You may think nanny cams are only to keep an eye on the caretakers, but in reality, they can do a whole lot of things for you. With the best-hidden nanny cam, you can keep an eye on your kids, pets, or if you own a shop, you can keep an eye on your customers.
Hence, it is necessary to have a hidden nanny cam for your house and office. But the problem is there are so many low-quality cams that to find the best one is baffling. We have tested 29 hidden cams for various parameters. After testing for 146 hours and consulting 14 experts, we created a list of best nanny cameras that could meet your needs. Besides, we also provide you a comprehensive buyer’s guide to help you make the right decision.
Top Pick
Best Hidden Nanny Cams
1. Maximus Video Security and Outdoor Light – Best For Outdoor Installation
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When we were testing the camera, we realized that the best-hidden nanny cam must have some qualities like being invisible, remote video streaming, high storage capacity, night vision, and high resolution. We found all the qualities in Maximus Video Security Camera.
This outdoor light like spy camera is so deceptive that not many would suspect it is a camera. It is perfect for keeping an eye on the babysitter when your kids are playing outside the house. For sure, its design scored some excellent points. Also, it can be connected to smartphones or Alexa via WiFi, which is a positive thing.
The good thing about the device is that it has subscription plans as low as $4.99, which allows you to download events, and 24×7 live streaming on your phone or pc.
Since it runs on the AC power supply, you don’t have to worry about the battery like in most of the other devices we tested.
- Streams live feed on the phone.
- Download old events.
- Connects with Alexa.
- Operates on AC power supply.
- It blends well with the exterior.
- There is nothing to not like about it.
Bottom Line
After testing 29 different types of cameras, we can say that this is probably the best-hidden nanny cam that you can buy. But it can only be used for outdoors like in the backyard, or front porch.
2. AES Spy Cameras ACRHD – Best For Indoor Installation
Being invisible is the most significant factor when it comes to hidden nanny cams. The AES Spy camera does it entirely. It comes in the shape of an alarm clock. All features of an alarm clock are working, and on the slightest of movement, it captures a 720p video.
Overall built is really like an alarm clock. No one will ever suspect it has a camera. Being compact, it can be placed anywhere for the best camera angle.
We also looked at the video quality of the camera. Due to the high resolution of 720p, you can see any kind of movement in front of the camera.
As for the storage capacity is concerned, it uses an SD card to store the footage. It can support up to 32 GB SD card. The only thing that worried us that you have to plug it into an outlet to run it. But the good thing is that it has a charger, hence not many would suspect it is a camera.
- Small and compact.
- Easy to remove the SD card.
- High-quality resolution.
- Motion sensor activation.
- I cannot see the live footage remotely.
Bottom Line
If you are looking for a camera that conceals itself perfectly and within budget, we suggest you get this camera.
3. FREDI – Best For Budget Conscious Users
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Another great camera that is invisible to the naked eye because of the compact design. With its ability to stay hidden, it has a lot many things going for it.
Firstly, it can playback the video on your phone via an app, which is again a must-have feature for the best-hidden nanny cam. Besides, it supports an SD card up to 128 GB. Hence you can record hours of video. Video can be played on your phone via Wifi, or you can insert the SD card into your PC.
Even the video quality is excellent. However, it can only capture a 1080p video, but it is enough for your home. Also, it captures video in night vision mode. That gives you the ability to watch your home 24 x 7. Though we felt that night vision is not that effective if the object is beyond 8 meters. It uses a rechargeable battery, which allows up to 2 hours of videos continuously during day time and 1.5 hours with night vision.
- Can see the camera feed on multiple phones.
- One app can control several cameras.
- No yearly or monthly fees.
- High-quality video.
- It can run continuously for only two hours.
Bottom Line
If you are looking for a hidden camera that conceals itself entirely, and also provide you the footage remotely on your phone, FREDI Hidden Camera does it perfectly.
4. Google Nest Indoor Security – Best For 24X7 Surveillance
We cannot say it is completely hidden. But by having the nest security, it does brings technology and quality. Nest is a popular brand when it comes to home security technology. When you use a Nest security camera, you can connect it with your Nest smart home device. Thus, giving you much better control over the camera and the way you monitor your house.
