If you are looking for the best inexpensive baby monitor options that are budget-friendly with decent audio and video functionalities, we have reviewed the best available options you can get in the market today.
Ever wondered how a baby monitor could cost as high as $400 while others are sold at a very low price, as low as $20 to $30? Baby monitors are priced according to functionalities with the cheap baby monitors having only the basic functionalities to monitor sound.
In a separate post on baby monitor prices, I broke down all the categories ranging from the cheapest monitor that cost less than $20 to the most expensive ones that go for over $400. In the post, we highlight some of the key drivers of baby monitor pricing but overall, we observed that baby monitor prices have been falling since the 1990s when a baby cam cost over $900s. The cheapest video baby monitors and the cheapest audio baby monitors are quite easy to come by and while they have better video and sound quality, they also have several other features including sensors and sophisticated life-saving technologies such as pulse oximetry.
The most complex baby monitors have on average, over 5 functionalities such as motion sensors, sound sensors, two-way talk, temperature sensors, video recording, and many more.
In this article, we are not going into any details about the expensive and sophisticated baby monitors such as Miku and Owlet Smart Sock 2. We will dwell entirely on pocket-friendly video and audio baby monitors that have won the hearts of parents and received awards in their respective categories. Let’s get started with the cheapest video baby monitors today:
Comparison Table of the Cheapest Baby Monitors 2022
| Name of Baby Monitor | Type | Price (Amazon) |
| UU Infant Bay Monitor | Non-wifi Video baby monitor | Check Price |
| Wyze Cam Smart Home Camera | Wifi video baby monitor | Check Price |
| Anmeate Video Baby Monitor | The cheapest video baby monitor | Check Price |
| Moonbaby Monitor | Non-wifi Video baby monitor | Check Price |
| Babysense baby monitor | Non-wifi Video baby monitor | Check Price |
| Motorola MBP481 | 1000 ft. range, 2.4-inch screen | Check Price |
| VTech VM2251 | 1000 ft., 2.4-inch screen | Check Price |
| VTech VM5251 | 5-inch screen | Check Price |
The cheap baby monitors above have great functionalities with some of them actually featuring in Motherhood HQ’s list of top non-wifi baby monitors.
Reviews of the Best Inexpensive Baby Monitors
#1. VTech VM819 Video Baby Monitor: Cheapest
Our overall best cheapest baby monitor under $100 is the VTech VM819. This budget monitor has an excellent rating of 4.6/5 by over 2,400 customers and does not require data – no need to buy data bundles to stream videos or audios. You can get this feature-packed video baby monitor at a budget-friendly price of about $60
- Privacy Guaranteed: No Wi-Fi or App Pairing -Signals are transmitted via secured internal 2.4GHz channel with FHSS technology, so you can rest assured that youre the only one who can hear and see your baby.
- 2.8 Display Seeing Your Baby in Full Sight Day and Night with 2x zoom
- Soothing Lullabies and 2-Way Talk -It has 2 calming melodies and 2 sets of ambient sound, including white noise and a trickling stream.
- Auto-on Screen and Sound Indications - When it picks up any sound over your VOX settings, the screen will automatically turn back on. The 3-level sound indicator on the parent unit can let you visually alerted when baby is crying.
- Super cheap - going for less than $100
- Temperature Sens
The VTech VM819 is a great, cheap baby monitor that doesn’t require wifi to function. With a long-lasting battery and an operation range of up to 1,000 feet, it’s perfect for keeping an eye on your little one throughout the night. Plus, the 2.8-inch LCD screen ensures you can always see what’s going on.
The VTech VM819 is a video monitor with digital 2.4GHz FHSS technology for crystal-clear images and sound quality. The system includes a parent unit, a baby unit with color LCD screen and night vision, and an outdoor sensor. It also has two soothing lullabies, along with two sets of ambient sound (white noise and trickling stream). Besides, this system supports 2-way talk back so you can hear the voice of your baby from across the room.
2. UU Infant Baby Monitor: Best baby monitor under $100
As of this update in May 2022, UU Infant is no longer available on Amazon but we’re leaving this review here in case they are available in the future.
