Introduction
Choosing the right wishlist app is a practical decision with direct effects on conversions, repeat visits, and average order value. Shopify merchants often juggle multiple single-purpose apps to add features like wishlists, reviews, and loyalty—each addition increases maintenance overhead and risks inconsistent customer experiences.
Short answer: K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist is a strong, user-friendly option for merchants who want a polished, shareable wishlist with clear UI and tiered pricing; Simple Wishlist suits stores that need a very lightweight, no-code wishlist with minimal configuration. For merchants who want more long-term retention impact and fewer apps to manage, a unified retention platform such as Growave offers better value for money by combining wishlist functionality with loyalty, referrals, and reviews.
This post provides an in-depth, feature-by-feature comparison of K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist and Simple Wishlist. The goal is to clarify strengths, trade-offs, and the specific merchant profiles best served by each app, then explain why many stores ultimately benefit from consolidating wishlist capability into a broader retention stack.
K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist vs. Simple Wishlist: At a Glance
| Aspect | K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist (Kaktus) | Simple Wishlist (eCommerce Custom Apps) |
|---|---|---|
| Core Function | Wishlist with floating button, shareable lists, popup/embedded views | Lightweight wishlist with simple add-to-wishlist button and wishlist page |
| Best For | Merchants who want polished UX, social sharing, and tiered pricing | Stores that need a minimal, no-code wishlist with basic styling options |
| Rating (Shopify) | 4.7 (81 reviews) | 4.4 (2 reviews) |
| Free Plan | Yes (free to install with core features) | Not listed (no pricing details in public listing) |
| Paid Plans | Growth $6.70/mo, Growth 2 $19.99/mo | Not listed |
| Key Features | Floating button, header icon, shareable lists, popup/embedded wishlists, customizable labels & colors, wishlist analytics | One-click wishlist, button design options, wishlist display page, no store code changes |
| Integrations & Works With | Works with Checkout | Not specified |
| Ideal Outcome | Increase saves, support gift lists & social sharing, gather product interest data | Provide a simple save-for-later option without added code or complexity |
Deep Dive Comparison
High-Level Positioning
K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist positions itself as a versatile wishlist solution that balances immediate usability with basic customization and social-sharing features. The app emphasizes quick setup, a floating action button, and multiple display modes so customers can save and share items.
Simple Wishlist pitches simplicity and a no-code setup. Its appeal is straightforward: a single-click wishlist experience with a focus on keeping things minimal. The developer highlights that no custom code is injected into a merchant’s theme and that button design can be altered.
Both apps solve the same basic merchant need—letting visitors save products for later—but they diverge in scope, transparency of pricing, and polish.
Features
Core Wishlist Mechanics
K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist:
- Persistent floating wishlist button plus optional header icon for universal access.
- Multiple display modes: popup, embedded wishlist page, or dedicated page view.
- Social sharing of wishlists to encourage gifting and referrals.
- Save notifications and customer-specific wishlists to support returning shoppers.
Simple Wishlist:
- One-click "Add to Wishlist" behavior that changes button state immediately.
- A wishlist display page where customers see saved items.
- Button styling choices to match brand aesthetics.
- Emphasis on not modifying theme code.
Practical takeaway: K Wish List is feature-rich for wishlist needs—floating action, sharing, and multiple display types—while Simple Wishlist covers the essential mechanics with a focus on simplicity.
Customization and Brand Fit
K Wish List:
- Lets merchants customize labels, icons, and colors for a branded look.
- Provides choices between a floating icon and header integration to match store layout.
- Design options enable better alignment with site navigation and mobile behavior.
Simple Wishlist:
- Offers button design options and a wishlist page layout that can be styled.
- Avoids theme code changes, which reduces risk but can constrain deep styling or layout adjustments.
Practical takeaway: Brands that care about precise UI alignment will find K Wish List’s customization more flexible. Stores that prioritize low risk and minimal design tweaks will appreciate Simple Wishlist’s non-invasive approach.
Social Sharing & Gift Use Cases
K Wish List:
- Explicitly supports sharing wishlists via social media and direct links, which helps gift-driven purchases and seasonal promotions.
