Baby carriers and slings, by budget

Five carriers, ranked by regular price, lowest first. Prices come from the seller's or maker's UK page on 3 November 2026. We haven't worn any of them. This list comes from those pages, RoSPA and the NHS, so comfort is something we can't rank.

The Moby's seller gives its range only in pounds. That's roughly 3.6 to 15kg by our conversion.

What to read first

RoSPA says fabric can press against a baby's nose and mouth, and that the risk comes when a baby is curved in a C-like shape below the chest. Its safest position is upright against your body with the chin off the chest. So every carrier here goes on tight and high, whatever it costs. We walk through the five TICKS points in how to use a sling safely.

If your baby was premature or had a low birth weight, RoSPA says to ask a health professional such as your health visitor before you start.

The two lowest prices

The Moby costs £54.95, less than the £109.90 BabyBjörn Mini. It's the one stretchy wrap here. You slip it on, buckle it and tie a sash, says the seller. There are two positions, and forward facing waits until 6 months, says the seller.

The Mini suits a short stretch. BabyBjörn says it's for 0 to 12 months and it stops at 11kg, so you might outgrow it around the first birthday. It's a front carrier with three positions, and the front unfastens to lift a baby out.

The middle ground

The Limas has a regular price of £125, and Stokke was showing a discount on it when we read the page. It's 100% organic cotton with half buckles, and Stokke calls the fabric wrap-style. At 3.2 to 15kg it runs as far as the two dearest models here. If you want a back carry and a low bill, start with this one.

Paying for padding

The Harmony costs £208.90 and the Coya £229.95. Both go to 15kg, so you're paying for comfort features, not extra months.

BabyBjörn lists a padded back and waist belt and says the Harmony fits XS to XXL. It machine washes at 40C. Cybex's mesh Coya folds into a crossbody bag and has to be washed by hand, which is a nuisance on a thing that lives on a baby. Cybex says back carries start at 6 months, and it gives both around 6 months and 4 to 6 months for facing out, for about 20 minutes at a time. BabyBjörn says about 5 months for facing out and a year for the back. Those are the makers' figures, so follow the manual for yours.

Our BabyBjörn Harmony review goes further into that one.

Second-hand, and skipping it

A used carrier is a real option. Which? says to look for tears and loose stitching, watch for counterfeits, and find the maker's instructions if they're missing. It suggests asking non-authorised sellers for proof of authenticity. On a used BabyBjörn: a US recall in 1999 covered Baby Bjorn fabric carriers of that time, over small babies slipping through the leg openings. That notice is about old stock, but check the model on a very old second-hand one. Which? tests carriers too, but its results are for members and we couldn't read them.

You can also skip a carrier altogether. Nobody we read says you need one. A pram or pushchair does the same trips.

Sleep and recalls

Babies often nod off in a carrier. The AAP says to move a baby asleep in a sling or carrier to a firm sleep surface as soon as you can. The NHS says every sleep should be on the back, on a firm, flat mattress, in a clear cot, in the same room as you for at least the first 6 months.

We found no current recall for any of these five models on 3 November 2026. Every carrier has its own check on its page in our carrier catalog.