UU Infant is our cheapest video baby monitor that currently sells for $65, about the price of some audio baby monitors. UU Infant baby monitor made it to our list of top video baby monitors that do not rely on the internet but it made it to that list specifically because parents get to save the most by purchasing this video baby monitor. UU Infant video baby monitor is sold by Splendid LLC on Amazon but marketed by Willcare.
3. Babysense Video Baby Monitor
Babysense video baby monitor is our best budget baby monitor on the market. We liked Babysense the most because it gives you value for your money as it has high-quality videos and high-quality night vision. For just $74.99, you get this non-wifi baby monitor that streams to a dedicated 2.4-inch parent unit screen.
Here are some other features that you get with this video baby monitor selling under $100 and under $150:
- It uses FHSS hack-proof technology that assures you of 100% privacy from the camera to the screen.
- 2X digital zoom
- 900 ft. connectivity range
- Manual pan up to 360 degrees
- It has a 2-way talk system
- It has an automatic night vision feature
You can read our full review of this video baby monitor and can see its comparison with other baby monitors that do not rely on the internet such as Infant Optics DXR 8, Eufy Spaceview S, LBTech Video baby monitor and Campark video baby monitor, among others.
4. Anmeate Video Baby Monitor
Anmeate is our forth best inexpensive video baby monitor that streams to a 2.4-inch screen and has some great features and functionalities such as VOX feature. It doesn’t need a wifi connection to function and is currently one of the best-rated and best-selling baby monitors on the market.
Anmeate has two brands of reasonably-priced video baby monitor models, one with a 2.4-inch screen and another with a 3.5-inch screen shown in the table below.
| Anmeate 2.4-inch Video Baby Monitor | Anmeate 3.5-inch Video Baby Monitor |
|---|---|
| No products found. | No products found. |
| Technology: FHSS non-wifi technology | Technology: FHSS non-wifi technology |
| Price: Under $50 | Price: Under $70 |
| No products found. | No products found. |
Anmeate is the only video baby monitor that uses encrypted 2.4 FHSS technology to transmit signals from the camera to the parent unit. The parent unit or screen is a 3.5″ LCD screen with remote pan/tilt, so you can see your baby from anywhere in your home or outside, and it also has 2-way talkback (intercom).
The camera has excellent night vision that switches off automatically to save battery power. It comes with an AC adapter for use at home and on the go, as well as rechargeable batteries for use when you’re away from an outlet.
In addition to being a low-EMF Vox baby monitor, Anmeate also has the following features that I really liked enough to include as one of our cheapest video baby monitors you can grab today:
- Automatic night vision feature
- Temperature sensor
- 960 ft. connectivity range
- portable parent unit
- 8-hour battery life, thanks to the VOX feature
- 4-soothing lullabies
- 2-way talk
- 2X digital zoom
$45.99 in stock
1 used from $44.15
Features
- High quality color screen: This unique baby monitor features a High Resolution Display with 2x zoom magnification for comprehensive coverage. The 2.4” screen can deliver streaming live view whenever you check in.
- High definition night vision & temperature monitoring: This baby monitor with camera has 8 infrared LED Lights and could constantly monitor babies’ activities. Other built-in features include automatic night vision and temperature monitoring.
- Two way talking & long transmission range: The video monitor covers a transmission range of up to 960 feet.You could play 4 soothing lullaby songs or use the two-way talk back intercom function to comfort your babies.
- Easy installation & high capacity battery: Simply plug in camera and monitor to use this magic baby monitor! The Li-ion battery is 950mAh and lasts 8 hours in eco mode.
- Wide variety of extra handy features: Our baby monitor with camera and audio also comes with: Eco Mode Voice Activation, Sound Activated LED Indicators, Alarm/Timer Setting, 2x Digital Zoom with Digital Image Pan/Tilt option, Multi-Camera Expandability (up to four cameras), Lullabies, Manual Pan (360 degrees) & Tilt (60 degrees), Auto Scan View, Tabletop or Wall Mounting Options.
