Which free Secret Santa site should you use?
Folsens, Drawnames and Elfster are all free. What sets them apart is what you have to give to take part, and how the draw is shared.
At a glance
| Folsens | Drawnames | Elfster | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Account needed | No | No | Yes, registration required |
| Contact details asked | None: a first name and a password | Invitations sent by email, text or messaging apps | Those used to register |
| Mobile app | No, website only | Yes | Yes |
Based on the official websites in October 2026. Things may have changed since.
What makes Folsens different
- No email, no phone number
- Nobody gives contact details, neither the organizer nor the guests. A first name and a password picked on the spot are enough to come back and see your draw.
- The organizer doesn't know who has whom
- They can run, redo or cancel the draw, but only see their own result, like everyone else.
- One big circle
- The draw avoids pairs where A gives to B and B gives to A whenever possible.
- Exclusions and wish lists
- Optionally, everyone can rule people out (a partner, last year's match). Wish lists take a link, a maximum price and a note, visible to the whole group or only to your Secret Santa.
- Data that deletes itself
- Every room is deleted automatically: after one month by default, one year at most.
- No ads, no trackers
- No advertising and no third-party trackers: fonts and assets are hosted on the site itself.
- 26 European languages
- From English and French to German, Polish, Greek and Ukrainian.
When another site will suit you better
- You want every guest to get their draw by email or text without logging in: Folsens doesn't send anything, the organizer shares the code. Drawnames sends invitations.
- You want a mobile app, or to follow your family's wish lists all year round: Drawnames and Elfster both have apps, and Elfster also lets you follow friends' wish lists.