Best Baby Registries: Comparison 2023

Baby registries can be super helpful for setting you up with much of what you’ll need to get you through your baby’s first year and beyond.

Many people create them before a baby shower but you don’t have to have a shower to make a baby registry list useful. Whether it’s to give friends and family a clue about what you need, or creating a registry just to get the completion discount or goody bag, it’s worth it.

What’s a registry completion discount?

Many sites offer a completion discount on the items that remain on your registry. For example, if you registered for a stroller but no one bought it, you can get X% off if you buy it for yourself.

This is why it’s a good idea to include those expensive baby items like strollers, car seats, etc., on your registry even if you don’t think anyone will buy them because you can use your discount yourself. The sites on this list that currently offer a baby registry completion discount are Amazon, Target, Babylist, buybuy Baby, Potterybarn Kids and Crate&Kids.

What’s a universal baby registry?

A universal registry means you can add items from any site to this registry. For example, with a Babylist registry, you can add a crib from Potterybarn, some bibs from Etsy, and a gift card from DoorDash. With a buybuy Baby registry, all you can add are items from buybuy Baby.

Which Baby Registries have a free welcome box?

Some sites with give you a welcome bag or box full of baby products, samples and coupons. A few will have conditions in order to get it but it’s typically reasonably straightforward. The sites that offer a goody bag right now are Amazon, Babylist, Target, and buybuy BABY. Walmart has offered a baby registry welcome box but is currently sold out.

Best Baby Registries Breakdown

There are tons of registries out there but these are the most popular ones that give you the most perks.

Babylist is an online, universal registry that allows you to register for anything and everything all in one place. You can register for things like clothes, furniture and diapers, but you can also ask for hand-me-downs, home cooked meals, and cash money.

• Universal registry: Yes
• Welcome box: Yes. You must add three items from the Babylist Shop and three from other stores to your registry. You have to make a minimum purchase totaling $20 from the Babylist Shop and pay the $8.95 + tax for shipping
• Completion discount: 15% Receive a one-time 15% discount on items that are sold by Babylist.com 60 days before your due date and up to 6 months after
• Shipping: Free shipping on orders over $45
• Returns: Within 9 months of the purchase date
• Group Gifting: Yes on one Babylist Shop item
• Cash Fund: Yes, through Paypal
• Rewards Program: No

Pros:

• Add anything to your registry
• Has an excellent app
• The Babylist shop has well curated baby items
• You can import other registries into your Babylist registry
• Register for Help & Favors like babysitting and dog walking
• Comparison feature will show the price at a variety of retailers so you can get the best deal
• Gift givers can add to a cash fund to contribute financially to big tickets items or even a college fund
• Happiness Heroes are available via email, chat, and phone to help you build your registry and to help less tech-savvy gift givers make online purchases
• The Hello Baby box is one of the better welcome boxes

Cons:

• Their completion discount can only be used on one purchase from the Babylist store and excludes Lovevery, Pampers, Mockingbird, Guava Family, Nuna, UPPAbaby, Diapers, and Wipes
• No brick and mortar stores
• You can import another registry but if you make changes you have to update both registries
• No bar code scan feature

Babylist Verdict:

Babylist is probably the most flexible of all the baby registries so it would be my top pick for anyone expecting. If you want stuff from Amazon and Target but also a few things from Etsy and Baby Gap, it’s an easy way to set it up in one place.

You can register for things like dog walking, meals, hand-me-downs and babysitting so there isn’t much you can’t register for.

Personally, I would register at a couple of places to get the completion discount but mark them private and then run everything through Babylist. Create a registry at Babylist >

MyRegistry is a universal registry like Babylist, Target and Amazon, but unlike those other retailers, they don’t sell anything. You simply add and then sync any registries you’ve set up elsewhere so you can share it all in one spot.

• Universal registry: Yes
• Welcome box: No
• Completion discount: No
• Returns: No
• Group Gifting: No but has Cash Fund
• Cash Fund: Yes
• Rewards Program: No

Pros

• Manage multiple registries in one place
• Any changes you make on your outside registries will sync up on your MyRegistry
• Popular wedding registry site so you might already be familiar with it
• Scan item barcodes to add to your registry

Cons

• 5% fee will be deducted from Cash Fund
• Not as nice looking as other universal registries
• No price comparison feature so wherever you have registered is the price that is shown

MyRegistry Verdict

If you have a lot of registries set up or if you’ve already used MyRegistry, this would be a good pick.

One of its main selling points is the sync feature so you can take advantage of the completion discounts of each store without having to jump back and forth to manage them. Create a registry at MyRegistry >

Target baby registry is a favorite because they have physical stores where you can check out the items and family and friends can shop your registry both online and in-store. Plus, you get extra perks if you’re a RedCard holder like an extra 5% off and free two day shipping.

