If you’re an expectant Canadian parent on a mission to craft the perfect baby wish list, here are the best places to create a baby registry in Canada. In this article, we'll examine each retailer's shipping, registry bonus, return policies, and pros and cons. Here are the ones we're looking at.
Things to Consider When Setting Up Your Baby Registry
Whether you’re set to be the guest of honor at an upcoming baby shower or just want to give your friends and family a little nudge in the right gift-giving direction, it’s a good idea to double check that your baby registry items come from a place that makes purchasing and delivering your baby gear as simple as possible.
At first glance, most baby registries look pretty straightforward but there are a few things to look for if you're setting one up for the first time.
✅ Consider a Universal Baby Registry
Universal Registries are a great option if you’ve got your eye on baby gear from more than one retailer. Universal registries let you add items from any website you want to your list instead of being exclusive to only one store.
So, if your favorite newborn onesies come from the Gap, you’ve got your eye on personalized nursery decor on Etsy, and you found a great deal on car seats at Canadian Tire, you can keep all your shopping links in one spot.
✅ Look for Completion Discounts
Many retailers and registry sites give you the option to purchase whatever items are left on your list at a discounted price.
There is usually a window between the date of your event and sometime after your due date when you can use this discount. Make sure you add big ticket items like strollers, high chairs and car seats on your list, so if no one decides to go together on a group gift, you can at least buy it for yourself at a reduced price.
Adding a gift card option to your registry is also a good idea because you can use it towards purchasing leftover registry items for a better price.
✅ Do your Research
As fun as it is to let your excitement lead the way when putting together your registry, using a baby registry checklist as a guideline, doing a bit of research and looking over reviews beforehand can help ensure you have all of your baby basics covered.
✅ Include a Variety of Items for all Budgets
Try to include a variety of items at different price points to accommodate different budget ranges for folks looking to get you a gift. Make sure there are a few big ticket items in case people want to do a group gift.
✅ Registries aren’t Just for the Baby
Maternity wear, skincare, body pillows, diaper bags, and food delivery are all essentials for pregnancy and postpartum. Consider adding things like batteries, meals, or even college funds.
Where Should I Register for Baby Gifts in Canada?
There are lots of retailers in Canada to choose from when it comes to creating your baby. Here are the top nine places that have the easiest registries with the best perks.
1. Babylist
If you’re looking for a Universal Registry, Babylist is the perfect one-stop shop. Not only can you register for big brand baby items like carriers, feeding supplies, diapers and baby monitors, but you can also ask for unique items from shops like Etsy as well as cash gifts, hand-me-downs and practical stuff like babysitting and home-cooked meals.
Shipping: Rates depend on the retailer you’re purchasing from.
Completion Discount: No. Normally, you'd receive a one-time 15% discount on eligible baby items sold by Babylist.com 60 days before your due date and up to 6 months after. The only snag here is Babylist items don’t ship to Canada, so unless you have a U.S. shipping address, you’re outta luck here.
Universal Registry: Yes.
Returns: Depend on the retailer you’re purchasing from.
🟢 Pros:
- Add anything to your registry.
- Has an excellent app.
- 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.
🔴 Cons:
- Babylist items don’t ship to Canada, so there is no completion discount on these for Canadians unless you register with a U.S. address.
- You can import another registry, but if you make changes, you have to update both registries.
- They have a Hello Baby welcome box, but unless you have a U.S. shipping address, you won’t be able to claim it.
- No barcode scan feature.
- Be sure not to add stores directly from their catalog as they will be the U.S. version of what you’re looking for.
- For Cash Fund, PayPal charges between 0-3% per transaction.
Babylist Verdict:
Babylist is the gift registry that offers the most in terms of flexibility.
It’s a definite bummer that Canadian customers aren’t eligible for the Hello Baby welcome box or the completion discount without a U.S. shipping address. The good news is that you can still get the completion discounts through whichever stores you’ve imported your registries into Babylist from, so you don’t totally miss out on the deals.
I love that with Babylist you can register for things that you can’t buy at a store but that parents of newborns often desperately need - like someone to walk the dog, cook a meal, or come watch the baby so you can take a nap.
It is also very helpful if you don't know what the heck you're doing and need some guidance on what gear to register for. Create a Babylist registry here.
