logged-in visitors. The extent of theme modifications required is unclear from the listing.

Performance and page speed:

• Any wishlist app adds front-end JavaScript and assets; merchants sensitive to page speed must benchmark before and after installation.
• Lightweight apps with deferred asset loading and async scripts cause smaller speed impacts; developers should confirm whether the app supports lazy loading or minimal scripts for critical pages.

Support, Reviews, and Vendor Reliability

K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist:

• 81 reviews with an average 4.7 rating on Shopify’s App Store signals reasonable adoption and satisfaction.
• "Knowledgeable Support" is mentioned in plan descriptions; merchants should examine review comments for response times and resolution quality.

First Wish ‑ Wishlist & Boards:

• Only 1 review with a 1.0 rating is a red flag on public confidence. Low review count can mean a new app or lack of traction; a single negative review heavily skews perception.
• Merchants should be cautious and either test the app thoroughly or request references before committing.

Practical guidance:

• Review counts and ratings provide social proof and indicate vendor maturity. For commerce-critical functionality, a vendor with more reviews and consistent positive feedback reduces operational risk.
• If a merchant is considering First Wish, requesting a live demo, implementation checklist, and support SLA is essential given the sparse public feedback.

Data Portability and Ownership

Both apps handle customer interactions and saved wishlists:

• Merchants should confirm data export options—ability to export wishlist data for CRM, email segmentation, or migration.
• For GDPR and data privacy compliance, confirm how anonymous wishlist data is stored and whether customers can request deletion of their saved lists.

K Wish List mentions customer wishlists and tracking of usage; First Wish mentions admin dashboard metrics. However, neither listing details data export formats or APIs—ask the developer and review privacy policies before deploying.

Security and Compliance

• Any app that interacts with checkout or customer accounts should adhere to Shopify’s security standards.
• Merchants on Shopify Plus or those handling sensitive customer behavior should confirm if the app processes PII, where it is stored, and whether it complies with regional regulations.
• For merchants using Growave later as consolidation, note Growave’s stated integrations and enterprise support; however, this is detailed in the Alternative section below.

Use Cases and Recommendations

K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist is best for:

• Small to mid-size stores needing a visible, easy-to-install wishlist with floating button and social sharing.
• Merchants prioritizing fast deployment and low monthly fees with a functional free plan for testing.
• Stores that want basic wishlist analytics and minimal maintenance overhead.

First Wish ‑ Wishlist & Boards is best for:

• Stores that expect customers to create multiple curated boards (gift registries, event lists) and value a structured list experience.
• Merchants who will monitor wishlist activity for merchandising decisions via the admin dashboard—provided the app’s analytics are robust.
• Brands that plan predictable wishlist volume and prefer usage-based pricing tied to wishlist adds.

When not to pick them:

• If retention strategy spans loyalty programs, referrals, reviews, and VIP tiers, either app as a single-function tool will increase stack complexity and recurring costs.
• If technical compatibility with custom checkout, subscriptions, or headless storefronts is required, validate compatibility first.

Pros and Cons Summary

K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist (Kaktus)

Pros:

• High average rating (4.7) and 81 reviews indicate positive merchant experience.
• Multiple placement options: floating button, header icon, embedded wishlist.
• Free tier includes key wishlist features and social sharing.
• Low-cost paid tiers for expanding usage.

Cons:

• Analytics depth is unclear; may not provide robust admin reporting.
• Public documentation on integrations and checkout behavior is limited—merchants should confirm compatibility.

First Wish ‑ Wishlist & Boards (Vellir)

Pros:

• Feature set includes curated boards, sharing, cross-device sync for logged-in users, and an admin dashboard.
• Usage-based pricing with defined add limits for different store sizes.

Cons:

• Very low public adoption (1 review) and a rating of 1.0 raise concerns about reliability and support.
• Free tier limits (1,000 adds/month) may be restrictive for active stores.
• Unclear integration compatibility—lack of "Works With" listing requires merchant validation.

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

The problem: app fatigue and tool fragmentation

As stores grow, a patchwork of single-purpose apps (wishlists, loyalty, reviews, referrals) becomes costly to maintain and harder to orchestrate. This creates several headaches:

• Multiple subscription fees that add up month over month.
• Fragmented data—customer behavior, loyalty points, reviews, and wishlist activity live in separate systems, making unified segmentation and repeat purchase strategies difficult.
• Integration overhead—each app may require theme edits, additional scripts on storefronts, and compatibility checks for checkout, leading to brittle stacks.
• Operational complexity—support requests bounce between vendors when issues cross product boundaries.

