The 6 Best Baby Registries for Expecting Parents in 2024

Updated Oct 8, 2024 8:06 am ET


We might earn a commission if you make a purchase through one of the links. The McClatchy Commerce Content team, which is independent from our newsroom, oversees this content.

Congratulations are in order now that you have a little one on the way! You have an estimated due date and a plan for the nursery, so the next natural step is to start building your baby registry. But with so many options to choose from, how do you know which of the many baby registries is right for you?

To help you take the headache out of registering, we minimized the guesswork so you know what to expect from the industry’s most popular baby registries. Explore the advantages that come with different registries to make your top picks that best suit your growing family. Here are the best baby registries you can sign up for in 2024.

The Best Baby Registries of 2024

Best Overall: Amazon

Amazon baby registry home page
  • Completion Discount: Yes – 15%
  • Free Shipping: Free two-day shipping for Amazon Prime members or any purchase that meets the minimum purchase requirement for non-members
  • Return Policy: You can return eligible gifts purchased from your registry for free for up to 365 days
  • Universal Registry: Yes
  • Group Gifting: Yes

Pros:

  • The largest selection and variety of brands and items
  • The option for a diaper fund
  • Generous return policy

Cons:

  • There is no physical store to stop in and check out different products
  • Free two-day shipping is primarily for Prime members only

Why We Chose It

Amazon is known and loved for its nearly limitless options, reasonable pricing, and quick shipping. Gift givers have an assortment of options and brands to choose from — you can find everything from big-name brands to Amazon basics.

This registry also makes the top of our list because of the exceptional return policy – Amazon gets that life happens, so you can make returns simple and easy for up to 365 days after your event. And of course, we can’t forget about the option to add a diaper fund to your registry; instead of buying specific items now, gift givers can fund this feature, and you can spend it on items your little one will need in the future, like diapers — which we all know you never have enough of those.

Best Budget: Walmart Baby Registry

Walmart baby registry home page
  • Completion Discount: No
  • Free Shipping: Yes – With purchase $35 or more
  • Return Policy: You can return eligible gifts purchased from your registry for free for up to 365 days
  • Universal Registry: No
  • Group Gifting: No

Pros:

  • Every day low prices
  • Add items to your registry online or in person

Cons:

  • No completion discounts for unpurchased items on your registry
  • The complimentary baby box has been out of stock since 2023

Why We Chose It

When you create a baby registry with Walmart, you can be confident that you’re getting great deals that won’t break the bank for you and the people you share your registry with.

At Walmart, you can register for all the everyday essentials and stay on budget. Even though many of us think of online shopping as the go-to option, going in-store to add things to your registry makes for a fun trip, with the added bonus of checking out the items in person before adding them to your list. To top it off, Walmart is one of the baby registries that offers a few freebies to start your registry off right.

Best Luxury: Pottery Barn Kids

pottery barn kids registry
  • Completion Discount: Yes – 15%
  • Free Shipping: No
  • Return Policy: 90-day return policy
  • Universal Registry: No
  • Group Gifting: Yes – eGift cards are available as a group gift

Pros:

  • Free nursery design consultation
  • High-quality, organic, fair trade products
  • Completion discount for unpurchased items

Cons:

  • Limited brands available
  • Higher price points for most items

If you’re looking for the most whimsical, Pinterest-worthy items and decor for your bundle of joy, Pottery Barn’s baby registry is the one for you. When you register, enjoy a complimentary nursery design consultation to ensure your little one’s nursery has just the right vibe.

Here, you can find beautiful, quality designs for your nursery, including furniture, bedding, keepsakes, and all the gear your baby will need. If a gift doesn’t work out, you have up to 90 days to return the items, and if there’s anything left on your registry that you can’t live without, take advantage of the completion discount.

Best for Versatility: Babylist

babylist baby registry
  • Completion Discount: Yes – 15%
  • Free Shipping: Yes, with purchases for $45 or more
  • Return Policy: Returns can be made within nine months of the purchase date
  • Universal Registry: Yes
  • Group Gifting: Yes

Pros:

  • Wide variety of your favorite retailers
  • Welcome baby box available
  • Price comparison tool

Cons:

  • Shipping charge for Welcome baby box
  • Non-Babylist items need to be marked manually as purchased.

We love the Babylist for its customizable experience, making registering for you fun and easy. From the wide variety of store options to their group gifting feature and more, the Babylist registry gives you the freedom to find almost anything you could want or need for your little one. With Babylist being a universal registry, you can add items from their site and all your favorite retailers.

They also offer a unique ‘guides’ feature for parents-to-be where you can check out answers to common questions and product recommendations for your registry to help make the best decisions for your growing family. Additionally, they offer a free baby box when you register, with samples and free gifts to get you started.

