We’ve found the best nanny cams to help you keep an eye on kids and caregivers.
Best Nanny Cameras
7 min readNeed to watch over your child from afar? Or want to watch over the person watching over your child? Maybe you're looking into granny cams to keep tabs on your older loved ones. Whatever your needs, the easiest way to keep an eye on everything happening in your home is to invest in a nanny camera.
Nanny cams come in many different forms. We’ve picked several of the top choices on the market to help you find the best nanny cam for your home.
Best Nanny Cams
- : Best value
- : Best mini cam
- : Best covert cam
- : Best for multi-use
- : Best for child’s room
Best nanny cams prices and details
Model | Price | Resolution | Night vision | Learn more |
| Logitech Circle 2 | $370.99* | 1080p |  Yes | View on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SIRGAWAIN Mini Spy Camera | 19.38 | 1080p | Yes | View on Amazon |
| Alpha Tech Spy Camera Charger | $40.99 | 1080p |  No
| View on Amazon |
| Canary All-in-One Indoor | $163.00 | 1080p | Yes | View on Amazon |
| Arlo Baby Monitor* | $128.98* | 1080p | Yes | View on Amazon |
Amazon.com List prices as of 05/05/2023 9:30 MST. Full disclaimer
*Not currently sold by the manufacturer on Amazon
Logitech Circle 2
The Logitech Circle 2 is a regular security camera that works well as a nanny cam.
Pros
- Motion detection
- Person detection
- Two-way audio
- Indoor and outdoor use
- Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility
- Free 24-hour storage
Cons
- Extra cost for some advanced features
- More expensive than other options
- Difficult to hide
Why we chose Logitech Circle 2
Sometimes, when you’re looking for the best nanny cam, it’s easiest to get a standard home security camera and kill two birds with one stone. You can watch your kids, your nanny, and anyone else who comes into your home with the full-featured Logitech Circle 2 camera.
Versatility
The Logitech Circle 2 is one of our favorite indoor cameras because of its versatility. You can put one of these indoors or outdoors. If you’d like to video the backyard playground, Logitech has you covered.
Two-way audio
If you see something that concerns you, you can quickly speak up. With two-way audio, you can not only hear your kids and their nanny—you can talk to them too.
The downside
Cost
The Logitech Circle 2 costs a lot more than the other cameras in this review. It’s easy to see where the money’s going: it takes a lot to weatherproof an electronic device like a camera. But if you, say, just want to keep an eye on your kids while they’re sleeping, the extra features aren’t worth the cash.
Logitech offers free 24 hours’ worth of cloud storage. But if you want more room or access to the person detection feature or set motion zones, you have to pay more.
While 14 days of extra storage is just $4.99 a month, a full 31 days of storage and access to the camera’s special features cost $9.99 a month. That’s a lot to fully use a product you already bought at a high price.
Difficult to hide
If you want to keep an eye on your child’s caregivers, we believe a nanny cam should be a last resort (especially if any of your sitters are minors; videoing a minor can be problematic).
Still, we understand that sometimes a hidden camera is the best choice. In that instance, the Logitech Circle 2 is not the best choice. This is a good-sized camera. It’s hard to conceal.
Heads up
Even if your nanny camera is hidden, we recommend telling your nanny about it. (In some states, disclosure is legally required if you want to record audio.) It’ll still keep them on their toes, but you won’t have to worry about any legal or moral issues of videoing someone without their knowledge.
SIRGAWAIN Mini Spy Camera: Best mini cam
If you want a smaller nanny cam, SIRGAWAIN has you covered.
Pros
- Easy to conceal
- Unobtrusive
- Motion detection
- Built-in battery
- SD storage
Cons
- No cloud storage
Why we chose SIRGAWAIN Mini Spy Camera
If you’ve ever wanted to feel like a spy, now’s your chance. This tiny camera is too small to harsh your home decor vibe, and it can be hidden if necessary.
Easy to conceal
If you don’t want your kids or your nanny to know you’re watching, the Mini Spy Camera is a strong choice. This tiny camera can be placed in less obvious locations, like among other technological equipment on that desk in the den.
Unobtrusive
One of the huge downsides to a camera of any kind is the aesthetic. A lot of cameras look so-so, and even the pretty ones can give an alarming Big Brother feel to an otherwise charming home. A tiny camera, even if it’s not hidden, won’t throw off your entire interior decorating.
The downside
No cloud storage
It’s a huge benefit when a camera has SD storage. It means that there’s a physical copy of footage available when the wireless connection is interrupted. But when the camera only has SD storage, that presents some problems.
The SIRGAWAIN has no cloud storage service and doesn’t connect to a Wi-Fi network, so you can’t check it remotely using an app. You also can’t quickly transfer videos to your mobile devices. Instead, you have to remove the SD card and download the clips frequently. What is this, 1992?
