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What Are The Best Store Brand Diapers and Are they as good as brand name diapers?

what are the best store brand diapers?

When the average parent thinks of diapers, we probably think of the big, established brands like Pampers or Huggies. While these are still the most popular choices for many families, stored brand diapers – or some of them, at least – deserve a chance in the spotlight too. 

Nearly every grocery store chain has their own brand of diapers rivaling the OGs, but are store brand diapers any good? They’re generally cheaper than their established counterparts, and many families say they’re just as effective. 

So if you’re in the market for store brand diapers, which stores produce the best ones? And do any provide diapers that are healthy for your baby’s skin and for the planet? Let’s find out.

Note: Affiliate links may be used in this post. I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase through my affiliate link. Please read my disclosure for more info. All prices and availability are accurate at the time of publishing.

Are generic diapers as good as brand name diapers?

We all know that many stored brand foods and groceries are on par, or even better than, established brands. So why would diapers be any different? With big diaper companies, you’re likely to pay a little extra for the name itself – in other words, their credibility. But the diaper market has come a long way since just a few companies dominated the scene, and now many generic brand diapers are just as good, if not better, than their long-standing rivals. 

But which stores offer them?

What are the best store brand diapers? 

Mama Bear Diapers by Amazon

Of course, Amazon produces its own brand of diapers! In fact, they offer two different varieties of their Mama Bear bum huggers: Plush Protection and Gentle Touch.

What are they made from?

Both varieties are made predominantly from oil-based plastics, although their Gentle Touch variety does boast a few eco-credentials. They’re free of chlorine bleaching, which is terrible for the planet, and they’re also produced in a zero waste to landfill facility. The best bit is that they’re free from toxins and potential irritants like phthalates, fragrances, and lotions.  The same can’t be said for their Plush Protection variety, unfortunately. 

Features

Amazon’s own brand diapers offer up to 12 hours of leakage protection, are hypoallergenic, and feature a wetness indicator, so you know exactly when your baby needs to be changed.

Reviews

Reviews are generally pretty good, with their Gentle Touch variety averaging 4.3 out of 5 stars in over 13,000 reviews. The vast majority of those reviews give the diapers 4 or 5 stars, with parents loving the fact that they shun fragrances and some saying that they’re comparable to Pampers Swaddlers, but for a much lower price!

Price

Mama Bear diapers are incredibly budget-friendly. While some brands average about 30 cents per diaper, depending on the size you need, you’ll be spending about 16-20 cents per diaper for Amazon’s offerings

*Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

The Good (Gentle Touch)The Bad (Gentle Touch)
◆ Free of toxins
◆ Made in a zero waste to landfill facility
◆ Free of chlorine bleaching
◆ Up to 12 hours of leak protection
◆ Wetness indicator
◆ Good reviews
◆ Super budget-friendly
◆ No plant-based materials are used

The bottom line

Mama Bear’s Gentle Touch variety is definitely the superior choice. It’s great to see such a budget-friendly diaper shunning harmful toxins and chemicals, and it looks like they’re pretty comparable to Pampers Swaddlers in terms of their quality.

Kirkland Diapers by Costco

Kirkland-Costco-Diapers

Who makes Kirkland diapers? 

If you love Costco as much as I do, you may have seen their Kirkland brand baby diapers on the shelves. 

Are Kirkland diapers the same as Huggies?

While Kirkland is a Costco brand, they’re made by the same company that makes Huggies, Kimberly-Clark. When you compare their features, they’re undoubtedly very similar. But are Kirkland diapers any good?

What are they made from?

Try as I did to find a materials list for Kirkland diapers, I just couldn’t find one. They state that their diapers use at least 23% plant-based materials, which is great news, but it’s clear that the rest is plastic. 

Unlike Mama Bear Gentle Touch diapers, Kirkland’s own brand doesn’t boast any other eco-credentials and it looks like they most likely use phthalates and fragrances, which can potentially be harmful to our little ones’ health.

