GoPro is a famous name, but you can now find more affordable, more interesting – or simply better – equivalents of the famous action cameras that have become a household name. GoPro isn't the only brand making cameras that are tough, tiny, waterproof, and capable of capturing high-quality stills and videos. A number of challengers have entered the arena.
This is a guide to the best alternatives based on quality (we already think GoPro have lost ground to competitors here), on value (there are definitely cheaper options), and on some cool alternatives that might better serve you. Have you considered the extra benefits of gimbal camera for stability? Or a 360-degree action camera? (We've got a full guide to the best 360-degree cameras, but the best one which serves as an action camera too is right here on this list).
I've tried many (and my colleagues all) of the cameras on this list, and all the models on here are ones we think are one hundred percent worth their asking price (in the right circumstances), and I'll explain why. You can save a bundle here compared to the asking price of a GoPro, and/or give yourself a whole lot more functionality (and perhaps end up with content that stands out ahead of the pack).
Adam has been obsessed with looking at cameras and gadgets for his whole life. He's collected action cams since the early days of GoPro, often to attach them to drones. (He's our drone expert, and written several bestselling books including The Drone Pilot's Handbook). He also owns and travels with a 360-degree camera, and tests as many as he can get his hands on!
The Quick List
With a bigger image sensor and similar housing, the Osmo Action 5 is, for most, a better choice than a GoPro. The stabilized 4K video is stunning, the app is free, and it can take more rough, tumble and extremes for less.
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For a value GoPro alternative, this offers 4K and 6-axis stabilization and phone control that gets the job done for a significantly lower asking price.
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See in every direction so you can't miss the action, and don't aim the camera until you get home – that's the idea, and it's well worth considering, especially with Insta360's excellent apps.
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With the option of shooting in up to 8K, a folding screen to give vloggers a better view and a 1-inch sensor – plus a great app with live view and editing – this is hard to beat.
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The Action 2 has a cool design concept; a tiny 39x39mm square camera that allows attachment – by a magnetic clip – of additional units for extra connectivity, battery life, and vlogging.
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Great if you want more zoom than a GoPro, with 25mm-100mm range this is the best out there. A 'real' camera that is as 'tough' as it says on the side.
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This compact pocket vlogging camera with great stabilization, grew up a little for this incarnation, with a 1-inch sensor and amazing mic integration it's a mobile video studio.
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For the price, this super-budget action cam does a great job – and performs well if used in bright light.
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This two-part system separates the camera and the player, giving a small action cam that can be worn on your shirt or a cat's collar.
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Best GoPro alternatives in 2024
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Best GoPro alternative overall
✅ You want the best action camera for image quality: The latest GoPro appeals to the heart; the build and image quality from the DJI knock it out of the park.
✅ You want to work for longer: DJI's battery tech is more reliable than GoPros both in our tests and on the spec sheet.
❌ You are on a tight budget: You can save cash by looking at the previous model.
❌ You want more than 4K: Unlike the GoPro or AcePro, DJI's resolution maxes out at 4K.
For most adventurers, the Osmo Action 5 Pro is the perfect balance of quality and price. Rather than pushing to the 5K of GoPro, DJI has expended its effort in fitting the largest image sensor in the business into their action camera. They pulled it off first with Osmo Action 4, and this camera cements that lead.
A larger image sensor markets the camera better in lower light, so if the action you involve happens at night, or in caves and crevices, then I wouldn't even look at GoPro any more compared to this.
Image stabilization tech also at least matches the more famous brand – the stabilized 4K video looks great and the camera can take a lot, as does the horizion-steady mode. This is bolstered by DJI's powerful processor, which has a few other advantages, including the best battery life in the business (3 to 4 hours depending on the video mode).
A new feature with this generation is 'subject tracking', which crops from the sensor area to concentrate on a person in the image, a bit like having a gimbal camera without moving parts. It's handy if you want to record a TikTok vertical video in which you need to move around a bit. This kind of thing is easy to keep an eye on with the even-better-than-before OLED touchscreens (yes, the front screen is a touchscreen too – GoPro hasn't managed that). They are brighter and more pixel-dense than the competitors, and now so big the screen is nearly edge-to-edge on the back.
DJI also provide the ability to take GPS data from your Apple Watch, Garmin, or their own accessory, and the camera records the pressure (for altitude or depth) and the free Mimo app can create video clips for you with this data included to show you your speed and the height of your climb, for example.
There was a time I was sad DJI switched from the creative modular Action 2 – but actually they have kept this on and refreshed the interiors. This camera, however, is about absolute quality in a GoPro-sized box and DJI is – arguably – the firm to beat. The EIS remains excellent from the previous generation; RockSteady and HorizonBalancing both produce smooth videos from aggressive action. For most 4K is the ideal resolution for action, especially with up to 120fps.
GoPro have, finally, taken some of DJI's ideas (like magnetic mounts) with the Hero, and added a few of their own – like lens adapters – but low light shooting and simple ruggedness are more important most of the time if we're honest, and the Action 5 Pro wins there even before you point out that's it's not only cheaper but doesn't have any subscription charges. DJI, too, are a reliable firm with a good history when it comes to firmware updates.
Read my full review of the DJI Osmo Action 5 for more details
Best budget GoPro alternative
✅ You are on a low budget: This camera has a very reasonable price.
✅ You want dual screens: Vloggers will appreciate the front-facing monitor.
❌ You want fast action: It can't capture 4K at 60fps.
❌ You want to get wet a lot: You need to use the housing for waterproofing.
Akaso’s budget action cameras continue to impress, with the Akaso Brave 7 LE offering loads of great features for vloggers looking to keep costs down. It shoots 4K video and has a 6-axis stabilization system that’s surprisingly effective for a camera at this price.
It's a bit of a shame, if you're looking to get high-speed action, that you can't get 60fps at the 4K resolution, but for a lot of vlogging purposes the 30fps speed is just fine. For me, to be honest, most of the time that will suit me, and when I do something more exciting I'm happy to sacrifice a little resolution! I appreciate that 2.7K60fps is an option – it's good not to be forced to go all the way down to 1080P.
The front-facing screen makes it good for vlogging, though it really is a tiny camera, and will probably take some getting used to. The waterproofing without housing is also pretty minimal, so bear that in mind before plunging it into the ocean! Overall though, the Akaso Brave 7 LE is a great budget option for vloggers who want a GoPro-lite.
Read our full Akaso Brave 7 LE review for more details
Best 360-degree GoPro alternative
✅ You want to try 360 video: 8K is as good as 360-degree video gets.
✅ You want a normal action camera: Thanks to the one-camera mode, it works as a good 4K60fps action camera.
❌ You are on a tight budget: There are cheaper options (including its own predecessor, the X3) which still provide a lot of quality.
❌ You want top-notch low-light: With 1/2-inch sensors the HDR is good, but low-light performance is only so-so.
Thinking about the real purpose of action cameras, you want a rugged camera which can record action without too much trouble. Fire and forget, as they say. 360-degree cameras capture action all around them, but because they have lenses facing in both directions they can be a little vulnerable.
Insta360 have solved this with the X4 by offering removable lens guards that let you shield the lenses when needed, while the case is incredibly rugged anyway – waterproof to 10m and very reassuring to hold. Several generations seem to have helped refine the design (and I say that slightly jealously as someone who bought the X3 with his own money, but got a nice long review with the X4!)
If you need a 'normal' action camera, you can use the camera to shoot in 4K60fps from just one of the lenses; that's more than good enough for most action camera work.
But the real advantage afforded by 360 is the ability to shoot the whole 8K view (an outward sphere of a view from the camera) and re-frame it afterwards. Not only is the relatively high resolution, 8K, very useful here, but Insta360's software is a real winner. As well as an excellent phone app (iOS/Android), there is an Insta360 Studio for Mac/PC and plugins for Premiere and Final Cut Pro so creating content can happen almost immediately for social, or in careful detail later. The AI subject tracking is excellent too, saving hours in manual keyframing compared to GoPro's offering.
Insta360 also have a range of accessories, including the near-essential selfie sticks – one is 3 meters / 10 feet long – and one which allows you to swing the camera at high frame rate and, together with a feature in the app, can be assembled to create a 'bullet time' effect. Other refinements keep the X4 well ahead of the pack, like the ability to connect external microphones. It might take a bit of extra thought, but you should be able to tell some amazing visual stories with this camera (albeit for a bit more cash than you might have planned on spending).
See my full review of the Insta360 X4
Best GoPro alternative for content creators
✅ Vlogging is important to you: The large flip screen is a great monitor, and bigger than a front screen
✅ Quality matters: The 1-inch image sensor works well in low light, 8K is there if you need it, and the menus are snappy
❌ You need it very rugged: The hinge does make the device slightly more vulnerable than some, but in truth it's still surprisingly tough.
❌ You want the absolute smallest and lightest: It's only a bit bulkier than the average action camera, but a few mm can matter
With GoPro dominating the mainstream of action cameras, it makes sense for rivals to innovate. Insta360 have done this in many ways – with 360 cameras like the X4 (on this list) showing that you don't need to think of action cameras as a simple box. Even this, its most traditional action camera, manages a significant change – in the form of a hinged touchscreen, great not just for selfie/vlogging modes as you'd immediately imagine, but for using from other angles (like handlebar mounting).
The new Ace Pro 2 is a second-generation device, and I have reviewed it and its predecessor (yes, it's called the Ace Pro) and I can say that, while that first model impressed me by coming along and being different, the Ace Pro 2 impresses more with refinement.
Any serious concerns about how rugged the camera is should be set aside. It is a bit bigger than some of the others, but, despite the hinge, the body is still waterproof to 10m without a case too. Internal improvements make the clear menus very snappy to navigate, despite a wealth of features (you can even use it as a dash cam!)
The camera is co-branded with Leica and the one-inch sensor brings the kind of quality that name suggests. I tested it out in good light and bad (and a surreal electric light festival) and it coped well. It also has a "PureVideo" setting for low light which, personally, I felt was a bit too colourful but this is a choice, not compulsory.
Because it's more expensive than the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro and, to my eye, lacked some of the subtly at 4K, it's not my first pick on this list, but many will find it better suited to their needs. Shooting 8K in 2.35:1 mode is gorgeous too – it feels cinematic even if it is just cropping!)
Read our full original Insta360 AcePro review (while I finish my full Ace Pro 2 write-up!)
Best-value compact GoPro alternative
✅ You want to shoot first-person: Because the camera is small enough to wear you can get cool perspectives.
✅ You love neat design: DJI's design team created something cool with the modular design.
❌ You want fast action: It can't capture 4K at 60fps.
❌ You need it waterproof: The camera needs a housing to go underwater because of the design.
Leading drone maker DJI forced a re-think for GoPro by introducing a front screen to its first action camera, the Osmo Action. It took a while for the successor to arrive, but eventually, Action 2 came along in 2021, and it was a bit of a different beast. Far from just a straight Osmo Action upgrade, the Action 2 re-imagines what a GoPro-style camera can look like, starting from a tiny 39x39mm square camera and allowing the attachment – by a magnetic clip – of additional units for extra connectivity, battery life, and a vlogging screen.
If it isn't already obvious, I really love this as a design concept (though it should be noted I don't do a lot of underwater stuff). Its core cuboid body looks like a flattened GoPro Session (if anyone remembers those) but with a touchscreen.
But it's modular – The device more resembles traditional GoPro cameras when it comes to output, and it is roughly (standard) GoPro-sized when its battery booster is magnetically clipped on. The image stabilization options are also impressive, including a horizon leveller, and it has a larger 1 / 1.7” sensor to boot.
The key to this flexible design is the ability to wear just the camera portion with a magnetic clip holding it onto, for example, a T-shirt. It records to built-in memory (and DJI have relatively recently bumped the memory options which is much appreciated).
Control is via a touchscreen; it’s a bit limited by the size of the main camera unit, though the front touch-screen attachment matches it perfectly, making vlogging easier. It's not exactly a replacement for a GoPro Hero camera, but it's a compelling alternative, especially at its current price – and should be looked at if you're interested in other body-worn options like the Insta360 Go 3. To better understand the bundles, read the full review.
Read our full DJI Action 2 review for more details
Best optical zoom GoPro alternative
✅ You want a more traditional camera: It's tough, but the shape is more traditional.
✅ You want zoom: With a powered zoom, it can retract safely.
❌ You need fast 4K: The 4K video is only 30fps max.
One of the main restrictions of GoPros is that they have a fixed wide-angle lens, so you are locked into that distinct GoPro perspective. The OM System Tough TG-7 is a waterproof compact that is equipped with an optical zoom lens, a 25-100mm equivalent with a maximum aperture of f/2 at the wide end.
It looks and handles much more like a traditional camera than anything else on this list, making it a noticeably bulkier choice than a standard GoPro. But if this doesn’t bother you, it’s an extremely tough camera that’ll stand up to some punishment and keep right on trucking.
It is, though, on our 'alternative' list to get you thinking more than anything else. It's something of an odd product in general, not having changed that much from its predecessor but (as my colleague discovered) actually preferred by at least one executive of a competitor; so people out there certainly admire the solid build.
Like GoPros and other action cameras, there is also app control and remote transfer.
Read our full OM System Tough TG-7 review or see the Best waterproof cameras
Best gimbal camera GoPro alternative
✅ Vlogging is important to you: Stabilizing video for walk-and-talk is easy, as is face-tracking.
✅ You want an external mic: The option of a DJI Mic 2 makes sound quality easy.
❌ You are on a tight budget: The gimbal adds to the cost.
❌ You need something rugged: While this is well-built, it is more vulnerable than a traditional action camera.
If capturing the action for you is more about vlogging and walk-and-talk footage than the Pocket 3 is a brilliant choice, an amazing improvement from the already good Pocket 2, bringing a bigger 1-inch image sensor to wipe away concerns about low-light performance and a bigger screen for easier composition.
I chose it for this list because it handles a similar kind of vlogging niche as GoPro cameras, though it has to be said the 1-inch sensor already beats GoPro. Also, while the GoPro Hero 12 Black can record audio through AirPods, this is offered as part of an excellent Creator Combo pack, including a DJI Mic 2 which wirelessly records sound in up to 32-bit to the video and as a separate track. There is also a good quality case, tripod mount, battery extension grip, wrist strap, a dead-cat windshield for the mic and a wide-angle lens accessory.
As well as class-leading video stabilization, the smart subject tracking tools which are bolstered by a quicker processor and are rarely fooled make this a potent little camera for bloggers. The improvements to video and audio have pushed the price up a little, however.
Read our full DJI Osmo Pocket 3 review for more details
Super low-budget GoPro alternative
✅ You want value: Aside from a memory card, you get all you need in the box
❌ You need top quality: It isn't bad, but it's not going to beat the leading brands
There are a wealth of cheap GoPro alternatives out there, but it’s best to be discerning, as not all are worth your time. My colleague Jon reviewed the Akaso EK7000 Pro and found it to be a good camera across the board, shooting pretty impressive 4K footage and sporting a handy 2-inch touchscreen – though it's worth being aware that you can’t use the touchscreen when it’s in the waterproof case, which can make control a little fiddly (though to be fair this a broader issue with waterproof housings).
The sensor struggles a little in low light, but otherwise does a decent job, and for a price this good it’s hard to complain. Though it doesn’t come with the required SD card, so if you don’t have one already, you’ll need to factor that into your costs.