- Shareable lists can generate referral-like traffic when friends and family view saved items.
Simple Wishlist:
- Does not highlight social sharing in the public description, focusing instead on saves and the wishlist page.
Practical takeaway: If social sharing and gift registries are part of the growth playbook, K Wish List provides a clearer set of features to support that channel.
Mobile Behavior & UX
K Wish List:
- Floating button is mobile-friendly, offering persistent access without requiring users to navigate back to product pages.
- Popup and embedded views can be optimized for mobile consumption.
Simple Wishlist:
- The single-click button works on mobile but the lack of a floating control may mean users need to navigate manually to save items.
Practical takeaway: Mobile-first merchants will likely prefer K Wish List’s floating button for frictionless product saves.
Setup, Installation & Onboarding
K Wish List:
- Marketed as quick to set up with no coding required for basic use.
- Offers multiple presets for icons and placements, reducing time to launch.
- Paid tiers add features without complex configuration.
Simple Wishlist:
- Emphasizes no custom code inserted into themes; this lowers risk and avoids conflicts during theme updates.
- Setup should be particularly straightforward for stores that want minimal changes.
Practical takeaway: For merchants who prefer plug-and-play and want to avoid theme edits, both apps can work, but Simple Wishlist is designed specifically around that constraint. K Wish List provides more options but may require slightly more initial tuning for the preferred layout.
Pricing and Value
K Wish List:
- Free plan covers core wishlist features (floating button, header icon, add-to-wishlist notification, social sharing, popup & embedded types, and customer wishlists).
- Growth tier at $6.70/mo adds or duplicates core features (per listing) and Growth 2 at $19.99/mo provides the same feature set in the public description—merchants should confirm the incremental benefits when installing.
- Good entry-level value if the free plan meets needs; paid tiers are affordable for growing stores.
Simple Wishlist:
- No pricing publicly listed in the provided data. This opacity can slow evaluation and creates friction for merchants comparing cost vs. value.
- The absence of visible tiers suggests that merchants must contact the developer or install the app to view pricing.
Practical takeaway: K Wish List is more transparent about pricing and offers a meaningful free tier, which lowers the barrier to testing. Simple Wishlist’s unclear pricing is a drawback for merchants who prioritize fast, apples-to-apples cost comparisons.
Integrations & Technical Compatibility
K Wish List:
- Works with Checkout (explicitly listed).
- Standard wishlist functionality generally plays well with customer accounts and basic analytics.
Simple Wishlist:
- Public listing does not specify integrations.
- The promise of no custom code implies fewer integration points; this can be both an advantage (low risk) and a limitation (fewer native hooks to tie into other systems).
Practical takeaway: Stores that want wishlist events to flow into marketing automation or analytics platforms should verify integration details—K Wish List’s explicit checkout compatibility is a plus, while Simple Wishlist will require deeper checks or manual workarounds.
Data & Reporting
K Wish List:
- Mentions tracking wishlist usage to gain insights into product interest.
- Having visibility into saved product counts and list sharing can help merchandising and promotional planning.
Simple Wishlist:
- Does not publicly describe reporting capabilities beyond the wishlist display page.
Practical takeaway: For data-driven merchants who plan to act on saved product insights—segmenting users, promoting wishlisted items, or adjusting inventory—K Wish List provides more transparency about tracking features.
Support & Documentation
K Wish List:
- Public listing mentions "Knowledgeable Support."
- With 81 reviews and a high 4.7 rating, user satisfaction appears solid—reviews are an important proxy for support quality and reliability.
Simple Wishlist:
- Fewer public reviews (2) and a 4.4 rating; limited feedback makes it harder to assess support responsiveness and quality.
Practical takeaway: The volume of reviews and higher score for K Wish List suggest more merchant experience with the app and likely more mature support processes. Merchants should still test support responsiveness during evaluation.
Reliability, Code Safety & Performance
K Wish List:
- Designed to work with checkout and provide persistent UI elements; this requires injecting small scripts or theme snippets but the app claims quick setup without coding.