Features

Costco’s disposable baby diapers have a ‘cushiony liner’ for your baby’s comfort, a soft outer cover, the next size up indicator, and a wetness indicator. The next size up indicator’s particularly useful; diaper sizing is often a bit of a minefield.

Reviews

Kirkland diapers have a cult following, it seems! In fact, they average a brilliant 4.7 out of 5 in over 7000 reviews, with users saying they protect against leaks even when worn overnight, and others saying they’re very similar to Huggies Little Snugglers. But for a lower price, of course.

Price

Costco’s diapers are super budget-friendly; they’ll set you back between 16 and 30 cents per diaper, depending on the size. But you of course need to factor in the 60 bucks a month to be a Costco member. 

The GoodThe Bad
◆ They’re budget-friendly
◆ They have a size up indicator
◆ They have a softcover
◆ They’re made with 23% plant-based materials
◆ They feature a wetness indicator
◆ They probably contain toxins and chemicals
◆ It looks like they use chlorine bleaching
◆ You have to pay to be a member at Costco to buy them

The bottom line

Kirkland diapers are clearly well-loved, and they’re not going to break the bank. It’s just a shame that they don’t avoid toxins like Mama Bear’s Gentle Touch diapers manage to.

Parents Choice Diapers by Walmart

Parents-Choice-Diapers-walmart-brand

Parent’s Choice diapers are Walmart’s diaper offerings and they’re available both in-store and online.

What are they made from?

Again, I couldn’t find any kind of materials list for Walmart’s Parent’s Choice diapers, so it’s clear that they don’t use any kind of plant-based materials. All I can find is that they’re free of fragrances and, apparently, hypoallergenic. The problem with the term ‘hypoallergenic’ is that it’s not regulated by the FDA. I’d argue that, unless diapers are free of phthalates and lotions too, they still have the potential to irritate your baby’s skin1.

It also looks like they use chlorine bleaching, which is unfortunately pretty common with diaper brands. It’s used to make diapers more absorbent, but there are many more eco-friendly ways of doing this.

Features

Walmart’s disposable diapers have a wetness indicator and claim to be comfortable for babies and super absorbent. They’re supposedly great for both the daytime and overnights. 

Reviews

Parent’s Choice diapers have over 10,000 reviews on Walmart’s site, so it’s clear they’re a pretty popular choice with parents! They average 4.2 out 5 in these reviews and 84% of users would recommend them. The reviews are mostly positive, with users saying they fit snugly and are pretty absorbent for the price. But some say that a recent redesign has seen the diaper lose some of that quality.

Price

You can buy Parent’s Choice diapers from Walmart, of course, but also on Amazon. Looking at Walmart’s site, their own brand diapers are the definition of budget-friendly, at just 10.5 cents each for newborn diapers. This rises to just 22.5 cents each for a pack of size 7 diapers, which makes them one of the cheapest disposable diapers on the market today!

The GoodThe Bad
◆ Super cheap
◆ Generally good reviews
◆ They have a wetness indicator
◆ Widely available in stores and online
◆ No eco-credentials
◆ It looks like they use chemicals and toxins
◆ Some reviews say quality has dipped recently

The bottom line

It’s no surprise that one of the cheapest diapers on the market can’t boast of any eco or non-toxic credentials. If you’re on a very tight budget, the price of Parent’s Choice diapers really can’t be beaten, but other brands with a similar price tag offer more in the way of skin-friendliness.

Up & Up Diapers By Target

Up-and-Up-diapers-target

Target’s not getting left out of the diaper party, so they’re offering parents and carers their very own disposable baby diapers, Up & Up. They’re available in-store and online, but are Target’s diapers any good?

What are they made from?

Like many of their generic brand counterparts, it looks like plastic rather than plant-based materials is the order of the day. While I can’t find a comprehensive ingredients list, their Q and A section is super helpful when it comes to finding out what toxins Target avoids. 

I was very surprised to find that Up & Up diapers are completely free of phthalates, fragrances, lotions, or dyes. They’re not completely chlorine-free, but they are elemental chlorine-free, which means that there might be ‘natural’ traces of chlorine found in the diapers, but they don’t use chlorine bleaching. For a budget-friendly diaper, I’m seriously impressed. 

