The 10 Best Baby Monitors, Tested by a Mom of Four

As a busy mom, I appreciated that eufy’s Spaceview Pro monitor was super simple to set up—I had it up and running in three minutes flat. But even more impressive than its easy install, which is a fairly common feature among non-WiFi baby monitors, is its high camera quality, which is harder to come by in this category. Often, the limited bandwidth of a monitor with no WiFi means the video isn’t as crisp as you might hope for, but eufy’s 720p HD camera performed excellently. I could very clearly see my daughter both during daytime naps and overnight, and the audio quality is outstanding. This Best of The Bump winner for overall best non-WiFi monitor offers the best of both worlds, providing parents with a clear view of baby and a setup that doesn’t overcomplicate things. (See all of this year’s Best of The Bump winners.)

The device has a 110-degree wide-angle lens to give you plenty of viewing space, along with the ability to pan up and down. Eufy lists its range as up to 1,000 feet, and in practice it was enough for me to go into my backyard and basement and still keep an eye on my daughter. Features like two-way audio allow you to talk to baby, and there are even five lullabies you can play to help soothe your little one. I gave the Eufy Spaceview pro 10 out of 10 ratings in multiple categories, including ease of setup, camera and audio quality, range and battery life. It offers impressive performance across the board that will easily meet the needs of most families—in fact, it was favored by more than 10 percent of our surveyed parents.

Monitor type: Video Non-WiFi | Video display: 720p HD | Mounting type: N/A | Range: 600 feet | Battery life: 15 hours

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A whopping 20 percent of our survey respondents recommended the Nanit Pro Smart Baby Monitor, and from our product testing, it’s clear why. This monitor, which earned a Best of The Bump award for overall best WiFi baby monitor, stands out from the pack thanks to its next-level security features. While no internet-enabled device can ever be fully hack-proof, Nanit’s data (including video) is encrypted both on the camera and in transit with 256-bit AES encryption (the same encryption standard used by the US government), and two-factor authentication on the app is mandatory; a nice level of reassurance for a device that's supposed to give parents peace of mind, not an additional reason to worry.

It also delivers impressive performance: It earned a 10 out of 10 score for camera and audio, with 1080p HD video that gave me a clear view of my child as she slept and crisp audio that picked up even small sounds in my daughter’s room. The monitor also offers a split screen feature, allowing you to see the results of two cameras on one monitor—a nice perk for parents of multiples, those with two young children or parents who just prefer to see baby from several angles.

The attention to physical safety on the Nanit Pro is top-notch as well—the included wall mount has an ASTM-certified safe cord cover to keep it away from curious fingers, and the monitor syncs with an app that’s packed with features, so you can learn practically anything about your little one’s sleep, including baby’s sleep patterns and breaths per minute (for an additional $50 for first year, $100 thereafter). Of course, no device is a substitute for safe sleep practices, and the AAP doesn’t endorse any type of monitoring device to lower the risk of SIDS. But for parents who want an additional layer of peace of mind on top of the AAP's safe sleep recommendations, the Nanit Pro’s sensitive monitor alerts you to every motion, which can be a great comfort to new parents or those who want continuous updates.

Monitor type: Video WiFi | Video display: 1080p HD | Mounting type: Wall | Range: Your home’s WiFi signal range | Battery life: N/A

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The Best of The Bump winner for hybrid baby monitor, the Hubble Connected SkyVision AI Pro, has a little of everything to help parents and caregivers keep tabs on baby. As a hybrid monitor, the Skyvision AI Pro lets you choose whether to use the included handheld monitor for a non-WiFI connection, or enable internet access and watch baby via an app on your phone. I liked having the option to switch on the WiFi when a sitter or the grandparents are doing childcare duties, so I could check in from outside the home.