2. MyRegistry
MyRegistry is a universal registry like Babylist 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. In addition to “stuff”, you can create a Cash Gift Fund so people can contribute to things like diapers, big purchases, or even your baby’s college fund.
When someone purchases your gift, the transaction is completed through the store’s website and then updated on the Universal Registry. A lot of people use MyRegistry for weddings, so you may have friends or family members who are familiar with it already.
Shipping: Shipping is based on the store the item was purchased through - not MyRegistry.
Completion Discount: No.
Universal Registry: Yes.
Returns: Return policy depends on the store the item was purchased through.
🟢 Pros:
- Any changes you make on your outside registries will sync up on your MyRegistry, as long as they’re set to public.
- Easy to use app.
- Barcode scanning feature makes it easy to add items to your registry.
- Thank you note tracker keeps tabs on names and gifts purchased.
- Explore registry gift ideas on their Inspiration Boards.
🔴 Cons:
- For Cash Fund, PayPal charges 2.5% per transaction. There’s also a handling fee (between $4 and $7) charged by MyRegistry.
- No price comparison feature so wherever you have registered is the price that is shown.
MyRegistry Verdict:
If you’d like to coordinate more than one registry or are familiar with MyRegistry already, this would be a good site to use.
The sync feature makes it easy to manage multiple registries so you don’t have to pop around updating separate registries. The barcode scanning feature is also a nice one to have if you’re in a store and find something you can’t live without and would rather not have to try to hunt it down online. Create a registry at MyRegistry.
Although Babylist has some pretty great perks, Canadians aren’t able to take advantage of them without a U.S. shipping address. I do like the fact that you can register for things like secondhand items or practical favors that can’t be bought at a store.
Even though Babylist can be used if you’re in Canada, their recommended retailers default to U.S. URLs, meaning you have to make sure you’re adding the actual Canadian link so that prices come up in CAD and shipping rates and availability are accurate.
MyRegistry has a few features that Babylist is missing, including the barcode scanner and the registry sync, which automatically updates your universal registry whenever changes are made.
In doing a bit of digging online, Canadians specifically seem to be a little more familiar with MyRegistry and find it a bit easier to use, especially for folks who might be purchasing things from your registry and are less tech savvy.
However, Babylist does a much better job of helping parents navigate what gear new parents might need, and its site is entirely focused on baby registry. In contrast, you're on your own with MyRegisty.
3. Hudson’s Bay (through MyRegistry)
The Bay is a Canadian staple that most of your family and friends are probably familiar with since it’s been around for over 200 years. With 86 locations across the country, I’d venture to guess that there’s one in a shopping mall near you and most of the folks who want to buy you a baby gift.
Shipping: Free shipping on a minimum $39 purchase with a Hudson’s Bay Mastercard or $69 minimum without one.
Completion Discount: No.
Universal Registry: Yes. They’ve partnered with MyRegistry.com to create a universal registry that anyone can use to make an online purchase.
Returns: Returns made by the “purchaser” can be made within up to 30 days of purchase for a refund issued to the original tender (credit card, debit card, etc.). Returns made by the “giftee” (that’s you) require a gift receipt or the original order number and will be made in the form of a gift card.
🟢 Pros:
- If you have a Hudson’s Bay Rewards account, you can earn points on just about anything purchased in-store or online. (The starting level is $1 = 1 point, and 1,000 points are worth $5.)
- Friends and family members can shop in-store and online.
- Their baby section is surprisingly well curated.
- If you end up with a gift card, there are many non-baby items to shop for.
- Easy to use app (see MyRegistry).
- Barcode scanning feature makes it easy to add items to your registry.
🔴 Cons:
- No completion discount or registry perks specific to The Bay.
- Their online shopping experience is terrible.
- The points are nothing to write home about unless you are a VIP member or have a Hudson's Bay Mastercard.
The Bay Verdict:
The main upside to the Bay is family members who want to shop someplace familiar will probably know the Bay. If you need to return anything and end up with a gift card you don't have to use it for baby things and get yourself some Gluckstein towels.
If you’re not collecting points, I think there are other places to register for the same things with better perks. If you’re collecting HBC Rewards Points or have relatives who love shopping at the Bay, I would definitely add a few items from The Bay to your MyRegistry. Create a registry at the Bay with MyRegistry.