- Monitor page speed impacts after installation—floating buttons and popups can affect render time if not optimized.
Simple Wishlist:
- Stresses that no custom code is added to stores, which reduces the risk of theme breakage or performance regressions caused by incorrect snippets.
- The trade-off is potentially limited control over how and where the wishlist UI displays.
Practical takeaway: Simple Wishlist’s no-code stance minimizes integration risk. K Wish List offers richer UI but merchants should validate performance on their theme, especially if using many apps.
Security & Data Ownership
Both apps handle customer wishlist data. Merchants should confirm:
- Where wishlist data is stored and how it can be exported.
- Whether wishlists are tied to customer accounts or anonymous sessions.
- GDPR/CCPA compliance and retention policies.
K Wish List mentions "Customers Wishlists" as a feature, implying account-linked storage. Simple Wishlist leaves these behaviors unspecified, so merchants must review privacy and data handling in app documentation before deployment.
Pros and Cons Summary
K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist
- Pros:
- Rich feature set (floating button, popup/embedded pages, social sharing).
- Clear pricing structure with a usable free tier.
- Higher review volume and strong average rating (4.7 from 81 reviews).
- Tracking of wishlist usage to inform merchandising.
- Cons:
- Feature parity between paid tiers is not fully detailed in the listing; confirm exact differences.
- Floating UI elements can impact perceived page performance if not optimized.
Simple Wishlist
- Pros:
- Extremely simple setup with no code changes to themes.
- Clean, minimal UI for stores that want a basic save-for-later option.
- Lightweight behavior reduces maintenance burden.
- Cons:
- Limited publicly-documented features and integrations.
- Very small review sample (2 reviews) and slightly lower rating (4.4).
- Lack of visible pricing can complicate cost evaluation.
Use Cases and Merchant Recommendations
K Wish List is a good match for:
- Brands that want social sharing and gift registry-type functionality.
- Merchants who want visible, on-screen wishlist access via a floating button.
- Stores that need basic wishlist analytics to inform promotions and inventory.
- Teams comfortable testing the free tier and upgrading to low-cost paid plans as needs grow.
Simple Wishlist is a good match for:
- Small stores or niche sellers that need a single, unobtrusive wishlist without theme edits.
- Merchants who prefer minimal tooling and want to avoid potential theme conflicts.
- Stores that want to test wishlist functionality before committing to more advanced features.
Where Both Fall Short for Growth-Oriented Merchants
Many growth-focused merchants will find both apps limited because they address one retention touchpoint only. Wishlist saves are valuable signals of interest, but real gains in retention and lifetime value come from orchestrating wishlist data with loyalty, referrals, and reviews. That requires either adding more apps or adopting a single platform that provides multiple retention tools with consistent UX and integrated reporting.
The Alternative: Solving App Fatigue with an All-in-One Platform
Why App Fatigue Matters
As stores scale, adding single-point solutions for each optimization—wishlist here, loyalty there, reviews elsewhere—creates several persistent problems:
- Technical overhead from multiple scripts, snippet conflicts, and theme edits.
- Fragmented customer experience where loyalty rules, review collection, and saved-item prompts feel disconnected.
- Higher total cost of ownership as each app adds a monthly fee and consumes managerial time.
- Harder data workflows: exporting wishlist saves into email flows or loyalty programs often requires manual steps or custom integrations.
This phenomenon—app fatigue—leads many merchants to reevaluate whether an integrated solution yields better long-term outcomes than a collection of narrowly focused tools.
More Growth, Less Stack: The Growave Proposition
Growave’s approach is to combine wishlist functionality with loyalty, referrals, reviews & UGC, and VIP tiers into a single, cohesive platform. The value proposition is simple: reduce tool sprawl while unlocking retention tactics that compound each other. For example, a wishlisted product can be used to trigger a loyalty incentive, a review request after purchase, or a referral prompt if the wishlist is shared.
Merchants can explore pricing and compare plans to understand how consolidation reduces complexity and increases ROI by choosing to consolidate retention features.
