The best Secret Santa app draws names fairly, keeps everyone's match private and lets people add wish lists so gifts hit the mark. Choose by your group: a family, a group of friends or an office, and whether everyone will install an app or you'd rather run it from a website. Nine options follow in no particular order.
Drawing names from a hat is fun until someone picks themselves, the organiser knows everyone's match or half the group can't make it. A Secret Santa app handles the draw, sends each person their match privately and keeps wish lists in one place.
The nine options below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, from simple name draw apps to gift exchange organisers and a free website generator. Each description comes from the app's own App Store listing or website, re-checked this week. For more festive ideas, see my Christmas Eve box ideas, and my icebreaker questions work well at office parties too.
Secret Santa apps compared
In the free plan column, Yes means the app's own listing or site describes free use or a free download, Trial only means a time-limited trial and No means neither is stated on the pages we read.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| drawnames | Name draw app | Draws with wish lists | Yes |
| Elfster | Gift exchange app | Office gift exchanges | Yes |
| Gift Xchanger | Gift randomiser | A simple random draw | Yes |
| Giftster | Family wish lists | Year-round family lists | Yes |
| Secret Santa 22 | Name draw app | Christmas draws | Yes |
| Secret Santa App | Name draw app | Draws with exclusions | Yes |
| SecretSantaGenerator.com | Gift exchange app | Exchanges with wish lists | Yes |
| Simply: Gift Exchange | Party organiser | Organising the whole exchange | Yes |
| Sneaky Santa | Web generator | A free web draw | Yes |
Nine Secret Santa apps and sites
drawnames
Best for: Families who want a quick name draw with wish lists so nobody's left guessing.
Elfster
Best for: Offices and big groups who want wish lists and a gift exchange organised together in one place.
Gift Xchanger
Best for: Small groups who want a quick, random gift draw from an app with a tidy and simple design.
Giftster
Best for: Relatives who want wish lists all year round and an easy way to run the Christmas draw.
Secret Santa 22
Best for: Friend groups who want a dedicated Christmas name draw generator to run their gift exchange each year.
Secret Santa App
Best for: Couples and families who want a name draw with wish lists added so every gift is something people want.
SecretSantaGenerator.com
Best for: Groups who want a gift exchange with wish lists from a site that's run draws for years.
Simply: Gift Exchange
Best for: Organisers who want a tidy app to run the whole exchange from invites to the big reveal.
Sneaky Santa
Best for: Coworkers and friends who'd rather run the draw from a website than ask everyone to install an app.
The gift card scam to watch for
Gift exchanges are a popular cover for scammers. The FTC says only scammers will tell you to buy a gift card and give them the numbers off the back, and advises always keeping a copy of your gift card and store receipt.
What that means for you: if a message claiming to be from your organiser asks you to send gift card numbers, it's a scam. Give gift cards as physical cards or send them directly through the shop, and keep the receipt in case anything goes wrong.
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App, website or gift exchange organiser?
Name draw apps do one job quickly: everyone joins, names are drawn and each person sees only their match. Gift exchange organisers add invitations, dates, spending guidance and wish lists, which suits offices and big families. Website generators work without anyone installing anything, which is handy for groups with mixed phones or people who don't like new apps.
For small groups, a quick name draw is plenty. For offices, an organiser saves a lot of chasing. It's worth checking a couple of features before you invite anyone. Can people join without making an account? Can you set people who shouldn't draw each other? Can you redraw if someone drops out late? Those three questions decide whether the exchange runs smoothly or turns into a week of messages.
Running a smooth Secret Santa
- Agree the date, rules and any gift guidance up front.
- Invite everyone through the app or website link.
- Ask people to add a short wish list.
- Exclude partners from drawing each other if your app allows it.
- Remind everyone a week before the exchange.
- Keep the reveal fun, and have a spare gift in case someone's missed out.
Ideas to make it more fun
- A theme. Handmade, books, or something beginning with a letter.
- A swap round. Let people trade gifts at the reveal.
- Clues on the label. Guessing the giver adds to the fun.
- A charity option. Let people donate in someone's name instead.
Remote and international exchanges
If your group is spread out, ask for delivery details privately through the app rather than in a group chat, and set the exchange date early enough for post to arrive. Online shops that deliver directly to the recipient save time, and a video call reveal keeps the fun even when you're miles apart.
Do you make a Secret Santa or gift exchange app? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on Secret Santa apps
For a family or a group of friends, a simple name draw app with wish lists is all you need, and it's done in five minutes. For an office, choose an organiser that sends reminders and keeps everything in one place, because chasing a whole office by email is nobody's idea of fun.
Whatever you use, set clear guidance on gifts up front and encourage wish lists. They turn guesswork into gifts people love, and they make shopping far easier for the shy colleague who drew the boss.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Secret Santa app?
A simple name draw app for families and friends, or a gift exchange organiser with reminders for offices.
Are Secret Santa apps free?
All nine options here are free to use, according to their own listings or sites.
Can I do Secret Santa without an app?
Yes. Website generators run the draw without anyone installing anything.
Can the organiser see who got who?
Good apps keep matches private, so even the organiser can take part fairly.
How do I stop couples drawing each other?
Many apps let you set exclusions so partners or housemates can't be matched.
Is it safe to send gift cards in a Secret Santa?
Give them through the shop or as physical cards. The FTC warns only scammers ask for gift card numbers.