Best for Essentials: Target

  • Completion Discount: Yes – 15%
  • Free Shipping: Yes, with Target Circle Card or $35+ purchase
  • Return Policy: Free registry returns for up to a year
  • Universal Registry: No
  • Group Gifting: No

Pros:

  • Free welcome kit
  • Special coupons and discounts for babies and their caregivers
  • Price match on identical items

Cons:

  • Multi-step, in-store return process

Why We Chose It

We all have come to know and love that Target is a one-stop shop for all our essentials, including everything you want on your baby registry.

With their price match feature, special discounts, and coupons, you can also rest assured that you’re getting a great deal – it’s no surprise that this is a popular baby registry. With the ability to shop in-store or online, checking items off your registry list is simple and easy for your gift givers.

Best of all, the benefits don’t end only when people purchase something from your registry; Target is one of a few baby registries with free gifts and samples for you and your little one. On top of that, they offer a completion discount for the remaining items on your registry and an incredibly generous return policy.

Best for Convenience: MyRegistry.com

myregistry.com baby registry
  • Completion Discount: No
  • Free Shipping: Depends on the retailer
  • Return Policy: 30-day return policy
  • Universal Registry: Yes
  • Group Gifting: Yes – Cash Gift Fund

Pros:

  • You can sync multiple store registries
  • Cash gift fund option

Cons:

  • Short return period
  • There are a few fees associated with the cash gift

Why We Chose It

Many super stressful things come with preparing for your new bundle of joy, but with My Registry, creating your baby registry isn’t one of them. Many reasons this registry makes our list, the foremost being you can sync your other gift registries to keep everything in one place, making this one of the easiest and most convenient registry experiences.

On top of being a straightforward registry to work with, My Registry also has a unique option that lets you add a cash gift fund to your registry. This option allows family and friends to contribute as much or as little cash as they like and can be used for major expenses now or in the future for your new baby.

Bottom Line

There are so many baby registry options available for you to choose from, something perfect for every growing family. The Amazon Baby Registry tops our list as the best overall baby registry because of its wide selection, special discounts and gifts, return policy, and a box of free goodies you don’t want to miss out on.

Whether you’re looking for the best deals, the most enchanting designs, or everyday essential, all these baby registries have you covered. So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and start your registry today.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How do baby registries work?

A baby registry is a list of everything you want to have for your baby once they arrive. You add those items to the checklist from your preferred retailer(s) and share them with friends and family before a baby shower to help give people a guide to what items you need for your new bundle of joy.

What baby registries give free gifts?

Baby registries from Amazon, Babylist, Target, and Walmart all offer baby boxes, however, it should be noted that the link on Walmart’s website currently states baby boxes are out of stock.

How many baby registries should you have?

Creating baby registries at up to three retailers is typical. Benefits of having more than one registry include extra discounts, additional free samples (when available), and a wide selection of product options for your baby.

How many baby registries can you have on Amazon?

You can have two registries on Amazon. Per Amazon’s instructions, navigate from your main baby registry page, go to the settings page, and at the bottom, select Create a new Baby Registry.

What stores have baby registries?

Many retailers offer baby registries. Some include but are not limited to big box stores like Target and Walmart, specialty shops like Pottery Barn and Buy Buy Baby, and online shops like Amazon and Babylist.

Methodology

We selected the best baby registries for expecting parents based on the ease, variety, and benefits that come with each registry. Our aim is to give you the most accurate, up-to-date information so you can make the best decision for you and your new bundle of joy.

Holly Garcia is a Wisconsin-based freelance writer who has written for brands like Parents, Up North News, Scary Mommy, Baby Chick, Mom.com, and more. She started her writing career covering all the lifestyle things with a desire to make even the most technical words accessible to everyone – she has a particular knack for mental health education, maternal health, and everything parenting. She works out of her home office where she’s raising her daughters drinking copious amounts of coffee. When she’s not working, you can find her gardening or writing poetry and historical fiction.

Abby Kass

Abby Kass

Editor McClatchy Commerce

Abby Kass is a Commerce Content Editor at McClatchy covering kids/babies, pets, beauty, and more. With more than seven years experience writing and editing shopping content, Abby has a strong understanding of how important commerce content really is and its important value to readers. She loves browsing online and finding innovative, unique, and just down-right cool products. Before McClatchy, Abby started her career working for Parents Magazine where she fell in love with writing about products. She then spent six years at BuzzFeed falling deeper into the shopping world writing more than 1,500 product roundups and reviews. She sees shopping as a sport and has worked hard at mastering it in order to help make people’s lives easier as they find cool and useful products.