DIVINEEAGLE Spy Camera Charger: Best covert cam
For a hidden nanny camera, try this phone charger-camera combo.
Pros
- Motion detection
- Camera pre-concealed
- Charger is fully functional
- SD card storage
Cons
- No cloud storage
- No night vision
- No audio
Why we chose DIVINEEAGLE Spy Camera Charger
This camera’s nothing short of brilliant. It looks like a phone charger, an item that everyone has, so it’s unlikely that your kids or the babysitter will give it a second glance. Even better, the charger that conceals the camera actually works. If someone picks it up and starts using it, its cover won’t be blown.
Already hidden
The biggest problem with a regular mini camera is where to put it. It’s small, but it doesn’t exactly blend it. So if you want to hide, you’ll have to get creative.
You can leave the DIVINEEAGLE lying around, and no one will be the wiser.
The DIVINEEAGLE camera, on the other hand, is already hidden. You can leave it lying around, and no one will be the wiser.
Fully functioning
The biggest risk of disguising a camera as something else is that it’s easy to expose. For instance, if you put a camera in a printer, eventually someone will notice that it doesn’t work, leading to questions and possible discovery.
On the other hand, a fully functioning object won’t draw as much attention to itself, and we love that the DIVINEEAGLE charger really works. The camera hidden inside may never be noticed.
Wide-angle lens
Yes, the camera in the charger is quite small. To make up for the size, it has a wide-angle lens to capture more of the room it’s recording.
The downside
No cloud storage
Like the SIRGAWAIN, this camera doesn’t have cloud storage. It also doesn’t have a Wi-Fi connection, so it can’t be accessed remotely to watch in real time either. You have to frequently pull the SD card to see the footage.
No night vision
If someone turns out the lights, your footage is ruined. Without night vision, you won’t be able to see what’s going on. And, since this camera doesn’t have audio, you also won’t be able to hear.
Canary All-in-One Indoor: Best for multi-use
The Canary All-in-One watches your kids while monitoring its environment, such as temperature and air quality.
Pros
- Motion detection
- Person detection
- Two-way audio
- Air quality sensor
- Temperature sensor
- Humidity sensor
- Siren
- 1 day of free storage
Cons
- Indoor only
- No two-way audio without membership
Why we chose Canary All-in-One
Looking for a nanny camera that can also monitor your home environment? You might be surprised to hear that we’ve got the perfect pick for you.
Multiple monitoring features
The Canary All-in-One is much more than a camera. Like the songbird lowered into a mine, Canary can tell you about the air conditions in your home. It can detect if your home is too warm or too cold, and it will alert you if there’s smoke or carbon monoxide in the air so you can get the kids out.
Motion detection
With the motion detector feature, you’ll be alerted when there’s something to see. The motion sensor watches the footage for you so you don’t have to keep your eyes glued to the camera.
The downside
Indoor only
If you want to make sure your kindergartner is playing nicely on the swing set with her little brother, you’re gonna have to find something else. The Canary All-in-One is an indoor camera only.
Outdoor camera use
If you’re thinking, “I’ll just put this indoor camera right inside the window so that it can see outside,” we don’t encourage that. Most indoor cameras have a more limited range than outdoor cameras since the inside of a home is smaller than the great outdoors. Even if your indoor camera has a larger range, it won’t see as clearly when there’s a window in front of it. We suggest buying a separate weatherproof camera for outdoor use. Our favorite is the Arlo Ultra.
No two-way audio without membership
Most indoor cameras we’ve seen offer two-way audio as a free standard feature. But Canary requires you to subscribe to its Membership plan before you can use the All-in-One’s two-way audio function. We’re not sure why Canary broke the mold on this one. It just makes things more complicated than they should be.
Canary requires you to subscribe to its Membership plan before using the All-in-One’s two-way audio feature.
On the flip side, the person detection feature is free.
Arlo Baby Monitor: Best for child’s room
The Arlo Baby Monitor has a unique, child-friendly look.
Pros
- Good aesthetic for child’s room
- Two-way audio
- Lullaby player
- Night light
- Air quality sensor
- Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Homekit, and IFTTT compatibility
Cons
- Difficult to conceal
Why we chose Arlo Baby Monitor
Most parents don’t want to plop a humongous security camera in their baby’s adorable nursery. Arlo Baby Monitor is a state-of-the-art security camera that’s not an eyesore, and it comes with extra features to soothe babies and small children.
Aesthetic
We love the care put into the camera design. The camera itself is white with two rounded shapes, giving it an almost cuddly look. You can also get kitty, puppy, or bunny “characters” to make the camera look like a playful animal. All in all, this camera won’t look majorly out of place in a child’s room.
Lullaby player and nightlight
When you need to step away from your child but don’t want them to feel abandoned, Arlo Baby has you covered. You can use your Arlo app to remotely play a lullaby or turn on a nightlight. (If you're into audio-playing baby monitors, check out the Lollipop; it plays Mozart!)