5. Wyze Cam V3 Video Baby Monitor
Wyze Cam is our favorite cheapest video baby monitor that is designed as a security camera but can be turned into a baby monitor. For less than $30, you can get yourself 1080p HD video baby monitor that streams straight to your phone and can get you connected to your baby when you’re thousands of miles away from home.
2 used from $34.97
I like Wyze Cam video baby monitor the most because it is a connected monitor which means, you can get all its functionalities, specifically video viewing and audio signals so long as you have internet. Wyze Cam is retailing at such a low price because they use generic product parts which allowed them to cut on product development cost, passing the savings to you and thousands of customers who now rely on Wyze Cam.
Wyze Cam’s business model enabled them to leverage existing hardware, firmware, and software that reduced their product development cost to zero while assembling a great and affordable baby monitor.
While it only costs less than $40, Wyze Cam V3 is compatible with Google Home Hub and has an array of features you’d think are reserved only for the expensive baby monitors.
6. Motorola MBP481 2.4 GHz Digital Video Baby Monitor
Motorola MBP481 would only cost you $50 if you bought it today, surprisingly cheap for a video baby monitor. Motorola MBP481 is usually sold for around $70 but this model has been on sale for some time now.
Over 280 customers have rated this 2-inch video baby monitor an average of 4/5 rating and I personally liked this video baby monitor because of the following features:
- It uses hack-proof FHSS transmission technology.
- It has up to 1000 ft. range connectivity
- It has an LED level sound indicator which is very ideal for deaf parents as it allows them to notice the sound volume in the baby’s room without using audio.
Anmeate, Babysense, and UU Infant baby monitors were all in the top 10 baby monitors without wifi and Wyze Cam has been regarded as the cheapest smart-home wifi baby monitor.
Best Inexpensive Audio Baby Monitors Reviews 2022
| Name of Baby Monitor | Type | Current Price |
| VTech DM111 | Overall Best budget baby monitor; Audio Baby Monitor | Check Price |
| VTech DM221 | Audio | Check price |
| VTech DM221-2 | Audio Baby Monitor | Check Price |
| Motorola MBP163CONNECT | Audio Wifi Monitor | Check Price |
| VTech DM221 | Audio Baby Monitor | Check Price |
| VTech DM 223 | Audio Baby Monitor | Check Price |
| Avent Dect Baby Monitor | Audio Baby Monitor | Check Price |
1. VTech DM111
VTech DM111 is one of VTech’s best-selling audio baby monitors and I highly suspect it is because it is also the most inexpensive baby monitor you can find on the market today.
The VTech DM111 Audio Baby Monitor is a digital audio baby monitor that provides you with the most reliable connection to your little one. With this dependable long-range monitor, you can enjoy peace of mind even when your child is sleeping in another room or outside in the yard. Its transmission range is up to 1000 ft.
The DM111 features an upgraded rechargeable battery that supports up to 8 hours of portable use and includes a belt clip for added convenience.
The VTech DM111 Audio Baby Monitor is a great way to keep an ear on your little one. This monitor features a 5-level sound indicator, so you can visually monitor noise level with the receiver muted. You’ll also be alerted to different situations needed your attention with sound alerts.
Going for around $21, this monitor is among the cheapest audio baby monitor on the market. You can save up to $50 buying this VTech audio brand and leaving expensive options such as the Philips Avent SCD720/86 that have additional features such as night-light projectors and lullabies.
- ** Best-in-class Long Range ** The VTech DM111 Audio Baby Monitors dependable long operation range covers up to 1,000 feet, lets you go about your day and stays connected with your baby from another room or even from the yard
- ** Upgraded Rechargeable Battery ** Parent Unit includes a built-in rechargeable battery that supports up to 8 hours of portable operation. With the belt clip, the Parent Unit can be attached to your pocket or shirt
- ** Easy Set-up Plug & Play ** Simply connecting power for both units and allow 1-min for the units to link to each other
- ** Easy to Use ** The speaker volume on the parent unit is easily controlled by pressing the up or down arrow keys. When the parent unit is in mute, the visual sound indicator will still indicate the sound detected from the baby unit
- ** 5-level Sound Indicator ** A set of five LED lights on the parent unit indicates the level of sound in your babys room so you can visually monitor noise level with the receiver muted
- ** Sound Alerts ** The parent unit emits different alert tones for situations needed your attention: Low battery or Out of range, etc
Though limited in features, you get the most value for your money with this monitor. Its upgraded version also has better battery capacity compared to the older version of this DM11 model.
