Best Online Secret Santa Generator — Compare 15 Websites & Choose The Top One!

Best Online Secret Santa Generator — Compare 15 Websites & Choose The Top One!
Best Online Secret Santa Generator — Compare 15 Websites & Choose The Top One!
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Are you up to a fun Secret Santa game this year? Great idea! Whether you use it with colleagues, classmates, or family and friends, it will certainly pay off, bringing a lot of joy to all the participants. And remember to choose the best online Secret Santa generator to ensure it goes flawlessly. From budget to wishlists, there are a lot of details that need to be managed to make your ideal event happen.

To save you the trouble of scanning many Secret Santa apps, we have selected the best 15 Secret Santa generator services that provide top features and excellent functionality. So, take a look — chances are, your best Secret Santa app is among the titles we observe here! By the way, having scanned dozens of offers, we recommend to, first and foremost, consider My Santa which brings together superb functionality and a lovely winter-themed interface. 

So meet our top 3 Secret Santa apps:

#1 My Santa Best gift exchange generator that rates 5/5 in terms of functionality, design, and overall impression
#2 Elfster A nice source of gift ideas and inspiration to tune into the Christmas mood
#3 Giftster A great tool to ensure your presents will be appreciated

What Is Secret Santa?

Secret Santa is a lovely Christmas tradition that adds a touch of fun and surprise to the gift-giving routine. The major difference from a regular gift exchange is that this one is random and anonymous. Here is how it works:

  • • A group of people who have agreed to participate in the ritual agrees upon the date participants will exchange the presents. As a rule, there is a maximum budget for a gift.
  • • Each participant writes the name on a piece of paper and puts it in a box. They may also use a secret Santa name randomizer for convenience. 
  • • Everyone draws a name from the box, and that will be the person to whom they will give the present to. The task is to find out more about the person's likes and choose the right present. Using a secret Santa text message generator can help make some cool wishes for your friends!
  • • When the day comes, all participants secretly give their presents so as not to disclose themselves, and then the group gathers together to share the joy of unpacking the gifts.

In this manner, the ritual is particularly fit for groups such as colleagues, flatmates, or classmates as it ensures everyone will receive a present. It also encourages group members to get to know each other better as each participant is to choose a present for a randomly assigned person. And to do so, they need to learn more about the latter's preferences and interests. You can also bring the Secret Santa tradition to family or friendly gift exchange to cultivate a sense of bond and belonging and ensure each of your beloved ones feels included.

What Is a Secret Santa Organizer and How Does It Work?

  • • Using secret Santa apps for event organization makes it all less challenging!

Organizing a gift exchange might be challenging if the participants live in different locations or your group wants to make the ritual a little bit more complicated. For example, in addition to the budget limit per gift, add wishlists so that every participant has some ready-made ideas for what presents the assigned person might appreciate. More than that, the participants should provide their email addresses which can come in handy if someone buys a digital gift such as a subscription or a gift certificate.

Managing all those details can be arduous, and here is when a Secret Santa gift exchange generator comes into play. The latter is an app that automizes the whole process, from specifying the date and setting the budget to adding wishlists and even preventing certain pairings! The use of Secret Santa apps, thus, allows participants to fully immerse themselves in the festive spirit of Christmas without worrying whether or not they are following all the game rules properly. So let's take a closer look at our selection of the top 15 Secret Santa organizer services for you to find your best gift exchange generator.

Choosing the Best Secret Santa Generator: Top 15 Apps

  • • My Santa is the best secret Santa app

Our 100% favorite, My Santa, is a versatile gift exchange generator with a user-friendly design and a whole host of helpful features, such as

  • • wishlists (upload the links to the exact items you wish to get);
  • • budget (can be set in dollars or euros);
  • • calendar (set the date when the names will be drawn and the one by which the presents must be prepared);
  • • individual gift recommendations for each participant;
  • • hints on where to purchase a gift;
  • • three modes of how to get presents: in person, by mail, or mixed.

One more feature that makes My Santa the best Secret Santa app is that you can keep track of each present's status. This way, if a present has already been received, it will be immediately reflected in the real-time report. That is of great use to teams and groups that play remotely.

  • • This secret Santa app has a pro version

Another nice aspect of this Secret Santa app is that it is free for compact teams. That is, if your group is 10 players or smaller, you can enjoy the platform and its great features free of charge.

Thumbs up Needs improvement
  • • a free plan for small groups;
  • • the app provides personalized gift recommendations and hints on where to buy a particular gift;
  • • advanced event settings, including a budget, game logo, and a how-to-get-presents mode;
  • • simple interface + no need to download anything;
  • • a visually appealing design.
  • • cannot be set to prevent certain pairings;
  • • not completely free.

#2 Elfster

  • • Elfster is another secret Santa organizer that can be useful

Another great Secret Santa list randomizer, Elfster, is likely to appeal to those who seek to bring some joy to their gift exchange routine and not necessarily on Christmas. Thus, the platform allows creating wishlists for all sorts of events and adding items from Elfster's partners directly to the wishlist, as you would add them to the cart while shopping.

Setting up a gift exchange event is likewise simple here. In addition to choosing the budget and the due date, you select the mode of how the presents will be exchanged (in person/online). The draw magic tool helps ensure a participant draws a different name than last year. And the best part of it is that the service is completely free!

#3 Giftster

  • • Gifter is a nice secret Santa gift exchange generator alternative 

A free and versatile gift exchange platform, Giftster is, first and foremost, designed to keep you up-to-date with what your beloved ones want as holiday gifts and ensure your presents are meaningful to them. The service is visually attractive and very simple to use, so it will appeal to all participants, even those who could be tech-savvy.

