The Best Budget-Friendly Car Seats

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Kids are expensive.  Car seats don’t have to be!

There are options that will keep your kids safe without breaking the bank.  The majority of these car seats are also great for travel (I have starred my picks for travel in each category), being fairly narrow and light!  All car seats pass the same federal standards, so you can rest assured that just because you’re not dropping a million dollars doesn’t mean your child is unsafe.  The most important factor is installing your car seat correctly and using it properly every time (which is why it’s highly recommended to meet with a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician like me–find one near you here).

The first step to choosing your car seat is knowing what type of car seat is appropriate for your child’s weight and height.  Plug in your child’s stats in this form to get an idea of what type of car seat will be best.

I’ve chosen 5-6 in each car seat/booster category that would be my top picks for tighter budgets.  I’ve included a variety of prices, but most are $100 or less!  And even better, you can often find deeper discounts if you shop patiently and check for car seat deals.

A few shopping tips:

• If you haven’t signed up for Ebates yet, it’s a great way to get cash back when you shop online.  Use my link and get $10 in your account when you sign up!
• Target’s REDcard comes with some really great perks and exclusive deals.  Along with 5% off almost any item you purchase with your card, you can also get free shipping online!

Click here to see the summary table at the end of this post!

Infant Car Seat (Rear-facing Only)

Many parents want to use an infant car seat for baby’s first car seat.  They can be very convenient since they come with a base that you can remove the seat from more easily.  However, they aren’t always the cheapest price.  If the options on this list are still too expensive for you, I would recommend going straight to a convertible seat from birth.  Many of them are appropriate for newborns and grow with your child. If you’re shopping for a new baby, go ahead and get a Clever Elly for your car, too. This is an essential for new moms!

1. Evenflo Embrace: This is a good all-around seat that has all the basic things you’ll need, plus a few extras. It holds infants up to 35 pounds and can be installed without the base.  Extra base for around $40.
2. *Graco SnugRide Click Connect 30: This is a user-friendly car seat that can hold infants up to 30 pounds. It is compatible with Graco ClickConnect Strollers and can be installed without the base. Extra Base from $35-$60.
3. Urbini Sonti:  This appears to only be sold as part of a travel system with stroller; however it is still a relatively low price.  I’ve heard great things about the car seat, but there seem to be complaints on the stroller. The Sonti holds infants up to 35 pounds and it can be installed without the base. If you want to purchase an extra base, you have to call Urbini customer service.
4. Graco Snugride35 LX Click ConnectThis is more than $100 but provides some awesome convenience features for a decent price, which hopefully you can catch on a sale! It holds infants up to 35 pounds and is compatible with Graco ClickConnect Strollers. It can be installed without the base.  Extra Base from $35-$60.

Tip:  Compare more infant seats side-by-side here.  Compare prices here.
*My pick for traveling

Convertible Car Seat (Rear-facing and forward-facing)

Most convertible car seats can be used from infant to at least age two rear-facing, and a few years more for forward facing.  They are one of the best ways to save money by eliminating the purchase of multiple seats.

1. *Cosco Scenera NEXT: This is a very versatile seat that can be used as a great every day seat, travel seat, and/or backup seat.  It’s fairly narrow and easy to install. It also has a very LOW price making it a huge winner for many families!  The only downside is that it is outgrown quickly when you switch to forward-facing.
2. Evenflo Sonus: This seat rear-faces until 40 pounds and forward-faces until 50 pounds, giving you more forward-facing use than the Scenera NEXT.
3. Safety 1st Guide 65: These are fairly narrow and forward-face until 65 pounds, so hopefully you can use it for a long time!
4. Graco Contender: The Contender has a higher height limit for rear-facing which gives you greater longevity for rear-facing and it has a no-rethread harness.
5. Graco Extend2Fit: The Extend2Fit is the most expensive on my list but comes with so many great features that it gives you a big bang for your buck.  It has a rear-facing weight limit of 50 pounds and has a foot extender to give your child more legroom rear-facing.  It has a no-rethread harness and premium LATCH connectors.

Tip:  See these seats compared side-by-side here.  Compare prices here.
*My pick for traveling

Combination Seat (harnessed forward-facing to booster seat)

Combination seats are forward facing seats with a 5 point harness that can later be converted to a booster seat.  Your child should be at least two years old to ride in these.

1. *Cosco Finale:  This is a relatively new seat that offers some generous height and weight limits (the 5-point harness can be used up to 65 pounds) for a very low price!  It is fairly lightweight and narrow making it great for travel and three-across situations.
2. Evenflo Maestro:  You can harness your child up to 50 pounds in this seat, which is lower than all the other seats on this list.  It could still be a great fit for children who are on the lighter side.
3. Harmony Defender 360:  This seat is also fairly narrow and useful for tight spaces.  It comes with a no-rethread harness which makes height adjustments very easy!  You can opt for the deluxe version for just a little more here.
4. Graco Nautilus 65:  The Nautilus has been a popular seat for years.  I have found that my kids find it very comfortable.  It is quite roomy (which also makes it wider when installed) and also has a no-rethread harness.  This seat would work well for children with longer torsos.