You can also opt for VTech DM111-2 with two parent units and still going for a low price of under $40.
$18.99 in stock
6 used from $15.87
Features
- ** Best-in-class Long Range ** The VTech DM111 Audio Baby Monitor's dependable long operation range covers up to 1,000 feet, lets you go about your day and stays connected with your baby from another room or even from the yard
- ** Upgraded Rechargeable Battery ** Parent Unit includes a built-in rechargeable battery that supports up to 8 hours of portable operation. With the belt clip, the Parent Unit can be attached to your pocket or shirt
- ** Easy Set-up Plug & Play ** Simply connecting power for both units and allow 1-min for the units to link to each other
- ** Easy to Use ** The speaker volume on the parent unit is easily controlled by pressing the up or down arrow keys. When the parent unit is in mute, the visual sound indicator will still indicate the sound detected from the baby unit
- ** 5-level Sound Indicator ** A set of five LED lights on the parent unit indicates the level of sound in your baby's room so you can visually monitor noise level with the receiver muted
Its actually on offer for about $19.99 as of this update in early May 2022. This audio monitor is very durable with up to 3 years of expected use and uses DECT technology to transmit signals from the baby unit to the parent unit.
VTech DM111 is one of the best audio baby monitors and has been on the top-selling baby monitors list on Amazon since 2017.
You can check its price here
2. VTech DM221
VTech DM221 is another inexpensive baby monitor that is designed and retailed by VTech. VTech DM221-2 is the same model of cheap audio baby monitor that comes with two parent units.
The VTech DM221 Audio Baby Monitor is the perfect way to keep an ear on your baby. This monitor features DECT 6.0 technology for clear, reliable sound transmission and a range of up to 1,000 feet so you can hear every little cry from another room. A convenient 5-level sound indicator lets you quickly check on your baby’s level of sound and a two-way talk-back intercom allows you to communicate with your baby from another room.
- CLEAR AUDIO AND LONG RANGE - DECT 6.0 technology provides clear audio transmission, eliminating annoying background noise while allowing you to move from room to room. Up to 1,000 feet of range lets you stay connected to your baby from another room
- 5-LEVEL SOUND INDICATOR AND 2-WAY TALK-BACK INTERCOM - LEDs on the parent unit indicate the level of sound in your babys room so you can visually monitor the noise level. The built-in intercom on the parent unit lets you talk to your baby from any room.DO NOT use cleaning spray or liquid cleaners
- NIGHT LIGHT ON THE BABY UNIT - A soothing light on the baby unit gently illuminates a dark nursery. Both the parent unit(s) and baby unit allow you to turn on or off the nighlight on the baby unit
- SOUND SENSITIVITY OF THE BABY UNIT - You can choose to hear sounds from the baby unit all the time, or to hear sounds that exceed a certain level. You can use the parent unit to adjust the microphone sensitivity of your baby unit
- The parent unit runs on rechargeable Ni-MH battery or AC power. To continuously monitor your baby, make sure you use both battery and AC power at the same time. With the battery alone, the parent unit can cordlessly run for a short time o
Unlike VTech DM111 above, VTech DM221 has a screen that tells you the sound level – on its 5-level sound indicator bars. DM221 also has a 2-way talk feature where you can talk to your baby – a feature lacking in the cheaper model. Lastly, DM221 has a nightlight feature which is also lacking in the low-priced DM111.
The price difference between these two is not that big. You can get the VTech DM221-2 pack for around $40. If you are willing to spend an additional $20, you can opt for DM221 instead of the cheaper DM111 model above.