Features

Up & Up diapers feature a gentle-touch dryness liner, which is hypoallergenic, so suitable for little ones with sensitive skin. They also have a wetness indicator, stretchy sides for comfort, and provide up to 12 hours of dryness.

Reviews

Target’s own brand of diapers doesn’t fare particularly well in the review stakes. They average 3.8 out of 5 in just under 3000 reviews. Although the majority of reviews are positive, there’s quite a high number of 1-star reviews and some not-very-happy parents.

Positive comments say that they’re just as effective as big brands but at a fraction of the cost. Some reviews, though, say that Target’s diapers aren’t leak-proof and frequent blowouts are a big issue.

Price

Well, I thought I’d found the cheapest diapers in the form of Walmart’s Parent’s Choice, but it seems that Target is determined to level with their rivals in the race for uber-cheap diapers. Up & Up range from 11-18 cents per diaper, depending on the size you choose. It’s about as cheap as you can get.

The GoodThe Bad
◆ They’re cheap!
◆ They feature a wetness indicator
◆ Hypoallergenic liner
◆ Up to 12 hours of dryness protection
◆ Reviews are really mixed
◆ Some say blowouts are an issue
◆ It looks like they contain toxins

The bottom line

It’s perhaps not too surprising that reviews are mixed when it comes to Target’s diapers. But I think it’s amazing that they’re offering budget-friendly diapers that are completely free of phthalates, fragrances, lotions, and dyes, so I’d certainly give them a try. Non-toxic diapers are generally more expensive, so the fact that you can put your little one’s health first with brands like Up & Up and Mama Bear Gentle Touch – without breaking the bank – is brilliant.

Little Journey Diapers (Aldi Brand)

Little-Journey-Aldi-Diapers

If you’ve never been to Aldi, you’re seriously missing out. The German grocery store chain has made its way across the Atlantic and onto American soil to bring cheap but great quality groceries to the USA. And it’s not only cheap groceries you can expect to find in the treasure trove that is this German supermarket. 

They offer everything from fancy homeware to bargain baby buys to one-off specialty foods. In fact, every time I go in there, I come out with something that was absolutely not on my grocery list. But I can’t resist.

It’s no surprise that Aldi offers their own brand of diapers too – the (yet again) very budget-friendly Little Journey diapers.

Related Post: Aldi Diapers Review 2021: Cheap, But Not So Cheerful?

What are they made from?

Unsurprisingly, I can’t find a full ingredients list for Aldi’s Little Journey diapers, but they are fragrance-free and feature a hypoallergenic liner. It looks like Aldi doesn’t use any plant-based materials, but, most importantly, Aldi tells us that they steer completely clear of phthalates. This is a big positive!

Features

These diapers feature added vitamin E and aloe on the liners and a softcover. They also have a wetness indicator and claim to offer up to 12 hours of leak protection, so they’d be suitable for in the daytime or overnights.

Reviews

Because Aldi’s diapers are only available in-store and not online, it’s tough to find reviews from parents and carers. The comments I can find, though, say they’re just as good as Pampers Baby Dry, but for a lot less money.

Price

Aldi’s Little Journey diapers will set you back about 14 cents per diaper, depending on the size you need. Like their other store rivals, this is super cheap, and great if you’re on a budget. 

The GoodThe Bad
◆ Free of the dreaded phthalates (link to non-toxic article)
◆ They offer up to 12 hours of leak protection
◆ Should be overnights
◆ Reviews are generally positive
◆ You get to go to Aldi to buy them
◆ They’re cheap
◆ They’re not available online

The bottom line

If you have an Aldi store near you, Little Journey diapers are a great choice. A budget diaper that avoids phthalates is always a winner. It’s just a shame you can’t get them online.

Member’s Mark Diapers (Sam’s Club)

Members Mark Diapers Sams Club

The site Sam’s Club is actually owned by Walmart and offers some of the big names in diapers like Luvs, Pampers, and Huggies. They also offer eco-friendlier brands like Seventh Generation and even sell their own brand of diapers, Member’s Mark. You’ll have to be a member to buy from them though, that will set you back $45 a year.

