We reviewed the best baby monitors money can buy in 2024 and here's our verdict

It's true — the best baby monitors play an important part in helping both you and your baby to sleep soundly. But which one to choose? We've tested a range of monitors — including smart monitors and wearables — to bring you this roundup of the best baby monitors to buy in 2024.

Just like the best prams or the best cot beds, a baby monitor is one of the most important pieces of baby kit you could buy. From tracking your baby's sleep pattern to monitoring their movement and breathing, they aren’t just useful for keeping an eye on sleeping newborns either - many parents continue using a baby monitor during the toddler years when they're useful for keeping tabs on youngsters when they climb out of bed in the middle of the night. 

Whether you use one to watch your little one sleep (bliss...), to listen out for the signs that they’re stirring from a nap, or for reassurance that all is well, the best baby monitors act like an extra pair of eyes and ears, helping to take a little of the mental load away from mums and dads.

The quick list

If you want quick advice to help you pinpoint the best baby monitor to buy, here's a quick summary of our findings and test results:

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The best baby monitors 2024 - tried and tested by parents

The best baby monitor overall

Tested by:  Jenny and her two-year-old, Logan

Our baby gear expert says: The Vtech RM7767HD Smart Video Baby Monitor is packed with useful features that we'd expect to see on a premium model - yet it's significantly more affordable than other smart monitors. This is why this is our top choice when it comes to the best baby monitors you can buy.

The camera (which is full HD and comes with wall-mounting accessories) offers excellent picture quality and has adjustable tilt, zoom, and 360° pan functionality, which means you won't miss a thing during nap time or at night. You can choose whether to watch the video footage of your baby's room on the parent unit - which has a large LCD screen - or on your phone via the MyVTech Baby Pro app. We love this feature for being able to check in on your baby when they're at home with a babysitter and you're not there.

This monitor also has temperature, sound, movement, and humidity sensors so you can make sure conditions in your baby's room are optimal for sleep. Night vision mode means you can still see your baby clearly on even the darkest of nights but there's also a gentle night light if you need to see your way to your little one's side.

Our tester, Jenny, says: 'I like the fact that this baby monitor comes with both a very large parent unit and a smart app that I can access on my phone,' she says. 'The smart app gives you free live remote access to the camera so I can keep a close eye on Logan at all times - even when I'm out and he's with a babysitter.'

The Vtech Smart Video Baby Monitor also has excellent picture quality and a colour night vision mode - proving that the best baby monitors aren't necessarily the most expensive ones. 'I really liked this feature as it meant I could get a good picture of Logan in the dark,' says Jenny. 'It has 10 x zoom capability from the smart app and 8 x zoom from the parent unit and I can move the camera around easily on the screen using my fingers, so I can keep a very close eye on my child.'

Verdict: Topping off the reasons why this has the No.1 spot in our roundup of the best baby monitors is the talkback feature - you can use the device to talk to your little one. That's truly useful for soothing a tired but wakeful baby back to sleep without disturbing them by entering their room. Lullabies can help babies sleep and this monitor has five to choose from, plus five ambient sounds to help your baby drift off.

• Read our full Vtech RM7767HD 7″ Smart Video baby monitor review

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The best smart monitor overall

Tested by: Rachel and her three-month-old, Freya

Our baby gear expert says: The Nanit Pro Smart Baby Monitor is a step up from the Nanit Plus, which we've reviewed before. To use, simply download the app and you can pair the camera with your smartphone to get high-resolution stills and video direct to your device. It has data encryption for security and you can add multiple users which means a partner or the baby's grandparents can coo over the footage too.

The Nanit app will alert you with sound and motion notifications if your child moves so you'll know when they need attention. And if you choose the floor-standing option you can also get a bird's eye view of your child's cot. You can zoom in on this picture and, with built-in night vision, you'll always get a sharp image.

Our tester, Rachel, says: 'This baby monitor is a particularly good choice for anyone keen to analyse their child's sleep data. The insights on how well your baby has slept and for how long could be very useful if you're trying to establish a good sleep routine. The app also tracks developmental milestones - including your baby's height - and collates all the information in a digital scrapbook. This could be lovely to look back on as it's hard to remember much when you're sleep deprived in the early days!'.

