New babies need a lot of stuff! From cribs and toys to clothing and diapers, what to buy, when to buy, and which items should go onto your registry can leave new and seasoned parents alike with reeling headaches. A baby registry is a great way to stock up on everything you'll need without breaking the bank. There are many baby registry options available, helping parents navigate this incredible journey, but these registries stand out above the rest:
- Easiest to use: Amazon
- Best for freebies: Babylist
- Best for décor: Pottery Barn Baby Registry
- Best budget: Walmart
- Best high-end: Crate & Kids
- Best eco-friendly: The Tot
- Best for essentials: Target Baby Registry
Easiest to use
Amazon is known for having a huge selection of practically every baby brand and product you can think of, offered at low, competitive prices, making it a great overall registry option. Shipping is free for anything over $35, and Amazon offers a free, one-year return policy for items.
The unique 'Diaper Fund' program lets family members and friends donate toward diapers, with all the money going onto an electronic Amazon gift card.
- Discount? Yes. After your registry is active for two weeks, a discount of15% for Prime members and 10% for non-Prime members is available on a one-time purchase of products from your registry.
- Group gifting? Yes. For more expensive products on your registry (items over $100), friends and family members can go in on it together using the Group Gifting option.
- Universal registry? Yes. You can add products from any site to this universal registry.
- Free welcome box? Yes. When you set up your registry, you can receive a free welcome box valued at $35 that incluides travel, sample-size, and full gifts for babies and parents
- The format suggestions and product break-down by category make it extremely easy to build and share
- There's an endless selection of products
- It has easy shipping and return policies
- The free welcome box is only available to Prime members who have checked off over 60% of the registry
- The 365-day returns policy is only available for items shipped directly from Amazon
Babylist is an easy-to-use, completely free mobile app. The best feature of Babylist is that it's a COMPLETELY universal registry, letting you add any item to your list from any online retailer. Add items from Amazon, Target, buybuy Baby, Walmart, Etsy, Pottery Barn Kids and Nordstrom to name a few. In addition to the traditional gifts, like cribs, rockers, and toys, family members and friends can also sign up to give you acts of service, like a prepared meal or a dog walker, or even cash funds for your little everyday expenses or your little one's college fund.
Click here to start your Babylist Universal Baby Registry
- Discount? Yes. If your registry is a month old, a 15% discount is available on the remaining items sold directly by Babylist.com. This discount becomes available 60 days before your due date.
- Group gifting? Yes. Babylist allows givers to contribute any dollar amount to the cost of one item from the Babylist Shop directly.
- Universal registry? Yes.
- Free welcome box? Yes. Babylist also offers a free Hello Baby Box upon registration; however, there are a few rules to follow before getting your free box of up to $160 worth of samples and assorted brand-name gifts, like wipes, bibs, bottles, and coupons, such as adding three items directly from Babylist and three items from other stores to your registry, making a minimum purchase totaling $30 from Babylist, and verifying your personal information.
- Good range of freebies in the Hello Baby Box
- Free shipping on orders over $45 from the Babylist Store
- Take a quick quiz and get registry suggestions tailored to your lifestyle
- Get email alerts when items change price or go out of stock
- Free 1:1 registry consultants - get help choosing the best products to fit your lifestyle
- You can combine different registries in one place
- Babylist shows a price comparison for every item you add to your list and sends email updates if there is a price change or if the item goes out of stock, allowing you to get the best deal possible.
- The eligibility criteria for the Hello Baby Box is more confusing than most free welcome boxes, and the limit to specific Babylist products for the completion discount can make certain products ineligible.
If you love high-quality, durable furniture and stylish, adorable décor, this is the place for you. Pottery Barn's Baby Registry has a gorgeous selection of nursery items, including monogrammable bedding, toys, teethers, and books. Their products are stainable, safe, and come with a Greenguard Gold certification.
- Discount? Yes. As your due date approaches, you'll get a 20% completion discount on eligible items.
- Group gifting? No. But there is an option for eGift cards to be bought through the registry to help with larger items.
- Universal registry? No. But they do offer strollers, car seats, rockers, and more from top brand names like Baby Björn, UppaBaby, Nuna, and Maxi-Cosi.
- Free welcome box? No.
- A huge range of beautiful items to personalize with baby's name or initials
- Nice option for high-quality, eco-friendly, stylish goods
- Easy-to-use app
- Pottery Barn comes with a higher price tag and a return policy of only three months after your due date
- They don't offer any basics, like diapers, wipes, bottles, and breast pumps
- Strollers, stroller accessories, all car seats and adapters, diaper bags, baby carriers, highchairs and booster seats are all excluded from the completion discount.
Having a baby is expensive, without the furniture and extras that come with it. (Most new parents spend around $500 on diapers in the first year alone!) If you're wanting to really get the most for your money with your registry, Walmart is the way to go. They've got all of the baby essentials that you need at their famous "everyday low prices", and they've got one of the best boxes for samples and goodies out there.