Tip:  See these seats compared side-by-side here.  Compare prices here.
*My pick for traveling

Booster Seat (High-Back)

These are stand-alone booster seats.  Their job is to properly position the adult seatbelt over the child’s body.  All of these listed below are high-back booster seats, which means it comes with head and back support along with an integrated shoulder belt guide.  These are great for any booster-ready child, especially those who are transitioning to booster seats, smaller children, and for long car rides when children are likely to fall asleep (the extra support helps keep them from slumping over).  Most of these can convert to a backless booster when the high-back version is outgrown.

1. *Evenflo Big Kid AMP High Back Booster: This inexpensive booster seat is narrow and great for three-across situations.
2. Graco Highback Turbobooster: The Turbobooster is a lightweight, well-rounded booster seat that is reasonably priced.  Note: You may be required to install screws in the armrests after you purchase it.
3. Evenflo Spectrum 2-In-1 Booster Car Seat, Teal Trace: This booster has an innovative design that makes it very easy to properly place the seatbelt when buckling.  The Spectrum has higher weight requirements–kids need to be at least 40 pounds to use it.  It does well accommodating children with long torsos.
4. Chicco KidFit 2-in-1 Belt Positioning Booster: The comfy Kidfit comes with premium lower anchors which help secure the booster seat.  It is easy to assemble and use.
5. Britax Parkway SGL:  This booster seat has one of the tallest height limits on the market.  Children need to be at least 40 pounds to use this booster seat.  It also comes with lower anchors.

Tip:  See these boosters compared side-by-side here.  Compare prices here.
*My pick for traveling

Booster Seat (Backless)

Many parents find these boosters to be the most convenient for older children, traveling, and carpooling.  When using a backless booster, ensure that your child has a headrest behind them and that they can stay sitting properly the entire ride and not slump forward or to the side.

1. Harmony Youth Backless Booster: This is a tried and true basic booster.  This Harmony booster is easy to use, works well in most vehicles, is lightweight, and has a low price.  It’s also one of the only backless booster that has a lower weight requirement of 30 pounds instead of 40–great for skinny kids who are too tall for other seats but not yet ready for seatbelts.
2. Cosco Rise Backless Booster: This is another good low-priced option that’s great for when you need to fit three kids in the back seat.
3. Graco Backless Turbo Booster Car Seat:  The Turbobooster comes with a few added features like cup holders and height-adjustable arm rests.  Note: You may be required to install screws in the armrests after you purchase it.
4. *BubbleBum Backless Inflatable Booster Car:  Yes, inflatable!  You can safely and easily inflate this by mouth when you need to use it, and then deflate this booster when you are done and roll it up to fit in a small bag for your child’s backpack.  It’s very narrow which is great for fitting three across, carpooling, and it’s perfect for travel.
5. Graco Turbo Booster TakeAlong:  This innovative booster seat can be folded up and placed in a bag for easy portability.
6. Clek Olli Backless Booster:  The Olli comes with lower anchors and a higher weight limit of 120 pounds.

Tip:  See these boosters compared side-by-side here.  Compare prices here.
*My pick for traveling

There you have it!  This is a great list to start your search for a car seat or booster.  For more tips on how to get the best price on each car seat, see my post on Car Seat Deals.  Don’t forget to use your Ebates for cash back!

Still struggling to afford a car seat?  Here are some resources for free & reduced price seats.

As always, be sure to read your car seat or booster manual in its entirety to be sure that it’s a good fit for your child, your vehicle, and that it’s installed correctly.  Below is a table that summarizes all the seats I’ve discussed and the approximate price ranges (note: prices do vary).

Happy shopping!

P.S. Along with car seat safety, it’s extremely important to remember that ANYONE can forget their child in the car and it’s imperative to put a safety net in place. One thing I HIGHLY recommend is Clever Elly. This small device provides alternating reminders when your car turns off to check your back seat. Clever Elly is compatible with all cars. It’s extremely simple to install in your car’s power outlet. It’s essential for new moms!

Car Seats on a Budget

Car Seat Type	Less than $50	$50-$100	$100+
Infant Car Seat		Evenflo Embrace Graco SnugRide Click Connect 30 Urbini Sonti	Graco Snugride35 LX Click Connect
Convertible Car Seat	Cosco Scenera NEXT	Evenflo Sonus Safety 1st Guide 65	Graco Contender 65 Graco Extend2Fit
Combination Seat	Cosco Finale	Evenflo Maestro Harmony Defender 360	Graco Nautilus 65 3-in-1
Booster Seat- High Back	Evenflo Big Kid AMP High Back Booster Graco Highback Turbobooster	Evenflo Spectrum	Chicco KidFit Britax Parkway
Booster Seat- Backless	Harmony Youth Backless Booster Cosco Rise Backless Booster Graco Backless Turbobooster BubbleBum Backless Inflatable Booster	Graco TurboBooster TakeAlong	Clek Olli Backless Booster