The downside
Difficult to conceal
Like the Logitech Circle 2, the Arlo Baby Monitor isn’t easy to hide. This camera was clearly meant to be seen. If you just want to watch your kid, it’s a perfect pick. But if you want to secretly observe the sitter change the baby, you should go with something else.
Best nanny cams recap
Let’s go over the best nanny cameras we recommend.
- Logitech Circle 2: Best value—The Circle 2 is an all-around reliable camera that will work well as a nanny cam.
- SIRGAWAIN Mini Spy Camera: Best mini cam—If you’re looking for a petite option, this tiny camera is incredibly discreet.
- DIVINEEAGLE Spy Camera Charger: Best covert cam—This camera gives you the most discreet camera option—but you’ll have to wait to download the footage before you can see what happened while you were away.
- Canary All-in-One: Best for multi-use—The Canary All-in-One gives you both a camera and some environmental sensors—but you’ll pay extra for two-way audio.
- Arlo Baby Monitor: Best for child’s room—If you don’t want an ugly eyesore in little Hazel’s nursery, try this cute camera.
If these suggestions aren’t cutting it for you because of cost, try some less expensive options.
Just know that when using a nanny cam to watch a nanny or other caretaker, you can stray into tricky legal territory.
FAQ
There are two commonly used definitions for a nanny cam. The first is a camera for watching over your children when you’re in another room or location. The second is a camera for checking on the nanny while he or she is alone with the children. At Reviews.org, we see no reason why you can’t use nanny cameras to do both.
Whether you're a working parent, trying out a new babysitter, or traveling out of town, a nanny cam can provide a lot of comfort to parents and allow reassurance that your kids are happy and safe.
If you have older loved ones, nanny cams can also be useful to keep an eye on them and their caregivers. But if you're using nanny cameras as granny cams, just be careful of legal restrictions.
One other thing: a nanny cam is not a nanny. Don’t leave a camera in place of a sitter when you have to leave the house. If a child’s not old enough to be left on their own, they aren’t old enough to be watched by just a camera.
It’s legal to watch your own kids on video in your home as long as they’re under 18. You also can’t put cameras in areas that are meant to be private, like bathrooms or changing rooms, even if they’re in your own home. Kids have a right to privacy when they’re undressed just like everyone else.1
It’s also legal to have a camera in public areas of your home, like the kitchen, living room, playroom, hallways, or patio. But if the camera’s hidden, all 50 states in the US forbid you to record audio unless you inform the nanny (and anyone else who’ll be recorded) that you’re doing so.2
If you have a live-in nanny or caretaker, you can’t put a camera in their room, even if you disclose it. Legally, the nanny can expect privacy in their bedroom. Unlike with your minor children, you don’t necessarily have a right to know what goes on there.
If you worry that your nanny is violating house rules or other contract agreements, you need to come up with a more direct way to resolve the problem.
We’re not talking about young kids. Babies and small children need to be watched constantly, and no one will question your desire to have a baby monitor in their rooms. But as kids get older, they want more privacy. Bedroom cameras can be invasive and breed resentment. Using cameras to watch older kids in their rooms should be a last resort in most instances.
We suggest you tell your nanny about the camera even if you don’t plan to record audio. You don’t have to reveal the camera location to be up front about its existence. Just make sure your nanny knows they may be watched.
You might wonder why we advocate for disclosure. We think that, in the long run, it’s going to work out better for you. Most people don’t like being secretly videoed. If you don’t disclose your camera to your nanny and they find out about it, they might look for a different job.
If you worry that disclosing your cameras will make you less likely to catch your nanny in questionable behavior, then yeah, it probably will. But even if your nanny was originally planning something nefarious, if they know about the cameras, they probably just won’t do it.
Preventing problems from happening in the first place still gives you the desired outcome, which is to keep your kids safe.
Nanny cams don’t usually have facial recognition. Facial recognition is generally used to alert you to strangers, and you use a nanny cam to watch people you already know.
In spite of that, if you’d like facial recognition, you’ll have to go with something pricey. Nest Cam IQs currently have that feature, but they cost quite a bit.
Many professionally monitored home security systems offer security cameras as part of their top-tier plans. Those cameras have a lot of the same features as the ones we recommend here, although they usually aren’t concealable.
Check out our best home security systems review to explore a nanny cam-security system combo.
Home security systems with cameras
Logo | Provider | Camera price | Learn more |
 | Vivint | Starts at $199.99 | View Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Frontpoint | Starts at $99.00 | View Plans |
 | ADT | Call for quote | View Plans |
 | SimpliSafe | Starts at $99.00 | View Plans |
Data effective 02/14/2023. Offers subject to change.
Sources:
Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon.com. This content is provided “as is” and is subject to change or removal at any time. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. Reviews.org utilizes paid Amazon links.
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