GoWish’s shopping and wishlist app is having its biggest year yet

Despite economic uncertainties, GoWish, a wishlist and shopping application, is experiencing unparalleled growth as it heads into the 2025 holiday season. With over 13.6 million registered users, the app recently achieved a milestone by reaching the second spot on the U.S. App Store, marking its best performance to date. This year has been particularly remarkable for GoWish, doubling its user base compared to last year and attracting hundreds of thousands of new users daily throughout November. In the U.S. alone, the application boasts nearly 6.2 million users, with an additional 1 million users in the U.K. In its home country of Denmark, GoWish enjoys over 50% market penetration, equating to more than 3.5 million registered users. Originally launched in 2015 by the Danish-Swedish national postal service, PostNord, as “Ønskeskyen” (Danish for “wish cloud”), GoWish has evolved from a seasonal wishlist tool into a thriving tech company. The app was purchased in 2020 by Danish venture capital firm Dotcom Capital, led by founder Casper Ravn‑Sørensen, who also serves as the Chief Growth Officer, and CEO Mads Dahlerup. They transformed it into an independent entity and developed an international version of the app. "We might be the first state-founded tech platform to go global as a privately-owned scale-up," Ravn‑Sørensen stated in an interview with TechCrunch. The app enables users to create multiple wishlists for various occasions, allowing them to add items by copying URLs, searching for products, or exploring inspiration feeds that showcase millions of options. When ready to purchase, users can seamlessly navigate to the retailer's website via a button within the app. GoWish has established around 65,000 affiliate partnerships along with over 700 brand collaborations, many of which have integrated “GoWish” buttons into their websites. This successful model has resulted in net profits after tax of $1.7 million in fiscal year 2024, with profits being reinvested for further growth. The company has attributed its surge in popularity this year to strategic marketing across platforms like Meta, TikTok, Google, and Snap, which recognized GoWish as a success story during its Q4 earnings call. "Our expertise in optimizing marketing expenditures across digital channels has significantly enhanced our global expansion efforts," Ravn‑Sørensen remarked. Looking ahead, GoWish plans to incorporate AI into its platform, although specific details remain under wraps. "Our mission is to 'fix gifting,' ensuring that users’ dreams and wishes are fulfilled while eliminating issues like duplicate gifts and returns," Ravn‑Sørensen explained. The app even allows friends and family to reserve items on users’ wishlists to prevent receiving the same gift multiple times. Ultimately, Ravn‑Sørensen envisions GoWish becoming the “global genie” of social shopping, capable of predicting future consumer trends across various demographics. Currently headquartered in Copenhagen, GoWish employs a team of 90 and is backed by Capital D, a London-based private equity firm that acquired a one-third stake in early 2025; the remaining shares belong to Dotcom Capital. The app is accessible on both iOS and Android, along with a Chrome extension for adding items from computers.