Updated October 2026
The best baby monitor for you depends on one question first: do you want Wi-Fi or not? A non-Wi-Fi monitor links the camera straight to a handheld parent unit, so it's private and simple. A Wi-Fi or "smart" monitor streams to your phone and adds sleep tracking, breathing or health alerts. Hybrid monitors give you both. Below we compare six baby monitors we sell at Baby Little Planet, from a straightforward VTech to the Owlet Dream Duo 3 with its TGA-approved Dream Sock.
Quick picks
- Best non-Wi-Fi monitor: VTech BM5250N, a private 2.4GHz FHSS link with a 5" screen and up to 17 hours of video monitoring per charge.
- Best hybrid (parent unit + app): VTech RM5764HD, a 1080p pan and tilt camera that works out of the box and adds phone viewing when you want it.
- Best for cry detection: Maxi-Cosi See Pro, with CryAssist and a 2K camera.
- Best for sleep tracking: Nanit Pro, with an overhead 1080p view and breathing motion monitoring through Breathing Wear.
- Best AI safety alerts: CuboAi Smart Baby Monitor 3, with covered-face and rollover alerts.
- Best for health readings: Owlet Dream Duo 3, pairing the Dream Sock (pulse rate and oxygen level) with a 2K camera.
Baby monitors compared
| Nanit Pro | Owlet Dream Duo 3 | CuboAi Smart Baby Monitor 3 | Maxi-Cosi See Pro | VTech RM5764HD | VTech BM5250N | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | App-only smart monitor | Smart sock + app camera | App-only smart monitor | Parent unit + app | Parent unit + app | Parent unit only |
| Needs Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes (2.4GHz) | Yes (2.4/5GHz) | For app only | For app only | No |
| Parent unit | No, phone/tablet | No, phone + base station | No, phone | 5" 720p | 5" 720p | 5" colour |
| Camera | 1080p overhead | 2K HD, 130° | 2.5K QHD, 135° | Ultra HD 2K, pan/tilt/zoom | 1080p, pan/tilt | Colour, tilt, digital zoom |
| Breathing / health | Breathing motion with Breathing Wear | Pulse rate and oxygen (Dream Sock) | Covered-face and rollover alerts | Cry detection (CryAssist) | Motion alerts | Sound alerts |
| Room sensors | Temperature, humidity | Temperature, humidity | Temperature, humidity | Temperature, humidity | Temperature | Temperature |
| Two-way talk | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Subscription | 1 year Insights included | Not required | 1 year Care Premium included | Optional cloud storage | Free VTech app | None |
Specs are from each brand's product information. Some smart features need the brand's app or a subscription after the included period.
Wi-Fi, non-Wi-Fi or hybrid: which type do you need?
- Non-Wi-Fi (parent unit only): the camera talks directly to the parent unit. There's no app, no account and nothing to hack over the internet, and it works the moment you plug it in. The trade-off is range: you can only watch within the house.
- Hybrid: a dedicated parent unit for the nursery, plus an app for when you're out or a grandparent is babysitting. If the Wi-Fi drops, the parent unit keeps working.
- Smart (app-only): your phone is the screen. You get the most data (sleep stats, video history, alerts), but your phone is your monitor all night.
VTech BM5250N: best non-Wi-Fi baby monitor
The VTech BM5250N is a classic video and audio monitor. It uses 2.4GHz FHSS technology for a secure connection without interference, and the 5" full-colour parent unit runs up to 17 hours of active video monitoring on a charge. The camera has vertical tilt, auto night vision, digital zoom and a night light, and there's a temperature sensor with alerts, two-way talkback and nine soothing sounds and lullabies. Auto Wake-up mode turns the screen off when it's quiet to save battery, and you get lost-link and low-battery alerts. There's also a two-camera BM5250N pack.
Watch for: there's no phone viewing, and the camera tilts but doesn't pan, so place it to cover the whole cot.
VTech RM5764HD: best hybrid baby monitor
The VTech RM5764HD gives you both worlds. In Direct Connect Mode the 1080p camera links straight to the 5" 720p parent unit with no set-up. Switch on App Connect Mode and it also streams to the free VTech app, so you can check in from work. The camera has motorised pan and tilt, wide-angle viewing, automatic night vision, 8x local and 10x remote digital zoom. You get motion and temperature alerts on both the parent unit and the app, 10-second motion clips saved to the camera, and up to 15 hours of active monitoring from the parent unit. It comes in single and twin camera packs, with single cam, split screen or patrol viewing.
Watch for: there's no breathing or health tracking. It's a high-quality video monitor, not a sleep tracker.
Maxi-Cosi See Pro: best for cry detection
The Maxi-Cosi See Pro is a hybrid monitor built around CryAssist, which detects your baby's cries, notifies you in real time and offers soothing guidance. Sound alerts focus on real cries rather than background noise. The Ultra HD 2K camera has remote pan, tilt and 4x zoom with night vision up to 10 metres. You get a 5" parent screen on a secure FHSS link and phone viewing over 2.4GHz or 5GHz Wi-Fi. Streaming is AES 128-bit encrypted, with temperature and humidity monitoring, two-way audio, lullabies and white noise.
