There's no universal rule — but there are clear norms based on your relationship to the parents. Here's the honest breakdown, plus the thing that matters more than the dollar amount.
The most remembered baby shower gifts aren't the most expensive ones. They're the ones that were useful at 3am six weeks after the baby arrived. The $30 burp cloth 10-pack that saved a shirt. The $9.99 Scout subscription email that arrived on the baby's 4-month birthday and explained exactly what the sleep regression was before the parents had googled it at midnight.
The goal is a gift the parents will still think about in six months. Usefulness beats price every time. With that framing, here's how to think about the amount.
The right range for someone you know but aren't close to. Aim for something practical — a 4-pack of muslin swaddle blankets, a burp cloth set, or a month of Scout ($9.99). Avoid novelty items or duplicates. A $30 practical gift is more appreciated than a $50 decorative item.
The sweet spot for most baby shower gifting. At this range you can give something genuinely useful — a meal delivery credit, a quality white noise machine, or a Scout annual subscription ($69.99). This is also a good range for a group contribution toward a larger item.
At this level, give something substantial. A quality baby carrier, a Hatch Rest+ sound machine, or Scout's 3-year subscription ($99.99) all fall here. Alternatively, a $150 meal delivery credit is one of the most genuinely useful gifts a close friend can give. If you're not sure what to give, lean toward time and food at this tier.
At this tier, you can give something transformative. A full newborn photography session, a cleaning service, a premium baby monitor, or a substantial group gift toward the stroller or car seat. If you're close enough to spend $200+, you're also close enough to ask what they actually need — and do that instead.
Group gifts are one of the smartest approaches at a baby shower. Four or five people pooling $30–$40 each can give a $150 Ergobaby carrier or a Scout 3-year subscription — something more useful than four separate $35 gifts.
To make a group gift work: designate one organizer, collect money in advance, and present it together with a single card from the group. The parents receive one meaningful gift instead of five small ones. And the givers each spend less individually than they might have alone.
Good candidates for group gifts: baby carriers, quality sound machines, newborn photography sessions, meal delivery credits, and Scout's 3-year tier.
The real question to ask
Before deciding how much to spend, ask: will this still be used at 12 months? A $30 gift that the parents mention for the rest of the year is better than a $90 item that sits in a corner. Scout is used every single month for three years. A meal delivery credit is used during the hardest weeks. Those are the gifts people remember.
How much should you spend on a baby shower gift?
$25–$50 for a colleague or acquaintance, $50–$100 for a friend, $100–$200 for a close friend or sibling, and $200+ for immediate family. These are norms, not rules. A thoughtful $30 gift outperforms a careless $80 one every time.
Is $25 too little for a baby shower gift?
No — $25 is appropriate for a colleague or acquaintance, and even for a friend if that's what your budget allows. A $25 gift that's practical (burp cloths, wipes, a month of Scout) is more useful than a $50 item that doesn't get used. Never give something impractical just to hit a price point.
Is it okay to give cash at a baby shower?
Yes, though it's less common in many cultures. A digital gift card (Amazon, Babylist, or a meal delivery service) achieves the same effect more elegantly. Scout is also a good alternative — it's a specific, thoughtful gift that happens to be digital and priced for any budget.
Should I buy off the registry or go off-registry?
Either is fine. If you buy from the registry, you know it's wanted. If you go off-registry, make sure it's either a consumable (diapers, wipes, meal delivery) or something genuinely unique that won't duplicate a registry item. Scout falls into the "genuinely unique" category — it doesn't appear on most registries and it's not something most gift-givers think of.
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