Verdict: This is an expensive option so it won't appeal to everyone but it's one of the best baby monitors you can buy if you're looking for a premium model with an array of features that you won't find on less expensive devices.

• Read our full Nanit Pro Smart Baby Monitor review

The best movement monitor

Tested by: Kate and her five-month-old daughter, Tilda

Our baby product expert says: The Angelcare Ac327 Baby Movement, Sound, and Video Monitor is the best budget baby monitor you can buy. For significantly less cash than premium devices, it comes with everything you need to keep tabs on your baby - plus extra value with the addition of a reliable movement sensor for further peace of mind.

The zoom and pan camera gives a good view of your baby and the large full-colour LCD display on the parent unit has easy-to-use touch controls. While this isn't the highest resolution camera footage you can get, this monitor does a more than adequate job of giving you a clear picture of your baby in real-time.

The parent unit has an open-field range of up to 250 metres, which is more than enough for the average home. It comes with an ‘out of range indicator’ so you know if you’ve stepped too far away to keep monitoring your baby. It also has infrared night vision so you can easily see footage of your baby when the black-out blinds are down.

Kate says: "The monitor was easy to set up, without too many cables or fiddly parts. Inside the box is both a wall mount and a magnet stand so you have options in terms of where to place the camera in your baby's room." Kate felt the cable for the camera could possibly do with being a little longer. However, she found the overall design of the unit slick and says it worked well in her baby's nursery. "The camera's crisp white finish makes it unobtrusive and versatile plus it will blend easily with any nursery decor."

Verdict: The Angelcare AC327 has the benefit of a movement sensor that comes with the device. This has SensAsure technology and can be placed under the cot mattress. It tracks the movements of your baby’s chest as it rises and falls. It also tracks every wriggle and turn so you know how your baby is sleeping at all times. Kate liked the fact that she could track her baby’s breathing without attaching any devices to her child's body. The alarm to the parent unit sounds after 20 seconds of no movement, and she didn't report any false alarms. 

• Read our Angelcare Ac327 3-in-1 Baby Movement Monitor review

The best for image quality

Tested by: Alex Sexton, mum to five-month-old Oli.

Our baby gear expert says: The Kodak Cherish C525 Smart Video Baby Monitor lets you view video footage of your baby on both its accompanying five-inch parent unit and on a smart app via your phone or tablet. It comes with rechargeable batteries and WiFi connectivity so you can use it freely around the house or take it with you on holiday.

Our tester, Alex, says: "As it’s made by Kodak we expected the image to be great quality - both in daylight and when viewing in the dark and it was, particularly at night due to infrared night vision.

"Additionally, you can take photos using the app, which is a nice feature when your little one is sleeping in a funny position and you want to capture the moment."

Alex found the set up a little time-consuming as it had a software patch, but this was easily fixed. ‘I think this may have just been a user fault as friends who have the same camera didn’t have the same problem,’ she adds. ‘Once I set it up correctly it was very smooth to use. Although I got some noisy feedback when I turned the monitor on in the same room as the camera.'

Verdict: Overall, our tester feels the tilt, pan, and zoom functionality make this monitor stand out from others she has used. "I can imagine these features will be very useful as Oli gets older and moves around more," she says. "The vox function is also invaluable. The ability to turn down the sensitivity setting means you aren’t disturbed every time your child moves or if they are a noisy sleeper - which Oli most definitely is."

• Read our full Kodak Cherish C525 Video Baby Monitor review

The best wearable monitor

Tested by: Naomi, mum to three-month-old Jonah.

Our baby gear expert says: We have previously tested the Owlet Smart Sock but the newer Owlet Baby Monitor Duo model has added camera functionality, so we decided to put it to the test. It means you can see and hear your baby as well as track their heart rate and oxygen levels using this baby monitoring system.

Setting up the Owlet Baby Monitor Duo was relatively straightforward. Firstly, your baby needs to wear the sock provided, which comes in a choice of colours - mint, deep sea green, or dusty rose. The camera then needs to be positioned at the optimum height so you can see your baby clearly. Finally, you need to download the Owlet Care app and link your smartphone to the camera.

