The best baby monitor apps

Two phones make a baby monitor for a few dollars. The apps differ more than they seem, though: some go through servers and work anywhere, others stay on your Wi-Fi; some are a one-off purchase, others a subscription.

Updated
Who wrote this: we make Mamoon, so we're not neutral. That's why every app has sources, and Mamoon's row shows where it's weaker or more expensive.
In short
  • Cheapest one-off: Baby Monitor 3G ($7.99) and Cloud Baby Monitor ($6.99) are a single purchase.
  • Anywhere, no setup: Bibino and Annie work over the internet, so you can watch from work. They need an account.
  • No cloud, no account: Mamoon, Dormi (Android only) and Cloud Baby Monitor stay on your home Wi-Fi.
  • A Wi-Fi camera with night vision instead of a phone: Mamoon (Tapo, Hikvision, Dahua, Imou and others with RTSP).
  • Telling a cry from other sounds: Mamoon (cry, fussing, other sounds, three levels); Dormi says it detects crying.

Side by side

AppPriceWhere video goesAccountPlatformsRatings
Mamoon30 days free, then $3.99/month or $24.99/yearhome Wi-Fi only, no servernoiPhone, iPad, Android; Wi-Fi camerasnot in the stores yet
Bibinofree audio only; Premium $5.99/month, $39.99/yearthrough Bibino's servers (Wi-Fi and mobile data)yesiOS, Android, Mac, desktopApp Store 4.6 (796), Google Play 4.6
Baby Monitor 3Gone-off $7.99, bought per platformWi-Fi and mobile data, encryptednoiOS, Android, Mac, Apple TVApp Store 4.7 (2,166), Google Play 4.4
Annie3-day trial, then $12.99/month, $64.99/year, $149.99 lifetimeover the internetyesiOS, Android, Mac, Apple TV, Watch, desktopApp Store 4.4 (2,507), Google Play 4.4
Dormi4 free hours a month, then a subscription or lifetime licenseWi-Fi at home, otherwise relay servers; end-to-end encryptednoAndroid onlyGoogle Play 4.0, 1M+ downloads
Cloud Baby Monitorone-off $6.99 (iOS)home Wi-Fi only by default; optional anywherenot statediOS, Android, Mac, Apple TV, WatchApp Store 4.8 (18,007)

Prices and ratings from the US App Store, Google Play and the apps' websites as of September 28, 2026. Prices change; see sources.

How to choose

You want to watch from anywhere

Pick an app that works over the internet: Bibino, Annie or Baby Monitor 3G. Expect the video to go through their infrastructure, and Bibino and Annie need an account. Mamoon works away from home only through the Tailscale VPN.

You want the video to stay at home

Mamoon, Dormi and Cloud Baby Monitor send video over your home Wi-Fi by default. Mamoon and Dormi need no account and work without the internet.

You want to pay once

Baby Monitor 3G and Cloud Baby Monitor are one-off purchases and over time cost less than any subscription, Mamoon's included.

You want to see in the dark

Phones have no infrared light. Mamoon can use a cheap Wi-Fi camera with night vision as the camera, such as a TP-Link Tapo C200 for about $25–35. How to set it up.

You want to be woken only by crying

Most apps alert on sound level. Mamoon tells crying and fussing apart from a dog, a door or voices on the phone itself, and you choose what should wake you.

Where Mamoon is weaker

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free baby monitor app?

None of them is fully free with video. Bibino is free for audio only and Dormi for 4 hours a month. Mamoon is free for 30 days, then $3.99 a month or $24.99 a year.

Which baby monitor app works without the internet?

Mamoon and Dormi work over your home Wi-Fi even when the internet is down. Cloud Baby Monitor also uses only your home Wi-Fi by default. Bibino and Annie need the internet.

Can I use a Wi-Fi camera instead of a phone?

With Mamoon, yes: it supports RTSP cameras such as TP-Link Tapo, Hikvision, Dahua and Imou, including night vision and pan/tilt.

Are phone baby monitor apps safe?

It depends on where the video goes. Internet-based apps route data through servers; Bibino's FAQ says some data is stored there. Mamoon keeps video on your home Wi-Fi and has no account.

A video baby monitor you already own

Mamoon turns an old phone or a Wi-Fi camera into a baby monitor. It recognizes a cry by itself, wakes you even with the nursery sound muted, and the picture never leaves your Wi-Fi.

Want to know when Mamoon is out?

30 days free, then $3.99 a month or $24.99 a year · coming soon to Google Play and the App Store · How Mamoon works