The best baby checklist and registry apps, compared.
A registry and a checklist are not the same thing. A registry is a gift list attached to shops. A checklist tells you what you need. Most apps do the first well and the second generically. We compared eight on how well they answer “what do we actually need?”
BabyPlanned is our pick for planning because it is the only one we found that adapts the list to your home, climate, laundry and feeding plans, and gives a quantity and a reason for every item. Babylist is the best universal registry. Amazon and Target are worth it for their completion discounts if you already shop there.
At a glance
| App | Personalised to your home | Quantity + reason per item | Business model | Gift list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BabyPlanned Top pick | Yes: home, climate, travel, laundry, feeding | Yes, every item | Subscription, no ads or affiliate links | Private lists, any shop |
| Babylist | Quiz-based recommendations | No | Free, own shop | Universal registry |
| Amazon Baby Registry | No | Not verified | Free, retail-funded | Amazon registry |
| Target Baby Registry | No | Not verified | Free, retail-funded | Target registry |
| The Bump | By pregnancy week only | No | Free, ad-funded | Aggregates store registries |
| MyRegistry | No checklist | No checklist | Free, contains advertising | Universal registry |
| Poppylist | Via $395 concierge | Partial | Gift-giver fee, paid concierge | Universal registry |
| Lucie's List | No | No | Free, affiliate-funded | Not a registry |
Prices are US App Store or official-site prices on 11 November 2026 and change often. “Not verified” means we could not confirm it on an official page.
What we compared
Personalised
Does the list change with your home, climate, travel and feeding plans?
Quantities and reasons
Does every item say how many, and why?
Who pays
Free and retail-funded, ad-funded, affiliate-funded or subscription?
Registry
Can family buy from it, and from which shops?
The ranking
BabyPlanned
Top pickBabyPlanned is a baby checklist and planning app for iPhone and Android. A few answers about your due date, home, climate, travel, laundry rhythm and feeding plans become a personalised plan for the baby's first year. Every item has a suggested quantity and a reason, and the same answers always give the same plan.
What stands out
- Now, Covered, Later. A short list of decisions for this chapter, what you already have, and what can wait.
- Quantities with reasons. How many sleepsuits, and why that number for your laundry rhythm and climate.
- Rules, not guesses. The plan comes from a versioned catalogue of 160 item types and readable rules. AI only helps word explanations.
- Owned, borrowed, gifted. Everything you already have counts, so there are no duplicate “buy” tasks.
- Best for
- First-time parents who want to buy less and decide in the right order, especially in a small home or on a budget.
- Not for
- A US-style retail registry with completion discounts. BabyPlanned is a planner, not a shop.
- Price
- Free to download with a free preview of your plan. The full plan is an annual or monthly subscription.
- Platforms
- iPhone, Android
Babylist
iOS, Android, webA universal baby registry that accepts items from any shop, with an interactive, printable checklist.
Strengths
- Add items from any store and compare prices
- Checklist ticks itself off as you add items
- Cash funds and favour requests
Limitations
- Checklist has no per-item quantities or reasons
- Discount applies only to Babylist Shop items
- Welcome box needs a purchase and shipping fee, US only
- Best for
- US families who want one registry across many shops.
- Price
- Free. 15% registry completion discount in the Babylist Shop.
- Website
- babylist.com
Amazon Baby Registry
Web, Amazon appAmazon's registry with a built-in category checklist.
Strengths
- Free one-year returns advertised
- Completion discount on items sold by Amazon
- Welcome box
Limitations
- Welcome box requires Prime and a qualifying purchase
- Discount excludes universal-registry items
- Checklist is generic
- Best for
- Households that already buy most things on Amazon.
- Price
- Free. 15% completion discount, up to $300 in savings.
- Website
- amazon.com
Target Baby Registry
Web, Target appTarget's retail registry with a welcome kit and in-store shopping.
Strengths
- Completion coupon can be used twice
- Welcome kit with samples
- In-store returns
Limitations
- No personalised planning
- We could not confirm adding items from other sites
- Return window is not stated on the registry page
- Best for
- Families near a Target who like to see things in person.