- Discounts? No.
- Group gifting? No.
- Universal registry? No.
- Free welcome box? Yes. Their free welcome box is made up of coupons and sample products from brands like Dr. Brown's, Huggies, and Mam, and it can be shipped to you for free. You'll also get an email as your third trimester begins, offering you a free postpartum care box.
- Price match guarantee
- Perfect place to get your essentials
- Many affordable options for friends and family to buy
- There's no completion discounts or group gifting options
If you've got the basics and want to invest in some high-quality pieces for your new addition, Crate & Barrel has a huge range of luxury and high-end furniture and gift options. As an added bonus, many of their stylish pieces are designed to grow with your child style and will last for years to come.
- Discount? Yes. Most items come with a 15% discount, but certain brands are only eligible for 10% off.
- Group gifting? Yes.
- Universal registry? No.
- Free welcome box? No.
- The "Thank You Manager" feature tracks gifts to see who bought what and puts it all into a single list, making it easier to send out thank you's
- They're partnered with the non-profit organization Baby2Baby and provide the option to donate to children living in poverty
- Free expert design services
- Free shipping on orders over $49
- Higher price point
- Unable to add items from other stores
If you're focused on a more environment-friendly registry, The Tot has a great selection of eco-friendly, safe baby products. From strollers to gender neutral toys and essentials, they have tested and inspected every product for style, quality, and safety.
- Discount? Yes. Any item remaining on your registry will receive the 15% completion discount.
- Group gifting? No.
- Universal registry? No. But they work with more than 200 small and large businesses and offer a wide variety of products.
- Free welcome box? Yes. Once you've signed up for their registry, they offer a welcome box (worth $100) full of nontoxic samples and gifts.
- They have a Gift Tracker, making thank you notes easier to write
- A dedicated concierge to help you create a custom-made registry for your specific needs
- A wide variety of safe, eco-friendly baby products
- There's no group gifting
- Unable to add items from other stores
This parent-favorite retailer has the best of everything, including nursery décor, clothing, travel gear, and feeding supplies from brands we love. And after you've registered, you can stop by guest services to receive a welcome bag with $150 worth of coupons, samples, and baby gifts.
- Discount? Yes. Eight weeks before your due date, you'll get an offer in your app or account for 15% off storewide. This can be used twice, once in store and once online.
- Group gifting? Yes. Group gifting is automatically an option for any item over $100.
- Universal registry? No, the registry is specific to Target products.
- Free welcome box? Yes, Target's Welcome Kit is valued at $100, made up of samples and coupons. The box can be collected in-store with your barcode or shipped to you, and you'll get free shipping if you spend over $35 on the order.
- With more than 1,200 stores in the United States, the in-store option makes it easy for people who prefer in-person shopping
- Target offers a truly free welcome box
- Target has a great, 365-day return policy
- All gifts need to be returned at a store location
- You'll have to pay $5.99 standard shipping for orders under $35
Babylist is an easy-to-use, completely free mobile app. The best feature of Babylist is that it's a COMPLETELY universal registry, letting you add any item to your list from any online retailer. Add items from Amazon, Target, buybuy Baby, Walmart, Etsy, Pottery Barn Kids and Nordstrom to name a few. In addition to the traditional gifts, like cribs, rockers, and toys, family members and friends can also sign up to give you acts of service, like a prepared meal or a dog walker, or even cash funds for your little everyday expenses or your little one's college fund.
Click here to start your Babylist Universal Baby Registry
- Discount? Yes. If your registry is a month old, a 15% discount is available on the remaining items sold directly by Babylist.com. This discount becomes available 60 days before your due date.
- Group gifting? Yes. Babylist allows givers to contribute any dollar amount to the cost of one item from the Babylist Shop directly.
- Universal registry? Yes.
- Free welcome box? Yes. Babylist also offers a free Hello Baby Box upon registration; however, there are a few rules to follow before getting your free box of up to $160 worth of samples and assorted brand-name gifts, like wipes, bibs, bottles, and coupons, such as adding three items directly from Babylist and three items from other stores to your registry, making a minimum purchase totaling $30 from Babylist, and verifying your personal information.
- Good range of freebies in the Hello Baby Box
- Free shipping on orders over $45 from the Babylist Store
- Take a quick quiz and get registry suggestions tailored to your lifestyle
- Get email alerts when items change price or go out of stock
- Free 1:1 registry consultants - get help choosing the best products to fit your lifestyle
- You can combine different registries in one place
- Babylist shows a price comparison for every item you add to your list and sends email updates if there is a price change or if the item goes out of stock, allowing you to get the best deal possible.
- The eligibility criteria for the Hello Baby Box is more confusing than most free welcome boxes, and the limit to specific Babylist products for the completion discount can make certain products ineligible.