Our tester, Naomi, says: "At first, I found the numerous boxes to open rather overwhelming, but once I downloaded the app and followed the clear set-up instructions things fell into place," she says.

"I would recommend it if you're looking for something to track baby's wellbeing as well as keep an eye on them from your smartphone when they sleep," says Naomi. "While it doesn't give the ability to play lullabies or white noise, the app provides a lot of useful information," adds our tester. "I like the wide-angle view and night vision features that the camera provides. You can also track sleep habits and get room temperature readings. That means I don't have to buy a secondary room temperature gadget."

Verdict: If you want more from your standard smart baby monitor, then the Owlet Baby Monitor Duo is a great contender. For the price, it comes with a smart sock and camera that can be linked to your smartphone, so you can keep on top of updates on your baby's movements and waking calls. But the best thing yet? It gives you oxygen level stats and monitors heart rate. So can be good for newborns if you want to stay on top of their vitals.

• Read our full Owlet Duo Smart Sock + Cam review 

The best baby monitor for 360 degree view

Tested by: Alex, who is mum to five-month-old Oli.

Our baby gear expert says: The digital feed on the Babymoov YOO Moov baby monitor goes straight to the 4.3-inch parent unit. While it doesn't have an accompanying app or smartphone control, we found the picture quality sharp with a good view of your child.

Our tester, Alex, says: She found the monitor easy to plug in and use compared to other baby monitors she has tried out previously.  The camera picked up noise very quickly. Alex also liked the extra VOX feature. "This is activated by baby's voice, so you can switch to this mode if you don't want to disturbed unnecessarily by your child's every move," she says.

Alex also liked the two-way talk function, which lets you talk to your child through the parent unit. "The nightlight is a useful extra and the monitor has the ability to play up to five lullabies, which Oli seemed to like," adds Alex. "It's worth bearing in mind that you will have to listen to them too as the monitor doesn't have a feature that lets you ignore the music. But if it's 3 am, you may just want a lullaby to send you back off to sleep too!"

She thinks it's an ideal buy if you have a second child in the room and want to keep tabs on two children at the same time. "The CCTV camera gives you a 360-degree motorised view of your baby."

"This good range makes it easy to see them wriggling around in their cot or, hopefully, sleeping soundly. The camera moves easily and almost silently so I didn't have to worry about it waking Oli up. I think this is particularly reassuring if you have a baby that wakes easily at the slightest noise."

Verdict: Usually this monitor retails for £199.99 but you can pick it up for cheaper. While this is a premium price point, it's far from the most expensive baby monitor on the market or in this guide.

Given the number of features packed into this device - from the VOX and music modes and the ability to monitor the whole room - we think this brilliant baby monitor is well worth the price tag. 

• Read our full Babymoov YOO Moov Video Baby Monitor review

The best baby monitor for analytics

Tested by: Daniel who is dad to two-year-old Arlo.

Our baby gear expert says: The Cubo Ai Smart baby monitor is designed for children up to five years old and features a host of nifty technology to safeguard your tot. The camera provides a 1080p High Definition video stream of your child directly to the dedicated smart app on your phone or tablet, and will alert you if they move or make a sound. Should your child’s face become covered or if they roll over in their sleep, clever A.I. tech provides alerts directly to your smartphone.

In addition, the app provides sleep analytics so you can track your baby's every move throughout the night and get to know their sleep routine. When they are a bit older, you can use the camera as a toddler cam and the app will alert you if your child has moved from a certain ‘safe’ zone in your home. For instance, if your child was about to enter the kitchen, you would get an instant notification on your smartphone.

Our tester, Daniel, says: He was a little overwhelmed by all the parts needed in setup. "You can choose to attach the camera to the cot or place it on the floor stand, and while you don’t need tools to set up the camera, it did take a little while to put it together," he says.

Moreover, the camera was quick to pair to the app on Daniel's smartphone, giving him a clear picture and informative alerts on Arlo’s sounds and movement. "But the first night we used it, the camera disconnected and wouldn’t reconnect and this was frustrating," he says.

