 This Product
Nanit Smart System | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Video Monitor for Most Families |  Best One and Done Monitor | Best Non-Wifi with Movement Monitoring |  Best Video Monitor on a Budget | |
| Price | $400 List Check Price at Amazon | $260 List Check Price at Amazon | $300 List Check Price at Amazon | $200 List Check Amazon (on sale!) | $140 List Check Price at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | A one-and-done monitoring solution, but the learning curve is high, there is no sound activation, and some features require a subscription | A well-designed hybrid monitor with great video, sound activation, and a camera battery backup, but it costs more | High-quality monitor with good functionality that is easy to use, but requires a personal device and lacks sound activation | Impressive video and movement monitor that is easy to use, has everything you need, and doesn't require WiFi or a separate device | Practical, easy to use non-WiFi options that meet all the basic needs for monitoring a baby without the frills and higher price |
| Rating Categories | Nanit Smart System | Eufy E21 | Sense-U Smart | Babysense True Sleep | Momcozy 1080p HD |
| Video Quality (30%) | |||||
| Sound Quality (25%) | |||||
| Range (20%) | |||||
| Ease Of Use (20%) | |||||
| Battery Life (5%) | |||||
| Specifications | Nanit Smart System | Eufy E21 | Sense-U Smart | Babysense True Sleep | Momcozy 1080p HD |
| Measured Range | Anywhere You Have Connectivity | Anywhere You Have Connectivity | Anywhere You Have Connectivity | 168, 7 walls | 110, 3 walls |
| Sound Activation | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Camera Resolution | 1080p HD | 4K UHD | 2.5K HD | 720p HD | 1080p HD |
| Movement Detection | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Max Volume | 85 dBa | 89 dBa | 86 dBa | 80 dBa | 78 |
| Measured Battery Duration | Device dependent for app Parent unit: 3 hr 45 min |
8 hours and 52 minutes | Device Dependant | 7 hrs and 21 minutes | 11 hrs and 35 |
| Motion Detection | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Pan/Tilt | Manual | Pan: 330° Tilt: 60° |
Pan: 345° Tilt: 50° |
Pan: 350° Tilt: 90° |
Pan: 360° Tilt: 360° |
| Zoom Distance | Unspecified | 8x | 4x | 4x | 4x |
| Max # of Cameras | 2+ | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Max Number Of Viewers | 2+ | 5 | Unspecified | 1 | 1 |
| Screen Size | 7 | 4.5 | App Based | 4 | 4.5 |
| Communication Technology | WiFi: 2.4GHz and 5GHz | Hybrid: WiFi 2.4GHz + FHSS 2.4GHz | WiFi: 2.4GHz | Non-WiFi: FHSS 2.4GHz | Non-WiFi: FHSS 2.4GHz |
| Manufacturer's Claimed Range (buyer beware!) | Not specified | 800 | Not specified | 1000 | 900 |
| Temperature | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Humidity Sensor | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Talk-to-Baby | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EMF | 0.20 V/m | 0.85 V/m | 2.14 V/m | 1.80 V/m | 2.78 V/m |
The video quality of the Nanit is impressive, more so than the sound, but both are better than average. The max volume is one of the highest at 85 dB, but the clarity isn't perfect. At the loudest volume, crying can get distorted and harsh. Gurgles and coos are pretty cute until they reach a higher register, and then the pitch is harsher and higher than in real life, especially through the app and smart devices. The included parent unit delivers better audio quality without any lag, but there is still a hint of graininess. However, it still sounds way better than the app. We prefer the parent unit over the app.
The parent unit offers screen-wake alerts when the baby cries, but it doesn't offer true sound activation, in which the monitor remains silent until the baby cries. This only works if you haven't enabled the screen to go to sleep. You can adjust the sensitivity of what it picks up, but if you hope to hear your little one at all times, you'll be forced to hear background sounds, too. Listening at 50% volume helps, but if you are a deep sleeper, this might not wake you if your little one starts crying. If you have the sound off, it will still send a notification, but it is like a push notification, and it won't wake you.
The phone app sends a notification, and the screen wakes up, but it doesn't actively open the video monitoring. The notification is too quiet and subtle to wake most parents, and heavy sleepers will most likely sleep through it. You can keep the audio stream on, which we'd recommend, but again, it is never truly silent, so some parents may have a hard time falling asleep while listening. It will not notify you if your phone is set to “do not disturb,” which many parents use to avoid getting phone calls when little ones are asleep and at night.
It feels like a real mistake that neither monitoring method has a reliable activation that keeps the monitor quiet until the baby cries, then automatically starts streaming audio and video. For many, this missing feature will be a deal-breaker. Push notifications are virtually useless for baby monitoring, and it is strange to see them used on a baby-centric product.