• Universal registry: Yes
• Welcome box: Yes. You have to pick it up instore
• Completion discount: 15% Eight weeks before your expected due date, you’ll receive a 15% off storewide Target Circle offer that is redeemable twice – once in-store and once online
• Shipping: Free shipping on orders over $35 and free two-day shipping to RedCard users
• Returns: Within 12 months of your due date
• Group Gifting: Yes. Gift givers can contribute to a large ticket item (like a stroller) then you’ll receive a Target gift card to purchase the item
• Cash Fund: No, but Target has partnered with Honeyfund for their wedding registry so I’m sure you could set one up for diapers vs. Cancun
• Rewards Program: Yes. 5% off if you have a RedCard

Pros

• Shop in store or online
• You can combine your completion discount with your 5 percent discount if you have a RedCard or Target Circle offers
• Lets you highlight which items on your registry you deem as “most wanted” and add notes

Cons

• Gifts need to be returned in person
• No in-store help
• You have to go into a store to pick up the welcome bag and they often run out of them

Target Baby Registry Verdict

If you have a RedCard it’s definitely worth registering at Target.

Even though some people complain about their variety, they have a well curated baby section and their registry is universal so you can add anything to it. Plus, there are Target stores all over the place for people who only want to shop in-store. Create a registry at Target >

Are you surprised you can register on Amazon, a site where you can literally order anything from baby bottle nipples to a 12-foot beach ball? It’s a super simple, one-stop shop for pretty much anything and everything on your baby’s needs list.

• Universal registry: Yes
• Welcome box: Yes. Once a $10 (minimum) item has been bought off your registry
• Completion discount: 10% – 15% Get 10% off two orders of up to $2,000 60 days before your due date and up to 60 days after. Prime members receive 15%
• Shipping: Free shipping on orders over $25, or if the buyer is a Prime member
• Returns: Gifts can be returned within one year after you receive notice that it shipped
• Group Gifting: Yes
• Cash Fund: Sort of. They call it a diaper fund where people can contribute to an Amazon.com Gift Card
• Rewards Program: No

Pros

• Amazon Prime Members you can get up to $300 off with your completion discount (it might even be worth the $99 to join Prime)
• People know Amazon and are pretty familiar with shopping there
• There isn’t much that you need for newborns that you can’t find on Amazon
• Their welcome box has historically been pretty good

Cons

• Amazon carries a lot of sketchy baby stuff so it can be hard to navigate the good from the garbage
• Completion discount applies only to items sold and shipped by Amazon.com and not to products sold by third-party sellers
• No brick and mortar stores if you want to check out the goods
• People are familiar with Amazon and not everyone wants to support them

Amazon Registry Verdict

If you’re a Prime Member, I’d set up an Amazon baby registry with them. Even if you keep it private and then import it into another site like Babylist, the completion discount and welcome box are worth it. Create a registry at Amazon >

Nationwide and specializing in all things baby gear, this is a great spot if you’re a visual person who needs to see/touch/snuggle something before you buy. It’s also nice to be able to ask questions in person and have someone walk you through how something works (like folding a stroller or putting together a pack n’ play).

• Universal registry: No
• Welcome box:  Yes. Buy the welcome bag for $10 which you will receive a credit of $10 in rewards in your digital wallet to use at buybuy Baby
• Completion discount: 15% Sent 6 weeks before your expected due date
• Shipping: Free shipping on orders over $59
• Returns: You can return gifts within a year of the purchase date
• Group Gifting: Yes
• Cash Fund: Yes through Venmo
• Rewards Program: Yes. Earn 10 points for every $1 spent (5,000 points = $5 reward) with Welcome Rewards

Pros

• Baby gear is their primary business
• Shop in store or online
• Access to registry consultants (in-store or virtually)
• If your gift purchases are over $1,500, you’ll receive one year of free shipping, which might come in handy for diapers and formula
• Find a better price for an identical item and they will match it in stores or over the phone

Cons

• Completion discount cannot be combined with buybuy Baby’s famous 20% off coupons and a lot of brands are excluded from the discount
• Their welcome box costs $10 and is historically the most ‘meh’ of the goody bags
• You can only register for things from buybuy Baby and Bed Bath & Beyond
• The website isn’t great and is pretty slow

buybuy Baby Verdict

Baby gear is what buybuyBaby is known for which is appealing to many new parents.

If you have one close by, it might be worth checking out, and the physical store might make returns a bit easier. Meeting with a registry consultant can also help when you’re feeling overwhelmed in front of a wall of nursery gear.

I would still set up another universal registry like Babylist, Target or Amazon so you can add non-baby items along with your buybuy Baby picks. Create a registry at buybuyBaby >

Walmart is known for having great prices and they are everywhere. They carry a variety of baby gear and some more affordable versions of higher-end clothing brands like Carter’s, Monica + Andy, and Gerber.

• Universal registry: No
• Welcome box: Yes. Note: At the time of publishing, Walmart has run out of free goody bags
• Completion discount: No
• Shipping: Free shipping on orders over $35
• Returns: You have 90 days to return gifts from Walmart and 30 days for Marketplace gifts
• Group Gifting: No
• Cash Fund: No
• Rewards Program: No

Pros

• Shop in store or online
• Carries some exclusive brands like M+A by Monica + Andy and Rascal + Friends diapers
• Most of the brands they carry tend to be wallet friendly
• Can register for non-baby registry items like coffee makers, etc.