Another great thing about having Nest is that it connects to other Nest devices like smart lights or fans. This gives you the ability to control different devices remotely. For instance, you see your kid getting into a dark room if the darkroom has smart light, you can switch it on remotely like from your office.
Video quality is excellent as it is 1080p. We were able to even zoom in up to 8x. That is a cool feature to have. However, you will be required to buy a nest subscription to get 24 x 7 live streaming and also cloud storage.
- It can be connected with other nest smart devices.
- With a subscription, you can store unlimited videos.
- You can also hear what’s happening at your house.
- You can zoom up to 8x.
- Need subscription for live streaming and cloud storage.
Bottom Line
If you want hi-tech security watching over your kids and pets, Nest gives you ultimate protection.
5. Mini Wireless Action Cop – Best For Hiding
A good way to make the camera invisible is by making it small. It was one of the smallest cameras that we tested. It is as small as the one square of a Rubik’s cube and operates on a rechargeable battery. Hence, it can be placed where you want.
Another thing that we loved about the camera is that it can rotate 360 degrees. Hence, you can capture every corner of the room. And much like the top hidden nanny cameras we tested, it also captures the video only on motion detection, which is crucial because such small cameras have limited storage and power.
It can store up to 32GB of data on the SD card. After that, you will have to clean the SD card. There is no wireless connectivity; hence you cannot watch the feed live. During our tests, we were able to capture only 80 minutes of footage before the camera ran out of battery. So we don’t recommend this camera for 24X7 surveillance.
- Small compared to other cameras.
- Great video quality.
- Can capture videos in both 1080p and 720p format.
- It captures video only on motion detection.
- No wireless connectivity.
- Battery life too short.
Bottom Line
If you are looking for a camera that you want to use only occasionally but has excellent video quality, the camera is an excellent option to have.
Buyer’s Guide – What To Consider?
The hidden nanny cams are mainly used to keep an eye on the babysitter, kids, or pets in your absence. So you want a camera that is reliable and effective. There are plenty of different types of hidden cameras that can confuse you. So while you go out shopping for the best-hidden nanny cam, consider parameters like video quality, battery, remote accessibility, viewing angle, warranty, and smart capabilities.
Let’s look at them one by one:
1.Video Quality
This is the most crucial factor that you have to consider while buying a good quality cam. With time camera has evolved a lot, even the smallest of the cameras offer 1080p Full HD quality output. The advantage of that quality is that you can see things very clearly. Even resolution 720p will work if you are not willing to spend too much.
Another thing that improves the quality of the video is the colors. There are several cameras like No products found. that capture 12 million colors. The advantage of having such cameras is that you can see even the smallest detail.
When its day time, you may be able to manage with low-resolution videos, but when its night, it is a different game. Even the best of the best cameras fail to provide good quality in night vision mode. And you may want a camera that is good during the day as well as night. Such cameras are hard to find. On our list that matches such requirement with exceptional scores is No products found.. Always check the video quality of the camera for both day and night conditions.
2. Battery
Most of the best-hidden nanny cam would be battery operated. If you plan to run the camera for a long time, you would require a camera with long battery life. Best cells are rechargeable batteries.
So when you are looking for a hidden cam, check if the camera has lithium battery or not. The AES Spy Cameras ACRHD has the best battery among the cameras on our list.
3. Remote Accessibility
The main reason behind installing a hidden nanny cam is to keep an eye on the babysitter, kids, or pets while you are away. What remote accessibility does is it gives you the ability to see a live feed from your house on your phone or any other device. If not live, you may want to know the recording past few hours.
We have to accept there were not many hidden nanny cameras that offered live streaming. Most of them had local storage, which can be accessed from home. But fortunately No products found. and Nest Security Camera are two cameras that offer remote accessibility.
However, you will have to make sure that the WiFi you will use is compatible with the camera. And Nest, like security cameras, required a subscription to live the stream videos over phone or laptop. If you want to know more, always check on the manufacturer’s website.
