Owlet Cam 2 vs. Nanit Pro Baby Monitor

A video baby monitor is a must-have for new parents.

Imagine being able to keep an eye on your little one's every move without actually being in the same room. Yup, that's right, no more needlessly checking in, tip-toeing around, and peeking through the door!

Video baby monitors like the Owlet Cam 2 Smart HD Video Baby Monitor and the Nanit Pro Baby Monitor really are game changers.

These devices give you peace of mind that your baby is safely dozing away while you sneak in a little me-time to recharge your drained battery. These monitors are Wi-Fi enabled to provide parents with a clear and reliable stream of their baby's room using their phone or tablet. You don’t even have to be home to tune in, which makes them invaluable if you want to check up on your little bundle while at work, at a friend’s house, or grabbing a meal somewhere. This is a nice feature for new parents who may have a bit of anxiety leaving their wee one with a caretaker.

While the Owlet Cam 2 and Nanit Pro are two popular monitors that share many similar features, they also differ in a few major ways.

Keep reading as we break down these two baby cams and how they can make raising your child a little bit easier!

Vibrant Video

The Owlet Cam 2 and Nanit Pro’s video specs are exactly the same. Parents get crystal clear 1080p HD video that also comes with night vision to clearly see their baby in any lighting conditions. The cameras are equipped with 130° wide-angle lenses and have zoom functions for visual flexibility.

They also can both be wall-mounted or used on a stand.

Distinct Audio

Both monitors have two-way audio so parents can soothe their child without having to set foot in the nursery. The Owlet can also continuously run the nursery audio in the background of your device (so you can hear if your little one is fussing), whereas the Nanit can play soothing nature sounds or white noise for a set amount of time or on an infinite loop.

App Control

App control is where these monitors shine!

You can download the Owlet Dream App for Android or iOS, or the Nanit App for Android or iOS as well.

Using either app will give you real-time information about both the room environment and your child.

With the Owlet you’ll get temperature and humidity level readings of the nursery, as well as heart rate and oxygen level readings of your child if they’re wearing the Owlet Dream Sock Baby Monitor. You’ll also receive cry and motion notifications if your baby is in distress.

The Nanit Pro also comes with temperature and humidity sensors, and you can track your child’s breathing motions using the included Breath Wearing Band. Additionally, you can add another camera to your system and watch them both on the app via split screen. This is a really useful feature for people with twins or for those with multiple kiddos to keep an eye on.

One of the major differences between these apps is that the Owlet is 100% free, and the Nanit Pro is not (well, kinda).

Upon purchase, you’ll initially receive 1 year of free Nanit Insights. After that, you’ll have to start paying. The Basic Insights package is only $5/month (or $50/year), so it’s not exactly breaking the bank — but it can be a deal breaker for some parents. Additionally, you can upgrade to Nanit’s Premium or Ultimate subscription (for more $$) if you want extra storage, features, and app flexibility.

Next Level App Control

These monitors take baby watching to a whole other level with bonus features that help parents plan for the days ahead.

The Owlet Dream app comes with Predictive Sleep Technology which recommends the best time for parents to put their baby down based on the child’s age and the length of their previous sleep session. Additionally, parents can capture short video clips during sound, motion & cry detection events.

The Nanit also captures video clips during notification events — you can even record a week’s worth of video when you subscribe to their Ultimate Insights package. Nanit’s app also tracks sleep history, shows you a movement map, gives you a sleep summary, has saved memories, an activity feed, and the included Smart Sheet tracks your baby’s height and growth progress!

Extra Extra

If all the above isn’t enough, each monitor has a few extra features to discuss.

The Owlet comes in various colours to match any nursery decor, plus you can purchase the previously mentioned Dream Sock Baby Monitor to monitor your child’s heart rate, oxygen levels, and movement. What’s great about the Dream Sock is that you don’t even need the camera to use it, which makes it a cool accessory to bring with you when travelling with your little one. All you need is Wi-Fi and the app!

If you want both the Dream Sock and the Cam 2, your best bang for your buck is to purchase the Cam 2 and Dream Sock in a bundle.

On the other hand, the Nanit Pro Baby Monitor features a night light (that can be turned off) and comes with the Pro Baby Monitor & Wall Mount, Smart Sheet, Breathing Band, Flex Stand, and one year of Nanit insights.

You can also purchase a few different accessories separately: a travel case, a Breathing Wearing Swaddle (also available as a 3-Pack), a Breathing Wearing Sleeping Bag, Breathing Pyjamas, and an additional Nanit Pro Smart Camera + Flex Stand to add to your system.

Which Camera is Better? 

We’ve thrown a lot of information at you in this article.

To make things simple, these are the main differences between these two cameras:

• The Owlet Cam 2 is $199.99, while the Nanit Pro Baby Monitoring Bundle is $549.99. However, if you want to use the Cam 2 with the Dream Sock, you’ll want to buy them in the bundle, which is a similar price.

• Both can be used with multiple cameras, with the Nanit using a split screen in the app, while you’ll have to toggle between cameras in the Owlet app. 

• The Nanit includes nature sounds and white noise to soothe baby. 

• The Owlet app is free, while the Nanit app is free for 1 year and then you need to purchase a subscription to keep using Nanit Insights. 

• The Nanit includes one Smart Sheet, three Breathing Bands, the wall mount, a flex stand, and travel case, while the Owlet Dream Sock is a separate purchase (unless you buy the bundle). 

• The Dream Sock tracks baby’s heart rate, oxygen levels, and can be used via the app without using the camera (ideal for travel), while the Nanit’s Breathing Band requires the camera to be on 

• The Nanit app is more user-friendly and reportedly less glitchy/laggy. 

• The Nanit gives more in-depth information about your baby’s sleep patterns and also offers sleep tips.

• The Nanit reportedly has less “false alarms” compared to the Owlet (although this could be due to improper placement of the Owlet Sock). 
  
  

Which One is Right for You? 

What it all boils down to is what you’re looking for. Both cameras offer lots of bells and whistles and are top-of-the-line. So, you really can’t go wrong!

For more information, check out our Learning Centre articles on the Owlet Cam 2 and the Nanit Pro Monitoring System. Additionally, you can learn about our picks for the Top Baby Monitors.