How an Integrated Suite Addresses the Gaps
- Unified customer profiles: Wishlist saves, reward points, referral status, and review history are viewable in a single profile.
- Cross-feature automation: Trigger reward points for wishlist activity or offer personalized discounts when a wishlisted item goes on sale.
- Consistent branding and UX: One platform ensures loyalty widgets, wishlist buttons, and review request emails have a cohesive look and feel.
- Fewer integration conflicts: One vendor handling many hooks reduces the likelihood of code collisions and theme breakage.
For stores considering an integrated option, Growave’s Shopify App Store listing is a convenient way to install and compare features.
Growave Feature Highlights (Contextual Links Included)
Growave combines several modules that address common post-wishlist needs:
- Loyalty and Rewards
- Merchants can build loyalty and rewards that drive repeat purchases, such as points for purchases, social shares, and wishlist actions. Loyalty encourages customers who saved items to return and complete purchases.
- Reviews & UGC
- The platform includes tools to collect and showcase authentic reviews, increasing social proof for wishlisted items and feeding review snippets into product pages and marketing.
- Wishlist
- Native wishlist tools are part of the suite, so saving items feeds directly into loyalty and CRM rules. Wishlists become actionable triggers rather than siloed data points.
- Referrals & VIP Tiers
- Referral campaigns turn shareable wishlists into growth channels, while VIP tiers reward top customers and encourage repeat purchases.
Merchants can read customer examples and inspiration to see how other brands combine these features in practice by viewing customer stories from brands scaling retention.
How Growave Compares on Key Criteria
- Feature Breadth
- Unlike single-purpose wishlist apps, Growave covers multiple retention channels in one product. That creates opportunities for multi-step campaigns (e.g., wishlisting → reward email → review request).
- Pricing & Value
- Growave offers tiered pricing to match store scale, with a free plan and paid tiers starting at $49/month. For stores that would otherwise subscribe to several single-purpose apps, this structure often offers better value for money. Explore the plan breakdown on the pricing page to evaluate ROI and thresholds for monthly orders and support levels: compare plans.
- Integrations
- Growave lists many integrations and app compatibilities, including Klaviyo, Omnisend, Recharge, and customer service platforms, which makes it easier to route wishlist data into existing workflows. For Plus merchants requiring scale-focused features, Growave provides solutions for high-growth Plus brands and enterprise-level support.
- Support & Onboarding
- Higher-tier plans include priority support and dedicated success resources. This reduces friction at rollout and shortens time to value for merchants replacing multiple legacy tools with one platform.
- Social Proof and Trust
- Growave’s app listing shows a strong review base (1,197 reviews at 4.8). That scale of feedback provides greater confidence in the platform’s stability and customer support compared to small standalone apps.
Merchants can also find Growave on the Shopify App Store to examine reviews and installation information: install from the Shopify App Store.
Practical Examples of Integrated Workflows
- Recover wishlists with targeted email
- When a customer saves an item, the platform can automatically enroll the user in a small email flow nudging them with stock alerts or limited-time discounts, tied to loyalty incentives earned for completing the purchase.
- Increase AOV with rewards
- Reward points for adding items to a wishlist or sharing it with friends. When a wishlist item goes on sale, a reward-based discount can be offered to convert interest into action.
- Amplify trust with reviews
- Use review automation to request feedback after purchase, then display UGC on product pages for wishlisted items—this shortens the buyer’s decision path and improves conversion rates.
These are concrete examples of how wishlist signals become levers rather than isolated metrics.
When an All-In-One Platform May Not Be Right
All-in-one platforms bring many benefits, but there are scenarios where a single-purpose app remains appropriate:
- Very small stores testing a single feature with minimal budget.
- Stores with unique, custom-built loyalty or review solutions where integration cost is prohibitive.
- Shops that require an extremely lightweight widget with no additional features or monthly cost.
Even in those cases, consider the long-term cost of adding multiple one-off apps as the store grows.
How to Evaluate the Transition
- Map current functionality: List the wishlist, loyalty, review, and referral features currently in use.
- Add up subscription costs and the time spent on maintenance and support.
