Last-minute Mother’s Day gifts that should arrive on time

We’re now just days away from Mother’s Day on May 8th, but don’t panic: if you’ve left your gift shopping until the last minute, there are still plenty of great gadgets you can buy that should arrive in time. Even better, many of them are on sale, with a few products like Amazon’s 2021 Kindle Paperwhite and the second-gen Echo Show 8 selling at all-time lows. On top of that, you can even get free shipping, to boot.

Below, we’ve curated a list of gifts for all budgets that should arrive in time for the holiday. And for those who leave shopping until the very last minute (no shame!), we’ve also included a couple of digital gifts that you can buy as late as Mother’s Day.

And if you need more help (or you’d prefer to explore other options besides the ones listed here), be sure to also check out our complete Mother’s Day gift guide or list of the best Mother’s Day deals.

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Photo by Chaim Gartenberg / The Verge

A few gifts that (should) arrive on time

For book-loving moms, the latest Kindle Paperwhite is the ideal gift. She can lounge by the pool reading for hours without worrying about running out of battery, as the waterproof e-reader offers exceptionally long battery life. That’s in addition to other perks, including a 6.8-inch display that’s bigger than its predecessor, a USB-C charging port for easier recharging, and adjustable color temperature.

Regularly $139.99, the ad-supported model is selling for an all-time low of $99.99 at Best Buy with free next-day shipping to boot, while Amazon has it for $104.99. Just note only Amazon Prime members will receive the gift in time without having to pay extra. Read our review.

Kindle Paperwhite (2021)

Amazon’s new Kindle Paperwhite has a 6.8-inch, E Ink display with adjustable color temperature for nighttime reading. It also boasts a faster processor, additional battery life, IPX8 waterproofing, and — finally — a USB-C port.

If you don’t mind forking out an extra $200, you could alternatively buy Mom an iPad, which she could use as an e-reader as well as an everyday tablet, portable Netflix machine, and all-around entertainment and productivity gadget. The 2021 iPad is fast and powerful with its A13 Bionic CPU and its unique Center Stage feature, which keeps subjects centered in the frame during video calls. You can buy the base Wi-Fi model equipped with 64GB of storage for $309.99 ($20 off) at Amazon, although only Prime members will get it free in time for Mother’s Day. Non-members can alternatively buy the iPad at the same price from Walmart, or full price from Best Buy, and get it for free in time for the holiday.

2021 iPad (Wi-Fi, 64GB)

Apple’s latest, entry-level iPad represents a slight update, with a new A13 Bionic chip and a 12MP front camera that supports Apple’s Center Stage feature.

Sure, you could buy Mom a pretty bonsai tree for Mother’s Day, but those require attention and, well, will eventually die (dark, but true!). If you want something that will last, plant-loving moms might appreciate Lego’s Bonsai Tree. With this unique gift, Mom can have fun building a cool bonsai tree made from Lego pieces, which she can then use to decorate the home. You can buy it for $40.33 instead of $49.99 from Amazon and get it delivered by Mother’s Day for free if you’re a Prime member. If you’re not on Prime, you can also buy the Lego tree at its full price from Best Buy and have it shipped in time as well.

Lego Bonsai Tree

Mom can build her own bonsai tree with legos and then use it as home decor.

Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge

Smart displays are popular gifts for good reason. Mom can use Amazon’s excellent second-gen Echo Show 8 smart display for a variety of use cases, whether that’s as a digital photo frame, to watch videos, control other smart home devices, or play music. She can even use the Alexa-enabled smart display to make Zoom calls with the new and improved 13-megapixel camera. Normally $129.99, the Echo Show 8 is on sale at Best Buy and Amazon for $89.99, an all-time low. It’ll be delivered on Mother’s Day when you get it from Best Buy, but you’ll have to pay extra if you’re not an Amazon Prime member when purchasing it from Amazon. Read our review.

Amazon Echo Show 8 (second-gen)

The Echo Show 8 is the midsized smart display in Amazon’s current Echo lineup and can be used to display the weather, news, calendars, grocery lists, and more. You can also use it to control your smart home devices, watch streaming video, or listen to music. It even supports video calling via Zoom and Amazon’s Alexa calling service.

