I’ve never bought a standalone “baby monitor” camera. Instead, I’ve always used regular home security cameras, which have worked well across the various apartments and houses we’ve lived in across the U.S. since becoming parents.
If you’re looking for a more flexible, budget-friendly alternative to traditional baby monitors, using home security cameras with SD cards has been the most reliable and cost-effective solution for our family.
TP-Link 2K Camera
These are the cameras I currently use for my toddler and older kids. I ended up replacing most of our Wyze cams with these. I use them for everything—from keeping an eye on the kids to spotting deer in the backyard. The video quality is great, and the app is reliable. I still use microSD cards with them, just like I did with my Wyze setup.
- 2024 PCMag Editor’s Choice: Praised for its outstanding value, delivering sharp 2K resolution and a comprehensive featur…
- Compact, Versatile, Weatherproof: The Tapo C120 is a compact camera suitable for indoor and outdoor use, featuring an IP…
- Magnetic Base for Flexible Mounting: Easily attach the C120 camera to any metal surface with its magnetic base. Versatil…
Wyze v3
I used this camera for years without paying for a subscription. Instead, I relied on microSD cards and streamed footage directly through the mobile app. It’s a simple setup without the paid features, but it works reliably. I currently keep one camera active for my front door, and I passed my older Wyze cams to my parents — they’re still working great. These worked great but, I just have my own personal preferences. If I would purchase these again I’d opt for the v4 since it is newer.
- Motion & Sound Detection: Wyze Cam sends an alert to your phone when baby is crying. 24/7 Continuous video recording wit…
- Indoor/Outdoor: Wyze Cam v3 is a wired video camera with an IP65 rating so you can confidently install it outside in the…
- 2-Way Talk: Wyze Cam now comes with simultaneous 2-way communication. Let your baby hear the sound of your voice no matt…
- 【2.5K QHD Resolution Security Camera】 – Elevate your monitoring with our security cameras featuring Quad High-Definition…
- 【Indoor/Outdoor Versatility】 – Engineered for durability with IP65 weather resistance, Wyze Cam v4 is an ideal security …
- 【Enhanced Color Night Vision】 -Whether it’s night or day, see everything in vivid color and clarity with this indoor cam…
Amazon Cloud Camera – (No Longer Manufactured)
This was the first camera I used to monitor my oldest child. It served its purpose, but eventually, I needed to upgrade when it became end of life.
Patriot Memory Memory Card 32GB
There are larger storage options available, but 32GB works well for me since I only need to review footage from a short timeframe.
- 32GB Micro SD Card 5-pack bulk easy to open packaging
- Class 10, UHS-1 performance allows fast and smooth continuous shooting, multiple frames per second and full HD video cap…
- Fast performance minimizes photo and video transfer times to your computer
Going forward I would purchase the larger versions. It’s not really an inconvenience today because I don’t need footage retained for a long period of time but, given memory prices have gotten cheaper over time I would make the investment if I already didn’t have a stock pile.
- 128GB Card Micro SD 2-Pack
- Class 10, UHS-1 performance allows fast and smooth continuous shooting, multiple frames per second and full HD video cap…
- Fast performance minimizes photo and video transfer times to your computer
Affiliate Disclosure: This blog contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase—at no extra cost to you. I only share products I personally use and trust unless otherwise noted. This site is a personal project, and I update it with tips and tools that have helped me on my own journey.