Snoo vs Cradlewise: Which Smart Crib Is Right for You?
Two popular smart cribs, but only one will end up in your nursery. Here's how to choose.
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Sleep is the foundation upon which the rest of our health is built. Or, something like that, right? It certainly feels that way during periods of life when you’re not sleeping, like when you have a newborn. Whether you’re a first-time parent or your new baby isn’t the same type of sleeper as your previous children, the desperation for a good night’s sleep can be all-consuming.
Enter the smart crib. A tech-integrated, design-forward upgrade to the standard bedside bassinet that can help soothe your baby before you even know they’re awake. Smart cribs are responsive to baby’s cues—like noises and wiggling around—and offer motion and sound to help calm them down. They vary in their levels and types of response, but the goal is the same: keep baby asleep as long as possible.
Smart cribs are still a relatively new category of baby gear, but two brands—Snoo and Cradlewise—have become the most well-known names in the space. Both promise to help babies (and parents) get more sleep with responsive technology that detects fussing and adds motion and sound to soothe. But with different features, price points and longevity, how do you decide which one is right for your family? This side-by-side comparison breaks down what they have in common, how they differ and what to consider before making your choice.
Happiest Baby Snoo Smart Sleeper Bassinet
From $1,186.50
Cradlewise All-In-One Bassinet, Smart Crib, Baby Monitor - Ships Immediately
From $1,999.00*Pricing varies based on timing of order, from $1,549 when you order 6 months in advance to $1,849 if immediate shipping is needed.
Snoo vs. Cradlewise: Overview
The first of its kind on the market, the Snoo Smart Sleeper Bassinet redefined the capabilities of the bassinet. From renowned pediatrician, author and baby sleep pro Dr. Harvey Karp, this smart bassinet, complete with a built-in swaddle, combines multiple aspects of his tried and tested “five S’s” (swaddle, side position, shush, swing and suck) for a promise of adding one to two hours of sleep per night.
The Snoo automatically responds to a baby’s cries and fussing with various levels of motion. That responsiveness has won thousands of parents over. “I credit [the Snoo] with being the only way we've been able to get my daughter to sleep through the night by the time she was two months old,” one parent said in Babylist’s annual Most Loved Baby Products survey.
The Cradlewise Convertible Smart Bassinet and Crib also offers the responsive soothing of motion and sound, plus a built-in monitor and the added function of accommodating baby once they’ve outgrown a bassinet-sized bed. This streamlined all-in-one option converts from a bassinet to a mini-crib to grow with your little one until they reach 33 pounds, checking all the boxes as a bed, monitor and white noise machine, all while soothing baby with a gentle bouncing motion.
Like the Snoo, many parents rave about the Cradlewise. “The Cradlewise was our splurge baby care item, and we’ve loved it,” said one parent in our survey. “Unlike the Snoo, we liked that we were able to use this crib until about age two. We also really liked how quiet the crib was.”
“It’s everything in one: bassinet, crib, video monitor, sound machine, and physical soother. My daughter sleeps like a champ in [it],” said another.
Snoo vs. Cradlewise: Functionality
Functionality: What’s similar
The Snoo and Cradlewise offer many of the same features. The core component of both is the technology that senses when baby is stirring or fussing, then automatically adding motion to begin soothing them. Both also have built-in noise to accompany the motion, which keeps running while baby is calmly asleep. The Snoo and Cradlewise can both be used starting from birth, and both tout themselves as a pair of “extra hands” during those first few months when long stretches of sleep are hard to come by. Each also comes with its own app that allows parents to track sleep patterns and personalize baby’s settings.
Functionality: What’s different
There are two main differences between the Snoo and the Cradlewise: how long you’ll be able to use each bassinet, and the specific functionalities of each.
Timeline: The Snoo is designed for use until your baby is about six months old, or once baby is consistently rolling from stomach to back. The Cradlewise can be used until 24 months or when baby reaches 33 pounds. Those extra months to years of usage make all the difference to some parents. “While all my friends’ babies are outgrowing their Snoos, my baby is still happily being soothed in the Cradlewise with plenty of room to grow,” one noted.
Soothing options: The Snoo has five different motions and four white noise options, while the Cradlewise has one motion and four noise options. The noise options in the Cradlewise come through the built-in white noise machine, which is accompanied by the built-in camera in the handlebar across the top of the smart sleeper.
Movement type: The Snoo’s movement options include a gentle sway and a soothing rocking motion for a sleeping baby, or a slightly faster jiggle and louder white noise for an upset baby; the Cradlewise’s only motion is an up-and-down bounce. None of the movement options is necessarily "better" than any other; they're just different. And since all babies are different, there's really no way to know which movement your little one will prefer (if any!) before they arrive.
Extras: The Snoo has an attachment area for Dr. Karp’s proprietary “five-second swaddle” built into its mattress base, which makes middle-of-the-night changes faster and provides peace of mind that your little one remains on their back. The Cradlewise’s built-in camera is something that parents love; it removes an additional item from their registry, plus it tracks baby’s sleep patterns and habits, and is all controlled via an app.
Snoo vs. Cradlewise: Style
Style: What’s similar
The Snoo and Cradlewise have a similar style: a modern, minimalist look with natural wood accents. Both smart sleepers have the classic look of a bassinet on the top portion with baby-safe mesh walls for airflow and breathability.
Style: What’s different
The Cradlewise features a lighter-toned wood veneer across the top and bottom of the sleeper, plus a handlebar over top that discreetly holds the camera. The legs of the Cradlewise are the same material and wrap underneath the sleeper for a sleek, modern finish. The Snoo has a band of wood accent around its base in a darker walnut shade, and its four white-coated metal legs give it a stable foundation.
Snoo vs. Cradlewise: Cost
Both the Snoo and the Cradlewise smart sleepers are significant investments. You can use your HSA/FSA funds to pay for either. And some companies include the purchase or rental of a smart sleeper in their benefits package, which can help offset the costs.
The Cradlewise list price is $1,849, with discounted options for certified used sleepers or for ordering the crib a few months before baby’s arrival. The Snoo’s list price is $1,695 to purchase, or you can rent one for $159 a month (plus a reconditioning fee).
The Snoo’s rental option gives parents the option to “wait and see” if they need it once the baby arrives, or on the flipside, to stop using it if it’s not the right choice for your baby—both of which can really impact the full financial picture.
Snoo vs. Cradlewise: The Bottom Line
The Cradlewise and the Snoo both promise more sleep for you and baby during those first few months. Their capabilities, aesthetics and price are also fairly comparable.
If you’re mostly interested in a bassinet and already have (or plan to have) a full-size crib, the Snoo may be the better investment. It also offers the most flexibility in pricing, with the rental option totaling a much lower price tag than the Cradlewise.
The Cradlewise is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a one-stop shop and a piece of furniture that can transition to baby's room when they’ve outgrown your bedside. While the initial investment is higher than the Snoo, you’ll be able to use it for double, or possibly triple, the time that you can the Snoo. With either pick, we hope you end up counting more sheep and fewer midnight meltdowns.