4. Amazon
It’s pretty hard to resist the convenience, selection, fast and free shipping and easy return process that comes along with shopping on Amazon. The fact that most people probably have an account and are familiar with using the site makes setting up an Amazon baby registry a great option.
Shipping: Free for Amazon Prime members or for orders over $25.
Completion Discount: 10% (discount amount up to $500) for non-Prime members and 15% (discount amount up to $750) for Prime members 60 days before your due date and up to 180 days after.
Universal Registry: Yes.
Returns: Items can be returned for 365 days after shipping. If you're the gift recipient, your refund will be processed as an Amazon.ca Gift Card after they receive your return. They'll add the gift card to the Amazon account used to generate your return. If you're the sender of the gift, you'll receive a refund to the original payment method.
🟢 Pros:
- Amazon Prime Members can get up to $750 off with your completion discount (it might even be worth the $99 to join Prime for this).
- 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.
- Prime Members receive a special gift when $25 has been purchased from their registry.
- Year-long return window.
🔴 Cons:
- Amazon is notorious for selling sketchy drop shipping crap so you have to be very careful what you register for.
- Completion discount applies only to items sold and shipped by Amazon.ca and not to products sold by third-party sellers.
- If you want to check out the goods on your registry, you’ll have to find another store that sells them since Amazon doesn’t have storefronts.
- The Welcome Box isn't available to Canadians and the welcome gift is something in the area of a $10 toy or pacifiers.
- Not everyone loves supporting Amazon.
Amazon Baby 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 gift might be worth it. Create a registry at Amazon.
5. Babies “R” Us
There are lots of great reasons to set up a registry at Babies R Us. They have over 80 locations in Canada, a decent selection, and some nice perks.
Shipping: Free shipping on orders of $49 or more or free in-store pickup.
Completion Discount: 10% registry completion discount, and 15% off for “R” Club members.
Universal Registry: No.
Returns: Returns made by the “purchaser” can be made within up to 90 days of the event date for a refund issued to the original tender (credit card, debit card, etc.). Returns made by the “giftee” (that’s you) require a receipt and will be made in the form of a gift card.
🟢 Pros:
- Registrants get a baby goody bag with samples, coupons and special offers.
- Receive a $25 coupon when you add 25 items to your registry and sign up for e-mails.
- 80 locations across the country.
- Visit a location to create your registry where an in-person consultant can help answer all of your questions.
- Get a $100 savings card when $1000 or more in items is purchased from your registry.
- “R” Club members get additional perks like extended return windows, members-only promotions, 10% off your first purchase and a special birthday offer for your kids.
🔴 Cons:
- Some people have mentioned that their items often go out of stock and are unavailable to purchase.
- The fact that Toys R Us went bankrupt in the US in 2018 but stayed open in Canada might leave you feeling uneasy.
- Doesn’t carry some higher-end or “niche” brands.
- In-store expertise can vary if you need help.
Babies “R” Us Verdict:
It’s been a hot minute since I created my Babies R Us registry, but the process was fun and simple, the prices were good, and the selection was decent.
I also created a second registry at West Coast Kids because Babies R Us didn’t carry some of the brands that I wanted for car seats, strollers, and clothing.
The registry perks and completion discount definitely make it worthwhile to register here, even if it’s just to add your Babies R Us list to a Universal Registry after the fact (like Babylist or MyRegistry).
Make sure to become an “R” Club member at least 3 months prior to your event date to maximize on your discounts! Create a Babies R Us Registry here.
6. Indigo Baby Registry
Whether you’re looking for cute toys, baby clothing, cuddly blankets, or furniture for your baby’s nursery, Indigo has it all. Thanks to its almost 200 store locations, creating or purchasing from one of Indigo’s store registries is easy.
Shipping: Free shipping for online orders over $35.
Completion Discount: 20% off completion discount within 60 days of your event date.
Universal Registry: No.
Returns: Returns made by the “purchaser” can be made within up to 30 days of purchase for a refund issued to the original tender (credit card, debit card, etc.)
🟢 Pros:
- Get a free baby memory book when you register, become a Plum member, and sign up for e-mails.
- Add items to your registry in-store by scanning barcodes using the Indigo mobile app.
- Gift wrapping options are available for in-store purchases.
