Top Baby Monitors of 2023

More resting, less stressing – that’s the goal with a quality baby monitor! But there is SO much information out there to sift through and so many questions with [what seems like] so few answers! So, we’ve done the detail digging for you so that you can confidently make your baby monitor decision off of just ONE article. 

Here we go!

NANIT PRO COMPLETE BABY MONITOR

If you’re looking for a baby monitor that quite literally DOES IT ALL, then the Pro Complete Baby Monitor by Nanit is the one you want.  This baby monitor is positioned above the crib to give you a bird's eye view of your child's crib and will monitor your child's sleep patterns to deliver custom tips to improve sleep habits directly to your app!

We've done a full review on the Nanit Pro Complete, which you can check out, here!

WHAT'S IT GOT:

• Two-way audio: Yes
• A secure connection: Yes, over Wi-Fi  
• High-resolution camera: Yes [HD]
• Option to add more cameras: Technically, yes but you pay the same price as the original camera and just stream to the same app
• Night vision: Yes
• Camera pan, tilt and zoom abilities: Just zoom, you have a bird’s eye view of the crib though when mounted on the wall so no need to pan or tilt anywhere
• Alerts for when baby wakes up or makes noise: Yes, and you can toggle the notifications on or off in your app settings
• Easy installation features: Yes
• Temperature display: Yes
• Pre-installed lullabies or white noises: White noise and nature sounds, but we still prefer the sound quality of a separate white noise machine

ADDED BONUSES:

• Supports background audio so even if your phone is locked or you’re in other apps you can still hear the nursery
• Will continue to stream even if your wifi goes does as long as your WiFi router is still plugged in [if you’re in the same house]. You will see “local view only” at the top of the app indicating that it's not streaming to remote devices.
• Dim nightlight that can be turned on for finding that pacifier, or sneaking in a late night feed without turning the bedroom lights on
• Ability to watch your night back as the Nanit records and stores the data [wondering why babe is extra tired one morning? watch back and see if they had a little play time at 3am!]

CONS:

• Have to have the app on your device to view nursery [meaning if you’ve got someone babysitting, you’ll have to have them either download the app and give them permissions, or have an iPad or smart device as your “main unit” at home]
• Mounting it to the wall and running on WiFi makes it harder to transport if you’re going on vacation or on the move for naps. In this case, we recommend purchasing a secondary monitor for taking with you just for your own sanity [even just an audio monitor will do!]
• Must pay for a subscription to maintain insights after the first year [you can still use it as a monitor for free, you'll just lose the insights and customized tips without activating a subscription]

MOTOROLA PEEKABOO WIFI TWIN BABY MONITOR

The Peekaboo WIFI Twin Baby Monitor by Motorola is your eyes and ears when it comes to sleep time for your little ones. Yes, we mean plural! This monitor offers two separate cameras that display both babies on one screen! No more going back and forth from one screen to the next, making it the perfect fit for twins or even siblings! The additional parent support, hands-free use, clear imagery, and parent-minded qualities make it easy for parents to feel at ease when your children are fast asleep.

WHAT'S IT GOT:

• Two-way audio: Yes
• A secure connection: Yes
• High-resolution camera: Yes (Wifi)
• Option to add more cameras: Yes, this one actually comes with 2 & can be used with up to 4 cameras 
• Night vision: Yes 
• Camera pan, tilt and zoom abilities: Yes, remote pan scan, digital tilt and zoom, and 90 degree wide angle view.
• Alerts for when baby wakes up or makes noise: Yes 
•  Easy installation features: Yes 
• Temperature display: Yes
• Pre-installed lullabies or white noises: Yes, also includes a multi-colour night light. 

ADDED BONUSES:

• Remote pan scan, digital tilt and zoom.
• Room temperature monitoring
• Privacy mode 
• Compatible with virtual assistants, such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Instantly access the camera’s features using only your voice.
• Through the downloadable Hubble for Baby app, you can keep track of your baby’s development and access parent resources to help baby get the best sleep possible. 

CONS:

• Night picture quality is not as good as some competitors
• Only works with WIFI and electronic device, does not include a separate monitor for viewing
• Some complaints about difficulty pairing cameras with devices.

