Looking for cheaper SNOO alternatives? A lot of parents consider SNOO as the holy grail of bassinets but there are also a lot that don’t buy into the hype.
And you’re probably one of them! 🙂
In this article, you’ll learn a few bassinet alternatives that can beat up the SNOO in terms of mostly, its price.
I’ve done a thorough research about it and the other bassinets listed here as well by reading a ton of online product reviews, getting feedback from popular parenting forums, and scrutinizing information from baby experts.
Let’s start first with the question some sleep-deprived parents are thinking – do I really need a SNOO?
I hope you’ll love the products we recommend! Just a quick note: if you click on a product link below and decide to buy it, we may earn a small commission.
List of Contents
In a Hurry? We Recommend…
If you want a simpler, cheaper version of the SNOO, we highly recommend the Fisher-Price Luminate Bassinet.
Check out a detailed review on the Fisher Price Luminate bassinet here.
Do I Really Need a Snoo?
No, you don’t need a SNOO. Most parents were able to cope without it!
Yes, it can be difficult but a SNOO is not a must-have as a parent. Besides, the SNOO can’t guarantee that your baby will fall asleep easily and quickly every time!
With that said, if you’re at your wit’s end trying to soothe your baby to sleep longer or at all, if you’re desperate and you’ve tried everything, then maybe SNOO is worth trying as a last resort.
Is the Snoo Really Worth It?
I have a more detailed answer here if the SNOO is worth it but here’s a quick overview.
Snoo is worth it IF and only IF for some of the following reasons:
- You have the money for it NOW
- You got it on sale, eg., Black Friday promo, Labor Day sale, etc.
- You plan to sell it after (It’s in high demand in the second-hand marketplace and has a great resale value!)
- You have twins
- You plan to have more kids
But if the SNOO’s hefty price tag is making you think twice, if your baby hates being swaddled or they have an extreme case of acid reflux, the SNOO might be a waste of money for you.
Comparison Table: Snoo Alternatives
This is best viewed on a desktop. Here’s a quick comparison guide on the features of the bassinets similar to SNOO.
Features | Fisher-Price Luminate | HALO Bassinest | Graco Sense2Snooze | 4moms mamaRoo | Fisher-Price Soothing Motions |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Price | Cheaper than SNOO | Cheaper than SNOO | Cheaper than SNOO | Cheaper than SNOO | WAY Cheaper than SNOO |
Auto-respond feature | Available | Not available | Available | Not available | Not available |
Soothing Features | Vibrations, white noise, music | Not available | Swaying motions, Vibrations, white noise, music | Swaying motions, white noise, music | Vibrations, white noise, music |
Control settings via mobile app | Available | Not available | Not available | Available | Not available |
Extra features | • Motion sensor night light • Bassinet light • Option to set an auto shut-off timer (up to 2 hours) | • Collapsible wall • Portable • Adjustable height • 360º swivel feature | • Has a reversible canopy • Built-in wheels • Small storage organizer | • Unique swaying motions | • Starry projector • Overhead mobile • Bassinet light |
Below are more details on alternative SNOO bassinets.
Best Snoo Alternatives (Cheap, Pricey, and In Between)
Fisher-Price Luminate Bassinet
If you want a simple SNOO alternative that won’t break the bank, then check out the Fisher-Price Luminate bassinet.
Which in my opinion is the best, most affordable SNOO alternative there ever is!
I’m a little surprised that it’s not that popular nor in-demand as it has everything you need in a smart yet cheap bassinet:
- Built-in sound detection
- Auto-responds to your baby’s cries with various soothing options
- Control settings via bassinet or mobile app
- Include 3 levels of vibrations, music, and white noise
- Option to soothe the whole night or set an auto shut-off timer (up to 2 hours)
You can also customize a song or lullaby playlist for your baby.
Plus it comes with a floor light that automatically lights up. And a soft light in the bassinet, for nighttime check-ins and feedings.
If this had a sleep tracking and notification features, safety swaddles, and access to sleep consultants, this would be a very keen competition against the SNOO.
It can probably get all of the SNOO’s market!
It’s also easy to assemble, doesn’t take up a lot of space, and is very sturdy.
Some parents have used this for traveling, even though it’s not as lightweight as the usual travel bassinet.
A few had some complaints about its mattress being thin and hard but apart from that, a lot of parents love this bassinet.
