Buying a nanny cam for your home can be a great way to monitor young children and their caregivers while you are away. Hidden nanny cams can alert you of theft or inappropriate behavior and capture video footage for greater peace of mind at home.
Learning about what tech features to look for can help improve home safety. Read on to choose the best-hidden nanny cam for your home.
What Is The Best Nanny Cam?
There are several types of home security systems with an indoor camera or an outdoor camera, but hidden home security cameras are best for monitoring nannies and children at home and deterring bad behavior.
Nanny cameras tend to come in the form of clocks, picture frames, and smaller packages that can be placed in a corner of your home. Some useful features include facial recognition technology, continuous recording, and mobile phone compatibility with Google Assistant.
Some parents that would find a nanny camera useful are those:
- With a history of theft at home to capture security camera footage of any valuables being stolen
- With kids that have special needs to check on them through a security camera app while they’re out of the house
- With very young children so they can actively monitor the behavior of caregivers and address any issues that come up
Using A Nanny Cam Ethically
In several states like California, it is illegal to make an audio recording without the knowledge and consent of an individual due to privacy laws. Thus, some nanny cams don’t record audio. It is also good practice to secure home security systems with a unique password, changing it regularly to prevent hacking.
Best Nanny Cams In 2022
This list of the best nanny cams can help you choose which model is the right camera for your security purposes at home.
| Product Name | Google Nest Indoor Cam | Omples Hidden Camera Spy Camera | Blink Outdoor Wireless Weather-Resistant HD Security Camera | Arlo Add-On Camera With Motion Detection | Canary View Indoor Home Security Camera |
| Price | $129.99 | Currently Unavailable | $99.99 | $94.99 | $99 |
| Size | 2.8 x 2.8 x 4.5 inches | 5.91 x 2.76 x 7.09 inches | 71 x 71 x 31 mm | 4.53 x 2.96 x 4.53 inches | 9.7 x 4.76 x 4.5 inches |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1080p | 1080p | 720p | 1080p |
| Audio | Two-way | None | Two-way | None | Two-way |
| Power | Wired | Rechargable Battery | Battery | Battery | Wired |
| Night Vision | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Smart Home Compatibility | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Special Features | Mobile alerts and notifications | Night vision and motion detection | Indoor and Outdoor use, compatible with Alexa | 110-degree viewing angle and free cloud storage | One touch emergency services in paid version of app |
1. Google Nest Indoor Cam
- Price: $129.99
- Size: 2.8 x 2.8 x 4.5 inches
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Audio: Two-way
- Power: Wired
- Night Vision: Yes
- Smart Home Compatibility: Yes
- Special Features: Mobile alerts and notifications
The Google Nest camera is the best nanny cam for iPhone and Android users. It provides 24/7 live stream video in full 1080p HD over Wi-Fi. It highlights superb night vision using 8 high-power infrared LEDs providing clarity in very dark conditions.
The two-way audio powered by the Google Nest app can help you communicate with your caregiver, while mobile alerts and notifications help you stay on top of any suspicious activity.
| Pros | Cons |
| Come with up to two years of limited warranty | Requires a monthly subscription to Nest Aware for more than 3 hours of local storage playback |
| Easy mounting and setup options | Voice volume could be improved on two way communication |
| 24/7 live stream video over Wi-Fi | HIdden costs |
2. Omples Hidden Camera Spy Camera
- Price: Currently Unavailable
- Size: 5.91 x 2.76 x 7.09 inches
- Resolution: 1080P
- Audio: None
- Power: Rechargeable Battery
- Night Vision: Yes
- Smart Home Compatibility: No
- Special Features: Night vision and motion detection
Thie best hidden nanny camera in a clock format is this Omples hidden camera. It supports 2.4G Wi-Fi networks, and has an adjustable monitoring angle. With useful features such as 24/7 recording on a micro SD card, clear night vision, and the ability to detect motion, it is a good option for those looking for an alternative to baby monitors.