- Huge selection of baby books.
🔴 Cons:
- There’s a pretty sizable list of exclusions from the Completion Discount and it’s a one-time use.
- At least $100 from your registry must be purchased to use the Completion discount.
- If you need to return a lot of gifts, you might end up with a sizable store credit that might be hard to spend if you don't need books and throw blankets.
Indigo Baby Registry Verdict:
I’m a sucker for the beautiful and unique goods you can find at Indigo, and once I realized just how extensive their online selection of baby gear is, I’d probably have a hard time not registering for at least a few items here.
Even with the exclusions, the 20% Completion Discount is a good deal. Because of the returns only being good for store credit, I wouldn’t register for any big ticket items here (plus, most of them are excluded from the Completion Discount anyway). Again, I’d probably stick my Indigo list onto a Universal Registry like Babylist or MyRegistry. Create an Indigo registry here.
7. Snuggle Bugz
Snuggle Bugz is a Canadian retailer with 7 locations in Ontario and British Columbia. You have the option to create your baby registry list online through their website, or in-store if you’re close enough to get your hands on a scanner.
Shipping: Free shipping Canada-wide with purchases over $49.
Completion Discount: They offer a 10% completion discount to purchase any remaining items on your list until 3 months after your due date. Your registry must also be active for a minimum of 60 days.
Universal Registry: No.
Returns: Returns made by the “purchaser” within 90 days of purchase receive a refund issued to the original tender (credit card, debit card, etc.). Returns made by the “giftee” (that’s you) require a receipt and will be made in the form of a gift card. If you don’t have a receipt, you’ll receive the lowest sale price from the last 6 months on your gift card.
🟢 Pros:
- Registry consultants are available to give advice and answer questions in-store or online.
- Tell a friend or family member to register with Snuggle Bugz to receive a discount for $15 off your next regular price purchase of $100 or more.
- They’ll beat or match Canadian competitors on regular or sale priced items for 14 days after purchase (with some fine print here)
- Receive a $25 gift card for every $500 spent on your registry (up to a total $200 gift card for $4000 spent).
🔴 Cons:
- Only 7 locations in Canada on opposite sides of the country, so chances of having a physical store nearby aren’t great.
- The Completion Program excludes car seats, strollers, furniture, mattresses, electronics, clearance or sale items, and gift cards.
- The Completion Program is a one shot deal and has to be redeemed in a single transaction.
Snuggle Bugz Verdict:
Snuggle Bugz has a huge variety of brands and a great selection of high-quality baby products. Their “buy more get more” incentive makes it pretty easy to get some extra bang for your buck, and every extra gift card can be used towards their completion discount. If you live close to one, it's definitely worth considering.
Even if you register there, then run it through a Universal Registry like Babylist and MyRegistry to take advantage of the perks. Create a Snuggle Bugz registry here.
8. West Coast Kids
West Coast Kids has locations in Richmond, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto and Richmond Hill. Building a registry at WCK can be done in person or online.
Shipping: Free on orders over $49
Completion Discount: Up to 20% for eligible items online. 20% off applies to books, shoes, and diaper bags, 10% off applies to select remaining items. Eligible for 14 days after registry creation and for 60 days after the event date (can be your due date or shower date if you have one).
Universal Registry: No.
Returns: Returns made by the “purchaser” can be made within up to 90 days of purchase for a refund issued to the original tender (credit card, debit card, etc.). Returns made by the “giftee” (that’s you) require a receipt or proof of purchase and will be made in the form of a gift card.
🟢 Pros:
- If you’re looking to support a Canadian company rather than a big box store, their online registry has a great selection of top-notch baby gear.
- Registry consultants are available by appointment to help you curate the perfect registry.
- They carry a lot of the higher-end brands that are harder to find at other Canadian retailers.
- They’ll beat the price of any Canadian competitor’s advertised regular price by 10% of the difference (but there’s some fine print here)
🔴 Cons:
- They carry high-end brands and gear, which usually means their prices are a bit higher than some other registry options.
- Online Registry Buy-Out excludes car seats, strollers, electronics, clearance, and sale items.
- Only 6 locations means it’ll be tricky to get to a store for many folks.