And for its price, you’re truly getting your money’s worth!
Pros
- Auto-soothes baby
- Control settings via bassinet or mobile app
- Can customize soothing motions and sounds
- Can soothe the whole night or set an auto shut-off timer (up to 2 hours)
- Has motion-sensor floor light and bassinet light
- Easy to assemble
Cons
- Thin mattress
HALO Bassinest 3.0
This is quite different from the other smart bassinets on this list.
But a lot of parents have been comparing this to the SNOO so I’m just going to include it here.
I also have a more comprehensive review here of the Snoo vs Halo bassinet.
But if you just want the essentials, keep reading.
So basically, what’s different about the Halo is that it doesn’t have any soothing motions or sounds.
It doesn’t vibrate, doesn’t rock, doesn’t move nor does it automatically play some soothing sounds to soothe your baby.
What it offers is a more convenient way to reach for your baby. Especially if you’ve had a C-section, you’re breastfeeding and you don’t want to get up multiple times at night.
You can move the bassinet and place it right on your bed. Then move it away, so you can have more space.
It has a collapsible, mesh wall, so you can easily get your baby without having to stand up over the bassinet.
You can just push down the wall and easily scoop up your baby!
It also has an adjustable height, which is convenient for tall beds.
And you can also detach the bassinet from the frame and turn it into a portable lounger. So your baby can go anywhere with you in the house, even when you’re taking a bath!
Pros
- Cheaper than SNOO
- Portable
- Adjustable height (for tall beds)
- Collapsible, mesh walls for each access to baby
- Can place bassinet right on the bed or move away from bed easily with 360º swivel feature
- Easy to assemble
Cons
- Doesn’t have any soothing features
Graco Sense2Snooze Bassinet
The Graco Sense2Snooze is another affordable alternative to the SNOO that comes with a Cry Detection Technology. It can auto-respond to your baby’s cries then will move and play sounds to soothe them.
It can automatically adjust its motions, speed, vibration, and sounds, to find that perfect setting to calm your baby.
If your baby stops crying, the motions will gradually turn off in 10 minutes and will only play the white noise for 8 hours.
Some parents though don’t really use its Cry Detection as it’s not quick enough to respond to their baby.
Others find it useful. Especially when they’re in the bathroom or when they have to do something in another part of the house (with a baby monitor of course) and they can’t run in and soothe their baby quickly.
You can operate its settings right on the dimmable parent control on the bassinet.
You can set it to rock continuously and if no buttons are pressed, it will stop automatically after 8 hours.
You can also save the settings that best soothe your baby!
Although a few parents said their saved settings don’t work sometimes and would go back to the factory settings.
It has 3 different speeds, 2-speed vibration, white noise, 10 sleepy songs, and 10 soothing sounds. Some parents find the vibration and rocking amazing.
While others said the motions are too strong, waking up the little one in the process.
The bassinet is quite sturdy and well made.
Although most parents find the wheels subpar at best. It doesn’t lock and most parents said they had to carry the bassinet, instead of wheeling it away.
Check out detailed comparison info here between the Graco Sense2Snooze vs SNOO.
Pros
- Cheaper than SNOO
- Automatically soothes baby with motion and white noise
- With 3 different speeds, 2-speed vibration, white noise, 10 sleepy songs, and 10 soothing sounds
- Soothing motions and sounds will stop automatically after 8 hours
- Can save setting that best soothes your baby
- Suitable for rooms with limited space
- Has a reversible canopy, built-in wheels, and a small storage organizer
Cons
- No mobile app or separate control
- Mixed review on soothing motions
- Wheels don’t roll that well
- Mixed review on assembly
4moms mamaRoo Sleep Bassinet
I have a more in-depth comparison between the 4moms and SNOO here.
But if you just want to know the basics about the mamaRoo bassinet, keep scrolling.
People usually find the 4moms bassinet a decent contender against the SNOO.
Which is odd, since it doesn’t have an auto-responder like the SNOO. Nor the Cry Detection technology like the Graco Sense2Snooze.
But it does have a mobile app so you can control its settings without getting up from your bed, (unlike the Graco Graco Sense2Snooze).
It comes with 5 swinging motions with speed level adjustment and 4 different sounds with volume adjustment.
Some parents find the motions and the sounds perfect for soothing their baby.
While a few find it annoying as it sometimes makes a very loud noise before and when it’s moving, which wakes up their baby.
