How Much Should You Spend on a Baby Shower Gift?
Gift amount guidelines based on your relationship and budget.
The eternal question: what's the right amount to spend on a baby shower gift? Here's the honest answer, with ranges based on your relationship to the parents and your financial situation.
General Guidelines
There's no universal rule, but these ranges are considered standard in 2026:
- Close friend or family: $75–150
- Good friend: $50–100
- Acquaintance or coworker: $30–50
- Distant relative: $40–75
The Real Answer: Spend What You Can Afford
These ranges are guidelines, not rules. A thoughtful $25 gift from a college student means as much as a $100 gift from an established professional. Nobody should go into debt over a baby shower gift.
What matters more than the dollar amount:
- Buying from the registry (the parents picked those items for a reason)
- Including a heartfelt card
- Showing up and celebrating
Group Gifting: A Smart Option
See an expensive item on the registry? Go in with friends. Three people contributing $50 each can get the $150 stroller the parents actually want. This is increasingly common and always appreciated.
What About Cash Funds?
Contributing to a diaper fund, nursery fund, or 529 education savings account is totally appropriate. If the registry includes cash funds, the parents have explicitly said they want this. A $50 contribution to the diaper fund is just as good as a $50 diaper purchase.
When You're Invited But Can't Attend
You're not obligated to send a gift if you can't make it to the shower. However, if it's someone close to you, sending a small gift or card is a nice gesture. $25–40 is perfectly appropriate for a "sorry I missed it" gift.
Multiple Showers?
If you're invited to both a work shower and a personal shower for the same person, you don't need to bring two full gifts. One main gift plus a small token (a card with a gift card, a onesie) for the second event is fine.
Bottom Line
Spend what you can comfortably afford, buy from the registry when possible, and remember that your presence and support matter more than the price tag.