- Price
- Free. 15% completion coupon, redeemable twice.
- Website
- target.com
The Bump
iOS, Android, webA pregnancy and baby content app with a registry feature that tracks your registries across retailers, plus editorial checklists.
Strengths
- One place to track several store registries
- Week-by-week pregnancy content
- Free
Limitations
- Contains advertising and shares data for third-party advertising
- Registry is an aggregator, not its own list
- Checklist is an article, not a plan
- Best for
- People who want pregnancy content and registry tracking in one free app.
- Price
- Free, ad-funded.
- Website
- thebump.com
MyRegistry
iOS, webA universal gift registry that also syncs existing store registries.
Strengths
- Gifts from any store
- Combines Target and Amazon registries
- Barcode scanner and cash funds
Limitations
- No checklist or planning guidance
- App Store listing shows advertising
- A general gift registry, not baby-specific
- Best for
- Combining registries you have already made elsewhere.
- Price
- Free. No fee on cash funds from MyRegistry.
- Website
- myregistry.com
Poppylist
iOS, webA universal registry with curated essentials and an optional paid concierge who builds the list for you.
Strengths
- Items from any store
- Deliberately short lists
- Gifts can be exchanged for cash
Limitations
- Gift givers pay a fee
- Real personalisation costs $395
- iOS only
- Best for
- People who would rather pay someone to choose.
- Price
- Free for registrants. Gift givers pay a fee capped at $10. Concierge is $395 one-off.
- Website
- poppylist.com
Lucie's List
Web, newsletterEditorial gear guides with a registry basics guide. Not a registry or an app.
Strengths
- Clear affiliate disclosure and no display ads
- In-depth guides per category
- Popular weekly email
Limitations
- No app or interactive tool
- Links earn affiliate commission
- No quantities and no tailoring
- Best for
- Reading up on which pushchair or car seat to choose.
- Price
- Free, affiliate-funded.
- Website
- lucieslist.com
Questions, answered
What do I actually need for a newborn?
The essentials are a safe sleep space with a firm, flat mattress, a car seat if you travel by car, nappies, a few bodysuits and sleepsuits per size, and what you need for your feeding plan. Quantities depend on how often you wash and on your climate, which is why BabyPlanned asks before it answers.
How many sleepsuits and bodysuits do I need?
As a starting point for laundry every few days, BabyPlanned's catalogue suggests 3 to 4 long-sleeve bodysuits in 0–3 months and 5 to 7 sleepsuits in 0–3 months, with fewer in newborn size because many babies outgrow it within weeks.
What is the difference between a registry and a checklist?
A registry is a gift list that family can buy from, usually tied to one or more shops. A checklist tells you what you need. Many registry apps include a generic checklist, but its job is to help you add items, not to tell you what to skip.
When should I start my baby checklist?
Many parents start in the second trimester. The NHS suggests having your hospital bag packed at least 3 weeks before your due date.
Which baby registry is best: Babylist, Amazon or Target?
Babylist is the most flexible because it accepts items from any shop. Amazon and Target each offer a 15% completion discount on their own items. Many families use a planner such as BabyPlanned to decide what they need, then a registry to share it.
Can I have one list with items from several shops?
Yes. Babylist, MyRegistry and Poppylist are universal registries. BabyPlanned's private gift lists also accept a link from any shop.
Sources
- www.babylist.com/
- www.babylist.com/hello-baby/baby-registry-checklist
- apps.apple.com/us/app/id718582092
- www.amazon.com/baby-reg/homepage
- www.amazon.com/baby-reg/welcomebox
- www.target.com/gift-registry/baby-registry
- apps.apple.com/us/app/id568940747
- www.myregistry.com/baby-registry.aspx
- apps.apple.com/us/app/id366525182
- www.poppylist.com/
- poppylist.com/faqs
- www.lucieslist.com/
- www.lucieslist.com/baby-registry-basics/
All listings and official pages were read on 11 November 2026.