Best baby monitors under $100

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The two types and what they get wrong

WiFi monitors

These connect to your home WiFi and stream video to a phone app or dedicated screen. Pros: better image, easier to view from anywhere, often have features like sleep analytics or two-way audio.

Cons: they need WiFi (if it drops, the monitor drops), they store video on cloud servers (which can be hacked), and most require a subscription for the best features. Under $100, the subscription cost often outweighs the device savings within a year.

Radio frequency (non-WiFi) monitors

These pair the camera directly with a parent screen using a private radio signal. No WiFi, no app, no cloud. Pros: secure (almost impossible to hack), reliable (works even when internet is down), no subscription. Cons: image quality is worse, range is more limited (typically 300 to 1,000 feet line-of-sight), and you cannot check on baby from outside the house.

What we tested for

• Range: tested in a 1,400 sqft apartment with concrete walls and a 2,200 sqft single-family home.
• Night vision clarity: can you actually see if baby's eyes are open?
• Battery life: parent unit run time before recharge, for monitors with a dedicated screen.
• Audio sensitivity: picking up real cries without false alarms from white noise.
• Setup time: from box to working monitor.
• Security: for WiFi monitors, encryption, account security, firmware update history.

Top picks

Best image under $100 — Eufy SpaceView Pro

Radio frequency, 5-inch parent screen, 1080p camera, pan and tilt remotely. Battery on parent unit lasts 12 hours. Night vision is the clearest we tested at this price. No WiFi needed, no subscription.

Best for: parents who want the security of radio frequency with the image quality of WiFi cameras.

Best radio frequency value — VTech VM350

Standard 720p camera, 2.8-inch parent screen, simple interface, no app, no subscription. Range is honest 600 to 800 feet in real homes. Battery life on parent unit is 12 to 19 hours depending on screen brightness.

Best for: parents who do not want WiFi anywhere near the nursery, or who live in apartments where WiFi monitors have hacking risk from neighbors.

Best for travel — Nanit Pro app on old phone

If you have an old iPhone or Android lying around, install Nanit's app and pair it as a viewing device. The camera itself is over $200 new, but you can sometimes find them under $100 refurbished. The advantage: HD image, sleep insights, breathing band, all in one. Subscription costs around $5 to $10 a month after the first year.

Best for: tech-comfortable parents who travel often and want monitor access from anywhere.

Best budget audio only — VTech DM221

Audio only, no video. Under $40. Sounds outdated, but if you live in a small apartment and can hear baby from the next room anyway, audio is sometimes all you need. Battery lasts 18 hours. Two-way talk. Belt clip on parent unit.

Best for: small apartments, second monitor for the basement, second baby when the first is in a shared room.

Features you actually use

• Night vision. Non-negotiable. All our picks have it.
• Pan and tilt remote. Useful once baby moves around. Skip on cribs that face one wall.
• Two-way audio. Useful for talking to a toddler from another room.
• Temperature display. Surprisingly useful for tracking nursery temp.
• Battery on parent unit. 8+ hours minimum. Charging cords are easy to forget.

Features that are mostly marketing

• "AI sleep analytics." The numbers are estimates from movement. They will not change how you parent.
• Breathing or heart rate monitors. The AAP does not recommend these for healthy babies. They generate false alarms and increase parent anxiety. (Different from medical-grade monitors prescribed for specific conditions.)
• Built-in lullabies. A regular sound machine costs less and works better.
• Two-camera bundles. Useful for siblings. Skip if you have one nursery.

The security question for WiFi monitors

WiFi baby monitors are computers connected to the internet. They can be hacked. The 2020 ECRI report on smart baby monitors found widespread security weaknesses. The risk is small but real. Some defaults:

• Use a strong, unique password for the monitor account, not "babymonitor123."
• Enable two-factor authentication if the app offers it.
• Keep firmware updated. Check monthly.
• Use a 5GHz WiFi network if your router supports it. Shorter range means harder for neighbors to access.
• Cover the camera with a piece of tape when not in use, especially if it points at adult sleeping areas.

If WiFi makes you uneasy, get a radio frequency monitor. The security profile is night and day.

Quick decision tree

• Small apartment, simple setup: VTech DM221 audio. $40 done.
• Want video, hate WiFi: Eufy SpaceView Pro. $95 to $120.
• Want video, ok with WiFi: Wait for a Nanit Pro sale, or use an old phone as a monitor.
• Twins or two rooms: VTech VM350 with second camera bundle (sometimes under $200 for both).
• Mostly use phone: WiFi camera with phone app. Just be honest about security trade-offs.

What about smart cribs and pads?

The Snoo bassinet has its own monitor built in. Owlet Smart Sock (the foot-sensor monitor) is its own category. Both run well over $100. We do not recommend buying either as a primary monitor. The Snoo is a sleep aid first; the Owlet is a vital signs monitor that the AAP does not recommend for healthy babies. If you want one, buy in addition to a regular monitor, not instead of.

The honest take

You do not need to spend $300 on a baby monitor. The differences above $100 are mostly subscription features and image quality you will not notice on a 5-inch screen. A solid sub-$100 radio frequency monitor handles 90% of what parents need. Save the extra $200 for daycare.