OWLET CAM 2 SMART HD VIDEO BABY MONITOR

The new and improved Owlet Cam 2 lets you feel in control of your baby’s sleep. Not only does this monitor have high-end features such as HD video, night vision, wide-angle view, and 4x zoom but it also helps parents understand why baby may not be sleeping. The Owlet Cam 2 saves video clips when sound, motion, or crying is detected in baby’s room, also allowing you to save and share these clips for later!

To top it all off, the Cam 2 is compatible with Owlet's Dream Sock! This monitor is a high-quality device that can help parents master nap time and offers peace of mind.

Read our full review of the Cam 2, here.

WHAT'S IT GOT:

• Two-way audio: Yes
  • A secure connection: Yes (over an encrypted WIFI connection)
  • High-resolution camera: Yes
  • Option to add more cameras: Yes
  • Night vision: Yes
  • Camera pan, tilt and zoom abilities: Yes, it includes 4x zoom and a wide-angle view.
  • Alerts for when baby wakes up or makes noise: Yes • Easy installation features: Yes, includes magnetic base for easy mounting and a wall mounting kit.
  • Temperature display: Yes
  • Pre-installed lullabies or white noises: No 

ADDED BONUSES:

• Cry notifications
  • Predictive sleep technology with manual tracking
  • Fully compatible with dream sock
  • Video clips that capture babies’ behaviour before they cry. Plus, you can save the clips to your phone to watch later.

CONS:

• It doesn’t have baby-centric features such as white-noise or a nightlight. 
• Must have the Owlet App to work

VTECH 5” VIDEO BABY MONITOR 

This 5" Video Baby Monitor by Vtech is your basic video monitor that is straightforward and easy to use, doesn’t require a degree in computer science and gives you what you need for a price you’ll love. If you’re taking the baby monitor to the grandparents, to the cottage for a weekend, or moving from room to room for nap times then this is a monitor you’ll love.

WHAT'S IT GOT:

• Two-way audio: Yes
• A secure connection: Yes
• High-resolution camera: Yes
• Option to add more cameras: Yes, up to 4
• Night vision: Yes
• Camera pan, tilt and zoom abilities: No
• Alerts for when baby wakes up or makes noise: Yes
• Easy installation features: Yes
• Temperature display: Yes
• Pre-installed lullabies or white noises: Yes, but we still prefer the sound quality of a separate white noise machine [but does the trick if you don’t have one handy or are avoiding entering the room!]

ADDED BONUSES:

• Good price point  
• Ability to use in split screen to see multiple rooms at once with additional cameras
• 1000 foot range 
• Easy to transport on vacations/cottage trips, etc.

CONS:

• No zoom, pan or tilt options on this monitor [check the Vtech 5" Video Baby Monitor With Zoom out for that option]
• Camera quality not HD

SAFETY 1ST CONNECTED WI-FI BABY MONITOR 

The Safety 1st Wifi Baby Monitor offers parents peace of mind that their little one is safe and sound. Parents will appreciate its crystal-clear night vision, two-way talkback, and customized motion sensitivity/sound detection. Plus, the device is fully encrypted for extra comfort. This stylish baby monitor pairs well with the Smart Humidifier,  Smart Soother and Smart Air Purifier. All are just a few clicks away to have baby within eyesight at all times.

To learn more about this brand's full home line, click here.

WHAT'S IT GOT:

• Two-way audio: Yes
  • A secure connection: Yes [with WIFI]
  • High-resolution camera: Yes
  • Option to add more cameras: No
  • Night vision: Yes
  • Camera pan, tilt and zoom abilities: Pinch-to-zoom but no digital pan or tilt.
  • Alerts for when baby wakes up or makes noise: Yes
  • Easy installation features: Yes
  • Temperature Display: No
  • Pre-installed lullabies or white noises: No.

ADDED BONUSES:

• Save and share memories directly to your smartphone.
  • Compact and lightweight makes it great for travel
  • Both tabletop and mounted options are available for easy installation.
  • Share device access with other caretakers via the Safety 1st Connected App.

CONS:

• Camera does not include digital tilt or pan.
  • There is no option to add an additional camera
  • Must have WIFI/app to work.

WHAT'S THE VERDICT?

Now that we've laid out all the details and the pros and cons of our most popular baby monitors, it's up to you to decide what is right for your family! Think about how often you travel or switch sleep spaces, whether it's important to you to be able to view your child from outside the home, whether insights are important to you, or if all you really need is a standard baby monitor where you can see your babe while you watch TV in the other room.

Happy shopping!