Cons

• Marketplace can have very sketchy items that are hard to return
• No in-store help
• Only price matches with Walmart.com (no competitors) Note: this can vary by store.

Walmart Verdict

Walmart’s biggest perk is that they are everywhere.

A Walmart baby registry might be a good option for seasoned parents to add baby essentials and non-baby items. Like Amazon, Walmart’s Marketplace is swimming with sketchy gear that an inexperienced parent might not know to steer clear of.

I would recommend only using Walmart as a secondary registry if they get their free welcome kit back in stock. Create a registry at Walmart >

Potterbarn Kids is known for their gorgeous nursery decor but they also have an impressive selection of things you’d have on a baby registry checklist.

• Universal registry: No
• Welcome box: No
• Completion discount: 15% 60 days before your due date and up to 180 days  after
• Shipping: Shipping rates vary
• Returns: 90 days from the date of your due date or 90 days from when the item was purchased, whichever is later
• Group Gifting: Yes
• Cash Fund: No
• Rewards Program: No

Pros

• Well curated baby gear selection
• Shop and return in store or online
• Nursery furniture is Greenguard Gold certified, meeting strict standards for chemical emissions and safety
• Free one-on-one design and registry consultants
• Beautiful personalized items like towels and Everywhere Chairs

Cons

• Shipping rates can vary a lot depending on what you’re buying
• The completion discount has a lot of exclusions
• You can only register items from Potterybarn Kids, West Elm, Williams Sonoma, Rejuvenation and Mark & Graham

Potterybarn Kids Verdict

Pottery barn kids baby registry used to be on a lot of lists because they had a 20% completion discount. Now that they’ve trimmed that back to 15% with an insane amount of exclusions, it’s a harder sell.

If you’re putting together a gorgeous nursery, the discount is good for regular priced items, and the design services are free, so it’s worth registering.  Create a Potterybarn Kids registry here >

This is another spot that has really beautiful nursery decor along with well curated baby gear.

• Universal registry: No
• Welcome box: No
• Completion discount: 15% off three months before your due date and up to six months after
• Shipping: Shipping rates vary
• Returns: 90 days for non-furniture items and 30 days for rugs and furniture
• Group Gifting: Sort of. A Group Gift Fund lets people add a dollar amount to a collective gift card
• Cash Fund: No. Group Gift Fund is the closest to cash
• Rewards Program: No

Pros

• Well curated baby gear selection
• Shop and return in store or online
• Many items are Greenguard Gold certified meeting strict standards for chemical emissions and safety
• Free one-on-one design and registry consultants
• Fewer completions exclusions than Potterybarn Kids

Cons

• Shipping rates can vary a lot depending on what you’re buying
• You can only register items from Crate&Kids, Crate & Barrel, CB2 and Hudson Grace

Crate& Kids Verdict

Crate&Kids and Potterbarn Kids probably have a similar custom and therefore have a very similar setup.

I found it interesting that I couldn’t find a giant exclusions list for the completion discount as I found on Potterybarn Kids. I messaged them and they said only items on clearance or discounted are excluded. If this is the case, then it’s the better option of the two.

They have beautiful gear and they’ve done a good job of making the picks foolproof. If budget isn’t a huge concern, it’s a solid place to get everything you need. Create a Crate&Kids registry >

The Tot is known for their well curated, eco-friendly and sustainable baby gear. The site is clean and easy to navigate and they also carry many hard to find items and unique brands.

• Universal registry: No
• Welcome box: No
• Completion discount: 15% within 60 days of your baby’s due date
• Shipping: $9.95 and free over $75
• Returns: Up to 90 days after your due date
• Group Gifting: No
• Cash Fund: No
• Rewards Program: Yes. Earn 1 point for every $1 spent (500 points = $5 off)

Pros

• Exceptional quality, style and safety
• Nice rewards program
• Free registry concierge
• Competitive registry completion discount

Cons

• No in-store option
• Pricey
• You can only register items sold on The Tot

The Tot Verdict

The Tot is a one-stop shop that gives new parents peace of mind that everything is safe and tested. Not surprisingly, it’s on the pricey side but they do have a competitive registry completion discount and a good rewards program.

If you are concerned about sustainability and safe, tested gear, the Tot is an excellent choice. Create a registry at The Tot >

Final Verdict on the Best Baby Registry

If I had to register tomorrow, I would probably create a private registry with Target and Amazon and then run them both through Babylist. If I had some cash, I’d also add The Tot or Crate&Kids in there.

I would skip registering at places with no perks – like completion discounts, welcome boxes, and rewards programs – and just add those items to a universal registry. For example, IKEA has amazing, budget-friendly baby furniture but their registry is nothing special.

Of course, this all goes out the window if all you need is diapers from the Walmart down the street or if your friends and family are already familiar with MyRegistry from your wedding, but hopefully, this gives you a place to start.

Did I miss a fantastic baby registry that I should know about?

Let me know about it in the comments!

Our next recos: New Baby Checklist – What to Put on Your Registry and Best Places to Score Free Baby Stuff: 2023