Best Budget Baby Monitors

The Scoop

• Incredibly affordable
• WiFi cam with live HD streaming, audio, night vision, pan, tilt and zoom
• Easy to use via the Wyze app

What Our Experts Think

Nope, you’re not seeing things. The Wyze, the home-surveillance-camera-turned-baby-monitor by lots of enterprising parents, is a WiFi-enabled camera with HD video and audio capabilities that costs under forty bucks. And it’s pretty darn great. If that’s not enough to get your attention, we’re not sure what is.

The Wyze cam is controlled remotely via an app and can be shared by multiple family members. When you’re using it as a baby monitor, you can monitor the live stream in real time via the app or set up push notifications on your phone to alert you to motion and sound. (You can adjust the sensitivities of the motion and sound sensors along with what time of day you want them to activate, too.) The camera has color night vision and two-way audio capabilities, and can pan, tilt and zoom. You get free 14-day cloud storage right out of the box (and can purchase more if needed), and the camera records 12-second video clips. And it works with Alexa and Google Assistant. And have we mentioned that it’s less than a week’s worth of Starbucks’ lattes?

What’s Worth Considering

You’ll need your phone around (and unlocked—there’s no background audio feed option) to use the Wyze cam, which isn’t ideal if you’re using a sitter and want them to be able to use the monitor. (Although you are able to let them access the camera if they download the app and you give permission.) Some parents also don’t love the cloud-based storage—but there is an option to insert a micro SD card instead and store the files locally.

The Scoop

• Clear sound transmission and no constant white noise static
• Two-way intercom
• 160-foot indoor range and 1,000-foot outdoors

What Our Experts Think

There’s something to be said for a good ol’ audio monitor. While some parents find extra comfort in being able to see their baby’s every move, for others, the thought of knowing what their little one is up to 24/7 can actually have the opposite effect, causing more anxiety instead of less. And that’s where an audio monitor comes in.

The VTech DM221 is everything you’d want or need in an audio monitor and nothing more. It picks up even the quietest of sounds really well, but won’t emit the annoying constant white noise that you often hear from other audio monitors. The monitor also works as a two-way intercom, which we love, especially once those toddler years arrive—we’re all for any feature that saves us another trip into the bedroom. We also like the rechargeable battery and the visual five-level sound indicator on the parent unit so you can visually monitor the noise level when the unit is muted.

What’s Worth Considering

The biggest complaint about this monitor is battery life; lots of parents say it quickly loses its charge once unplugged from the wall.

The Scoop

• Fast, easy setup
• Magnetic design—units snap together for easy transport
• 10 hours of battery life

What Our Experts Think

The first thing you’ll notice about this affordable monitor is that a magnet holds the two units together when it’s not in use, creating a light, compact, ultra-portable (and truthfully just super cool) little bundle. No bulk, no loose cords and a monitor that’s easy to toss into your diaper bag or overnight tote and take on your way. If only the other aspects of traveling with your little one were just as easy…

Designed with travel in mind, setup is ridiculously easy—it takes about 30 seconds max. The PIP12 boasts 10 hours of battery life and four rechargeable batteries. The 1,500-foot range is more than enough for most families and the sound quality is really clear. (It’s also sensitive enough to pick up even the quietest of baby sounds.) There’s also two-way communication, another feature we appreciate in an on-the-go monitor since many babies and toddlers need a bit of reassurance when sleeping away from home. And the PIP12 comes with charging cables and adaptors for both units so you’ll never run short on power.

What’s Worth Considering

You don’t only need to use this well-priced monitor for travel. Many parents use it at home or when they’re out for the day with their little one (think a nap at a friend’s house) and don’t want to deal with the hassle of their everyday monitor.

The Scoop

• Good features considering the price point
• Ability to add a second camera
• Can zoom, but can’t pan or tilt remotely

What Our Experts Think

If you’re looking for a non-WiFi video monitor option that’s under $75, the Babywise is a solid choice. (And with thousands of four and five-star ratings on Amazon, it seems that lots of other parents agree.)

A few of the things we love the most about the Babywise monitor are the color LCD screen, the compact, easily portable parent unit, the room temperature monitor, the ability to add on a second camera and the zoom feature. These are typically features you’d find in much higher-priced monitors, but with the Babywise, you’re getting them for a whole lot less.

The ECO mode is another thing worth mentioning. It’s a sound-activated power-saving mode that automatically shuts off the parent unit to conserve battery life when there’s no sound detected. Once your baby starts making some noise, the parent unit lights up again, allowing you to see what’s going on in the nursery.

If you’re interested in adding a movement monitor, Babysense also offers a bundle that includes this monitor + an under-the-mattress movement monitor with two sensorts that track your little one’s motion and alerts you to any irregularities.

(Keep in mind: if the Babysense has caught your eye, you may also want to check out the Anmeate Digital Video Baby Monitor. It’s a similar price point, shares many of the same features as the Babysense and is also very highly reviewed on Amazon.)

What’s Worth Considering

You can’t pan or tilt the camera using the parent unit; you’ll have to do that manually. (You are able to zoom, however.) Another common complaint is the brightness level of the LED lights along the top of the monitor. They blink when in ECO mode, which can be distracting if you prefer to sleep in a completely dark bedroom.

The Scoop

• Good picture quality for the price
• Adaptive night light auto-adjusts to brightness in nursery
• Temp sensor and built-in music and white noise

What Our Experts Think

The first thing you’ll likely notice about this affordable video monitor is the large screen and excellent camera quality. Whether you’re viewing your baby during a daytime nap or overnight, the 5” LCD screen and crisp picture quality are pretty impressive, especially considering this baby monitor comes in well under $100.

Another cool feature is the night light option. There are lots of different color options, and the light automatically adjusts to the brightness of your nursery. There’s even an option to set an auto-on feature that turns on the night light when sound is detected in the nursery. Other features we love include built-in music and ambient sounds, a two-way intercom, a temperature sensor, a sound activation screen mode and remote pan, tilt and zoom.

What’s Worth Considering

You can’t add additional cameras to this monitor. Parents also complain that the battery life isn’t great.