Compared to other hybrid monitors I tested, the camera quality of the Hubble is amazing. You can see every detail of your child in the light. Plus, the camera can pan and tilt, although the frame is so large that you’re unlikely to need to. Through the app you can find a lot of data on your child, including a detailed history of movements and wakings during the night, as well as AI-powered features like covered face alerts and an eye wellness tracker. You can even use the app to control a seven-color night light and a preloaded library of soothing sounds, lullabies and stories. If you’re using the non-WiFi mode, you won’t need to worry about poor range: I used it all over my house and basement, as well as in my yard, and had no issues.

Like other high-tech monitors, the Hubble SkyVision AI Pro takes some time to set up due to its multiple parts, but the process was faster than similar monitors I’ve put together, thanks to the clear assembly instructions. And once the monitor is in place, you won’t need to mess with it again.

At almost $200, this is not a cheap baby monitor. But for parents who want the freedom of choice between WiFi and non-WiFi modes, this monitor offers extensive data analysis and an impressively clear camera view. I can see this monitor being a favorite of new parents who want as many options as possible while they learn what their family needs.

Monitor type: Video WiFi | Video display: 1080p HD | Mounting type: Crib | Range: Your home’s WiFi signal range | Battery life: 7+ hours

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As they say, knowledge is power—and for parents who are looking for a monitor that can deliver as much intel as possible, the CuboAi Plus Smart Baby Monitor goes above and beyond expectations. Not only does this smart monitor offer an impressively sharp camera view, even in dim lighting, but it also provides a full picture of baby’s sleep patterns (complete with an 18-hour playback with event tags) and safety alerts. For example, it’ll tell you if something is covering baby’s face, if they get stuck while rolling over and if they’ve entered a part of the room that’s off limits. And that’s all included for the first year! (Other monitors we tested charged extra for their insights plan right off the bat.) If you’re willing to buy some additional accessories, you can also get a motion sensor pad and a body temperature detector. The wealth of special capabilities this monitor offers earned it a Best of The Bump award for best baby monitor with additional monitoring features.

You might think a monitor that tracks everything from coughs to rollovers to body temperature would be difficult to navigate, but I found the app simple to follow; while it came with detailed instructions, I was able to jump right in and use it, which I always appreciate as a busy mom. The monitor even has a special crib detection zone that lets you set parameters for monitoring so you don’t have to worry about being pinged if you walk into the room during naptime, and a built-in nightlight you can flick on and off with your phone. Small wonder it scored 10 out of 10 for features!

But all this focus on special features doesn’t mean CuboAi is slacking off on the basics—the transmission is crystal clear and the camera tilts and pans, earning it a 10 out of 10 rating for camera and audio. And while that high-quality video is great for maintaining peace of mind while your little one snoozes, I also used it to snap a few photos of my cutie in her crib. A nice little extra touch to round out a well-deserved Best of The Bump award.

Monitor type: Video WiFi | Video display: 1080p HD | Mobile app: Yes | Mounting type: Floor, crib or mobile stand | Range: Your home’s WiFi signal range | Battery life: N/A (no receiver; parents use their own phones)

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Plenty of parents just want a baby monitor that will let them keep an eye on baby and hear what’s going on in their room, without any hard-to-wrangle features. The Infant Optics DXR-8 PRO does just that, with a 10 out of 10 score for ease of setup, range and battery life. It should come as no surprise that this monitor won a Best of The Bump award for best easy-to-use baby monitor—I had this monitor assembled in two minutes, and it's become my go-to for easy monitoring tech ever since. This model does what you need a monitor to do, and does it well, without including so many bells and whistles that it becomes intimidating.

Infant Optics was another popular brand among our community, used by over 20 percent of survey respondents. It allows you to adjust the camera remotely (just swipe the screen in the direction you want the lens to go), zoom in and talk to baby if needed. While the camera quality isn’t as high-definition as some of its WiFi counterparts, it’s good enough to clearly see how baby is doing during naps and at night. This audio quality, however, is where this monitor shines—it features active noise reduction to filter out background noise, so you can hear baby without being disturbed by every little sound during the night. The monitor has a battery life of 10 hours, which comes in handy when you forget to recharge it (as I did, but it just kept working!).

