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Kids can be a handful, and sometimes you just can’t keep an eye on them. A nanny cam can be a great help. Here are the best ones we’ve tried.
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Tyler Lacoma Editor / Home Security
For more than 10 years Tyler has used his experience in smart home tech to craft how-to guides, explainers, and recommendations for technology of all kinds. From using his home in beautiful Bend, OR as a testing zone for the latest security products to digging into the nuts and bolts of the best data privacy guidelines, Tyler has experience in all aspects of protecting your home and belongings. With a BA in Writing from George Fox and certification in Technical Writing from Oregon State University, he’s ready to get you the details you need to make the best decisions for your home. On off hours, you can find Tyler exploring the Cascade trails, finding the latest brew in town with some friends, or trying a new recipe in the kitchen!
Expertise Smart home | Smart security | Home tech | Energy savings | A/V
CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise.
What is the best nanny cam overall?
If you thought the newborn stage was hard, just wait till you have a toddler on your hands! Once they start walking, toddlers can really move fast, and they’re impossible to keep an eye on every second of the day. Thankfully, a nanny cam is helpful for keeping an eye on what your toddler is up to, no matter where you are in the house.
But nanny cams aren’t just for little kids either. They’re also great for keeping an eye on pets or even older relatives who might need the extra security of you keeping an eye on them. The Arlo Essential Indoor Cam (2nd-gen), the latest model of the camera, is our top choice when looking at cameras like this. After dedicating over 100 hours to the evaluation of nanny cameras, we found this option was just what families are looking for when it comes to cameras. Not only is it an affordable option, but it includes a healthy 2K resolution and offers two-way audio that so many buyers look for in nanny cams. It even has night-vision capabilities so you can check up on your kid when they’re asleep.
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That said, if the Arlo cam isn’t speaking to you — after all, you may not want to have to pay for a plan and the device — then there are several other options for you to consider. We’ve found cams for every budget and need. You can choose from an affordable model by TP-Link, a local storage option from Lorex or a portable version from Ring. Take a look at the whole list, and stop by our guides on the best indoor cameras, the best cheap security cameras and the best outdoor security cameras for even more fully researched, ready-to-buy picks.
Best nanny cams of 2025
Best nanny cams compared
| Arlo Essential Indoor Cam (2nd-gen) | TP-Link Tapo Pan/Tilt C210 | Lorex 2K Indoor Pan/Tilt Camera | Ring Stick Up Cam Pro Battery | Echo Show 5 (3rd-gen) Kids Edition | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $60 | $20 | $50 | $90 | $75 |
| Field of view | 130-degree | 360-degree with pan/tilt | 360-degree with pan/tilt | 130-degree | 110-degree |
| Power source | Wired | Wired | Wired | Battery | Wired |
| Motion detection | Yes object detection with subscription | Yes, with audio detection | Yes with person detection | Yes with bird’s eye view | Limited |
| Night Vision | Yes | Infrared night vision | 32-foot night vision | Color night vision | Yes |
| Audio | Two-way audio with noise cancelling | Two-way audio | Two-way audio | Two-way audio | Two-way audio |
| Storage options | Cloud storage via subscription only | Cloud storage with subscription, local storage with microSD | Local storage via included microSD card | Cloud storage via subscription | N/A |
| Voice assistant | Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings | Amazon Alexa, Google Home/Assistant | Amazon Alexa, Google Home/Assistant | Amazon Alexa | Amazon Alexa |
| Review score | N/A | N/A | 8.6 | N/A | 8 |
Eufy Dual Camera S350: Eufy’s dual-cam option is a powerful indoor security câmera and we particularly liked the powerful zoom features. That being said, it’s slightly expensive for many family budgets, considering there are other pan, tilt and zoom options available for less.
Wyze Indoor Cam v3: Wyze’s indoor cam is affordable and good at what it does, but Wyze has had some problems with security flaws the last few years and we’re still hesitant to recommend its cameras for the time being.
Blink Mini: The Blink Mini is cheap and includes plenty of affordable features, plus you can put it anywhere — in fact, it’s a little too small to be an ideal nanny cam, which we prefer to be more noticeable for the sake of others’ privacy. Buying an additional pan/tilt mount does solve this problem, but bumps up the cost.
Google Nest Indoor/Outdoor Cam: Google’s Nest cam does many things well, but it’s a little pricey for what you get and the mounting option isn’t nearly as useful as a shelf-positioned camera watching the kiddos.
An Echo Show 5 can fill many spots when parents are away from home…if you manage the privacy features accordingly.
AmazonField of view
A good nanny cam needs to view an entire room easily. Look for a wider field of view, something approaching 130 degrees or more if possible. Or you can choose a pan/tilt camera, which can rotate on command to view a much larger space.
Motion detection and recognition
Motion detection sends you alerts when the sensors recognize significant motion in the field of view. That’s important if you want to spot restless kids or toddlers who really shouldn’t be up and about at certain times. Object recognition helps recognize humans and avoid triggering for pets and other potential triggers.
Price
We leaned toward more affordable cameras for these picks. While security cams over $100 can be packed with features and a high resolution, families are often looking for something simpler and more affordable for a nanny cam. For those with higher budgets, we also have some higher-end picks that offer more versatile or extra capabilities.
Audio capabilities
Whether you want to talk to a babysitter, check up on grandma or remind a child to stay in bed, two-way audio is a very important feature for nanny cams. All of our picks have it.
Video storage
Without video storage, you’re stuck with only a live view. That’s a viable choice for nanny cams, especially if you want to avoid subscription fees, but many parents want the ability to store videos for later viewing, sharing or downloading. If you like that feature, look for a camera that offers a subscription within your budget for cloud storage, or a local storage option where you can keep video on a hard drive.
Hands-on testing is core to our evaluations of any home security products. In short, when it comes to security cameras, we pay special attention to resolution, night vision and latency, extra features, general performance and overall value. We evaluate all of these elements in a real home environment over a week. If you want to read more about our review process, check out our in-depth article on how we test home security cameras and video doorbells.
