The short version
- Amazon wins on returns (365 days on eligible gifts), group gifting and selection. Its welcome box needs Prime.
- Target wins if you like shopping in person, and its welcome kit only needs a free Target Circle membership. It no longer offers group gifting for new registries.
- Both give a 15% completion discount near your due date, with different rules.
- You don't have to choose. Most parents can claim both welcome boxes and both discounts.
Amazon and Target are two of the most popular baby registries, and both come with a free welcome box and a completion discount. But they differ in the details that matter after the shower: returns, group gifts, and how you can use the discount. Here's a side-by-side comparison as of November 2026.
Target vs Amazon baby registry at a glance
| Amazon | Target | |
|---|---|---|
| Membership needed | Prime for the welcome box | Free Target Circle |
| Welcome box | Free with Prime, 10 items + $10 in registry purchases | Free kit (Target values it at $100), 10 items + $10 in purchases, shipping fee |
| Completion discount | 15% on up to $2,000 of remaining items (up to $300 off) | 15% off storewide, usable up to twice |
| Discount window | 60 days before to 90 days after arrival date | Sent about 8 weeks before arrival; valid 6 months |
| Returns on gifts | 365 days on eligible registry gifts, free | Up to 1 year after your event date, new and unopened items, refunded as a gift card |
| Add items from other stores | Uncertain (its old browser tool was discontinued) | No |
| Group gifting / cash funds | Group gifting and a diaper fund | Group gifting discontinued for new registries; no cash fund |
| Shop in person | No | Yes: scan items in store, guests can buy at the register |
| Your address | Guests see your name, city and state | Your address, phone and email stay hidden |
Welcome boxes
Both boxes need 10 registry items and more than $10 of registry purchases, and gifts from friends and family count. The difference is the membership: Amazon requires Prime, while Target only needs its free Target Circle program and charges a shipping fee. Target is also the only one that puts a value on its kit, at $100. For the full rules on all the boxes, see our baby registry welcome box guide.
Completion discounts
Amazon gives registry owners 15% off items still on the registry, on up to $2,000 of purchases, which works out to as much as $300 in savings. It's available from 60 days before your arrival date until 90 days after, once your registry has been active for 14 days. Only the main registrant can use it, and returned items don't restore your balance.
Target sends a 15% off Target Circle offer about 8 weeks before your arrival date, once your registry has been active for 14 days. You can use it up to two times, and it expires six months after it's issued.
Returns and exchanges
Duplicate gifts happen. Amazon lets you return eligible registry gifts free for 365 days from your Thank You & Returns page, and gift givers aren't notified. Target gives you up to a year after your event date to return most new, unopened items, refunded as a Target gift card.
Group gifts and cash funds
If you want family to chip in on a big item like a stroller, Amazon is the stronger choice: it supports group gifting and a diaper fund guests can contribute to. Target stopped offering group gifting to new registrants in 2023 and doesn't offer cash funds.
Registering for items from other stores
If you want everything from every store in one list, neither is ideal. Target's registry only holds Target items. Amazon used to let you add items from other sites through a browser extension that has since been discontinued. A universal registry like Babylist is built for this, and it has its own welcome box.
Privacy
Amazon shows gift givers your name, city and state. If you allow third-party sellers to ship gifts, those sellers can see your address. Target keeps your shipping address, phone number and email hidden from guests.
So which should you choose?
- Choose Amazon if you want the biggest selection, long return window and group gifting, and you already have Prime.
- Choose Target if your family likes shopping in person or you want a storewide completion discount.
- Do both if you want every welcome box and discount. Keep the second registry small, just above the 10-item minimum.
Looking for more freebies while you're expecting? See free stuff for pregnant women.
Frequently asked questions
Is Target or Amazon better for a baby registry?
Amazon is better for selection, a 365-day return window on eligible gifts and group gifting. Target is better if your family shops in person or you want a storewide completion discount. Many parents use both to claim both welcome boxes.
How does the Amazon registry completion discount work?
Amazon gives 15% off items left on your registry, on up to $2,000 of purchases (up to $300 off), from 60 days before your arrival date to 90 days after. Your registry must be active for 14 days.
Does Target still offer group gifting?
No. Target stopped offering group gifting to new registrants in 2023, and its registry doesn't offer cash funds.
How we research: we check every offer against the brand's or program's own website before publishing and when we update a guide. Programs change, so always confirm the details at the source before you sign up. Read our editorial standards, or tell us about a correction. Some links may be affiliate links; see our disclosure.