Monitor type: Video Non-WiFi | Video display: 720p HD | Mounting type: Tabletop | Range: 1,000 feet | Battery life: 10 hours

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Motorola’s VM36XL offers double the baby monitoring in one device, making it a great choice for parents of multiples or those with small children. It would be easy to assume that wrangling two cameras would be complicated, but this Best of The Bump-winning monitor sets up easily—just plug in the camera, turn on the monitor and you’re ready to go—and offers simple adjustability for both cameras right from the monitor. I had the whole thing ready to use in five minutes, and gave it 10 out of 10 for ease of setup; the hardest part was figuring out where to put the second camera! Once the cameras are running, you can set the display on the parent device to flip between both cameras or show a split screen.

A bunch of monitors on the market can accommodate a second camera if you buy the extra accessory, but this Motorola option actually comes with two cameras—and two outstanding cameras at that. It’s one of the best non-WiFi baby monitors in terms of video quality, and the microphone picks up small and loud sounds. The camera is portable and rechargeable too—you can enjoy up to three hours on a single charge before needing to plug it back in. Two-way communication allows you to talk to baby, while a room temperature display lets you know if their room is too hot or chilly.

All in all, the Motorola VM36XL packs more into the package than you'd think, and scored a 10 out of 10 for value for money from me; you get two cameras for a price that's lower than some other models that only have one.

Monitor type: Video Non-WiFi | Video display: 720p HD | Mounting type: Tabletop | Range: 1,000 feet | Battery life: 6 hours

The whole point of a video baby monitor is to see your child. And while some monitors end up delivering a slightly fuzzy but good-enough picture, the Maxi-Cosi See Pro 360° Baby Monitor isn’t one of them. This monitor won a Best of The Bump award for best baby monitor camera for a reason—it has an impressively clear picture (even at night!) thanks to its 2K Ultra HD camera and monitor, which is the highest display resolution out of all the baby monitors we tested. Get ready for a video feed that looks like it was shot by a professional.

That mighty resolution is packaged into a small camera that can be easily placed on a dresser or mounted on a wall over your child’s crib (with mounting hardware included), and set-up was a breeze. You simply position the camera in the right spot, plug it in and plug the receiver in on your end. It was quick and easy, and parents can do it without reading the instructions (although those were clear too).

The buttons on the monitor’s receiver are intuitive and easy to follow. You can tilt and pan as needed and enjoy features like two-way talk, a temperature and humidity monitor and seven soothing sounds. Just note that you’ll need to hold down the power button for a full five seconds to boot up the video feed.

Another thing that won me over was the receiver’s impressive battery life: I left it unplugged one night and was able to use it again during naptime without plugging it in again. And it’s surprisingly durable: My 4-year-old got a hold of it at one point, pushed a lot of buttons and dropped it, and it still worked well and looked brand new afterward.

In addition to the top-notch receiver, this hybrid baby monitor syncs with an included app that uses the brand’s CryAssist technology to help translate baby’s cries using AI, determining if your little one is sleepy, fussy, gassy, agitated or hungry. It’s hard to say how accurate it is, but it could be a major help as new parents navigate that early learning curve. Overall, this is a high-end, high-quality monitor with a razor-sharp camera.

Monitor type: Hybrid | Video display: 2K Ultra HD | Mounting type: Wall | Range: 600 feet | Battery life: 10 hours

With a price tag that hovers around $30, you can’t get much cheaper for a quality video monitor than the HelloBaby HB30. (The other video monitors we tested were all $100 and up!) This Best of The Bump winner doesn’t have a lot of fancy features, but it delivers what you need most at an extremely affordable price.

