Choose the Best Cheap Pack N Play for Your Baby: Top 5 Options on the Market

Are you looking for the perfect playpen for your baby? Do you think it’s impossible to find something affordable and of high quality at the same time?

This cheap pack and play review proves that you can find items that offer great value for little money. They might not have cool extra-features, like a music center and built-in lights. However, they provide your baby with a safe and comfy playpen.

When shopping for affordable playards, focus on the quality of materials and sturdiness of the construction. Flimsy items are a hazard for your child, but cheap doesn’t equal bad in this industry, so choose wisely.

Top Сheap Pack and Play for Baby 2021

RankBest Pack n Play 2021Key FeaturesAvailable ColorsCurrent Price
1Graco Pack ‘n Play On The Go Playard
Llightweight and compact
Very easy to set up
Full-size removable bassinet
Mobile with soft toys
Handy carry bag
Amory
Azalea
Fletcher
Pasadena
Priscilla
Stratus
Zuba
2Regalo My Play Portable Playard Indoor and Outdoor
Big all-steel but easily portable construction
Highly durable and easy to clean
Designed for children between 6 and 24 months
Nylon bottom and water-resistant construction
Aqua
3Cosco Deluxe Funsport Play Yard
Takes less than a minute to set up
High quality materials
Spacious, lightweight, compact
Black Arrows
Geo Floral
4Baby Trend Nursery Center
Locking wheels
Removable full-size bassinet
Diaper stacker
Toy bar with cute toys
April
Doodle Dots
Floral Garden
Rising Star
Sophia
Tanzania
5Portable Playard by UniPLAY
Portable, lightweight
Made from safe and durable materials
Easy to clean

Graco Cheap Pack ‘n Play with Bassinet

Graco’s On The Go model is a high-quality cheap pack and play that has all essential features to ensure yours and your baby’s comfort.

The play yard is large enough to fit toddlers up to 35’’ tall. It’s made of easy-to-clean high-quality materials and is sure to be durable. Despite being very affordable, this model has all the qualities that make Graco’s products leaders in the industry, the signature push-to-fold button included. This model from Graco features foldable feet and wheels, which make it even more compact.

This playpen comes with a removable bassinet that can be folded as well. It fits babies up to 15 lbs. and has soft toys to keep your baby boy or girl entertained. Note that to ensure child’s safety, you shouldn’t put your little one in the bassinet after they learn how to push up to their hands and knees. Similar to this, the playpen won’t be able to hold toddlers after they start climbing.

One of owners comments this model as offering great value for its low price. And another verified buyer, with a cool nickname Schiele Family of Four, comments the colors as well as the ease of moving the playard due to good wheels. Some users complain about the thin padding of the mattress, but if it bothers you, you can put in an additional mattress.

Pros:

High-quality materials
Very easy to set up and fold up
Easy to clean
Has a full-size removable bassinet
Foldable wheels and feet

Cons:

Thin mattress
Not fit for climbing toddlers

Regalo My Portable Baby Play Yard Cheap

Portability is the key feature of this Regalo model as it can be used anywhere and all fits into a stylish carry bag.

The My Portable Playard by Regalo has a 6-panel all-steel construction that is easy to both set up and fold. In a few moments you will be able to provide your baby with a comfy and safe play area. Note that this cheap pack n play is big enough to fit two little ones playing or give your baby boy or girl enough room to truly let go.

The nylon bottom is water-resistant and makes the playard easy to clean. The entire construction is made of sturdy high-quality materials, which means it provides great value for the price. The playpen can be used outside and inside, and due to its portability, you can take it with you anywhere.

Patrick and Rachel E., who bought this playard, say that they chose to use this model because it’s very easy to clean as all parts are removable. Jack Kurth, another buyer of this play yard, adds that it exceeded all his expectations considering the price and comments the ease of setup. There are complaints about the fact that the bottom is close to the floor, but this shouldn’t be an issue if you set up the playard on a flat area.

Pros:

Every part is removable
Easy to clean
Easy to set up
Highly portable

Cons:

No dedicated infant sleeping area
Bottom is low
Not fit for climbers

Cosco Deluxe Funsport Cheap Baby Playard

Cosco’s Deluxe Funsport is a cheap pack n play that lives up to its “deluxe” name and offers high quality for a very reasonable price.

This play yard model has everything you need without any extras to increase its price. As such, you get a high-quality item that won’t cost you a fortune. It’s perfect for traveling because it’s lightweight and compact, with a carry bag to make transportation even easier.

The playpen requires less than a minute to set up and it has two wheels, so it’s easy to move around. The “no bells and whistles” design is simple, but if it’s a play yard that you need, you will get exactly that. The materials are easy to clean and the item will serve you well.