Watch for: recording needs an SD card (not included) or optional cloud storage.
Nanit Pro: best for sleep tracking
The Nanit Pro mounts above the cot for a 1080p bird's-eye view, day or night, on your phone, tablet, Kindle Fire or Echo Show. Its strength is sleep data: each morning you get your baby's sleep stats and a time-lapse of the night, plus guidance from paediatric sleep experts. With the included Breathing Band, Nanit tracks breathing motion from the pattern on the fabric, with no electronics touching your baby. It also has two-way audio, background audio, sound and motion notifications, temperature and humidity monitoring, 256-bit encryption and two-factor authentication. One year of Nanit Insights is included. Mount it on a wall mount, Flex Stand or floor stand.
Watch for: there's no separate parent unit, and sleep tracking and video history continue on a subscription after the first year.
CuboAi Smart Baby Monitor 3: best AI safety alerts
The CuboAi Smart Baby Monitor 3 uses AI to send alerts for a covered face, rollover, cries and coughs, and lets you set danger zones around the cot. The 2.5K QHD camera has a 135° wide-angle lens and 940nm infrared night vision, so there's no visible red light. You also get temperature and humidity detection, two-way audio, a built-in night light, sleep analytics, daily highlights and 3 full days of video playback. Wi-Fi works on 2.4GHz or 5GHz, and the floor stand set includes a mobile stand for travel. One year of CuboAi Care Premium is included.
Watch for: several AI features sit under CuboAi Care Premium, and you need a phone on iOS 14 or Android 12 or newer.
Owlet Dream Duo 3: best for health readings
The Owlet Dream Duo 3 pairs the Dream Sock with the Dream Sight 2K HD camera. The Dream Sock tracks your baby's live pulse rate and oxygen level and alerts you through the app and base station if readings move outside preset ranges. It is approved by Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration and listed on the ARTG (#509485). It suits babies from birth to 18 months, 2.5 to 13.6kg. The camera adds night vision, a 130° lens, 4x digital zoom, temperature and humidity monitoring and two-way talk. No subscription is required.
Watch for: the sock needs charging (up to 16 hours of battery life), and it isn't intended to diagnose or treat any condition.
Which baby monitor should you choose?
- You want simple and private, no app: VTech BM5250N.
- You want a parent unit at home and phone viewing when out: VTech RM5764HD or Maxi-Cosi See Pro.
- You want to understand your baby's sleep: Nanit Pro.
- You want covered-face and rollover alerts: CuboAi Smart Baby Monitor 3.
- You want pulse rate and oxygen readings: Owlet Dream Duo 3.
- You have two children in different rooms: a two-camera VTech pack, or add cameras to an app-based system.
A note on safe sleep
Red Nose states there is no scientific evidence that any type of monitor prevents sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI), and recommends home breathing or movement monitors only under medical advice. A monitor is a helpful extra pair of eyes, not a replacement for safe sleep. Always place your baby on their back to sleep and follow the Red Nose safe sleep recommendations.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best baby monitor in Australia?
It depends on how you want to watch. For a private monitor with no Wi-Fi or app, the VTech BM5250N is a simple choice. For a parent unit plus phone viewing, look at the VTech RM5764HD or Maxi-Cosi See Pro. For app-based smart monitoring with sleep tracking, the Nanit Pro and CuboAi 3 lead, and the Owlet Dream Duo 3 adds a TGA-approved sock that tracks pulse rate and oxygen level.
Do baby monitors need Wi-Fi?
No. Non-Wi-Fi monitors like the VTech BM5250N link the camera directly to a parent unit over a 2.4GHz FHSS connection. You only need Wi-Fi if you want to watch on your phone or away from home. Hybrid monitors such as the VTech RM5764HD do both.
Are Wi-Fi baby monitors safe?
They can be, if you set them up carefully. CHOICE recommends a unique camera login that is different from your Wi-Fi password, and keeping the camera firmware and app up to date. Choose a brand that encrypts its video stream. Nanit, Owlet and Maxi-Cosi all state encryption for the models here.
Do baby monitors prevent SIDS?
No. Red Nose states there is no scientific evidence that any type of monitor prevents sudden unexpected death in infancy, and that home breathing or movement monitors are only recommended under medical advice. A monitor can be reassuring, but it does not replace safe sleep: always place your baby on their back to sleep.
Where should I put the baby monitor camera?
CHOICE suggests mounting the camera high and angled down so there are no blind spots, and not pointing it at windows or bright lights. Keep the camera and its power cord well out of your baby's reach and never in or on the cot, and follow the minimum distance in your monitor's instructions.
Can I add a second camera to my baby monitor?
Often, yes, but check first. A twin-camera pack is not always the same as an expandable system. VTech sells two-camera versions of the BM5250N and RM5764HD, and the RM5764HD parent unit can show one camera, split screen or patrol mode. The Oricom OBH36T supports up to 4 cameras on its parent unit and more in the app.
See them at Baby Little Planet
Browse our full range of baby monitors online, from Uniden and Oricom to Beaba and Ergopouch Drift, or visit our Hoppers Crossing store to see them in person and ask our team which one suits your home.
