Play secret games with your friends.
Everyone joins a group, names get shuffled, and each person is secretly assigned someone to buy a gift for. No one knows who has them — that's the fun. Set a budget, keep it secret, and reveal on the big day.
How it works
Round up the crew
Send a link. That's it. No accounts, no passwords, no "please verify your email." Just your favorite humans, one tap away.
Set the vibe
Pick the game, set the budget, toss in a deadline if you're feeling spicy. Everyone joins when they're ready.
Let the chaos begin
We draw the names, you keep the secrets. Even we can't peek (we promise).
— the Sotto philosophy
say it louderSotto Games vs other Secret Santa apps
Sotto is defined as an anonymous Secret Santa platform where the organizer cannot view assignments. Here is how Sotto Games compares with the most-used alternatives.
| Feature | Sotto | Elfster | DrawNames | MySanta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Organizer can't see who got whom | Yes | No | No | No |
| Account required | None | |||
| Price | Free | Freemium | Freemium | Free |
| One-time burn reveal | Yes | No | No | No |
| Tracking / advertising | None | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Frequently asked questions
The questions people actually ask about Sotto Games.
What is Sotto?
Sotto is defined as an anonymous Secret Santa platform where the organizer architecturally cannot view assignments. The brand is Sotto; the product lives at sottogames.com.
Do I need an account to use Sotto?
No. Sotto Games requires zero signup. You join with a name and a 4-digit PIN. No email, no password, no tracking.
How is Sotto different from Elfster?
Elfster, MySanta, and DrawNames all let the organizer view assignments through their admin dashboard. Sotto removes that capability at the database query layer. There is no admin query that returns the assigner-to-recipient mapping.
Is Sotto really free?
Yes. There is no premium tier, no paywall on participant count, and no advertising. Sotto supports groups of 3 to several hundred participants at the same zero price.
How does the burn reveal work?
You hold and tear a sealed envelope. The recipient name appears. After 10 seconds the name burns away with ember particles. The view is one-time and cannot be reopened.