| Pros | Cons |
| Undetected monitoring | Lacks voice and sound detection features |
| App allows you to review footage on mobile device | Clock requires its own AA battery to function |
| Extra features include night vision and motion sensor | Some issues with quality control |
3. Blink Outdoor Wireless Weather-Resistant HD Security Camera
- Price: $99.99
- Size: 71 x 71 x 31 mm
- Resolution: 1080p HD
- Audio: Two-way
- Power: Battery
- Night Vision: Yes
- Smart Home Compatibility: Yes
- Special Features: Indoor and Outdoor use, compatible with Alexa
The Blink indoor and outdoor camera detects movement in specific privacy zones to reduce the number of alerts sent to your mobile device. Due to the wire-free design, this camera can be mounted anywhere and easily installed. With two-way audio and infrared sensing, it provides a clear video feed both day and night.
| Pros | Cons |
| Comes with a 1-year limited warranty | Some connectivity issues for cloud storage which also requires a subscription |
| Ability to view captured images in 640 x 360 HD | Cam battery is not rechargeable and needs replacement after two years |
| Sensitivity level of motion detection is adjustable | Live video clips can only be accessed through a username and password |
4. Arlo Add-On Camera With Motion Detection
- Price: $94.99
- Size: 4.53 x 2.96 x 4.53 inches
- Resolution: 720p
- Audio: None
- Power: Battery
- Night Vision: Yes
- Smart Home Compatibility: Yes
- Special Features: 110-degree viewing angle and free cloud storage
This Arlo add-on camera comes with a 110-degree viewing angle and HD video footage for your home. It works with Alexa for voice control and has a wire-free design for easy placement.
It can be used both indoors and outdoors, with an operating temperature of 32° to 122° F. While it does not have an audio function, you can contact emergency responders with the paid Arlo Smart app.
| Pros | Cons |
| Comes with free cloud storage of up to 7 days | Does not come with two way talk feature or audio recording |
| Wire free design allows you to record footage anywhere | Requires a base station since it is only available as an add-on to security cameras |
| Using up to 5 cameras allows you to capture footage in multiple rooms | Customized alerts require a subscription to Arlo Smart |
5. Canary View Indoor Home Security Camera
- Price: $99
- Size: 9.7 x 4.76 x 4.5 inches
- Resolution: 1080p HD
- Audio: Two Way
- Power: Wired
- Night Vision: Yes
- Smart Home Compatibility: Yes
- Special Features: One-touch emergency services in the paid version of the app
The Canary camera works with smart homes to stream video to Echo Show and accept voice commands with Alexa. The wide-angle lens allows you to pan and zoom images, and you can exclude certain areas like ceiling fans from motion detection. Unlike other cameras, smart alerts are included for free.
| Pros | Cons |
| Comes with 147° wide-angle lens and zoom | Requires Wi-Fi network with broadband internet connection |
| Two-way audio capabilities can detect crying | Incident support service only available through paid subscription plan |
| Data privacy encrypted with SSL and TLS | Poor picture quality of night recordings |
Choosing The Best Nanny Cam For Your Home
When asking yourself what is the best nanny cam for your home, here are some aspects you can consider:
- Price: A camera can cost between $50 to $500, depending on the features you need.
- Video Quality: Video resolution can impact the clarity of footage if you need to make out certain details.
- Night Vision: Night vision could be important for poorly lit homes.
- Power: Consider the benefits of a wireless security system versus a wired system.
- Special Features: Motion detection, local storage, and subscription plans are some other features to think about for long-term use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some commonly asked questions buyers have to help them answer the question of what is the best nanny cam.
Do you have to tell someone you have a nanny cam?
To prevent lawsuits, it is best to inform caregivers they are being recorded so that footage can be used in court. Bedrooms and bathrooms are considered private spaces, so hidden cameras shouldn’t be used in these areas.
Do nanny cameras have audio?
Not all nanny cameras have the capability to store audio recordings due to legal issues, but some have two-way audio enabled.
How do I choose a nanny cam?
When shopping for the best nanny camera for your home security system, some factors to consider include HD video, mobile compatibility, two-way audio, and overall cost.
Before choosing the best hidden nanny cam for your home, it’s important to factor in the ethics of using a hidden camera. Like other cameras that record audio and video, it is generally the best practice to consult a lawyer in your state to check the regulations and issues that may come up.
Learn more about other ways to improve home security by reading through our blogs on Be-Safe today!
