Being a parent is expensive. You may want the best for your child, but not everyone can afford car seats that cost over $200. But are cheap car seats safe? What should you look for to determine if the cheap car seats will protect your child and hold up for as long as you need them.

Fortunately, every car seat that is sold in the US must meet minimum safety standards. So no parent should feel guilty if they can’t afford to buy the most expensive carseat models. Even cheap car seats can protect your baby in a car accident. Just be sure that the carseat is installed correctly and the child is securely buckles up.

Different kinds of car seats will of course have different prices. The cheapest car seats are backless booster seats which are used by elementary age kids. These typically cost $20-$30. Popular brands include Cosco and Evenflo.

Most people who are looking for cheap car seats are probably looking for convertible car seats. These can last your child a long time because they can be converted to different types of car seats. Because of this, they are typically more expensive than single-function car seats but they are a better value and will cost less in the long run.

If you want a cheap convertible car seat you should definitely consider Cosco. They have some of the lowest prices on the market but they still have high ratings. One example of this is the Cosco Juvenile Scenera Convertible Car Seat. It has a list price of $59, but it can be purchased for around $40 with free shipping from Amazon. It has an average rating of four stars so you know that it is well liked by the parents who have purchased it for their children. It has everything that you should look for in a car seat. For safety there is a five-point harness so your child will always be secure. It can adjust to your child’s needs with three buckle strap locations and four harness heights. It even has some nice features such as a seat pad that you can remove to wash and a cup holder that is removable. Cosco has some other models of cheap car seats, but this one is the highest rated.

Another brand of cheap cars seats to consider is Evenflo, especially the Evenflo Tribute 5 Convertible Car Seat. This is more expensive than the Cosco model, but it is still under $100. It has an average rating of four and a half stars, so it is well-liked and a good a value. This model has several nice features. Its safety features include the important five-point harness. It also uses foam that is energy absorbent in the headrest to protect your child in case of impact. The harness can be adjusted. The cup holder isn’t removable, but it can be folded down so that it is never in the way.