Instant cameras like Fujifilm’s Instax Mini 11 Instant Camera offer a fun and fast way to capture great memories. The Instax Square Mini 11 prints small, wallet-size photos within a couple of seconds after taking the shot. It also boasts extra features like a selfie mode so Mom can take a picture using the camera’s onboard mirror and pull-out lens. This cute camera includes five shutter button accessories. Plus, the camera’s relatively quick and simple to set up and use — a perk that less tech-savvy moms may appreciate. All said, it’s a great gift that Best Buy is currently selling in various colors for $69.99 instead of $79.99 with free shipping as well.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 instant camera

Fujifilm’s Instax Mini 11 prints small, wallet-size photos within a couple of seconds and boasts extra features like a selfie mode.

Booking a one-hour massage for Mom is nice, but gifting a Theragun Mini massager means she can always treat herself to R&R whenever and wherever she’d like. This powerful, three-speed massager makes it easy to give herself an excellent soft tissue massage while relaxing at home. It’s also small and quiet, so she can even carry it around whenever she needs some relief. You can buy it right now in time for Mother’s Day from Best Buy for $159.99 instead of $199.99. Again, Best Buy’s offering free shipping.

Theragun Mini

The Theragun Mini massager is a small, ultra-portable massage device that’s quiet and effective at providing relief for muscle pain and melting away tension.

If you’re looking for a good gift under $50, Google’s latest Chromecast is the best streaming device you can buy, providing support for 4K content, Dolby Atmos sound, and Dolby Vision HDR. Gifting it grants Mom access to all the major streaming services and more. You can buy it for $49.99 and order it in time for the holiday with free shipping from Best Buy and Walmart. Read our review.

Chromecast with Google TV

The Chromecast with Google TV introduces a dedicated remote and new software that brings together recommendations from all of your streaming services. It also supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.

Jabra’s Elite 3 true wireless earbuds are another more budget-friendly option, selling for $59.99 right now at Best Buy, Amazon, and Walmart, which is a $20 discount. We consider these comfortable, lightweight buds some of the best true wireless earbuds you can buy. While they lack active noise cancellation, they offer everything else Mom may need in a pair of earbuds, including reliable performance, easy-to-use controls, and lengthy battery life. You can get these delivered in time for the holiday at Best Buy and Walmart and, if you’re an Amazon Prime member, from Amazon, as well. Read our review.

Jabra Elite 3

Jabra’s Elite 3 earbuds have a refreshed design that’s more stylish than the company’s past earbuds. While they don’t have many frills or extra features, they fare well in the key areas of sound quality, comfort, and battery life.

If you’re fine with spending a bit extra, you can buy the Beats Fit Pro in time for Mother’s Day as well. Unlike Jabra’s Elite 3, they offer active noise cancellation and sound quality that’s on par with the AirPods Pro. Being more workout-focused, they are also designed to securely stay in Mom’s ears while she exercises, so this is a good gift for fitness fans. You can get them on time for the holiday when you buy the earbuds for $179.99 ($20 off) from Best Buy or Amazon if you’re a Prime member.

Beats Fit Pro

The Beats Fit Pro earbuds have integrated wing tips that help keep them secure during runs and workouts. They also have excellent noise cancellation, and their sound has just the right amount of bass and kick to keep you motivated.

Like the Beats Fit Pro, Fitbit’s Versa 3 is another great present for fitness enthusiasts or those moms simply trying to stay healthy. Currently $179.99 ($51 off), it’s far more affordable than an Apple Watch while tracking many of the same activities, offering built-in GPS, and working with both iOS and Android. The tracker also comes with other nice perks, including support for NFC payments, the option of either Alexa or Google Assistant, and lengthy battery life. You can get the Fitbit Versa 3 in time for Mother’s Day when you buy it from Best Buy for $179.99. Amazon Prime members can also buy the purple tracker for around the same price and have it shipped in time for the holiday.

Fitbit Versa 3

Fitbit’s Versa 3 is an Apple Watch doppelganger with built-in GPS, Voice Assistance, and heart rate monitoring, as well as support for NFC payments, the option of both Alexa and Google Assistant, and lengthy battery life.

Last-minute digital gifts you can buy on short notice

Being a mom is one of the hardest, most stressful jobs in the world. Express your appreciation by giving Mom the gift of relaxation by buying her a subscription to meditation or a mindfulness app like like Calm or Headspace. It’s a great alternative if it’s either too late to buy a Theragun Mini massage or that’s simply out of your budget. You can buy Mom a one-year Calm or Headspace subscription for $69.99 or a couple of months of Headspace for $12.99 per month if that’s too pricey for you.