- Prioritize the top three customer journeys that would benefit from integration (e.g., wishlisting → email → purchase).
- Trial the unified solution and measure how quickly wishlist data flows into marketing automation and loyalty triggers.
Merchants can review Growave’s pricing tiers and feature sets to assess the transition costs and benefits on the pricing page: evaluate plan tiers. For merchants who prefer to test directly in-store, the Shopify App Store listing offers a quick installation path: try on the Shopify App Store.
Transition Checklist: Moving from a Single Wishlist App to a Unified Platform
- Confirm exportability of saved items and user wishlists from the existing app.
- Map which wishlist events should create loyalty points, email triggers, or review requests.
- Coordinate theme and UX updates so the wishlist UI feels consistent across loyalty and review widgets.
- Test on a staging environment where possible, monitoring page speed and user flows.
- Validate customer account behavior—whether wishlists remain tied to accounts after migration.
- Review GDPR/CCPA implications and consent mechanisms when consolidating customer data.
Growave’s onboarding resources and customer stories can help illustrate how stores navigate these steps: customer stories and inspiration.
Migrating Data and Preserving SEO/UX
When switching from a standalone wishlist app to an integrated platform:
- Preserve public wishlist URLs if wishlists are shareable so links remain valid.
- Maintain redirect rules for any pages that change.
- Communicate changes to active users, especially if loyalty benefits or saved lists are affected.
- Test share links and email templates to ensure referral and social flows continue uninterrupted.
In many migrations, the benefit of combining wishlist data with loyalty and review flows outweighs the upfront migration effort.
Conclusion
For merchants choosing between K Wish List‑Advanced Wishlist and Simple Wishlist, the decision comes down to need and scale. K Wish List is best for stores that want a feature-rich wishlist experience with social sharing, floating button access, and transparent, affordable pricing (free tier + low-cost paid plans). Simple Wishlist is best for shops that need a minimal, no-code wishlist that is easy to install and maintain. Both can serve basic wishlist purposes well.
For merchants focused on sustainable retention, lifetime value, and operational efficiency, a single-purpose wishlist app will eventually feel limiting. Consolidating wishlist capability into a broader retention platform reduces the number of integrations to manage and unlocks higher-impact workflows across loyalty, reviews, and referrals. Growave’s philosophy—More Growth, Less Stack—addresses this need by combining wishlist functionality with loyalty, referrals, and review automation in one suite. Learn how to consolidate retention features and evaluate whether a unified tool reduces overhead while increasing repeat purchases.
Start a 14-day free trial to see how a unified retention stack accelerates growth: start a 14-day free trial.
For merchants who want to investigate further, explore Growave on the Shopify App Store to review user feedback and installation details: install from the Shopify App Store.
FAQ
Q: Which app is better if the only requirement is a simple "save for later" button? A: Simple Wishlist is designed for this use case; it provides a single-click save and a wishlist page with minimal setup and no theme code changes. K Wish List also supports basic saves but adds floating UI and sharing features best for stores that want more visible save points.
Q: How do K Wish List and Simple Wishlist compare on pricing transparency? A: K Wish List discloses a free tier and two low-cost paid options ($6.70/mo and $19.99/mo), which makes cost comparison straightforward. Simple Wishlist’s public listing does not show pricing, requiring merchants to contact the developer or install the app to view costs.
Q: If a merchant wants wishlist activity to trigger loyalty rewards, which option is preferable? A: Neither single-purpose wishlist app natively offers the full set of cross-feature automations a merchant might need. For wishlist-triggered loyalty actions, an integrated platform that combines wishlist, loyalty, and referral tools—so the save events become automations—is preferable. See how to build loyalty and rewards that drive repeat purchases with wishlist triggers.
Q: How does an all-in-one platform compare to specialized apps? A: An all-in-one platform reduces integration work, centralizes customer data, and enables cross-feature automation (for example, using wishlists to trigger review requests or loyalty incentives). This consolidation often yields better value for money and a more consistent customer experience. To understand how review collection works alongside wishlist functions, merchants can review tools to collect and showcase authentic reviews.