What are they made from?

Looking at Sam’s Club’s own brand of diapers, Member’s Mark, there isn’t a full ingredients list available. It doesn’t seem like any plant-based ingredients are used, but they are free of fragrances and elemental chlorine. While that’s a positive, there’s no mention of phthalates, lotions, and dyes, so I assume they’re used.

Features

The smallest sizes of Member’s Mark diapers feature an umbilical cord cutout, which is great for looking after your newborn’s sensitive skin (link to newborn diapers article). They also feature a wetness indicator and what Sam’s Club describes as a soft and gentle hypoallergenic liner. Again, that term isn’t regulated by the FDA. The liner itself might be free of irritants, but the same can’t necessarily be said for the rest of the diaper.

Reviews

Member’s Mark Premium diapers average 4.3 out of 5 in over 2700 reviews. There are lots of positive reviews, with users saying they’re just as absorbent as more expensive brands, and they love the price. 

Price

Prices for Member’s Mark diapers range from 13 cents each for newborn diapers to 26 cents each for size 7. Again, they’re another budget-friendly option, but bear in mind that you kinda have to buy huge quantities of these diapers; there’s no ‘sample’ pack option. In fact, if you’re after size 3 diapers, the only option available is to buy 234 of them! So if you’ve never tried them before, it might be a little risky. 

The GoodThe Bad
◆ Reviews are generally good
◆ They’re budget-friendly
◆ Free of fragrances
◆ The small sizes have an umbilical cord cutout
◆ You have to pay to be a member of Sam’s Club to buy them
◆ You can only buy them in bulk
◆ It looks like they contain other chemicals and toxins

The bottom line

If you’re looking for a great bulk buy, Member’s Mark might seem like a good choice, but there are better quality diapers out there for a similar price. And if you’re not already a member, you’d have to pay 45 bucks to actually buy the diapers in the first place. I think there are better options available, like Mama Bear Gentle Touch and Aldi’s Little Journey diapers.

Well Beginnings Diapers (Walgreens Brand)

Well-Beginnings-Walgreens-diapers

Of course, Walgreens is invited to the store brand diaper party, and they’re bringing their own Well Beginnings diapers. Let’s see how they compare!

What are they made from?

Like many other store brand diapers, there’s no comprehensive ingredients list available as far as I can see. In fact, there’s no mention of any toxins, chemicals, or irritants at all, so I guess they’re used.

Features

Walgreens’ marketing makes these diapers sound pretty awesome, but they don’t seem to feature anything that other diapers lack. They talk of their ‘premium absorbent core’, ‘gentle guard protection’, ‘tri-grip tabs for a premier fit’ and ‘12 hour dry-lock leakage protection’. It’s all very style over substance! All diapers have tabs and an absorbent core, and many say they provide 12 hours of leakage protection. 

They have a wetness indicator and a size indicator though, so they’re pretty useful. Like many other brands, they say they’re hypoallergenic, but there’s no mention of them being free of irritants, so I’m not too convinced by this.

Reviews

There aren’t too many written reviews available for Walgreens’ own brand of diapers. But of the few I can find, they’re a little mixed. Some say they’re another good rival of the big brands, but others say their 12-hour leak protection claim isn’t necessarily accurate.

Price

Walgreen’s own brand of diapers will cost you 17 cents each for a pack of size 1 diapers and, for size 6 diapers, you’re looking at 36 cents per diaper. The latter price seems a little higher than other store brands.

The GoodThe Bad
◆ Up to 12 hours of protection
◆ They have a size indicator
◆ They have a wetness indicator
◆ Reviews are very mixed
◆ It looks like they contain chemicals
◆ They’re more expensive than other generic brands

The bottom line

There’s not much that stands out about Walgreen’s Well Beginnings diapers. They seem a little more expensive than other store brands and they don’t have any skin-friendly credentials, which other budget diapers are able to offer. 