Headspace subscription (one-month)

Headspace offers hundreds of guided meditations revolving around relieving stress, improving productivity, helping you exercise, and more. You can either pay $12.99 every month to subscribe or pay $69.99 for a full year.

Calm gift card (one-year)

A one-year Calm member offers. providing unlimited access to the app’s content library, where you’ll be able to enjoy guided and unguided meditations covering sleep, stress, gratitude, and other topics, as well as masterclasses with mindfulness experts. A one-year subscription costs $69.99.

Speaking of health and wellness, health-conscious moms may also appreciate a Peloton subscription. The company offers thousands of on-demand fitness classes for $12.99 per month — and you don’t need to own a Peloton bike or treadmill to attend. Each class falls under one of 10 different workout types, ranging from strength training and stretching to dance.

Peloton subscription (monthly)

Peloton’s $12.99 monthly subscription offers thousands of streamable fitness classes revolving around a variety of different workouts, ranging from strength training to stretching.

After a long day, grocery shopping or cooking are some of the very last things that anybody (let alone a mom on Mother’s Day) wants to do. Gifting Mom an Instacart or DoorDash gift card means she can relax at home while somebody else makes and brings dinner (or groceries) to her.

Instacart gift card

You can buy an Instacart gift card starting at $25, or alternatively, purchase an Instacart Express membership – which offers unlimited free delivery and more – starting at $29 for three months.

DoorDash gift card

A DoorDash app gift card means Mom can have dinner delivered to her door, while the app also delivers from restaurants, convenience stores, grocery stores, pet stores, and more.

Marvel Studios

You can’t go wrong buying Mom a streaming service gift card. A Netflix subscription could be a good pick, so she can watch recent hits like the second season of Bridgerton and more. Alternatively, the $14-per-month Disney Plus Bundle subscription is also a great choice, as it grants Mom access to Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN Plus, so she can keep up with Moon Knight, her favorite sports team, and more.

Disclosure: The Verge is currently producing a series with Netflix.

Netflix gift card

The well-known streaming service offers individual subscriptions for $10 per month, as well as more premium tiers that allow for 4K resolution and additional users.

Disney Plus Bundle (monthly subscription)

For $14 a month, you’ll get access to includes Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN Plus, which is cheaper than you’d otherwise pay if you purchased each subscription separately.

Is your mom more of a bookworm? There are plenty of thoughtful digital gifts you can buy her, including a Kindle Unlimited or an Audible subscription. Kindle Unlimited grants access to two million digital titles ranging from best-selling titles to classics. Typically $9.99 per month, Amazon’s currently offering the first two months for $4.99 instead of $19.98 instead.

Audible, meanwhile, offers thousands of downloadable audiobooks (sometimes even read by the authors themselves) starting at $8.50 per month. The first month is free.

Kindle Unlimited (monthly)

Kindle Unlimited grants access to two million digital titles ranging from bestsellers to classics for $9.99 per month.

Audible (monthly)

Audible offers thousands of downloadable audio books starting at $8.50 per month.

Image: Apple

Whether your mom uses music to motivate her during a run or simply enjoys winding down to some tunes, a music streaming service gift card is also a present that many moms will appreciate. There are several services you can buy gift cards or subscriptions from, including Spotify (Amazon, Best Buy), Apple Music, and Amazon’s Music Unlimited (Amazon).

No matter which you choose, each offers millions of songs and podcast episodes. An Apple gift card (Best Buy, Target), for example, will grant Mom access to over 90 million songs through Apple Music ($9.99 a month), while Amazon’s ad-free Music Unlimited subscription ($7.99 a month) lets Mom choose from over 75 million songs in SD, HD, Ultra HD — and even spatial audio music tracks.

Apple Music gift card (digital)

An Apple gift card can be used toward accessing over 90 million songs on Apple Music, as well as the company’s various products and services.

And last but not least, if you can’t decide what you want to buy Mom — or you simply just want to give her the most amount of options — a general gift card works as well. You can buy one from a major retailer like Amazon or Best Buy so she can choose the gift she wants.

Amazon gift card (digital)

Amazon gift cards start at $25 — or an amount of your choosing — and can be used toward almost anything, regardless of the department.