Features
- CLEAR AUDIO AND LONG RANGE - DECT 6.0 technology provides clear audio transmission, eliminating annoying background noise while allowing you to move from room to room. Up to 1,000 feet of range lets you stay connected to your baby from another room
- 5-LEVEL SOUND INDICATOR AND 2-WAY TALK-BACK INTERCOM - LEDs on the parent unit indicate the level of sound in your baby's room so you can visually monitor the noise level. The built-in intercom on the parent unit lets you talk to your baby from any room.DO NOT use cleaning spray or liquid cleaners
- NIGHT LIGHT ON THE BABY UNIT - A soothing light on the baby unit gently illuminates a dark nursery. Both the parent unit(s) and baby unit allow you to turn on or off the nighlight on the baby unit
- SOUND SENSITIVITY OF THE BABY UNIT - You can choose to hear sounds from the baby unit all the time, or to hear sounds that exceed a certain level. You can use the parent unit to adjust the microphone sensitivity of your baby unit
- The parent unit runs on rechargeable Ni-MH battery or AC power. To continuously monitor your baby, make sure you use both battery and AC power at the same time. With the battery alone, the parent unit can cordlessly run for a short time only
Motorola MBP163CONNECT
Our best inexpensive audio baby monitor with wifi is the Motorola MBP163CONNECT. This sound monitor goes for just $21, the cost of just 3 beers and it connects to your phone or tablet as it uses 2.4 GHz Wifi.
This monitor comes pre-loaded with lullabies, soothing sounds, and even audiobooks! And that’s not all. This monitor also connects to the Hubble App which is a smart sleep-advising app that detects your baby’s sleep habits and gives you suggestions on how to best improve the quality of sleep for your baby.
- HEAR YOUR BABY FROM ANYWHERE - Monitor sounds coming from your childs room using your compatible smartphone or tablet. Get real-time notifications on your device whenever sound gets detected.
- CALM YOUR BABY TO SLEEP - Pre-loaded with a variety of soothing sounds, lullabies, and audiobooks, this audio monitor can help relax and soothe your baby, allowing them to fall asleep faster.
- UNDERSTAND SLEEPING PATTERNS - Through the Hubble app, you can find out when your little angel is most active or quiet, helping you better understand their sleeping patterns.
- COMFORT YOUR BABY ANYTIME - This baby audio monitor works as a 2-way intercom system, allowing you to reassure your little one with your comforting voice through the monitors built-in speakers.
- SET THE MOOD - This wireless baby sound monitor adds a warm glow of illumination to your little ones room. Choose from 7 different night light colors to suit your lighting preferenc
This is Motorola’s cheapest wireless audio baby monitor with WiFi. With Hubble App, you get a smart device for toddlers and infants and can rely on it to give you more than audio sounds. It features 10 soothing sounds, lullabies, audiobooks, and a 2-way talk intercom with 7 night light color options to soothe your baby.
I don’t think you can get another smart device for under $30 and it’s not because it is currently on offer. It has been going for about $21 for some time now, save for larger discounts on Black Friday or on other holidays.
Philips AVENT Audio Baby Monitor Dect SCD502/10
If you want to pay a little more, the next cheap audio baby monitor option with a comfortable night light is the Philips AVENT Audio Baby Monitor Dect SCD502/10. This monitor is priced around $40 and has all the features of a reliable baby monitor such as a range of up to 900 feet, clear audio quality, and a 2-way talkback feature for communication with your baby.
- 👶 HEAR YOUR BABY FROM ANYWHERE - Monitor sounds coming from your childs room using your compatible smartphone or tablet. Get real-time notifications on your device whenever sound gets detected.
- 👶 CALM YOUR BABY TO SLEEP - Pre-loaded with a variety of soothing sounds, lullabies, and audiobooks, this audio monitor can help relax and soothe your baby, allowing them to fall asleep faster.
- 👶 UNDERSTAND SLEEPING PATTERNS - Through the Hubble app, you can find out when your little angel is most active or quiet, helping you better understand their sleeping patterns.
- 👶 COMFORT YOUR BABY ANYTIME - This baby audio monitor works as a 2-way intercom system, allowing you to reassure your little one with your comforting voice through the monitors built-in speakers.
