Stensiled Wishlist vs. Swish (formerly Wishlist King): An In-Depth Comparison

Introduction

Choosing the right wishlist app is a small decision that can have outsized effects on customer engagement, repeat purchases, and long-term retention. Shopify merchants face thousands of single-purpose apps that promise incremental gains, but the practical question is which tool fits the store’s operational needs and growth plans without adding unnecessary complexity.

Short answer: Stensiled Wishlist is a simple, low-friction option for stores that want basic wishlist capabilities and analytics at minimal cost, while Swish (formerly Wishlist King) targets stores that need advanced customization, white‑glove setup, and stronger automation and integrations. For merchants who want to reduce tool sprawl and capture higher lifetime value, an integrated retention platform like Growave can deliver wishlist capability alongside loyalty, referrals, and reviews for better value and fewer apps.

Purpose: This article provides a detailed, feature-by-feature comparison of Stensiled Wishlist and Swish (formerly Wishlist King) to help merchants decide which is the better fit for their store. After the comparison, the article examines why consolidating retention tools into a single platform can be more effective and introduces Growave as a full-feature alternative.

Stensiled Wishlist vs. Swish (formerly Wishlist King): At a Glance

Deep Dive Comparison

The following sections compare the two apps across the practical criteria merchants use when choosing a wishlist solution: core features, customization and UX, analytics and reporting, integrations, pricing and value, implementation and support, scalability, and final recommendations by use case.

Features

Wishlist Basics and Save-For-Later

Stensiled Wishlist

• Offers the basic wishlist and "save for later" options. The free Basic Plan explicitly lists code-free setup, wishlist analytics, custom icons, and save-for-later.
• Saves items for customers and provides activity tracking with time-range filters.

Swish (formerly Wishlist King)

• Positions itself as a full-featured wishlist tool that lets customers save items across the entire shopping journey.
• Unlimited wishlists and saved items are included at all paid tiers.
• Emphasis on using wishlist data to trigger personalized notifications and recover intent.

Assessment:

• Both apps provide the core wishlist behavior (save items, save for later). Swish focuses more on unlimited sessions, deeper journey coverage, and using wishlist events as part of automated flows. Stensiled covers the basics and adds analytics but is simpler.

Customization and Design Integration

Stensiled Wishlist

• Provides custom icon options and code-free setup. Good for merchants who need a quick match to theme aesthetics with minimal effort.
• Limited publicly available details on layout customization beyond icons.

Swish

• Promotes full customization, a free setup and customization service, and strong theme integration to ensure the wishlist blends with store design.
• Offers White‑glove onboarding and additional customization for higher-tier plans (Plus), which benefits brands requiring precise branding.

Assessment:

• Swish is built for stores that want pixel-perfect integration and hands-on onboarding. Stensiled works for stores that need reasonable styling options without dedicated onboarding.

Wishlist Notifications and Automation

Stensiled Wishlist

• Focuses on analytics and activity tracking. No explicit mention in the provided data about automated notifications or personalized reminders.

Swish

• Highlights personalized and automated wishlist notifications that can be used to recover demand when customers are most likely to convert.
• Out-of-the-box integrations with Klaviyo, GA4, and Meta make it easy to move wishlist events into broader marketing automations.

Assessment:

• Swish is clearly stronger on notifications and automation. Merchants who plan to use wishlist data to trigger email or ad flows will find Swish’s built-in support valuable. Stensiled appears limited in this area based on available descriptions.

Analytics and Wishlist Curation

Stensiled Wishlist

• Advertises "Detailed Wishlist Analytics" and time-range filtering for activity tracking. That suggests the app provides insights on which products are being saved and by whom over configurable periods.

Swish

• Markets "advanced analytics and wishlist curation" and positions wishlist data as actionable input for conversion campaigns and merchandising decisions.