Lee, who reviewed this item for us, stated that if they knew how good it was, their family wouldn’t have bought a more expensive playpen for everyday use. Joslin adds that this model is very easy to set up and doesn’t have anything unnecessary that would bring up its price. The play yard is rather small, but it offers good value for money.

Pros:

Stylish and simple design
Fast and easy to set up
Lightweight and portable

Cons:

No dedicated area for infant sleep
Very basic

Baby Trend Cheap Pack and Play with Bassinet

The Floral Garden Nursery Center by Baby Trend is a cheap pack n play that literally “packs a punch” as it offers multiple features for a low price.

If you have a baby girl and a limited budget, the Floral Garden Nursery Center is a great choice. It’s not only a playard that can fit your little one until she becomes 35’’ tall or gains 30 lbs. of weight. This model also features a full-size infant bassinet where your baby girl can nap from birth until approximately 4 months (15 lbs and 25’’).

The playpen has a mobile with three lovely plush toys, so your infant girl can develop here hand-eye coordination when she isn’t napping. Note that Baby Trend have the same model in other designs, so you’ll be able to find a match even if you have a baby boy. The play yard is easy to set up and it has wheels with breaks to ensure it’s easy to secure anywhere. The diaper stacker is handy and so is the tote bag for storage.

Our expert reviewers give high marks to this model. For example, Hailey Tellez says it’s very easy to set up as well as cute and AlanAndMel says that the mattress included in very good quality. Some users complain that it was difficult to take down because the locking mechanism worked “too good”. However, a bit of practice and following instructions will make this a non-issue.

Pros:

Wheels with breaks
Infant bassinet
Soft toys
Easy to clean
Simple set up and break down mechanism

Cons:

Can be tricky to take down
Simplistic mobile

Portable Playard by UniPLAY

The Portable Play Yard by UniPLAY is exactly what it says on the tin, meaning portability is its main feature. It’s easy to take and set up anywhere.

This cheap pack n play is very simple and lightweight, which makes it perfect for traveling. You can set it up on any surface due to adjustable legs. As the materials are easy to wash and water-resistant, you can use it outdoors as well as indoors. The playpen has a foam mattress.

The playard’s design is very basic, which is the reason why it’s both lightweight and affordable. The materials are durable and your baby will be perfectly safe playing and napping inside it. According to the manufacturer’s information, the play yard can hold up to 120 lbs. It’s certified for safety (Pass ASTM, EC Certificate 561 CNT, SGS Test Certification).

Jamie Props admires how lightweight the playard is and how easy it is to travel with it. Chelsea also comments how great it is for traveling and comfortable for a baby to sleep in. One reviewer notes that the zipper on their carry bag broke down after the first use, but if this happens, you can contact the customer service and get a replacement.

Pros:

pack n play sleeperExtremely lightweight
Great for travel
Easy and intuitive to set up
Has adjustable legs for uneven surfaces

Cons:

Tipping risk
Not equipped with an infant bassinet

What Makes the Best Cheap Pack N Play?

Playards are extremely convenient because they provide your baby boy or girl with a safe space for playing and napping and yourself with a chance to do some work. Like anything on the baby products market today, play yards come in a great variety of designs and their prices range from under $100 to $1,000+.

However, this isn’t a situation where paying more is essential to get a good quality item. You can easily get a cheap pack n play that will be safe and durable and meet all the parents’ requirements.

The differences in price for these items mostly come from the number of additional features built into it. However, as the purpose of a playpen is simple, you can get a simple and cheap item without compromising anything.

The truly important features you need to pay attention to when choosing a play yard are:

  • Stability of the construction.
    Choose models with lightweight but sturdy constructions, preferably made of steel. These will be able to hold your baby as they grow into a toddler. Bear in mind that no playpen is fit for babies who have learned how to climb. For this purpose you must never leave children unsupervised, even inside the safest pack and play.
  • Quality of the materials.
    All materials of the play yard must be safe for the baby as well as easy to clean, because “accidents” will happen.
  • Ease of set-up.
    Playpens are mostly used for travel, so they must take only moments to set up and take down. Check for how stable the construction is as you might use it outdoors and on uneven surfaces.

That’s all there is to a good playpen, so if that’s all you need, the models listed in this review will be a good choice.

One handy extra feature is having a removable infant bassinet. It will extend the period of time during which you can use the playard. Things like changers, diaper storage, music centers, and canopies are luxuries that are fun to have but non-essential. What truly matters is the value you get for your money, so look for that.

Final Thoughts: Benefits of a Cheap Playard

Unless you buy a playpen to use instead of a crib, it’s not an item that will see a lot of use as your baby will grow out of it by 24 months max. And if you only plan to use it for travels and playtime outdoors, there is no need to overpay as you can get a cheap pack n play that will be sturdy and durable, and even cute if you choose the right kind of model.