'However, I think it was something to do with our WiFi connection. Once it was paired up again I was able to access all the features on the app, which gave me a live video stream that I could access as and when I wanted, with a chronological display of auto-captured photos and videos as Arlo moved around throughout the night.’

Verdict: This monitor comes with sleep-tracking analytics and alerts to tell you if your baby's mouth or nose is covered. So it's fair to say that the Cubo Ai Plus Smart Baby Monitor has some excellent features that first-time parents might find particularly reassuring. 

• Read our full Cubo Ai Plus Smart Baby Monitor review

The best baby monitor for versatility

Tested by: Hannah, who is mum to five-month-old baby Noah

Our baby gear expert says: The Hubble Connected Nursery Pal Premium allows you to monitor your child and get high-definition footage direct to your smartphone. You can also use the handy parent unit that comes with a 300m wireless connectivity range. The remote pan, tilt and zoom feature means you can control the angle of the camera from your smartphone or the parent unit, while infrared night vision gives you a clear view of your child when night falls.

Our parent tester Hannah enjoyed using the wide range of features on this baby monitor. ‘I like the flexibility of this model as you can access the camera footage on both a smartphone and parent unit,’ she says. ‘This means I don't have to worry about downloading the app on the babysitter's or my mum's phone when they are looking after Noah. I also think it has a good range of lullabies, white noise, and stories you can play to soothe baby".

The parent unit is unique in that it also doubles up as an ‘interactive baby tablet’. "Noah is a little young to appreciate this now," says Hannah. "However, I think it will be useful when he's a bit older to keep him occupied while I change his nappy or just need a few hands-free moments."

Verdict: This monitor comes with a smart app, 5" touch screen parent unit and HD a camera, along with lots of useful design features, including the ‘privacy protector’ on the camera. This means you can flip down a shutter on the camera so that the live stream footage is temporarily blocked. A protective bumper on the parent monitor means it will be resistance to bumps and knocks. Finally, a flashlight on the back of the parent unit is a nice touch and gives instant light when it’s dark. We think this makes the Hubble Connected Nursery Pal Premium worth considering. 

• Read our full Hubble Connected Nursery Pal Premium review

The best non smart baby monitor

Tested by: Jenny who is mum to two-year-old Logan

Our baby gear expert says: Like the Angelcare AC327, the Tommee Tippee Dreamee Sound, Motion and Video Baby Monitor features a movement sensor pad. It also has the functionality to play lullabies and sounds to soothe your baby. The camera has tilt, pan, and zoom functionality. This means you can get a wide view of your baby and enjoy a full picture of the nursery. Additionally, the night light works automatically when the light level falls.

Our tester, Jenny, says: She feels that the parent unit is a decent size at 4.3 inches and gave her a good view of Logan’s cot. She found the sensor easy to install and was impressed at how accurate the technology is.

"The movement sensor mat features a lovely star and moon design on it, but this seems wasted as the mat is meant to be hidden under the mattress," she says. "I like the reassurance the sensor mat provides and the fact that the camera isn’t too noisy and only transmits when the baby makes a sound."

Jenny found the settings on the parent unit intuitive to use. She could customise how she viewed all the information and choose easily between the six lullabies and nature sounds. "It even has a feeding reminder, which would be particularly useful during the newborn stage of parenthood," she says. "The only thing this monitor lacks is smart capability, so you could get information directly to a smartphone as well as the parent unit."

Verdict: Keen on detecting your child's every move in their cot? Want to get video footage to a great-quality handset? Then the Tommee Tippee Dreamee Sound, Motion and Video Baby Monitor is an excellent choice. Yes, its price tag is on the premium end, but it's packed full of useful features.