Assessment:

• Both apps include analytics, but Swish’s analytics are positioned as part of an end-to-end flow (analytics feeding notifications and integrations). Stensiled emphasizes straightforward analytics tools, likely sufficient for smaller stores that need visibility without advanced automation.

Integrations & Technical Compatibility

Native Integrations

Stensiled Wishlist

• The provided data does not list third-party integrations explicitly, limiting visibility into how well it works with email tools, analytics, or ad platforms.

Swish

• Lists explicit integrations with Klaviyo, GA4, Meta, Checkout, Hydrogen, Marketplaces, Klaviyo, Customer Accounts, Search Recommendations and more.
• Steamlines connecting wishlist activity to marketing automations and analytics platforms.

Assessment:

• Swish wins on integrations. Merchants using Klaviyo or GA4 will find easier setup and out-of-the-box tracking. Stensiled may still integrate but lacks stated support.

Headless and Advanced Stacks

Stensiled Wishlist

• No explicit mention of headless support or Hydrogen compatibility.

Swish

• Provides Hydrogen & headless stack support on its Shopify Plus tier, plus other platform integrations.

Assessment:

• Swish is better suited for headless or enterprise Shopify Plus setups.

Pricing & Value

Price Plans Overview

Stensiled Wishlist

• Basic Plan: Free — includes code-free setup, wishlist analytics, custom icons, save for later, time range tracking.
• Advance Plan: $9.99 / month — same feature list at a monthly cost.

Swish

• Basic Shopify: $19 / month — full features, free setup, unlimited wishlists & sessions.
• Shopify: $29 / month — same but for stores on Shopify plan.
• Advanced Shopify: $49 / month.
• Shopify Plus: $99 / month — includes white-glove onboarding, priority support, dedicated account manager, Hydrogen & headless features.

Assessment:

• Stensiled’s free Basic Plan is attractive for stores that want a no-cost start. Swish starts at $19/month but includes unlimited sessions, a dedicated setup service, and deeper integrations. For merchants who want automation and enterprise features, Swish represents better value for money relative to its capabilities. For cost-sensitive small stores, Stensiled’s free tier may be sufficient.

Total Cost of Ownership

Considerations beyond monthly fees:

• Setup and customization time (Swish includes free setup; Stensiled suggests code-free setup but not white-glove services).
• Replacement of other tools (Swish still remains single-purpose; using it alongside separate loyalty, reviews, and referral apps increases stack size).
• The potential upside of wishlist-driven revenue (recovery emails, personalized ads) can justify Swish’s price for mid-size and larger merchants.

Assessment:

• If the goal is minimal ongoing cost and basic wishlist features, Stensiled wins. If the goal is deeper conversion lift through automation and integration, Swish’s pricing is aligned with that value.

Implementation & Support

Stensiled Wishlist

• Markets code-free setup on both Basic and Advance plans, indicating easy installation with limited customization support.
• No specific claims about onboarding teams or white-glove service.

Swish

• Offers entirely free setup and customization across plans and white-glove onboarding on the Plus tier.
• Provides priority and dedicated account support for higher-tier customers.

Assessment:

• For merchants who lack development resources or who expect to integrate wishlist flows with existing marketing automation, Swish’s onboarding and customization services are a material advantage.

Scalability and Performance

Stensiled Wishlist

• Suited for small-to-medium catalogs where wishlist activity is moderate and complex cross-system automations are not required.

Swish

• Built with unlimited wishlists and unlimited sessions, plus headless/Hydrogen support on Plus plans—suited for large catalogs, high traffic, and complex storefront architectures.

Assessment:

• Swish is designed to scale. Stensiled may be fine for many merchants but lacks explicit positioning for enterprise or headless extremes.

Data Ownership, Privacy, and Security

Both apps operate inside Shopify and inherit Shopify’s commerce security posture for core transactions. Specifics to check before installing:

• How wishlist data is stored and whether it’s linked to customer accounts or sessions.
• Export options for wishlist data to feed BI tools.
• Compliance with data protection requirements relevant to the store (e.g., GDPR).

