Wondering what the difference is between Ergobaby and Lillebaby baby carriers? I’ve tried both! There are a lot of similarities between the two brands and they are loved by many parents who use them to wear their babies and toddlers.
This article takes a look at one of the most popular baby carriers from each brand and puts them head to head against each other for an in-depth look at the differences to see which is the best baby carrier.
Let’s look at my personal experience wearing my baby with: The Ergobaby Omni 360 Cool Air Mesh vs The Lillebaby Complete Airflow. I’ve also done a complete review of the Omni 360 on it’s own you can read here if you’re interested.
Both Carriers Feature:
- Mesh fabric for airflow
- Infant seat is adjustable
- Infant head/neck support is adjustable
- Lumbar support
- Padded shoulder straps
- Infant sun hood/privacy hood
- Can cross straps behind back
- Approved by International Hip Dysplasia Institute (hip healthy)
- Weight limits: 7-45 lbs no infant insert needed
Key Differences:
- Ergobaby Omni 360 has 3 infant seat adjustment possibilities (wide, medium, narrow) Lillebaby Complete Airflow has 2 (wide & narrow)
- Ergobaby has safety buckles where toddler fingers could reach them
- Ergobaby is OEKO-TEX certified fabric free from hazardous substances
- Ergo has a more flexible padded waist belt
- Ergo has more padded infant neck support
- Ergobaby has a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects, Lillebaby has a one year guarantee
Infographic
Price
The Lillebaby Complete Airflow is less expensive than the Ergobaby Omni 360.
*If you choose to buy a baby carrier from the affiliate link in this article I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
The Ergobaby Omni 360 is around $170 USD when it’s not on sale ($230 CAD).
The Lillebaby Complete Airflow is around $125 USD when it’s not on sale ($179 CAD).
So why is the Ergobaby Omni 360 more expensive than the Lillebaby Complete Airflow? I find the Ergobaby to be a more premium quality carrier so it likely costs more to produce.
Amount of Mesh
The Lillebaby Complete Airflow seems to be a bit more breathable than the Ergobaby Omni 360 but has less structured support. It’s a great carrier for warmer climates. Another popular carrier, the Lillebaby Complete All Seasons, which is quite similar to this model, has a central temperature control panel you can zip down to reveal mesh that helps keep your baby cool.
The Ergobaby company also has an updated version of the Omni mesh carrier called the Omni Breeze, which is more breathable than the older Omni 360. The Omni Breeze is also softer to touch than the Lillebaby or Omni 360. You can read about the Breeze here.
If you’re looking for the softest mesh baby carrier, you may want to look at the BabyBjorn Harmony in this article.
Infant Head Support
Both the Lillebaby Complete Airflow and the Ergobaby Omni 360 Cool Air Mesh have adjustable infant head support.
The Omni 360 infant head support adjusts with buttons. It’s nicely padded and flexible. Even with a larger baby who has a heavy head, it does a good job.
The Lillebaby Complete has an adjustable infant head support that is mesh on the sides with a stiff panel in the middle for structured support. I find it to be slightly less comfortable with my baby but it still works appropriately.
Infant Seat Adjustment
With the Lillebaby, your baby’s seat can be wide or narrow but nothing in between. With only two settings to choose from, there is limited flexibility and options to get the right leg adjustments for your baby to keep them comfortable and in a safe, hip-healthy position. The wide seat is good for older babies and into the toddler years.
To create the narrow seat with your Lillebaby baby carrier you have to fold part of the carrier under the bum of the baby. It doesn’t make for the most comfortable situation since there are little snaps underneath the fabric that make things a bit bumpy.
The Ergobaby Omni 360 has three infant seat adjustment settings, wide, medium, and narrow, depending on the size of your baby/toddler. You can also adjust the leg sliders of your Ergo baby carrier to help create the perfect seat for your baby.
The Ergobaby carrier also has instructions on the inside of the carrier that are straightforward and simple to use. If you haven’t used your carrier for a few years between kids, it can be so helpful to have that immediate reminder: here’s how you adjust the wide or narrow seat. The instructions also help keep babies safe by making sure the parents are able to easily figure out how to use the carrier properly.
There are no instructions sewn into the Lillebaby Complete Airflow.
Privacy Hood
Both the Ergobaby Omni 360 and Lillebaby Complete Airflow have a privacy hood/sun hood to help block out distractions when baby is trying to nap, give you discretion if you’re trying to breastfeed, and protect your baby’s head from the sun. This Lillebaby carrier’s hood is made from mesh, and the snaps along the side jingle when they move. If your baby is trying to nap the jingling is a bit distracting. I’m not sure if the mesh would be as good at sun protection as regular fabric, but it’s nice and breathable. The Ergobaby carrier’s hood is solid material and the snaps are quiet.
Carry Positions
You can use both carriers in several different carrying positions.
Lillebaby Complete carry positions:
- front carry face-in for shorter infant (or newborn)
- front carry face-in for taller infant
- fetal position (I don’t personally recommend this position, it’s hard to see if your baby is in a good ergonomic position)
- front carry face-out
- hip carry
- back carry
Ergobaby Omni carry positions:
- front carry face-in for shorter infant (or newborn)
- front carry face-in for taller infant
- front carry face-out
- hip carry
- back carry
Waist Belt
- Ergobaby Omni waist belt: 26” – 57”
- Lillebaby Complete waist belt: 31” to 48” with additional belt extender sold separately
The waistband of the Lillebaby Complete has a large lumbar support piece that you can remove when you back-carry your toddler. The waist belt can accommodate from 31” to 48”.