The HB30 is easy to set up, given that it only has four pieces: a camera, receiver and two plugs. The only slight set-up challenge lies in the camera, which needs to be manually adjusted to get that just-right angle (although there is a zoom that lets you see your child a little more closely if you need to). The camera quality is surprisingly good, given the monitor’s low price. And while the visuals are better during daytime naps, you still can see what you need to during the night. The sound quality is efficient, and I could even hear my daughter stirring when she got up.

With a six-hour battery life, the power will peter out sooner than many others, but you can simply plug it in at night to fix that potential issue. The monitor screen is also smaller than a lot of the competition. Overall though, these are nitpicks—minor inconveniences that are unlikely to be a big deal for most parents. The price is fantastic for what you get, and any parents looking to save some money will do well with this monitor.

Monitor type: Video | Video display: 960p HD | WiFi enabled: No | Mounting type: Wall | Range: 800 feet | Battery life: 6 hours

One of the main features WiFi monitors offer is camera quality, and as anyone who’s ever bought a phone knows, the better the camera, typically the higher the price. But the Lollipop Baby Monitor managed to snag a Best of The Bump award for best budget-friendly WiFi baby monitor while also scoring a 10 out of 10 for camera and audio, delivering one of the best cameras I tested at a little over half the price of comparable devices—in fact, before I tested the Maxi-Cosi, I considered Lollipop’s camera the best. The sharp video and crisp audio on this affordable device is impressively good; I could see every detail of my daughter’s face, even at night.

Mounting the Lollipop is a little different from other monitors on the market—its flexible handle can attach directly to baby’s crib to give you a bird’s eye view. And if you're worried about curious fingers reaching out for the brightly colored, fun-looking design (my child was certainly interested!), the monitor (which is available in several pretty colors) can just as easily wrap around an object across the room.

The Lollipop had one of the most in-depth setup processes, clocking in at about 20 minutes. But once it was ready, I didn’t need to stress about it at all. The monitor syncs with an app on your phone and allows you to set a border to track movements inside the crib. It offers breathing monitoring and sleep tracking (for an additional $130/year), and its smart capabilities can tell the difference between baby and other noises in the room (like a white noise machine). I gave this monitor a 10 out of 10 for features, in part because of the app's data history mode, which lets you look for patterns in baby's behavior and plan ahead. Between the high-quality camera and impressive array of features, the Lollipop is the kind of monitor that holds its own among the best models on the market, at an extremely competitive price.

Monitor type: Video WiFi | Video display: 1080p HD | Mounting type: Crib | Range: Your home’s WiFi signal range | Battery life: N/A (no receiver; parents use their own phones)

If you’re not interested in video features or you just want to save on a baby monitor, the classic style offered by the VTech DM221 Audio Baby Monitor—the Best of The Bump winner for best audio baby monitor—is the way to go. Simply put the audio monitor in baby’s room, turn on the receiver and take it with you. I found the audio level easy to adjust up and down, while a five-level visual sound indicator let me know if my baby was just rustling around or having a full-on meltdown.

The receiver features a clip that can fasten onto your pocket and an impressive battery life of up to 16 hours. Two-way talk allowed me to communicate with my baby, and there’s even a built-in nightlight in the handle of the baby’s unit. At under $40, this monitor commands 10 out of 10 ratings for ease of setup, battery life and value for money; it's one of the most affordable and no-fuss baby monitors you can buy.

This monitor is a favorite of Daniel Carroll, associate director of e-commerce content for The Bump and dad of one. “My daughter was not patient after a nap,” he told us. “She never liked going to sleep, and when she woke up, she wanted an adult nearby immediately to get her out of her crib, or she’d quickly be in tears. We were in a small house and didn’t need video monitoring, just to know when nap time was over. VTech’s audio monitor was a workhorse for us—it lasted from birth into preschool, delivering clear sound through thick walls for years on end.”

Monitor type: Audio | Video display: N/A | Mounting type: Tabletop | Range: 1,000 feet | Battery life: 16 hours

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