Assessment:

• Swish’s documented integrations make it easier to export or forward wishlist events to analytics and marketing platforms. Merchants concerned about data access and export should verify each app’s export capabilities during trial or onboarding.

User Experience and Merchant Controls

Stensiled Wishlist

• Focuses on simplicity and immediate functionality. Good for merchants that want quick deployment with modest configuration.

Swish

• Built for tailored UX and control: fine-grained theme matching, curated wishlist features, and automation triggers that map to conversion strategy.

Assessment:

• Swish provides greater merchant control over the customer experience. Stensiled prioritizes speed and small-store usability.

Comparative Pros & Cons (Quick Summary)

Stensiled Wishlist — Strengths

• Free Basic Plan suitable for very small stores.
• Code-free setup and straightforward features reduce friction.
• Basic analytics and save-for-later function cover common wishlist needs.
• Low monthly cost for Advance plan.

Stensiled Wishlist — Limitations

• No documented advanced integrations or automation.
• No public evidence of white-glove onboarding or dedicated support.
• Not explicitly built for headless or Shopify Plus scenarios.

Swish (formerly Wishlist King) — Strengths

• Deep customization and theme integration with free setup.
• Built-in integrations with Klaviyo, GA4, Meta for marketing automation.
• Unlimited wishlists and sessions—scales with traffic and catalog size.
• White-glove onboarding and enterprise features for Shopify Plus.

Swish — Limitations

• Monthly cost begins at $19; not the cheapest option for ultra-cost-sensitive stores.
• Single-purpose app that still requires other tools for loyalty, referrals, or reviews.
• Some merchants may not need all advanced features, making the price less compelling if wishlist is the only priority.

Which App Is Best For Specific Merchant Needs?

• For stores on a tight or zero budget that only need basic wishlist and save-for-later features: Stensiled Wishlist Basic Plan is a reasonable starting point.
• For brands that want to convert wishlist activity into revenue through automated notifications and marketing integrations: Swish is better suited.
• For stores with complex storefronts (Hydrogen, headless) or Shopify Plus needs: Swish’s Plus tier includes the enterprise-focused features and support required.
• For merchants prioritizing minimal app count and long-term retention (loyalty, referrals, reviews plus wishlist): A single suite that combines multiple retention tools will often deliver better value than any single-purpose wishlist app.

Realistic Merchant Considerations Before Choosing

When selecting between Stensiled and Swish, evaluate the following practical factors:

• How important is immediate, inexpensive deployment vs. long-term automation?
• Does the store already use Klaviyo, GA4, or Meta ad flows where wishlist events are valuable?
• Are development resources available to handle customizations, or is white‑glove setup preferred?
• How much time does the team want to spend managing multiple apps versus one integrated platform?
• What uplift in conversion and recovery does wishlist data need to provide to justify the monthly spend?

Answering these questions will make the choice clearer: Stensiled for low-cost simplicity, Swish for integrated automation and customization.

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

What Is App Fatigue and Why It Matters

Many merchants start with single-purpose apps to solve a discrete problem—wishlists to capture intent, a loyalty app to increase repeat purchases, a reviews tool to build social proof, and a referral plugin to drive acquisition. Over time, the number of apps grows, creating these challenges:

• Fragmented data across multiple platforms, making it hard to measure total impact on customer lifetime value.
• Higher cumulative cost compared to a single integrated solution that bundles features.
• More maintenance overhead for updates, theme compatibility, and troubleshooting conflicts.
• Complex customer journeys that require stitching events together across tools.

This "app fatigue" slows growth and increases operational friction. Rather than adding yet another specialized app, consolidating retention tools into a single platform is often more efficient.

Growave’s "More Growth, Less Stack" Value Proposition

For merchants evaluating whether to use a single-purpose wishlist app or an integrated retention solution, Growave promotes a "More Growth, Less Stack" approach: provide wishlist functionality as part of a suite that includes loyalty, referrals, reviews, VIP tiers, and more. Bundling these capabilities reduces complexity and improves the ability to drive meaningful customer lifetime value.