CVS Health Diapers

CVS Health Diapers

Even CVS are putting their own offerings forward in the baby diaper market. CVS Health diapers are available in all sizes and they even sell training pants too. They’re available online and in stores.

What are they made from?

CVS’s diapers are latex and fragrance-free, but that’s about as far as they go in terms of ingredient transparency. It doesn’t look like they use plant-based materials or steer clear of phthalates, lotions, and dyes using heavy metals.

Features

Like some other newborn diapers, CVS’s newborn size features an umbilical cord cutout, which is quite handy for new parents. The diapers also feature a wetness indicator and a handy size indicator, to take the guesswork out of sizing. Like pretty much all diaper brands, CVS Health diapers claim to be ultra-soft on baby’s skin.

Reviews

Ok, I won’t beat around the bush – the reviews aren’t looking good. There aren’t many on their site, but they average only 3.2 out of 5, with users saying they’re certainly not leak-proof. Some reviews are good, of course, but I found as many negative reviews as positive ones. 

Price

Another budget-friendly offering, CVS Health diapers range from about 13 to 19 cents per diaper, depending on the size. Anything under 20 cents is super cheap, but remember there are other diaper brands out there for a similar price with fewer potential irritants in their ingredients lists.

The GoodThe Bad
◆ They’re cheap
◆ They have a wetness indicator
◆ They feature a size indicator
◆ Smaller sizes have an umbilical cord cutout
◆ It looks like they contain toxins
◆ Reviews aren’t great

The bottom line

Unlike Mama Bear Gentle Touch and Aldi’s Little Journey diapers, CVS Health diapers don’t really stand out. They might be fragrance-free, but both Mama Bear and Little Journey diapers also avoid phthalates, which are potentially harmful. Plus, if the reviews are anything to go by, they’re not the best quality either.

Comforts Diapers (Kroger Brand)

comforts diaper

Right off the bat, Kroger tells us we can save up to $1500 a year when we buy their own baby brands rather than national brands. Kroger offers baby diapers, as well as wipes, formula, food, skincare, and health and feeding accessories. 

With claims like that, I’m expecting a very budget-friendly diaper indeed!

What are they made from?

There’s very little information offered about what’s used, and what isn’t, in Kroger’s Comfort diapers. There’s no indication that certain chemicals and toxins are avoided and I can’t find any materials lists. It doesn’t look like these diapers are non-toxic.

Features

There’s a similar lack of information about what makes Comfort diapers worth buying! Kroger diapers offer a comfortable fit, a softcover, and a wetness indicator. Newborn and size 1 diapers also have an umbilical cord cutout.

They claim to offer day and night protection, but there’s no talk of 12-hour protection, so I’m not sure they’d be suitable for overnights.

Reviews

Reviews of Kroger diapers seem to be very mixed. Some say they’re reliable when it comes to leak protection, but a number of reviewers say that their baby has experienced diaper rash after using Comfort diapers.

Price

Newborn diapers will set you back about 12 cents each, while size 6 cost about 21 cents each. Again, they’re certainly budget-friendly, but that’s about as far as it gets in terms of positives.

The GoodThe Bad
◆ The smaller sizes have an umbilical cord cutout
◆ They’re budget-friendly
◆ The reviews aren’t great
◆ It looks like they contain toxins

The bottom line

We’ve already seen that it’s possible to produce a budget-friendly diaper that still offers some skin-health or eco-friendly credentials, so it’s a shame Kroger diapers don’t have more to offer than a cheap price.

Simple Truth Diapers by Kroger

Okay, so Kroger must have read my mind. Alongside their Comforts variety, they offer diapers called ‘Simple Truth’, the name of which suggests they might fare better in the health stakes. Hopefully.

What are they made from?

There might not be a fully transparent ingredients list, but Kroger does let us know that their Simple Truth diapers are made without fragrances and lotions, which is great for skin health. They’re also made with plant-based materials, although there’s no detail about what exactly these are or what percentage of the diaper is plant-based, and they use the chlorine-free pulp, another tick for the environment. 

My only issue is the lack of information about phthalates. I guess they’re used.