West Coast Kids Registry Verdict:
I used to shop at West Coast Kids quite a bit when my kids were little, and I always loved browsing their store for beautiful baby gear. I also liked that they carried smaller Canadian brands that I wouldn’t typically see in larger retailers.
That said, I think I’d add them to a Universal Registry, as there are cheaper places to buy a lot of the items I’d want to add to my registry. Returns made are also only good for store credit, so it might be difficult to spend if you have everything you need.
If you're close to a location or are looking for higher end brands like Bugaboo, Clek, Kyte Baby, Nuna, UPPAbaby, Veer, etc., West Coast Kids might be your best bet. Create a West Coast Kids registry here.
9. Crate & Kids
If you’re on a mission to create a magazine-worthy nursery decked out in gorgeous modern furnishings, look no further than Crate & Kids. Their unique selection of everything from decor and furniture to toys and gear make it a great place to curate a list of items you won’t find anywhere else.
Shipping details for items: Free shipping on eligible items over $149. Standard delivery fees are $14.95 on orders up to $50.00, $19.95 on orders between $50 and $100, and $24.95 on orders over $100.
Completion Discount details: 15% on any Crate & Barrel products for up to three months after the event date. Registrants also get access to the Gift Registry Look Book and invitations to in-store Private Registry Events.
Universal Registry: No.
Return policy: Eligible purchases can be returned for 90 days from event date. Exclusions include furniture, personalized items, custom or made to order furniture, items purchased as final sale, store floor samples, live botanicals, cut yardage of fabric, and items used and/or damaged through normal wear and tear.
🟢 Pros:
- Quality modern decor items that’ll look great in your kid’s room long after they’re out of diapers.
- Free design services allow you to send a photo of your space and inspiration pictures to a designer who’ll help you use your existing pieces and incorporate new ones to build the perfect space.
- Register for cute personalized items like cozy chairs, blankets, backpacks, bedding and more.
🔴 Cons:
- Only 9 storefronts across Canada.
- Many items are pretty pricey compared to some other registry options.
Crate & Kids Baby Registry Verdict:
Although I could spend hours drooling over the swoon-worthy nursery ideas from Crate and Kids, I’d have to narrow down my wish list to a few things that I’d be ok to splurge on.
In addition to their furniture, Crate carries some smaller everyday items like toys, books, stuffed animals and bedding, but even these items can be a little on the pricey side as a result of their high quality.
For that reason, if I was building a registry at Crate & Kids, I’d pare it down to a few items, add it to a universal registry, and cross my fingers and hope that my friends and family might go together on some of my top picks. Create a Crate & Kids registry here.
Final Verdict on the Best Canadian Baby Registry
You really can't beat Universal Registries for keeping all of the items on your wish list in one spot. This makes cherry-picking the brands you love from one store and the best prices from another store easier than giving people four different registries to try to shop from.
Babylist and MyRegistry are both great options.
If you are a first-time parent and have no clue where to start, Babylist is made entirely for baby registries and has a ton of helpful guides, recommendations, and parenting advice that you won't find elsewhere. If they were able to tailor their app and site to Canada, it would be my pick, but if you keep an eye on where you're linking to, it's a good experience.
If you are a seasoned parent or know exactly what you want, I think MyRegistry would be my pick as a Canadian since you can’t really take advantage of some of the obvious perks that Babylist provides unless you have a U.S. shipping address. Based on a few features that make the experience a little more streamlined (the barcode scanner and syncing features, specifically), I think MyRegistry looks a little bit more user-friendly on both the creator and purchaser sides of things.
After I set up a universal registry like Babylist or MyRegistry, I’d be adding from places with good perks, free shipping and easy returns (like Babies “R” Us and Amazon) to capitalize on their welcome bonuses and completion discounts. Ideally, mark these registries as private, then run them through your Universal Registry so you don't have more than one shippable registry out there.
If there were specific items I couldn’t find at either of those places, I’d add those to the list to round things out (like a super affordable crib from IKEA, some room decor from Etsy, or a cute onesie from Baby GAP).
Finally, it’s important to know that in spite of all of your research, careful planning and preparation, at least one person will forgo your registry completely and get you whatever they wanted anyway, but if that isn’t the perfect metaphor for life as a parent, I don’t know what is.
Also check out: Best Canadian Baby Brands: 15 Companies That Are From Canada
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