If you have a petite body frame you’re going to have a hard time getting this waistband to stay up around your middle when your baby is small. It helps to remove the lumbar support so you have more strap to pull tight if you need it tighter. Lillebaby also suggests tucking part of the lumbar support under the waist belt if you’re narrow waisted like the photo below shows. I’ve tried it and it’s a bit uneven and uncomfortable.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for a plus size carrier, Lillebaby actually sells a plus size extension strap. I’m impressed with this brand for being thoughtful about size inclusivity. Along our baby wearing journeys we may stretch and shrink to different sizes. Having a carrier that can be flexible and adjustable is important.
The Ergobaby Omni carrier can accommodate a waist size of 26” – 57”; it doesn’t have a belt extended since it can already accommodate an extra 10” waist width than the Lillebaby could, without an extender. The Ergo carrier also features lumbar padding to help distribute the weight of your baby and give you good back support.
Shoulder Straps
Another one of the key features in these carriers are the shoulder straps are both nicely padded for adult comfort to help distribute baby’s weight. The adjustable shoulder straps are very similar between these two carrier models.
Both carriers are capable of crossing the straps behind the wearer’s back in an X for more support when needed. Crossable straps can also be helpful for petite wearers to get the right fit.
The thin straps you use to adjust buckles (or “webbing” as it’s sometimes called) are easier to use in the Ergobaby carrier. The Lillebaby carrier webbing is very stiff and was hard for me to adjust on my own.
Buckles
Since both of these carriers are able to hold up to 40 pounds, it’s possible you could use a carrier with a toddler. There are two buckles on each carrier that a toddler could potentially reach when you wear them. These buckles are on the shoulder straps and they come undone so you’re capable of crossing the straps behind your back.
On the Ergobaby Omni 360, these buckles are safety buckles that are incapable of being opened by little hands. The Lillebaby Complete Airflow has regular buckles.
Type of Fabric
Ergobaby is OEKO-TEX certified fabric, free from hazardous substances. This means it has never been treated with formaldehyde or other toxic chemicals and is safe for babies, even right out of the package. This is extremely important to me because carriers come into so much direct contact with my baby’s sensitive skin. Ergobaby carriers are also compliant with the CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act) and ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials).
The Lillebaby brand has one organic cotton carrier option on their website but states nothing about OEKO-TEX certification at this time. Their carriers are all compliant with the CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act) and ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) and should contain no lead, toxic dyes, phthalates, or flame retardants.
My Lillebaby Complete Airflow is beginning to show some normal signs of wear and tear – like the fading of fabric on the shoulder straps, where the carrier gets the most sun bleaching. This breathable mesh fabric is 100% polyester and the rest of the carrier has some cotton fabric accents.
My Ergobaby Omni 360 is around the same age and shows no similar signs of sun bleaching. The fabric type is a different quality and the Ergobaby is holding up better in the long-term. The Ergobaby Omni 360 Cool Air Mesh Carrier is also 100% polyester.
Washing Instructions
The Ergobaby Omni 360 can be machine washed on a gentle cycle in cool water and you can machine dry it (tumble dry) on a low heat setting. It’s better to hang your carrier to dry because it will prolong the life of your carrier and protect it from additional wear and tear, but if you’re in a hurry, it is possible to tumble dry it.
The Lillebaby Complete Airflow cannot be put in the dryer. Washing instructions say to machine wash on a gentle cycle in cool water and hang to dry. This isn’t a huge deal breaker considering mesh carriers tend to dry within a couple of hours in warm weather, hanging outside.
Final Take-Aways
There can be a bit of a learning curve when using a soft structured carrier for the first time. Whichever carrier you end up going with, make sure you watch a few instructional videos and don’t give up. Baby wearing is such an easy way to bring your infant comfort and closeness once you get the hang of it!
Some of the extra details in the Ergobaby carrier make it the better option for me. The infant seat adjustment is easier to use and more flexible. The waistband padding is nicer in my opinion, making it a more comfortable baby carrier to wear. And the straps (also called webbing) are easier to adjust. The fact that the Ergobaby carriers are certified to be free from harmful substances is also important to me. The Ergobaby carrier is also more size inclusive right off the rack, able to accommodate a larger body type without a belt extender than the Lillebaby carrier.
Ergobaby also employs baby wearing experts that help their buyers use their carriers. You can either submit a help request on the Ergobaby website, or in their Facebook group and an expert will assess your baby carrier fit and offer feedback!
Although the Ergobaby Omni 360 Cool Air Mesh is more expensive than the Lillebaby Complete Airflow, I find it to be more comfortable to wear for longer baby wearing sessions. My Ergobaby is also in better shape after years of use and trips through the washing machine than the Lillebaby is. I also think the Ergobaby has more safety features and comfort details that make it my preferred carrier of the two.
This Site cannot and does not contain medical/health advice. The medical/health information is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. The use or reliance of any information contained on this site is solely at your own risk.
If you’re looking for an updated version of the Ergobaby Omni 360, you may want to check out the Omni Breeze:
Another great option if you’re looking for the most breathable and softest mesh carrier out there, you may want to check out the BabyBjorn Harmony:
