Today’s best budget dash cams offer 1080p or even 4K video, while also packing GPS, voice control and even secondary cameras for the interior too – and still sell for under $100
Some of today’s best dash cams can cost hundreds and even require a monthly subscription to get the most out of them. But this isn’t always the case, and there are plenty of examples for under $200 and even under $100. Despite their low prices, they still pack Full HD video, and sometimes even record in 4K.
Others have a second camera for filming to the rear of your car (or the interior, making them great for taxi drivers), and some come with features like GPS, speed camera alerts and voice control. Almost all offer a parking mode, where they start recording the moment a collision is detected.
There’s a wide range of dash cams available in this price range, and even a handful from big-name brands like Nextbase, Thinkware, and Garmin too. It’s even possible to pick up a dash cam with GPS or even 4K video recording for less than $100.
This guide includes eight dash cams from a wide range of brands and, while their core functions are universal, they differ considerably when it comes to their design and extra features. It’s also worth noting we have tried out every single one of the models featured in this guide.
Which one you choose will depend on your exact circumstances, but we hope the selection here demonstrates just what’s available in this section of the dash cam market.
Alistair Charlton
Alistair has been a journalist since 2011 and used to be Deputy Technology Editor at IBTimes in London. His specialist tech subjects include smart home gadgets, phones, wearables, tablets and dashcams. He is the host of The AutoChat Podcast
Best budget dash cam overall Another compact dash cam with Full HD video, good low light performance and the option of adding GPS for speed camera warnings and more. Read more
Best compact budget dash cam Another compact dash cam with Full HD video, good low light performance and the option of adding GPS for speed camera warnings and more. Read more
Best with rear cam
A sub-$100 dash cam with Full HD recording to the front and 720p video to the rear thanks to a weather resistant secondary camera. Read more
Best with interior cam
Dual Full HD cameras promise 1080p recordings forwards and of the interior, making this simple dash cam perfect for taxi drivers Read more
Best 4K on a budget
A great-value 4K dash cam with useful extras like GPS for speed and location data, Wi-Fi video transfers and even a generously-sized touchscreen display. Read more
Best for features
A feature-packed dash cam that records in 1080p with HDR, plus it has voice control, GPS, speed camera warnings and optional cloud storage (subscription required). Read more
Why you can trust Digital Camera World
Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out how we test.
Video quality: Full HD 1920 x 1080 with HDR at 30 fps
Viewing angle: 140 degrees
Integrated GPS: : No
Screen: No
Reasons to buy
+
Very compact design and simple mount
+
1080p Full HD with HDR
+
Voice control
Reasons to avoid
-
No screen for viewing footage directly
-
Slightly over $100 budget
We admit we’ve gone slightly over budget here, but we think this is the very best compact dash cam available anywhere today. The Mini 2 uses Garmin’s wonderfully simple and compact windscreen mounting system, which takes up just a coin’s worth of space, and is incredibly compact.
Despite the size, the Mini 2 still packs a punch, with a Full HD resolution at 30 frames per second, a 140-degree lens, and HDR to help balance exposure in especially bright and dark environments.
This is key, given how the primary function of a dash cam is to clearly show details like vehicle registration plates and road signs. A Wi-Fi connection means videos are automatically uploaded to Garmin’s cloud storage service when an internet connection is detected.
Integrated GPS: : No, but antenna available separately
Screen: No
Reasons to buy
+
Wide, 140-degree lens
+
Lack of display makes for a compact design
Reasons to avoid
-
No integrated GPS
-
Frame rate could be higher
Thinkware is a top brand in the dash cam sector, and the F70 is one of its most compact, and affordable, options to date. This forwards-facing camera features a 2.1MP CMOS sensor that records Full HD (1920 x 1080) footage at 30 frames per second.
The lens is 140 degrees, which isn’t the widest we’ve seen but is still roughly par for the course in the sub-$100 end of the market. Like most dash cams, there is no battery. Instead, a supercapacitor holds enough charge to ensure footage is saved and the camera switches off correctly when it is unplugged or the car is switched off.
Additional features include a parking mode (which requires the optional hardwiring kit, sold separately) and there’s a port for adding Thinkware’s GPS antenna.
Another big-hitting brand in the dash cam market, Nextbase’s 222 pairs a Full HD imaging sensor with a six-layer glass lens for impressive video quality for the price. We especially like the quick-release magnetic mounting system, as used by all Nextbase products.
This makes it easy to remove the dash cam and switch it between vehicles, while the 2.5-inch display is handy for getting the dash cam’s position just right, and viewing recorded footage. If you don’t like the lack of screens on the Thinkware F70 and Garmin Mini 2 above, this could be the dash cam for you.
There’s also infrared night vision and a parking mode, although as with all dash cams in this article, a hardwiring kit (sold separately) is required to enable that feature.
Best budget front and rear dash cam
(Image credit: Alistair Charlton / Digital Camera World)
Another dual camera system, but this time priced at just $80 (and sometimes even lower in Amazon’s sales), the Kingslim D1 records in 1080p Full HD forwards and 720p HD rearwards.
Crucially, both cameras have wide-angle lenses, with 140 degrees at the rear and an impressive 170 degrees at the front. We think this is a great addition, as it means your footage will include the areas to the side of your front fenders, as well as dead-ahead.
There’s also a wide dynamic range and, unlike most other dash cams in this price range, integrated GPS. This adds speed and location information to your recordings, which could prove crucial if you need to prove you were driving below the speed limit in the event of an accident.
Power supply: 12V (optional hardwiring cable sold separately)
Wi-Fi: No
GPS: No (sold separately)
4G: No
Parking mode: Yes (hardwiring required)
Subscription: No
Reasons to buy
+
Interior view useful for taxi drivers
+
Full HD from both angles
+
Easy to set up and use
Reasons to avoid
-
No GPS
-
Front camera only 1080p when interior camera used
-
Suction cup is quite large
It might not be the most attractive dash cam around – in fact, it certainly is not – but the Kingslim N2 Pro is a great way to add front and interior recording to your car on a budget. Much like far pricier alternatives such as the Garmin Dash Cam Tandem, the N2 Pro has a camera pointing in both directions, and impressively they both record in 1080p Full HD.
This makes it a great option for taxi and Uber drivers on a budget – you can read our dedicated guide to rideshare dash cams here – while also having the option of adding GPS via Vantrue’s windscreen mount sold separately.
Plus, when you don’t need the interior view, the front camera can record at 2.5K resolution, also known as 1440p, at 30 frames per second. Or you can set it to shoot Full HD at 60 fps – something hardly any dash cams offer, especially at this price point.
There’s a lot we like here, once you look past the somewhat clunky design of course, but we wish the suction cup were a bit smaller, as it and the mount that attaches to the dash cam itself take up quite a lot of space.
Best budget 4K dash cam
(Image credit: Alistair Charlton / Digital Camera World)
Another option from Kingslim, and this time a budget dash cam that records in 4K. Not only that, but the D4 even includes GPS (for adding speed and location information to your recordings) and Wi-Fi, making it quick and easy to transfer videos from the dash cam to your smartphone.
This kit also includes a weatherproof rear camera. Unlike most others, this is designed to be fitted to the outside of your car, such as above the rear number plate, instead of to the rear screen with a suction cup.
We found video quality isn’t quite what buyers might hope for from 4K resolution, but the results are still pretty sharp, with a decent amount of detail during the day and at night.
Power supply: 12V via USB (OBD for constant power available separately)
Wi-Fi: Yes
GPS: Yes
4G: No
Parking mode: Yes (hardwiring or OBD cable required)
Subscription: Vault cloud storage available as an option
Reasons to buy
+
Compact design
+
Full HD video with HDR
+
GPS
Reasons to avoid
-
Cheaper options available
-
Driver assistance features can annoy
Garmin makes some of the very best dash cams we have ever used. And while it’s not quite in the same league as the flagship 67W, the company’s cheaper Dash Cam 47 is a fantastic product for a great price. Although remarkably compact, the 47 shoots in Full HD with HDR, has Wi-Fi for easy video transfer to your phone, has GPS for location and speed data, and there’s a parking mode available if you pick up Garmin’s OBD cable for a constant supply of power.
This is also one of very few budget dash cams to offer a cloud storage service. Called Vault, this works with all Garmin dash cams and means recordings of incidents will be automatically uploaded to the cloud (using the dash cam’s Wi-Fi connection to your phone) right after a collision is detected. Vault is priced from £4.99 a month and footage is held online for seven days before it is deleted, giving you time to view and download it. All that said, the 47 also records directly to a microSD card like all other dash cams.
We also like the Garmin’s voice control system, which is reliable and works quickly, and in testing we have round the company’s windscreen mounts are among the very best. Instead of a huge suction cup, Garmin dash cams snap magnetically to a coin-sized magnet that sticks to the screen and takes up very little space.
Lastly, this dash cam even offers optional driver assistance and safety functions, including forward collision and lane departure warnings, speed camera alerts, and a handy notification that pings if you’ve not noticed the vehicle ahead has started moving.
Other options
(Image credit: Nextbase)
8. Nextbase 122
Specifications
Cameras: Front
Resolution: 720p
Frame rate: 30fps
Dimensions: 52 x 80 x 45mm
Screen: 2in
Power supply: 12V (optional hardwiring cable sold separately)
Wi-Fi: No
GPS: No
4G: No
Parking mode: Yes (hardwiring required)
Subscription: No
Reasons to buy
+
Low price
+
Parking mode
+
Simple to use
Reasons to avoid
-
Not Full HD
-
Lacks GPS
-
Performs poorly at night
And finally…the 122 is an entry-level dash cam from Nextbase. It only offers 720p HD instead of 1080p Full HD, but it still produces decent footage especially during the daytime. It’s a nicely designed product with a stable magnetic mount on the front and a 2in screen on the rear for adjusting settings and viewing recordings.
