The best Secret Santa apps in 2026
We compared 6 free Secret Santa apps: AllBack, Elfster, DrawNames, Giftster, Sneaky Santa, and Secret Santa Organizer. Accounts, the draw, wish lists.
All six Secret Santa apps below are free, and all six draw names with rules to keep couples apart. They differ in three things: who needs an account, who can see the draw, and who gets reminders. We checked each tool on its own website in October 2026, and every fact links to its source below.
The short answer
| Tool | Players need an account | Can the organizer see the draw? | Wish lists | Reminders | App |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AllBack | No. Only the organizer signs in | No, never | Only your Santa sees your list | Automatic, only to people with no wish list. Then a "buy your gift" and an exchange-day email | Web, no app needed |
| Elfster | Yes, to RSVP (help center) | Hidden by default. The organizer can unhide it | Yes, links or its gift shop | RSVP reminders, and optional reminders before the exchange | iOS and Android |
| DrawNames | No | Only after the celebration date | Yes. The group sees all lists by default | Automatic for people who have not joined. The organizer sends the rest | iOS and Android |
| Giftster | Yes | No | Yes, it is a wish list service | The organizer sees who has started shopping | iOS and Android. The draw is set up on the web |
| Sneaky Santa | Yes | Yes, the group leader can see the picks | Yes | An email after the draw | Web only |
| Secret Santa Organizer | No, also not the organizer | Hidden by default. The organizer can choose to see it | Yes | A yearly email to reuse last year's group | Web only |
AllBack
AllBack's Secret Santa is free for groups up to 100 people. The organizer adds the names and emails, and AllBack draws the pairs on its server. Nobody sees the whole draw, not even the organizer, so the organizer can play too.
- No account for players. Each person opens a private link from their email, on a phone or a computer. The organizer signs in with a free AllBack account, with a code by email and no password.
- Wish lists for one person. Each person adds 3 things they would love and things they do not want. Only their Santa sees the list.
- Reminders only for the late ones. AllBack reminds the people with no wish list 3 days and 1 day before the wish list day. Two days before the exchange, it reminds every Santa to buy their gift.
- Changes after the draw. The organizer can add or remove people. Only the people whose match changes get a new one, by email.
- Rules. Keep up to 10 pairs apart, for example couples.
Elfster
Elfster is a free platform for gift exchanges and wish lists. It runs Secret Santa, White Elephant, Yankee Swap, and wish-list-only exchanges, in English and Spanish. Wish lists take links from any shop or items from Elfster's gift shop. Repeat exchanges avoid last year's matches, and assistants can help the organizer. Elfster earns from affiliate commissions and sponsored placements, and its Android app says "Contains ads".
DrawNames
DrawNames says it is completely free, and it needs no account to draw names. People can join by WhatsApp, SMS, Messenger, or one shared link, and a live draw shows everyone their name at the same time. Wish lists take links, text, and photos. It states no limit on the group size, and the website is in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese.
Giftster
Giftster is a free wish list service that families use all year, for birthdays and weddings too. Secret Santa is a draw inside a Giftster group. Everyone needs an account, and the draw is set up on the website, not in the apps. Not even the organizer knows who picked whom. Giftster earns from affiliate links and shows no display ads.
Sneaky Santa
Sneaky Santa is a free Secret Santa website that has run since 2001. Everyone makes an account, and members join with an invite link. Wish lists have no limit and can be used again each year. Anonymous "Sneaky Messages" let people ask questions. The group leader can see who picked whom.
Secret Santa Organizer
Secret Santa Organizer is free and supported by ads, and nobody needs an account, not even the organizer. Everyone uses links sent by email. It is in 17 languages, it can import a CSV list, and its code is open source. The organizer can choose to see the pairs, but they are hidden by default.
How to choose
Ask three questions about your group:
- Will people make an account? If not, pick a tool where players need none.
- Does the organizer want to play? Then the organizer should not be able to see the draw.
- Will people forget their wish list? Then pick a tool that reminds only the people who are not done.
Planning the whole exchange? Read how to organize an office Secret Santa, and copy an invitation message.
Questions
Is there a free Secret Santa app?
Yes. All six tools on this page are free. Some earn from ads, affiliate links, or a gift shop. AllBack's Secret Santa is free for groups up to 100 people.
Which Secret Santa apps need no account?
AllBack, DrawNames, and Secret Santa Organizer let people play without an account. In AllBack, only the organizer signs in. Secret Santa Organizer needs no account for the organizer either.
Can the organizer play Secret Santa too?
Yes, when the organizer cannot see the draw. In AllBack and Giftster, nobody sees who picked whom. In Elfster and Secret Santa Organizer, the pairs are hidden by default.
Sources
Checked on 2026-10-11. Tools change their features, so check the source before you decide.
- AllBack: Secret Santa
- Elfster: How Elfster works, joining an exchange (account to RSVP), seeing the draw
- Elfster help: draw restrictions, starting an exchange (RSVP reminders), Android app
- DrawNames: Home, Help, Features, Large groups
- Giftster: Home, Secret Santa generator, Secret Santa draw help, Invite members, How Giftster is free, Advertising
- Sneaky Santa: Home, Help, Register, About
- Secret Santa Organizer: Home, FAQ, No account, About