4. Viewing Angle
Viewing angles mean how full the camera can see. The width of the camera becomes essential if you want to cover a large area with just one camera. A wide-angle is either achieved by a wide lens or by allowing the camera to rotate.
During our tests, we felt a camera that can be rotated is of great advantage. Notably, the camera that can be controlled remotely is much more effective. This gives you an ability to follow someone like your kid or pet. You are not fixed to one angle. Mini Wireless Camera is the one that has a 360-degree viewing angle.
5. Smart Capabilities
You may already own a smart home device and accessories. You may even have a home security system connected to a smart home device like Alexa, Google Home, Nest, etc.
With a hidden camera capable of connecting to smart home devices, you will be able to store and access the videos using smart home devices. Even when your away, you can easily control the camera using the device.
Another great advantage of having a smart home device is that you can control smart devices like smart LED lights etc. This way, you can help your kid or pet when they walk into a dark room, and you are not there to help.
During our tests, not many hidden nanny cameras were smart device compatible. Only Nest Security Camera was Nest compatible. If you want to connect the smart device to your camera, you can go for the Nest.
6. Warranty and Price
Each company has different terms and policies when it comes to warranty. There is no consistent number. Some companies offer one year, and some offer five years. Moreover, not all companies replace the unit in case it malfunctions within the warranty period. Check the warranty section of the seller while buying for more detail.
As far as the price is concerned, you will have from the cheapest to the most expensive. The features may vary depending on the amount. All you have to decide is what your needs are. And how much you are willing to spend to fulfill your needs.
How We Conduct The Tests?
When we were looking for the best nanny hidden cam, we had so many different models to consider. We brought 29 different models of the camera for testing. After 146 hours of testing on parameters like video quality, battery, storage, etc. we were able to get some idea on the ones that work.
To understand more about each model we consulted 14 experts from the home security industry. Their view and knowledge helped us narrow down the list further.
Lastly, we went through several review sites and also managed to talk to the current users to know the experience of average users with each model. Besides, we contacted the brand managers of the models to learn more about the working, manufacturing, and after-sales of the products.
After a lot of testing, evaluation, and consultation, we were able to narrow down the list to five best-hidden nanny cam. Here is the scorecard of these five cams:
Product | Video | Battery | Storage | Overall | Price |
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Mini Wireless Camera | 95.8 | 95.3 | 96.2 | 95.77 | Check Price |
Nest Security Camera | 98.2 | 94.8 | 95.8 | 96.27 | Check Price |
FREDI Hidden Camera | 97.4 | 96.4 | 95.2 | 96.33 | No products found. |
AES Spy Cameras ACRHD | 96.4 | 95.8 | 97.2 | 96.47 | Check Price |
Maximus Video Security | 97.8 | 96.2 | 97.4 | 97.13 | No products found. |
FAQs
1. Is it legal to make a video of the third party entering your house?
As far as the law is concerned, it is legal in all states to record the content of your house. However, making a video of the third party entering your home like a babysitter, you are obliged to inform him or her about the hidden camera. If he or she agrees, you can install the camera. But there is a restriction on where you can install the camera. There is no way you can install the camera in the bathroom or bedroom of your babysitter. When it comes to recording the voices, not all states allow you to record the sounds. Even if you do, in case of criminal activity, the recording won’t be possible as proof.
It would be better to check the law of your states when it comes to installing a hidden nanny camera in your house.
2. Should I tell the babysitter about the hidden camera or not?
As the law states, you are obliged to inform the third party about the hidden camera. Telling about the camera is also has its advantages. At least your babysitter will be aware that you are watching him or her. If the person is not okay with you keeping an eye via camera, that means a person is not trustworthy, and you must avoid hiring the person.
Final Thought
The security of your house and loved ones is your responsibility. You cannot compromise on the quality of it. Only the best systems will be able to defend your home. So make sure you go for only the best and trustworthy models. You don’t have to get the most expensive one. Looking at your requirement, choose the best one that fulfills it. We have tried to give every information on the nanny cams through our reviews and buyer’s guide. We are sure after going through our post; you will be able to choose the right cam for your home.
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