These problems are often collectively called "app fatigue": the cumulative friction and cost of managing many single-function solutions.

Growave’s "More Growth, Less Stack" proposition

A single, unified platform can reduce complexity and improve retention outcomes by centralizing loyalty, reviews, referrals, and wishlist into one system. Growave positions itself with the “More Growth, Less Stack” philosophy—building the retention loop in one place so merchants can focus on strategies that increase customer lifetime value rather than stitching tools together.

Growave combines tools that matter for repeat purchases and engagement, enabling more coherent campaigns. Merchants can build loyalty and rewards that drive repeat purchases while also collecting and using customer feedback to inform reward triggers and product decisions.

How consolidation improves outcomes

• Unified customer profiles: Wishlist behavior, review submissions, referral activity, and loyalty status live in the same customer record, allowing precise segmentation and triggered campaigns.
• Cross-tool automation: Reward customers for writing reviews, for referring friends, or for adding items to wishlists—actions that single-purpose apps rarely automate across systems.
• Reduced friction: One app to install, one support contact, and centralized settings decrease implementation time and reduce theme/performance overhead.
• Cost efficiency: While the monthly fee for a consolidated platform may appear higher than a single wishlist app, once the cost of multiple subscriptions is considered, consolidation often delivers better value for money.

Growave feature highlights (how it addresses the wishlist app trade-offs)

• Wishlist plus retention stack: Growave includes Wishlist alongside Loyalty & Rewards, Referrals, Reviews & UGC, and VIP Tiers—replacing multiple subscriptions and unifying data flow.
• Integrations and compatibility: Designed to integrate with common tools (email platforms, customer support, subscription apps) so merchants don’t lose functionality when consolidating.
• Enterprise support: Offers plans and services tailored to growth and Shopify Plus merchants, including custom onboarding and priority support.

Merchants can learn more about specific Growave capabilities for alternative retention levers like reviews by exploring ways to collect and showcase authentic reviews and pair that behavior with loyalty incentives.

Practical comparisons: how Growave changes decision calculus

• If a merchant considers K Wish List for the floating CTA and sharing, Growave provides those wishlist features plus the option to tie wishlist actions directly into loyalty programs (e.g., reward points for saved items or completed purchases that originated from wishlists).
• If a merchant considers First Wish for curated boards and admin analytics, Growave provides wishlist organization along with cross-tool analytics that correlate wishlist interest with referral or review activity, enabling smarter merchandising decisions.

Merchants interested in seeing how consolidation affects their stack can install Growave from the Shopify App Store to test behavior in a live environment.

Cost and plan considerations for consolidation

Growave offers tiered plans built for different business sizes, with a free plan and paid tiers starting at $49/month. For example:

• Entry Plan: $49/month — includes Loyalty & Rewards, Reviews & UGC, Referrals, Wishlist, basic integrations.
• Growth Plan: $199/month — adds advanced customization and integrations.
• Plus Plan: $499/month — offers enterprise features for high-volume merchants and headless / API needs.

Those plans should be viewed against the total cost of running several single-function apps. For many stores, Growave delivers better value for money once multiple subscriptions and integration costs are considered. Merchants can compare plans and consolidate retention features on a single dashboard to reduce management overhead and increase lifetime value.

Merchants who want a live walkthrough can take the next step: Book a personalized demo to see how an integrated retention stack accelerates growth.
Book a personalized demo to see how an integrated retention stack accelerates growth.

Use-case examples for choosing consolidation over single apps

• A mid-size brand spending $30–$60 per month across three single-purpose apps (wishlist, reviews, rewards) may find a single Growave subscription offers the same functionality plus analytics and integration, lowering overall monthly spend and saving time.
• A brand using wishlists to capture gift intent but lacking a way to convert wishlist interest into repeat purchases can use Growave to automatically send rewards or tailored promotions to wishlist owners.
• Merchants seeking enterprise capabilities—API access, custom reward actions, and dedicated onboarding—can choose Growave’s Plus plan and avoid piecing together enterprise-level features from multiple vendors.

Explore how consolidation works in practice and how Growave integrates loyalty and wishlist behavior by viewing customer stories and inspiration for merchants implementing unified retention strategies. Merchant case studies can be reviewed to understand outcomes and implementation timelines.