There’s also a parking mode that ramps up the G-force sensor and makes sure the camera is ready to spring into life and start recording the moment a parking prang is detected. As with other dash cams, this function requires a hardwiring kit to draw power from the car’s 12V battery when the ignition is switched off.
This dash cam lacks features like GPS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and there’s no support for voice control either, or driver assist functions. But if you want a simple dash cam that is cheap, compact and simply does the job of saving footage when a collision is detected, the Nextbase 122 is still worth your consideration.
How to choose the best budget dash cam
Naturally, price is a key factor when choosing the best budget dash cam. And since these models tend to offer fewer features than more expensive versions, video quality is also vitally important; ultimately, your task as the buyer is to pick the dash cam that strikes the best balance between price and picture quality.
Design may also play a part, but instead of the dash cam’s aesthetics we recommend you focus on the size of the product and whether it will fit discreetly in your car. A dash cam should ideally be fitted behind the central mirror, where it is neatly hidden from view and can’t distract the driver, but also where its buttons (especially the one to manually save video) are comfortably within reach.
If your budget stretches a little further, GPS and Wi-Fi are useful extra features. The former adds speed, location and direction data to video recordings, while the latter makes it quick and easy to transfer footage from the dash cam to your phone, instead of removing the memory card and using a computer.
How we choose the best budget dash cam
We chose the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 as our favorite budget dash cam. This is because it is incredibly compact, while also recording in Full HD and having useful extra features like GPS and voice control.
Some buyers will prefer a dash cam with a display on the back, for viewing footage, setting up the device, or for seeing speed camera warnings and other driver assistance alerts. But, speaking personally here, I prefer a dash cam to distract me as little as possible, so awarded the top spot to the Mini 2.
How we test budget dash cams
Before we write a review or include a dash cam in a buying guide like this one, the product is installed in a car and used for several days. This includes daytime and nighttime driving, and during that time we will try out all of its features, and even dig into the settings menu and decide on the best way to set everything up. For example, a dash cam sometimes produces better quality video with a higher frame rate and a lower resolution.
This being a test of budget dash cams, we paid close attention to their value for money. Instead of being drawn to the most expensive dash cam with the most features and the highest-resolution video, this was a lesson in bang-for-buck, where points were scored by the dash cams that produced the best video and provided the best user experience at the most attractive price.
Commonly asked questions
What is the most important feature of a budget dash cam?
The answer to this one has to be video quality. This is the core function of any dash cam, and since budget models might not offer much else, their video quality has to be the center of attention.
Almost every model in this guide shoots at 1080p Full HD, which is usually plenty sharp enough for dash cam footage. Models that record at 720p, known as regular HD, can still work, but their nighttime footage generally suffers as a result. At the other end of the scale, some of today’s budget dash cams can record at 1440p (sometimes known as 2K resolution) or even 4K.
Are 4K dash cams worth the extra cost?
As tempting as it is, try not to be drawn in by claims of 4K. Because, while the footage might technically be that resolution, it will not look anything like the 4K footage you’re used to seeing on TV. The size and quality of the image sensor is equally important, along with the dash cam’s low-light abilities.
The best way to determine good video quality from a dash cam is to look at details like vehicle plates and road markings. Are they clear and legible? If so, then that dash cam should be worthy of your consideration. Sometimes even models shooting in 4K struggle to produce sharp video, especially in challenging lighting conditions.
Can budget dash cams be hardwired?
Yes. Almost every single dash cam can be hardwired. This usually involves buying a separate wiring kit that connects the dash cam to the fuse box of your car, giving it a constant source of power from the 12-volt battery (a common component of all cars, including petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric). This ensures the dash cam keeps running when the car is switched off, at which point the dash cam’s parking mode kicks into life.
Some dash cams can be plugged into the vehicle’s OBD-II port, which is also an industry-standard connection and is usually found in the cabin. Hardwiring (or using an OBD cable) is a great idea if you want to use the parking mode of a dash cam, or you want a neater installation than a cable untidily plugged into a USB port.
What is more important, resolution or frame rate?
There is no certain answer here, but it is worth digging into the settings of your dash cam and seeing what resolution and frame rate options are available. Some models will lower the resolution (from 1440p to 1080p, for example) and increase the frame rate (usually from 30 fps to 60 fps). While the lower resolution might seem like a step backwards, a higher frame rate generally adds smoothness and makes it easier to see details when footage is paused. This could be crucial when trying to read a road sign or vehicle registration plate. We recommend experimenting with your dash cam to see what setup works best for you.
Alistair has been a journalist since 2011 and used to be Deputy Technology Editor at IBTimes in London. His specialist tech subjects include smart home gadgets, phones, wearables, tablets and dashcams. He is the host of The AutoChat Podcast.