Growave’s platform is built to combine wishlist features with broader retention tools, making it possible to surface wishlist data to loyalty engines, activate customers through referrals, and showcase user-generated content together.

• Merchants can consolidate retention features and reduce tool sprawl by reviewing Growave’s pricing and plans: consolidate retention features.
• Stores can add Growave via the Shopify App Store to simplify installation and start combining retention programs: add Growave via the Shopify App Store.

How an Integrated Approach Changes Outcomes

• Single customer profile: Wishlist saves, loyalty points, review submissions, and referral activity are attached to the same customer profile, enabling more targeted and personalized campaigns.
• Fewer integrations: Instead of wiring wishlist events into a separate ESP or analytics tool, the integrated platform routes behavior into loyalty and review triggers out of the box.
• Unified reporting: LTV, repeat purchase rates, and campaign performance reflect combined influence from multiple retention levers rather than isolated signals.
• Reduced cost vs. multiple subscriptions: In many cases, a single subscription to an integrated platform delivers better value for money than paying for multiple specialized tools.

Merchants can compare Growave plans to see whether consolidation reduces the total cost of ownership: see Growave pricing and plans.

Key Growave Features That Replace Multiple Apps

Growave packages the following retention capabilities into one platform, so wishlist functionality exists alongside other conversion and retention drivers:

• Loyalty and Rewards: Programs that create repeat purchase incentives, point earning actions, and reward catalogs.
• Referrals: Built-in referral flows that reward advocates and acquire new customers.
• Reviews & UGC: Tools to collect and present customer reviews and user-generated content to build trust.
• Wishlist: Save-for-later and wishlist flows that link into loyalty and recovery automations.
• VIP Tiers: Segmentation to reward high-value customers and increase LTV.

These capabilities allow merchants to connect wishlist behaviors—e.g., frequent wishlist activity without purchase—to reward prompts, review requests, or priority experiences.

Merchants can explore how Growave connects loyalty with wishlist behavior in practice by reviewing how to build loyalty and rewards that drive repeat purchases. For those focused on social proof, Growave also helps brands collect and showcase authentic reviews.

Practical Examples of Integrated Value (No Fictional Scenarios)

• When a customer saves items repeatedly but doesn’t purchase, the integrated system can offer targeted points or a small reward to encourage the first purchase, which can be configured inside the loyalty module.
• Wishlist events can feed into review prompts after purchase, improving review capture rates from customers who first expressed interest.
• Referral campaigns can be tied to wishlist activity (e.g., refer-a-friend discounts for wishlist items) to convert social networks into buyers.

These are actionable patterns merchants can implement when wishlist data is not siloed.

Growave’s Compatibility and Onboarding

Growave supports a broad set of Shopify features and third-party integrations that matter for retention:

• Works with Checkout, Shopify POS, Customer Accounts, Shopify Flow, Page builders, and key marketing tools that stores depend on.
• Designed for Shopify Plus and enterprise merchants with headless needs; merchants can view solutions for high-growth Plus brands: solutions for high-growth Plus brands.
• To evaluate platform fit, merchants can consult customer examples: customer stories from brands scaling retention.

For quick evaluation, merchants may also choose to install the app directly from the Shopify marketplace: install Growave from the Shopify App Store.

Why Consolidation Often Beats Multiple Specialized Apps

• Operational simplicity: One integration point for merchant support, billing, and updates.
• Better cross-feature experiments: Test loyalty prompts triggered by wishlist activity without building custom event pipelines.
• Unified support and onboarding: Growave includes tiered onboarding and support options aligned to merchant size—free plan, Entry, Growth, Plus plans—reducing vendor fragmentation. Merchants can compare plan details and decide on a path that balances features and order volume: compare Growave plans.