When you're keeping your costs down you can't expect quite as much in terms of quality as the premium brands (especially now they've overtaken GoPro in most respects), but you often get useful features and a good bundle of accessories that others will charge extra for – this is one such device.
Read our full AKASO EK7000 Pro review for more details or Read the Best budget action cameras
Best wearable GoPro alternative
✅ You want first person/POV: It's so compact and light you can easily wear it on your clothes
✅ You like to keep your options open: With the flip-up case and pop-out camera, you've got action camera, vlogging camera, and POV camera in one purchase.
❌ You need to work in low light: The tiny camera isn't the best in lower lighting.
❌ You need the screen to be waterproof: The housing with touchscreen is not waterproof (but the camera is).
For obvious reasons the Insta360 brand might initially make you think of, well, 360-degree cameras but it is turned its innovation to the full gamut of action cameras, and the Go series has been a very popular example.
Worn as a pedant, and now – finally with 4K – this is a very useful camera which isn't especially cheap but is very definitely something quite extraordinary.
Unlike the DJI Action 2, this isn't a mere flirtation with compact shells and clever magnets. Insta360's 'Go' concept is proven and developed, and just before Christmas 2023 the Go 3 even got an extra colorway thanks to its popularity. The "Action Pod" (action-camera-sized body) is actually the same for the Go 3 as the newer Go 3S, but the older model was limited to 2.7K resolution while the 3S has a new camera.
You can use the camera alone, but if you keep the Action Pod nearby you can see what's going on via the flip screen – it's almost magical.
Wearing the camera is amazingly easy. You wear a magnetic 'necklace', sorry, pendant under your clothes and the camera sticks to it. It's very, very useful if you need POV footage.
Admittedly the camera's sensor isn't huge, so it prefers brighter days than indoors/low-light. Like the 360-degree cameras, if you're just looking for a 'GoPro alternative' it has the covered, but isn't a cheaper option – it's more about getting extra shooting possibilities a standard GoPro might not have offered you.
This is a cool camera with something of a unique offering and is lighter than the Action 2. If an action camera and AirPods got together, you can imagine this being the 'Pro' result. Speaking of Apple features, if you lose it, it's Apple FindMy compatible!
Read my full Insta360 Go 3S review with samples (or, if you're looking for a bargain, perhaps look back to the Insta 360 Go 3 review)
How to choose the best GoPro alternative
What makes the best GoPro alternative?
When we put together our guide to the best GoPro alternatives we considered the weight and size of models, along with the price and actual camera features.
1. Weight and size: GoPros are small, unobtrusive, and light by nature. This is so that they can be mounted in all sorts of positions when you're adventuring, and so that they don't get in the way of whatever activity you're doing. We've therefore stuck to very compact models that are versatile.
2. Price: GoPro leads the way when it comes to creating cameras for active lifestyles, but they can often be relatively expensive when first released. In this guide the models chosen should be under the price of an equivalent GoPro camera, offering you more value for money when you ditch the GoPro branding.
3. Camera features: The most important part of a GoPro alternative is that it still has decent camera specs. We looked at stabilization systems, resolution, video functions, and battery life to ensure that any alternatives are up to the task.
What is the difference between a GoPro and an action camera?
On the whole, nothing except a brand name is different between GoPros and some of the best action cameras. GoPro has made a name for itself as a reliable brand that makes not only good-quality products but which also provide excellent photo and video. A lot newcomers to the action camera market also make similarly excellent products but as of yet have not built that brand reputation to the same degree as GoPro.
How we test cameras
When it comes to action cameras like the best GoPro alternatives, our team of reviewers tests them out in real-world conditions to get an idea of how well they perform. We test out all the different photo and video settings to get a feel for the kind of imagery the camera is capable of capturing, and also assess the user experience, as well as the usefulness of any connectivity features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or GPS. Read more about how we test and review at Digital Camera World.