Integrations and platform compatibility

Growave lists integrations across common marketing and operations tools, easing migration from single apps:

• Email & marketing automation platforms
• Customer support and help desk systems
• Shopify ecosystem apps (including compatibility for Shopify Plus requirements)

Merchants can validate integration needs with the Growave docs and the Shopify App Store listing:

• Explore pricing and plans to evaluate cost comparisons
• Install Growave from the Shopify App Store

When a single app still makes sense

• Very small stores or one-person operations that want a free wishlist quickly and have no near-term plans for loyalty or referrals may prefer K Wish List’s free plan until growth demands consolidation.
• Stores testing wishlist concepts or running short-term social campaigns may use a free or low-cost wishlist app for experimentation, then consolidate when retention strategy matures.

However, for merchants planning to build a retention flywheel—linking wishlist interest to rewards, referrals, and review incentives—consolidation reduces friction and improves measurable outcomes.

Final Comparison Summary and Recommendations

For merchants choosing between K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist and First Wish ‑ Wishlist & Boards, the decision comes down to three questions:

• Does the store need a lightweight, visible wishlist UI with a low barrier to entry? If so, K Wish List is a practical, well-rated choice with a functional free plan.
• Does the store require curated boards, named lists, and admin analytics tied to wishlist activity? First Wish promises those features, but the sparse adoption and low rating suggest caution and thorough testing.
• Is the merchant looking to scale retention beyond wishlists—tying wishlist behavior to loyalty, referrals, and reviews? A consolidated platform reduces tool sprawl and centralizes data, making long-term retention strategies more practical.

Recommendation by merchant profile:

• Small store with limited budget and simple wishlist needs: Start with K Wish List’s free plan to validate wishlist behavior.
• Store focused on curated boards and structured lists with predictable wishlist volume: Consider First Wish but validate performance and support quality in a trial.
• Growth-oriented merchants who want to increase LTV, reduce recurring tool fees, and automate cross-channel retention: Evaluate a consolidated platform like Growave to replace multiple single-purpose apps and build a coherent retention loop.

For merchants ready to migrate to an integrated retention platform and reduce stack complexity, explore pricing and plans to see how consolidation could create better long-term value. Merchants can consolidate retention features and evaluate whether the unified platform fits operational needs before committing.

Start a 14-day free trial to explore the integrated platform and see how consolidating wishlist, reviews, referrals, and loyalty works in a single dashboard.
Start a 14-day free trial

FAQ

What are the main functional differences between K Wish List and First Wish?

• K Wish List emphasizes visible CTAs (floating button, header icon), easy setup, and social sharing with a higher review count and rating. First Wish emphasizes curated boards, cross-device sync for logged-in users, and an admin dashboard for activity reporting. The choice depends on whether the priority is quick UI placement (K Wish List) or structured lists and admin analytics (First Wish).

How do pricing models affect total cost of ownership?

• K Wish List offers very low-cost plans and a free tier that covers basic wishlist features. First Wish uses a usage-based pricing model measured in wishlist adds per month, which can scale up as usage grows. Factor in the cost of additional standalone apps (reviews, loyalty, referrals) when calculating total monthly spend—multiple single-function apps often cost more than a consolidated platform.

Is cross-device synchronization guaranteed with both apps?

• First Wish clarifies cross-device sync for logged-in users; K Wish List supports customer wishlists tied to accounts but is less explicit about sync mechanics. Merchants should test both apps in their store environment to confirm sync behavior before relying on them for cross-device user journeys.

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

• An all-in-one platform centralizes multiple retention features (wishlist, loyalty, referrals, reviews) and the related customer data, enabling cross-tool automation and unified analytics. This reduces integration overhead and often provides better value for money for growing merchants. For those focusing only on a simple wishlist temporarily, a single-purpose app may suffice, but consolidation typically offers stronger long-term ROI for retention-focused strategies.

Additional Resources

• Learn how loyalty can drive repeat purchases and be combined with wishlists for better LTV by reviewing loyalty and rewards that drive repeat purchases.
• See how review collection and display can be tied into rewards and wishlist actions by exploring ways to collect and showcase authentic reviews.
• To evaluate the platform live, merchants can install Growave from the Shopify App Store or review pricing and plans to compare total cost and functionality before migrating.