Others also hate the 4-hour motion timer. It also doesn’t gradually stop moving but will just stop – abruptly. Which for some, wakes up their little one!
It’s easy to assemble though and you can buy a storage basket for it, so you can easily reach for some baby essentials just below the bassinet.
Pros
- Cheaper than SNOO
- Comes with a mobile app to control its settings
- 5 swinging motions with speed level adjustment and 4 different sounds with volume adjustment
- Easy to assemble
- Storage baskets sold separately
Cons
- Doesn’t auto-soothe your baby
- Has 4-hour timer
- Abruptly stops (not gradually) after the timer, which can wake up baby
- Can make a loud noise while in motion, which can wake up baby
Check out my detailed guide on the 4moms Mamaroo bassinet here.
Fisher-Price Soothing Motions Bassinet
If you want a super simple, way cheaper bassinet with decent soothing features, check out the Fisher-Price Soothing Motions then.
It can’t automatically respond to your baby’s cries and it doesn’t have a mobile app to customize its settings.
But it does a decent job of calming a baby through its swaying motion, calming vibrations, and soothing sounds.
Just take note though that all its soothing features only play for 30 minutes.
It’s battery-operated, so it has limited motion and sounds and some parents really hate how it will just stop vibrating or playing music. Which then wakes up their baby!
So what other parents would do is get a separate white noise machine that can play the entire night.
The Fisher-Price Soothing Motions bassinet still has some neat things going for it like:
- Night light inside the bassinet for diaper changes or night feedings.
- Overhead mobile (doesn’t automatically rotate though)
- Space underneath to put in a basket, or some baby essentials.
And probably the best feature for parents and the baby – the starry projector. Parents said it can put their baby to sleep.
And you can still use it when you transition your little one to the crib!
Pros
- WAAAY cheaper than SNOO
- Includes vibration and soothing music and white noise
- Has bassinet night light and overhead projector
- Available space under for storage
- Removable control settings – can be used on another bassinet or crib
- Easy to assemble
Cons
- Doesn’t auto-soothe your baby
- Battery-operated
- Stops playing after 30 minutes
Buying Guide on Bassinets Similar to SNOO
Here are some things you can consider before getting a SNOO alternative.
- Price
One of the reasons why most parents want an alternative is because of the SNOO’s price. Which is ridiculously expensive.
You can buy several baby carriers, toys, even breast pumps, and a crib or two with the money you can spend on the SNOO!
So if you’re on a budget but you want something like the SNOO, always consider the price.
- Soothing Features
Does it have a vibration setting, swaying motion, white noise, music, or sounds?
Is it battery-operated or can you plug it in?
Can it automatically soothe your baby?
- Timer
A very short and abrupt auto-shut-off or timer for the soothing features is the bane of the existence of most parents hunting for smart bassinets.
A few don’t mind but most absolutely hate that they need to keep turning the soothing motion and sound on.
So think of how important this feature can be when buying a SNOO alternative.
- Control settings
Mobile apps can be convenient for controlling and customizing the soothing settings of a smart bassinet
But then again, they can be faulty and even disconnect at times.
Some don’t come with a mobile app and just have their control settings right on the bassinet.
While some offer both! So consider that when looking for a smart bassinet.
- Extra Features
Added features such as a night light, overhead mobile, wheels, canopy, storage organizer, etc., are nice features to have.
FAQ on Best Alternatives to SNOO
Is anything comparable to the SNOO?
There are a couple of bassinets that are comparable to the SNOO.
For a cheaper SNOO alternative that has lesser yet useful features, the best one so far is the Fisher-Price Luminate Bassinet.
Other parents also prefer the 4moms mamaRoo Sleep Bassinet and Graco Sense2Snooze.
Do pediatricians recommend SNOO?
According to some parents on popular online forums, their pediatricians fully recommend SNOO!
Especially for babies who have difficulty sleeping for longer stretches at night.
Final Thoughts on SNOO Alternatives
SNOO is amazing but let’s face it, not everyone can afford it.
So try out the cheaper SNOO alternatives here. They might not have the same features as the SNOO but they can still help you soothe your baby to sleep.
If you like this guide, then make sure to check out Best Bassinets for Small Spaces, How To Keep Your Cat Out of Bassinet, and How To Get A Newborn To Sleep In A Bassinet.