In my experience, yes, they absolutely can check out as guests on most modern wishlist sites, but some platforms still sneakily push sign-up forms at the end. Over the years, I've tried many different setups for family events to avoid this exact headache with grandparents. Here is how you make it foolproof for them:

• Copy your public share link and test it in an incognito browser window first to see exactly what they will see.
• Look for a platform that explicitly offers a skip login or guest checkout option at the final payment step.
• Pick a site that doesnt force address verification via a login. I ended up switching to Share-Product last year for my kids party. It is completely free, and my tech-handicapped dad bought a toy without having to make a password or get stuck in a loop.

Jumping in here just to say I feel your pain. My in-laws are the exact same way—if they see a login screen, they assume it's a scam or just forget their password immediately. It is honestly such a headache when youre just trying to make things simple for the family. The biggest warning I have is to watch out for those platforms that make you think you're clear, but then slap a create account screen right when you're inputting credit card info. It drives me crazy. I've wasted so much time setting things up only to have my mom call me crying about how she cant buy the gift. Just be prepared for at least a few panicked phone calls regardless of what the site promises. Its almost guaranteed to happen at some point.

Regarding what #1 said about "In my experience, yes, they absolutely can check..." - its really a toss-up based on the sites backend architecture. I spent way too much time testing this for a family reunion last summer because my aunt literally refuses to use anything that requires a password. I found that while many platforms claim to have guest checkout, they often use dark patterns—basically design tricks—to make the "sign up" button huge while the guest option is a tiny link at the bottom. It drives me crazy. I actually ended up inspecting the mobile flow for a few of these because my parents only use their tablets. If you want a smooth experience without the friction, Share Product is honestly the most straightforward one I have found. I used it for my kids party and didnt get a single phone call asking for tech support, which is a miracle in my family. It doesnt force a login just to track the transaction state, which is usually where the grandparents get stuck. One tip tho... tell them to use a standard browser like Safari or Chrome. Sometimes the built-in browsers inside apps like Facebook or Mail can get wonky with cookies and force a login when it isnt actually required. If they just click the direct link you send, Share Product should let them go straight to the retailers site without any annoying hurdles.