• Read our full Tommee Tippee Dreamee Sound, Motion & Video Baby Monitor review

Best baby monitor: what to consider

• Sound and image quality - If you’re investing in a video monitor, go for one with the best quality camera you can afford and make sure it has night vision for dark, wintry nights. Tilt, pan, and zoom functionality is a useful extra if you’re likely to have two children sleeping in one room as you can scan the room rather than view just one fixed point. 
• Wall mount - Baby monitor wires must be kept out of your baby’s reach as they are a safety hazard. A wall-mounted monitor is a good solution but you’ll need the DIY skills to affix the mount to the wall. If you choose a free-standing baby monitor, make sure you place the baby unit out of reach - on a shelf or on a changing unit beside the cot is the ideal spot.
• Mains v batteries - Most baby monitors plug into the wall so consider where the power source is in your baby’s room. The parent unit is usually battery-operated so you can move freely between rooms with it, but check the battery life. If you’re the kind of person who forgets to charge your phone, avoid choosing a baby monitor that needs daily charging.
• Range - Most monitors have ample range but do check the maximum range for the signal to be sure that it will work reliably if you’re downstairs or in the garden when your baby is asleep or napping. The best baby monitor for a small flat might not be the most practical for a detached house, depending on the range. 
• WiFi connection - If you choose a monitor that needs to connect to your Wi-Fi, make sure your connection is secure and up to the task. The advantage of this type of monitor is that you can view the video footage from your phone even when you’re out and a babysitter is in charge - but on the other hand, not everyone wants to feel tied to their phone when they’re away from their baby.
• Extra features - From talkback - so you can soothe your baby via the parent unit from another room using your voice - to music, white noise, and nightlights, many baby monitors have lots of additional features built-in. These can be a real boon or a waste of money depending on whether you'll actually use them. Think about the features you need and don't spend money on extras that don't add real value. 

Which type of baby monitor is best for you?

There are three main types of baby monitors so take some to think about the functionality that is most important to you. For example, there's little point in buying a smart monitor if your phone is always out of battery because you'll need your phone to view the footage. Equally, a movement monitor offers peace of mind to parents who like the idea of being alerted if their baby stops breathing, while other parents find the risk of a false alarm just causes worry. Familiarise yourself with the different types of monitors before you choose which one is best for you.

• Wearable baby monitors - These hi-tech devices are attached to your baby, usually via an item of clothing such as a sock. They collect a range of data and send it to a dedicated app on your smartphone so that you can track all sorts of data from your baby's heart rate and breathing to their movement and sleep pattern. 
• Video monitors - As well as capturing audio, a video monitor captures live footage via an in-built camera and streams it to either a dedicated app on your smartphone or to a separate parent unit with a screen. Most parents choose video monitors over audio-only models as they like to be able to see their baby sleeping, rather than just hear when they wake. A video monitor is a handy way to peek at your baby without having to enter their room to check on them, which might startle them awake.
• Audio-only monitors - This is the most basic (and therefore affordable) baby monitor. It consists of a baby unit that you place beside your baby’s cot which picks up sound, such as your baby's cries, and transmits that sound to a separate parent unit that you keep near you. Audio-only monitors are handy if your baby naps or sleeps in a different room from you and you’re concerned that you might not hear them when they stir or cry out.

Our review process

Our Deputy Editor Heidi Scrimgeour came up with a shortlist of baby monitors based on her product knowledge and industry research. She looked at the latest offering from the market-leading brands - and as a mum of three and a parenting journalist for 17 years, what she doesn't know about baby products isn't worth knowing. 

Next, she selected the final product line-up from a broad range of price points so there's a best baby monitor recommendation here to suit all budgets and needs. Then, we called on our pool of reliable parent testers and assigned each of them a baby monitor to review with their baby. They tested the product rigorously for at least ten days.

We ask our parent testers to give each product a rating out of five for overall performance. We also ask for comprehensive feedback on key factors including design appeal, functionality (how easy is it to set up and start using), reliability, value for money, and how easy each baby monitor is to operate. We used our testers' feedback to create this buying guide and the accompanying in-depth product reviews to help you choose the best baby monitor for your needs and budget.

Read more about how we test and why you can rely on our guidance. 

If you’re kitting out the nursery and dreaming of sleep, check out our guide to the best Moses baskets, and the best bedside cribs once you've chosen the best baby monitor. We've also got expert advice on baby sleep training, and shopping guides on how to choose the best baby sleeping bags and the best baby sleep aids. Sweet dreams!