The Best Infant Car Seats Under $200
You don’t have to break your budget to get a safe, reliable infant car seat, according to a CPST.
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There’s a lot to think about when choosing the best infant car seat for your baby. Comfort, fit, ease of installation, stroller compatibility…the list goes on. And then, of course, there’s cost. You want the safest, most reliable seat that works within your budget—but does that mean you’ll have to sacrifice if you can’t spend a ton? Thankfully the answer is a resounding no.
I’m a Child Passenger Safety Technician (AKA a CPST, a trained car seat educator—or as I like to say, an Official Car Seat Nerd 🤓), and one of the first things I learned in my training was that all car seats sold in the US must pass the same strict federal safety regulations. While more expensive seats may have some extra features, as long as your car seat fits your vehicle and your child—and you know how to use it properly—there are plenty of safe and affordable options on the market.
After research and real-world testing, we recommend Graco’s SnugRide SnugFit 35 Infant Car Seat as the best affordable infant car seat for most families. It’s easy to install and features a solid mix of safety and convenience features. We’ve also included two additional budget-friendly picks, as well as an upgrade pick if you don’t mind spending a bit more—or catch a good sale.
Why Trust Babylist?
Babylist is the expert in baby; we know baby gear inside and out. We talk with parents face-to-face in our showroom and on our user panels and hear from thousands annually via our Best Baby Products online survey. We know what items millions of expecting parents are adding to their baby registries.
Firsthand professional and personal experience. As a CPST, I'm trained in car seat installation, usage and safety. I stay up-to-date on car seat education through continuing education classes, seminars and CPST education groups. I'm also Babylist's gear editor; I've been writing about baby gear at Babylist since 2019 and have been the gear editor since 2021. I've personally tested and reviewed dozens of infant car seats during this time. And I'm a mom of two boys, ages three and ten—so I have over a decade of hands-on car seat experience with my two sons.
Expert POV. For an additional expert POV, I spoke to fellow CPST Rebekah Kimminau, founder of The Baby Gear Consultant.
Infant car seat data. I regularly analyze which baby products our users are adding to their baby registries the most (and which ones they aren’t) and what our team of Merchandising experts—our buyers who are responsible for ensuring the Babylist Shop is stocked with the best and newest gear—is excited about. Studying this kind of data helped us choose which infant car seats to narrow in on and which ones to recommend to new and expecting parents.
Feedback and reviews. I reviewed comments and feedback from Babylist’s annual product survey of thousands of parents, read customer reviews from hundreds of Babylist users and spoke to parents on our staff about their real-life product experiences.
How We Judged
Best Affordable Infant Car Seat
Graco SnugRide SnugFit Infant Car Seat - Gotham
From $149.99Pros
- Quick, easy, secure install
- Fits most babies well, even preemies
- No-rethread harness
- Anti-rebound bar
Cons
- Flimsy canopy
- Thin seat padding
As a CPST, I look for two things in a car seat: ease of installation and fit. Graco’s SnugFit 35 checks both boxes, impressive on its own but even more so when you consider the popular infant seat's $150 price tag.
A properly installed car seat is a safe car seat, and the SnugFit system on this infant seat makes it one of the easier seats on the market to get right every time. “It’s a favorite among affordable infant car seats thanks to its easy three-step installation,” echoes Kimminau. (It usually takes me about a minute or less to install.) You can use either your vehicle’s LATCH system or the seat belt to install the base, or you can use the seat on its own without the base (if you’re traveling, for example, and don’t want to lug it along) using just the seat belt.
Fit-wise, the SnugFit 35 fits most babies well, including preemies as small as four pounds. There’s a four-position recline and a removable infant insert to help with fit. And there’s a no-rethread harness for easy strap adjustments as your baby grows, a nice perk at this price point.
This is a fairly basic car seat model, so you won’t be getting any fancy fabrics or other bells and whistles. The canopy provides good coverage but is a bit flimsy and can detach easily, and the seat padding is on the thin side. If you have the budget to level up, try the SnugRide SnugFit 35 LX model. You’ll get more substantial infant head and body support and a Rapid Remove seat that’s easier to get on and off in case of a mess.
Additional Specs
Child Weight/Height Guidelines: 4-35 lbs, up to 32”
Car Seat Carrier Weight: 8.4 lbs
Honorable Mentions
Pros
- Most affordable infant car seat on best-of list
- Lightest seat on the list at 7.7 pounds
- Quick, easy, secure install
- Anti-rebound bar
Cons
- Lower height and weight maximums than many infant seats
- Rethread harness
A mainstay in Europe, Joie hit the US market in 2024. I’ve liked every Joie product I’ve had my hands on so far—and the Rue is no exception. This infant seat has the look and feel of a much more expensive seat while also being safe and incredibly easy to use. And at well under $150, it’s the most affordable infant car seat on our best-of list and an incredible value for its features.
The Rue is an all-around great seat; it checks the boxes for newborn fit (there’s a removable three-piece insert, including good head support and a wedge), ease of install, an anti-rebound bar and nice-to-have features like soft, washable fabrics, an ergonomic carry handle and a large canopy. It’s also lightweight (the lightest infant seat on this list, actually) at just over seven-and-a-half pounds. It also fits well in a wide range of vehicles thanks to the wide adjustment options on the base.
One more thing about the Rue stands out: clear labeling. From arrows pointing at where to route the lap belt to an image reminding you where to position the straps (at or just below the shoulders for rear-facing), it’s a smart, thoughtful touch that takes a lot of the guesswork out of using the car seat.