Features

Like their Comforts variety, Simple Truth stays – well, simple – in terms of its features. The obvious selling point for these diapers is their eco-credentials, alongside stretchy side panels for a comfy fit, but stretchy sides are what you’ll find in pretty much every diaper. 

Reviews

Reviews of Kroger’s Simple Truth diapers are pretty limited, but the few I can find say that they’re pretty good at preventing leaks and the fact that they’re free of some irritants is a bonus!

Price

I’m certainly expecting Simple Truth diapers to be more expensive than Kroger’s Comforts variety. It’s such a shame that we’re still paying a premium for products that are better for our babies and better for their futures, but that’s just how it is. Hopefully, as more of us make the switch, prices will start to come down.

Simple Truth diapers will set you back between 25 and 45 cents per diaper, depending on the size you need. This is clearly more than their Comforts variety, and more than similar generic brands, which isn’t surprising. 

The GoodThe Bad
◆ They’re free of chlorine
◆ They’re free of fragrances and lotions
◆ They’re made with some plant-based materials
◆ The reviews are good
◆ It looks like they contain phthalates.

The bottom line

It’s great that Kroger’s Simple Truth diapers contain plant-based materials and don’t contain chlorine, fragrances, or lotions. But for the same money, you can choose from a whole host of plant-based diapers that definitely stay away from phthalates, like Hello Bello diapers or Abby & Finn.

How to try several diaper brands

If you’re not quite sure which brand to try first, look no further than the very-aptly-named Diaper Dabbler: the service that lets you try several diapers before committing! 

custom-diaper-dabbler-sampler

Diaper Dabbler has loads of different ‘packs’ available from their Mother Earth pack, which features some of the best diapers for the planet and for baby’s skin to their Prepared Parent variety pack: a bundle of 24 brands of diapers including some store brand diapers like Parent’s Choice and Up & Up. This pack also features some awesome-for-the-planet-and-baby diapers like Bambo Nature and Abby & Finn.

You can even build your own variety pack and choose from a whole host of brands, including Walmart’s, Target’s, and Costco’s diapers. It’s a great service for helping you find ‘the one’ before buying large quantities and it also makes a great baby shower gift.

What are the best store brand training pants?

Each store we’ve looked at also offers their own brand of training pants for when your little one is nearing the end of their diaper-wearing journey. Check out my reviews of the best store brand training pants here!

Are store brand diapers cheaper?

It’s clear that most store-brand diapers are budget-friendly. But while they all tend to be cheaper than the big brands, they don’t all offer quality. The majority of the store brand diapers in this review range from about 10-20 cents, which is super cheap compared to some varieties of Pampers and Huggies, as well as some eco-friendly diaper brands too.

Some store brands definitely stand out from the budget crowd though, for their leak protection and their avoidance of harsh chemicals. So which are the best?

Which store brand diapers are best?

Every parent wants to give their little ones the best of the best but, when it comes to diapers, the best can have a big price tag attached. Products that are skin-friendly and eco-friendly naturally tend to be more expensive, but there are some store brands that offer some pretty awesome diapers for a fraction of the price.

My favorite of the lot has to be Amazon’s Mama Bear Gentle Touch diapers. While they’re not made of plant-based materials like some super environmentally-friendly diapers, they are free of toxins like phthalates, chlorine, fragrances, lotions, and dyes. Plus, they’re made in a zero-waste-to-landfill facility. Really, you’re getting a lot for your money.

I’d love to recommend Kroger’s Simple Truth diapers, given they’re one of the only store brand diapers to use some plant-based materials; it’s just the lack of transparency on phthalates that’s a little concerning. But another brand I can absolutely recommend is Aldi’s Little Journey diapers

Again, Aldi’s own brand of diapers doesn’t quite compare to plant-based, organic diapers, but they do avoid potentially-harmful toxins. Plus, it gives me an excuse to look around the Aladdin’s Cave that is Aldi. Seriously, you go in for some bananas and juice and come out with a cookbook stand, sewing kit, and set of photo frames. And some stuff you might actually need, sometimes.

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