The short version
- Four big registries give away a welcome box: Amazon, Target, Walmart and Babylist. You can claim all four.
- None is completely free. Each needs a minimum number of registry items and some registry purchases, and two charge shipping.
- Friends' and family's gift purchases count toward the purchase minimum for Amazon, Target and Walmart, so you may not need to buy anything yourself.
- Amazon, Target and Babylist also offer a 15% completion discount on leftover registry items near your due date.
A baby registry welcome box is a free gift box that a store sends you for starting a baby registry with them. Boxes usually include samples of diapers, wipes, creams and bottles, a few full-size products and a stack of coupons. Contents change from month to month.
Here's exactly what each store requires as of November 2026, and how to get all four boxes for the least money.
Baby registry welcome boxes compared
| Amazon | Target | Walmart | Babylist | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Membership | Prime required | Target Circle (free) | None | None |
| Registry items | 10 unique items | 10 unique items | 20 different items | 3 items from other stores + 40% of checklist |
| Purchase minimum | $10+ from registry (by anyone) | $10+ from registry (by anyone) | $25+ from registry (by anyone) | $30 in the Babylist Shop |
| Shipping | Free with Prime | Shipping and handling fee | Not stated | $8.95 |
| Completion discount | 15% (up to $300 off) | 15% with Target Circle | Check your registry | 15% on Babylist Shop items |
Amazon Baby Registry Welcome Box
To claim the Amazon welcome box you need:
- An active Amazon Prime membership.
- A baby registry with at least 10 unique items.
- More than $10 of purchases from your registry, by you or anyone else. Tax and shipping don't count toward the $10.
Only the main registry owner can claim it, and it ships within the contiguous U.S. (not Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico or APO addresses).
Is the Amazon welcome box really free? The box itself costs nothing, which is why people search "Amazon welcome box not free" when they hit the requirements. You need Prime and $10 of registry purchases. If a relative buys a $10+ gift off your list, you never spend a cent on the box.
Amazon's completion discount is 15% off items still left on your registry, on up to $2,000 of purchases (so up to $300 in savings). It opens 60 days before your arrival date and lasts until 90 days after, and your registry needs to have been active for at least 14 days. Compare it with Target's in our Target vs Amazon baby registry guide.
Target Baby Registry Welcome Kit
Target values its welcome kit at $100, the only store here that puts a number on it. The kit is now claimed online as a Target Circle Bonus, so older posts telling you to pick it up at Guest Services are out of date.
To qualify:
- Join Target Circle (free).
- Create a baby registry with at least 10 unique items.
- Get more than $10 purchased from the registry.
The bonus shows up on your registry dashboard within a day or two. Shipping and handling fees apply, and you can claim one kit per year. Target Circle members also get a 15% completion discount on remaining registry items in the weeks before baby arrives, usable twice.
Walmart Baby Registry Welcome Box
Walmart asks for a little more:
- At least 20 different items on your registry.
- More than $25 purchased through the registry.
- A registry that has been active for at least 7 days.
Once you qualify, a welcome box tile or banner appears on your registry. Walmart is upfront that boxes are first come, first served, so qualifying doesn't guarantee one. If you want the box, add items early and claim as soon as the tile appears.
Babylist Hello Baby Box
Babylist is a universal registry, which means you can add items from any store. Its Hello Baby Box has the most steps:
- Fill in your name, arrival date and U.S. shipping address.
- Add 3 items from other stores (anything that isn't from Babylist's own shop).
- Complete 40% of the registry checklist.
- Spend at least $30 in the Babylist Shop.
- Pay $8.95 shipping (more for Alaska and Hawaii).
Timing matters too: your due date must be less than nine months away, or your baby must be under four weeks old. It's one box per household.
How to get all four boxes for the least money
- Start early. Open all four registries in your second trimester so the purchase minimums have time to fill from gifts.
- Use one list as your "real" registry. Share your main registry (Babylist works well because it can hold items from any store) and keep the others small, just above the item minimums.
- Let gifts do the work. At Amazon, Target and Walmart, purchases by friends and family count. A single shower gift can unlock a box.
- Buy things you need anyway. For Babylist's $30 minimum, pick something you'd buy regardless, like diapers or bottles.
- Time your completion discounts. Hold off on big-ticket items you still need until the completion windows open, then buy them at 15% off.
Want more than registry perks? Our big list of free baby stuff covers everything else, from a free breast pump to free books by mail.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Amazon baby registry welcome box free?
The box has no charge, but you need an active Prime membership, at least 10 items on your baby registry and more than $10 of purchases from your registry. Purchases by friends and family count toward the $10.
Can I get more than one baby registry welcome box?
Yes. Amazon, Target, Walmart and Babylist each run their own program, so you can open a registry at all four and claim each box once you meet that store's requirements.
Can I still pick up the Target welcome kit in store?
Target now offers its baby registry welcome kit online as a Target Circle Bonus, with shipping and handling fees. You need a free Target Circle membership, 10 registry items and more than $10 of registry purchases.
When should I start my baby registry to get the welcome boxes?
The second trimester is a good time. It leaves time for gifts to meet the purchase minimums, and Babylist requires your due date to be less than nine months away.
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