One downside of the Rue is its maximum usage limits. They’re a few pounds and a few inches less than many other infant car seats, meaning you won’t be able to use the seat quite as long as you might with some other options.
Additional Specs
Child Weight/Height Guidelines: 4-30 lbs, up to 30”
Car Seat Carrier Weight: 7.7 lbs
Evenflo Litemax DLX Infant Car Seat with SafeZone Load Leg Base - Sawyer Gray
From $56.99Pros
- Load leg for added safety
- Low weight minimum (3 lbs with dr. approval), fits even the smallest of babies
- Ergonomic handle for more comfortable carry
Cons
- Requires 1.5” clearance between car seat and vehicle seat back
- Installation is easy, but you’ll need to pay attention to details
- Buckles tend to be stiff and difficult to unclip
A safe car seat is one that fits your vehicle and your child well (and one that you can use properly every time!), but any time I see an additional safety feature, I pay attention. This infant car seat from Evenflo features a load leg, a metal pole that extends from the base of the seat to the floor of a vehicle. Also called a stability leg, it reduces the amount of crash energy transferred to a child, specifically to the head and neck. While they are becoming more and more popular, most infant seats don’t have load legs, and the ones that do are going to cost you a lot more money than the Litemax, making this a pretty big deal.
The other standout feature of the Litemax is that it can be used with very small babies. With the approval of a physician and clinical team, an infant as small as three pounds can use the LiteMax safely, making it a good choice if you have a preemie or a very tiny baby.
The LiteMax's installation is fairly easy, but there are a few details that you’ll want to pay attention to, like the base's recline angle and the positioning of the load leg. Evenflo offers free one-on-one video installation support meetings with a certified car seat technician if you need help or want to check your work. Also know that while most vehicles allow the use of load legs, not all do, so always check your owner’s manual.
Additional Specs
Child Weight/Height Guidelines: 4-35 lbs (3-35 lbs with physician approval), up to 32”
Car Seat Carrier Weight: 8.7 lbs
Upgrade Pick
Pros
- Easy to install
- Narrow seat; works 3-across in most cars
- Compatible with a wide variety of strollers
Cons
- Anti-rebound bar makes seat longer front-to-back, so tough for compact vehicles or tall drivers
- Canopy is finicky
If you’re willing to go slightly over budget, the Chicco KeyFit 35 is the Babylist pick for the best infant car seat and often goes on sale for $200 or under. This seat’s installation is foolproof. “Tried and true, one of the easiest on the market,” echoes Kimminau. It also fits almost all babies and all vehicles very well. (The one issue that sometimes arises is front-to-back fit, because of how the seat’s anti-rebound bar juts out, making it tricky if there’s a tall driver up front or the vehicle is extremely compact.)
Other standout features include a no-rethread harness, a removable, washable cover and compatibility with a wide variety of popular strollers. However, some parents complain that the canopy is sometimes tough to open and close.
Additional Specs
Child Weight/Height Guidelines: 4-35 lbs, up to 32”
Car Seat Carrier Weight: 8.5 lbs
Infant Car Seats: What You Need to Know
An infant car seat is one of the most important items of baby gear you’re going to need as a new parent if you plan on driving with your little one. Here are a few key facts you should know:
An infant car seat is a car seat made specifically for babies from birth until about one year old. Infant car seats always face the rear of a vehicle.
The majority of infant car seats attach to a base. The base stays installed in your car and the seat clicks in and out. Some infant car seats can be used without the base; in that case, you’ll use your vehicle’s seat belt or built-in connectors called LATCH to install the seat and keep it in place.
Infant car seats can be used from day one until your baby reaches the seat’s height OR weight maximum, which for most seats is anywhere between 30-35 inches or 30-35 pounds. As soon as one of these limits is met, it’s time to move on to a convertible car seat.
Are Expensive Car Seats Safer?
An expensive car seat doesn’t equal a safer car seat. All car seats sold in the US must meet the safety requirements set forth by the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration (NHTSA).
“The price of any car seat does not determine its safety,” explains Kimminau. “Higher priced car seats often have added features on them, but those features are not always safety related,” Instead, you should focus on a car seat that meets these three requirements:
Fits your child. The seat you choose should meet your child’s height, weight, age and developmental needs.
Fits your vehicle. The car seat must be correctly installed in the vehicle to perform its functions.
Can be used consistently and correctly. You—and anyone else who consistently drives with your child—need to know the ins and outs of your seat and be comfortable using it correctly.
This may mean that if you drive a compact car, for example, you need an infant seat that’s not too long front-to-back, or that you should prioritize a seat with a low weight minimum if you have a preemie or a smaller baby. There’s no perfect, one-size-fits-all car seat—it’s all about what works best for your family.
Another point to consider: most babies outgrow their infant car seats by around one year of age. (Some parents even choose to skip an infant seat altogether and go straight to a convertible.) So while researching and choosing the right seat is still extremely important, keep in mind that infant seats have a very limited lifespan within the decade+ of your child’s car seat years.
If you do choose to up your budget for a more expensive seat, here are some of the features you might find:
Higher-end performance fabrics or natural materials like Merino wool
Flame-retardant-free fabrics
Additional safety features, like a load leg, rigid LATCH or enhanced side impact protection
Convenience features like a larger canopy, a lighter weight, a no-rethread harness, buckle/strap holders, a magnetic chest clip, or ventilation