- 👶 SET THE MOOD - This wireless baby sound monitor adds a warm glow of illumination to your little ones room. Choose from 7 different night light colors to suit your lighting preferenc
Buying Guide for the Best Cheapest Audio Baby Monitors
As you look and do your research on a cheap baby monitor to purchase, you need to understand a few things that are important for sound-only baby monitors and video baby monitors. For audio baby monitors, the most important things to consider are:
- Sound quality – The old baby monitors used analog transmission technology and it had a lot of interference. New digital sound baby monitors have less interference but you need to make sure that the particular cheap baby monitor you’re considering has clear sound. Baby monitors using DECT transmission technology are known to have crystal clear transmission, eliminating white noise common with analog baby monitors.
- Battery Power – The source of power for both the baby unit and the parent unit of the audio baby monitor should guide you to the best cheap baby monitor. Some audio monitors come with batteries while others depend on AC power. We recommend going for baby monitors that allow you to use both options, AC power and alkaline batteries. You should also consider the prices of the batteries that your baby monitor uses as they can be expensive when you add up the cost of batteries over time.
- Sound Indicator – Some baby monitors allow you to mute the noise in the baby’s nursery while enabling you to use graphic bars to gauge the noise level in the baby’s room. Vtech baby monitors have this feature and they’re very helpful as it gives you the ability to mute the noise when you want to.
- Belt clip– Baby monitors with belt clips enable you to move around without the hustle of handling and moving around with the baby monitor. This feature is very helpful and comes in handy if you work in the garden.
Buying Guide for the cheapest baby monitors with Video
- Security – Most video baby monitors use wifi to transmit the video signal from the baby unit to the parent unit which could be the smartphone. Baby monitors with wifi can be easily hacked and you should consider if the baby monitor has enough security measures to ensure the safety of your baby.
- Video quality – The quality of the transmitted video is key as some baby monitors can get pixelated images and display very low-quality images.
- Night vision – Night vision allows you to see the baby even when there is no light to illuminate on the baby. Video baby monitors without night vision go dark at night and are therefore not useful to you at night. Baby monitors with night vision use infrared light, an invisible light that enables the camera to capture the baby without illuminating the room. Infrared light is barely visible and great for baby monitors. Some baby monitors have a glow and babies have a hard time sleeping with this kind of night vision. You should, therefore, consider infrared baby monitors
- About the Author
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Naomi Lambert is a mother of two and an elementary school teacher leading our product quality review here at Motherhood HQ. Naomi has a degree in Elementary Teaching from the University of Utah. She has also worked as a product tester for Consumer Reports. Naomi enjoys reading and getting immersed in new research, especially on topics related to parenting and pets. When she’s not reading or testing baby gear, Naomi enjoys hiking in the midwest and hanging out with her two dog pets. Naomi is originally from Salt Lake City, Utah.
Naomi work leading baby gear/product testing:
To test new gear before we review here at Motherhood HQ, Naomi goes through a multi-step process that includes reading up on the latest research, conducting her own hands-on testing, and evaluating the results. She also consults with experts in the field, such as pediatricians, to get their input. This comprehensive approach ensures that our reviews are accurate and helpful for our readers.
Testing involves using the gear with her own children, as well as observing other parents using the products. Ms. Lambert looks for safety concerns, ease of use, and whether the product actually lives up to its claims. She also takes into account the price of the product and whether it is a good value for what you get.
After testing a product, Naomi writes up her findings in a review. She includes both the positive and negative aspects of the product, as well as her own personal recommendations. Her reviews are honest and unbiased, and they can help you make informed decisions about which products are right for your family.
Aggregating Other real-user reviews from other moms:
A critical process in our reviews is incorporating feedback from other moms who have used the products we are testing. To get this information, we talk to parents in our networks and consult with product-specific experts.These experts must have published work in the field of early childhood development, have worked extensively with the product in question, or have significant experience in the manufacturing or design of the product.
We also read online reviews from other parents, but we take these with a grain of salt. We recognize that many online reviewers are not objective and that some may be biased because they were given the product for free or paid to write a review. For this reason, we only consider online reviews after they have been vetted by our team of experts.
If you are a parent who has used a product that we are interested in reviewing, we would love to hear from you! You can contact us at naomi.lam@motherhood
Last update on 2023-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API