Addressing Valid Reasons to Keep a Single-Purpose Wishlist App

There are legitimate reasons a merchant might keep using a single-purpose wishlist app:

• Very tight budgets and the need for only wishlist functionality.
• A wishlist plugin that is already well-integrated into the theme and workflow.
• A store that prefers a specialized solution due to technical preferences.

Even in these cases, merchants should periodically reassess whether consolidating features into a single platform delivers equivalent or better value for money and simpler operations.

Implementation Checklist: Choosing and Installing a Wishlist Solution

When deciding between Stensiled, Swish, or an integrated platform like Growave, merchants should follow this checklist:

• Define the primary goal for wishlist data (recover abandoned interest, feed marketing automation, inform merchandising).
• Confirm whether wishlist events must flow to an ESP (e.g., Klaviyo) or analytics (GA4).
• Evaluate whether white-glove setup is necessary or whether code-free setup suffices.
• Calculate total monthly cost for the needed feature set (wishlist + loyalty + reviews + referral vs. standalone apps).
• Check platform compatibility with headless storefronts, POS, and customer accounts.
• Trial the app and verify data export, segmentation, and reporting functions.
• Plan how to measure ROI: track conversion lift, average order value, and repeat rates attributable to wishlist flows.

This structured approach reduces the chance of adopting an app that creates technical debt.

Conclusion

For merchants choosing between Stensiled Wishlist and Swish (formerly Wishlist King), the decision comes down to priorities. Stensiled is a practical, low-cost option suited to small stores that want basic wishlist functionality with minimal setup. Swish fits merchants who need more robust customization, integrated notifications, and enterprise support—especially stores already using Klaviyo, GA4, or planning headless deployments.

However, many stores can benefit from consolidating wishlist features into a broader retention stack that includes loyalty, referrals, and reviews. Growave’s suite reduces app sprawl and connects wishlist behavior directly to loyalty incentives and review capture. Merchants can compare whether consolidation reduces overhead by reviewing Growave’s pricing and plans or installing the app through the marketplace: consolidate retention features | add Growave via the Shopify App Store.

Start a 14-day free trial to test Growave’s integrated retention stack and see whether combining wishlist, loyalty, referrals, and reviews delivers better long-term value than maintaining multiple single-purpose apps: Start a 14-day free trial.

FAQ

Q: Which app is better for a new Shopify store with minimal budget?
A: For stores that only need a basic wishlist and want to avoid monthly fees, Stensiled Wishlist’s free Basic Plan provides essential save-for-later functionality and basic analytics. It is a pragmatic starting point before committing to paid automation or integrations.

Q: Which app is better for a brand that uses Klaviyo and GA4 heavily?
A: Swish (formerly Wishlist King) explicitly integrates with Klaviyo and GA4 and positions wishlist events as triggers for personalized notifications and analytics. Merchants wanting seamless marketing automation should favor Swish or choose an integrated platform that connects these signals to loyalty and referrals.

Q: How does an all-in-one platform compare to specialized apps?
A: An all-in-one platform consolidates wishlist, loyalty, referrals, and reviews into a single system, reducing data fragmentation, duplicate subscription costs, and integration maintenance. While a specialized app can excel at a single function, an integrated solution often delivers stronger long-term ROI by enabling cross-feature strategies that increase retention and LTV. Merchants can evaluate consolidation benefits by reviewing Growave’s features for loyalty and reviews: loyalty and rewards that drive repeat purchases and collect and showcase authentic reviews.

Q: If a store is on Shopify Plus or planning headless, which option is recommended?
A: Swish offers Hydrogen and headless support on its Plus plan and includes dedicated account management for enterprise clients. Growave also provides enterprise-level support and page customization options and has tailored solutions for high-growth Plus brands. Merchants should evaluate technical requirements and support SLAs for each option and consider whether consolidating tools simplifies headless integrations: solutions for high-growth Plus brands.