You must sign in and create a wishlist to play a present exchange game on Giftster. After this, you add your relatives or friends to the secret group and start shopping for items from one another's lists. A nice feature of Giftster is that once an item has been purchased, its status changes so that all the group participants can see that this present is no longer wanted.

#4 Sneaky Santa

  • • Sneaky Santa might be a good gift exchange generator

Sneaky Santa is a perfect fit for those looking for a straightforward solution to organizing a gift exchange. Merely register an account and create a group by sending an invite link to all participants. Once everyone has joined in, you click the draw names button, and here you go — the game is on!

Although the feature set might seem somewhat limited at first, you realize it gives you anything you need soon after you've started using the app. Do you want to see your assigned person's wishlist? There it is! Need to update your wishlist? You're welcome! Would you love to write a private message to a participant? There is nothing easier! And all of it comes free, another huge plus of the app.

#5 SecretSanta.com

  • • Yet another secret Santa app alternative with sufficient functionality

SecretSanta.com is a good and functional Secret Santa name randomizer powered by Elfster. Although less playful and festive than Elfster in terms of visual design, SecretSanta.com has all features you normally expect from a good gift exchange organizer: email invitation links, random name drawings, and wishlists. It likewise helps to prevent certain pairings to ensure you do not draw the same person yearly.

The service is free and has two more game exchange formats on offer. These are Yankee Swap and White Elephant. There is also a good blog with articles about Christmas traditions and fun facts. Overall, the site is a perfect place to get inspiration and ideas for celebrating Christmas and making the gift exchange most enjoyable.

#6 Secret Santa Organizer

  • • Secret santa organizer can be useful! 

One more super simple Secret Santa text message generator and gift exchange organizer, the platform allows you to set up an event by simply typing your name and email as well as the names and emails of the participants. Other details you add are the date, event location, and budget. You can also write a greeting text to all participants, which they will receive with the invitation link. Although it does not offer any advanced features, this Kris Kringle organizer is a good solution if you need to set up your gift party fast and for free.

#7 Simple Secret Santa Generator

  • • Can this be the best online secret Santa generator for you? 

As the name implies, this Secret Santa app with phone numbers is intended to make exchanging presents as simple and smooth as possible. It probably could be a better Secret Santa app, but it is simple and functional, which is exactly what you want from this software. The app is downloadable, and its major limitation is that it is only compatible with Apple devices. For the rest, it offers a standard minimum feature set you would expect from a Secret Santa gift exchange generator: invitation links sent via email or phone, name drawing, and wishlists.

#8 Draw Names

  • • A secret Santa name randomizer is not odd!

Draw Names is the best Secret Santa generator among downloadable apps. It does not require registration and has all the features of a good app, including a calendar, budget settings, and the option of preventing certain pairings. It likewise provides personalized gift recommendations and allows adding gift links to your wishlist. What's more, Draw Names supports all popular messengers, so there are plenty of ways to invite participants to join in the fun. All in all, Draw Names is a decent Secret Santa list service that brings together a visually appealing design and excellent functionality.

#9 Santa's Secret Keeper

  • • Secret Keeper is a useful gift exchange generator

A well-designed Secret Santa gift exchange generator that can be downloaded from AppStore and Google Play for free, Santa's Secret Keeper features a cute design and intuitive interface. Besides the budget and participants' emails, a standard set for all Secret Santa apps, the Keeper allows you to add personalized instructions and notes, which can help ensure all presents are a perfect fit for their future owners. Though rather simple than some other gift exchange generator services on our list, the app has all the features to organize a great event and inspire the participants with a special festive feel.

#10 Pikkado

  • • A simple secret Santa app

A somewhat old-timey yet detailed and well-thought-out, Pikkado has everything to be your best gift exchange generator. The service is available directly on the website, and after a quick registration, you are ready to set up your perfect gift exchange party. 

The procedure is standard: you create a group, send invitations, set the rules, perform the name drawing, and start the hunt for an ideal present. You can reuse the same group with its settings year after year. And what is also nice, the site has three interface languages besides English: French, Spanish, and Portuguese.

#11 Secret Santa 22

  • • A downloadable Secret Santa app for Android;
  • • Allows setting budget, adding conditions (as an alternative to wishlists), and exchanging messages;
  • • Invitation links are sent via email, SMS, or through popular messenger;
  • • It enables you to manage several groups at a time;
  • • Simple interface that feels intuitive and neat.

#12 My Wishlist

  • • Free Secret Santa list generator that does not need downloading;
  • • The app specializes in creating wishlists and does not have the name drawing feature;
  • • Allows adding gifts to your wishlist from famous webshops such as IKEA, Amazon, eBay, and the like;
  • • It is possible to manage several wishlists at a time for different occasions;
  • • It offers a convenient reserving option so that your family and friends can reserve items from your wishlist that they will purchase.

#13 Easy Secret Santa

  • • Secret Santa name generator without email, only phone number;
  • • It can be used for different occasions, not necessarily Christmas;
  • • Downloadable for free for Android;
  • • Includes all the basic details, such as the due date and budget;
  • • It has a playful interface and user-friendly design.

#14 Secret Santas Helper

  • • A downloadable gift exchange generator for Android;
  • • Allows launching the second name drawing if half of the group participants are dissatisfied with the pairing;
  • • There are no wishlists; instead, the participants use the in-built chat to communicate their preferences and other details;
  • • There is an option to agree that participants will only use second-hand gifts.

#15 Invisible Friend

  • • A downloadable Secret Santa name randomizer for Android;
  • • A lovely Christmas design + intuitive interface;
  • • Allows choosing the budget and the due date;
  • • It enables you to set how the gifts will be exchanged: in person or online.

Disclaimer: This article has been published in association with Halvorson Media and not by TNM Editorial.

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