The Nanit video quality doesn't blow us away, but it isn't bad either. However, we assumed that for the high price, it would be better. We appreciate the bird's-eye view from above the crib, made possible by the floor stand.
The parent monitor is one of the largest, with a 7-inch screen, but the resolution isn't as good as the smartphone viewing. The patterns aren't as crisp, and the colors are less vibrant. We can read to the fourth line of letters, but the edges get fuzzy. Even using the app, the colors are darker and have a blue tone that isn't true to real life. It feels more pixelated than other videos in this price range. Again, it isn't bad; it just feels disappointing for the price.
For night video, it is about the same, but a little more blurry and washed out. The top part of the view looks washed out and overexposed, making white clothing and lighter skin tones appear blindingly bright.
Using the Nanit with your smart device has connectivity wherever you have access to WiFi. The included parent device is less impressive; it's as if they think no one will use it. It only managed to stay connected for about 99 ft and 3 walls before it started to cut out, and the connection wasn't consistent. We did manage to keep some connection up to 156 ft and 6 walls, but this mileage will vary dependin gon your home, the materials used to build it, and other interference.
The Nanit isn't particularly difficult to use, but there is a lot going on here and a learning curve depending on what features you want to use. It definitely isn't the right pick for those who struggle with tech, hate apps, or want a plug-and-play system. The app requires 2-factor authentication. We don't like that the app asks for your baby's personal data, like name and gender, but feel free to lie (we did).
We love the floor stand for setup, but it requires an app download and account setup to use. Pairing the device is done manually, and we recommend setting up the app first, as it includes a tutorial on setting up the camera and stand, which is really useful. Setting up the stand is trickier than you think, thanks to the design and the requirement to get all four corners of the crib in the frame. We struggled and encountered many errors, either because the angle was off or because one of the corners wasn't in the frame.
The dedicated parent unit is a nice addition to the Nanit, but it is a touchscreen, so there are no quick-use buttons for volume or brightness. It has a big screen, which we love, but the connectivity is limited, and it isn't as easy to use as a smart device. We can imagine it being most useful for overnight viewing.
The Nanit menu allows you to set notifications. There are sliders for sound level notifications for sound and motion. Sliders for sensitivities and alerts. Notifications will be delivered in silent mode, but not in “do-not-disturb” mode, so choose wisely. The notifications are fairly timely and respond within 5 seconds in our tests.
Travel with the Nanit is painful, and unless you take the stand, movement monitoring might be off the table. They offer a webpage on how to connect to public WiFi and other travel workarounds, which, to us, means it is a hassle. They sell a travel pack for the stand and camera, but it feels like one more thing to buy, and it is already expensive.
The battery life of your parent device will vary based on your device, the battery age, and how you use it. The parent unit's battery life is only 3 hours and 45 minutes. While this is plenty of time for a nap, it will need to be plugged in to make it through the night. The camera has no battery backup.
The Nanit is flush with features. Some come standard, while others must be unlocked through subscriptions charged annually. We aren't big fans of subscriptions, but the primary functions are free.
The Nanit includes the following features for free:
As of October 2026, Nanit offers three subscription plans:
The Nanit camera emits .020 V/m of EMF on average when measured about 3ft from the unit. This is one of the lowest in the group, making it a contender for parents concerned about reducing EMF exposure.
Nanit provides what they call “bank-level security,” encrypted video feed, multi-factor authentication, and user/permissions access. Nanit uses 256-bit AES encryption to protect its video streams and data.
Maybe. This all-in-one monitor has loads of useful features, including impressive video. But it is expensive. One of the most expensive we've ever tested. And while it does just about everything except your taxes, we aren't convinced everyone needs all of it. For some parents, tracking vitals could increase anxiety, and the novelty of movement tracking might wear off and be more of an annoyance than a requirement. It also doesn't have sound activation, which is one of our favorite features. Overall, we can see why people like the Nanit; we like it too. But we see it as a niche product suitable for some parents, that might be overkill for many more. Whether it is right for you depends on what you hope to monitor and how long you plan to use it. In short, you can save money if your goals are video or audio only, but for tracking movement indicative of breathing, it is pretty darn cool.
If you want a great hybrid video monitor, the Eufy E21 is our favorite. Not only does it have better video than the Nanit, but it also has better audio and sound activation! Something we think is really important in helping parents get good sleep. The Eufy can save you significant money as well, making it the one we'd recommend to most friends over the Nanit. If you want video and movement monitoring (or vital-signs tracking), the Owlet Dream Duo (Gen 3) offers similar video quality, tracks more than just movement, is easier to use, supports sound activation, and will save you some money.
