Compare monitors
The best Nanit alternatives in 2026
By Nir Orman, founder of No Worries ·
The short answer
Nanit is a crib video monitor built around sleep. If sleep tracking is what you want, Owlet and Cubo AI are its closest rivals, and a phone app like Cloud Baby Monitor is the budget pick. If you want to hear about it when something at home needs your attention while someone else looks after your child, No Worries is built for that, and it runs on a spare phone you already own.
We make No Worries, so read this with that in mind. We've tried to be fair about where each product is the better choice.
How they compare
| Feature | No Worries | Nanit | Owlet | Cubo AI | Cloud Baby Monitor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | App that listens to your home and alerts you | Overhead crib video monitor | Video monitor plus a sock Owlet says tracks heart rate and oxygen | Crib video monitor with AI alerts | App that turns two phones or tablets into a monitor |
| Hardware | None, uses a spare phone | About $290 to $300 | About $380 for the Dream Duo | About $170 to $300 | None, uses devices you own |
| Subscription | $29.99 a month or $299.99 a year | Optional, reported around $100 a year for insights | Optional, Owlet360 listed at $99.99 a year | Optional, $49.99 to $79.99 a year | None, about $7 once |
| Video | No, audio only by design | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Covers | The rooms the phone can hear | The crib | The crib and the baby wearing the sock | The crib | Wherever you put the device |
| Built for | Days and evenings with a caregiver | Sleep tracking | Sleep and vitals | Sleep and crib safety alerts | Watching and listening yourself |
Prices are in US dollars, from each company's site or major retail listings in November 2026. They change often and go on sale, so check before you buy.
When each one fits
- Nanit if you want the best-known sleep tracker and a clear overhead view of the crib.
- Owlet if you want a sock that Owlet says tracks heart rate and oxygen, alongside video.
- Cubo AI if you want AI alerts in the crib with a cheaper plan than Nanit's insights.
- Cloud Baby Monitor if you want the cheapest setup and you're happy to watch and listen yourself.
- No Worries if a grandparent, babysitter or au pair is looking after your child and you want to hear about it if something needs your attention, without watching a feed.
What makes No Worries different
Crib monitors focus on the crib and on sleep. No Worries is built around a different question: what's happening at home while you're away?
- No new hardware. Install it on a spare phone, plug it in and leave it in the room.
- More than the crib. We tested it in a 250 m² two-story home, with the child and the phone on different floors. Range depends on your home.
- Alerts, not a feed. You hear from us when there's prolonged crying, a loud noise, or four hours of unbroken quiet. Raised-voice alerts are in early testing. Otherwise, you get on with your day.
- A summary of the day. When you get home, you can see how the day went at a glance.
- No camera. Audio only, so no one is on video.
What it doesn't do: there's no video, no sleep analytics and no breathing or vitals monitoring. It isn't a medical device, and no monitor replaces safe-sleep practices or a trusted adult in the room.
Questions
Is there a Nanit alternative without a subscription?
Yes. Phone apps such as Cloud Baby Monitor are a one-time purchase and run on phones and tablets you already own. Nanit itself streams live video without a plan, and its sleep insights need one. No Worries is a subscription.
Can I use an old phone as a baby monitor?
Yes. Keep it plugged in and on Wi-Fi, and place it where it can hear the room. Apps like Cloud Baby Monitor stream sound and video to you. No Worries listens for you and sends an alert only when something needs your attention.
Do I have to tell my caregiver about a monitor?
Video and audio recording follow different laws, and the audio rules vary by state. In many states the safest course is to tell your caregiver and get their agreement first. This isn't legal advice. Our recording laws guide covers your state, and this post on telling your babysitter has the exact words to use.
Does No Worries replace a crib monitor?
No. It has no video, no sleep analytics and no vitals, and it isn't a medical device. A crib monitor watches the crib. No Worries listens to the home while someone else looks after your child, so some families use both.
Sources
Nanit, Owlet, Cubo AI and Cloud Baby Monitor are trademarks of their owners. No Worries isn't affiliated with or endorsed by any of them.