📹 No Subscription
Reviewed by the BabyCosts editorial team
| Feature | Nanit Pro Camera | CuboAi Plus Smart Baby Monitor | Owlet Dream Duo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Price | $479.00 View full comparison → | $399.00 View full comparison → | $599.00 View full comparison → |
| Price (AUD) | $449 – $549 | $399 – $479 | $599 – $699 |
| Smart Features | 1080p HD video, night vision, breathing motion monitoring, sleep tracking, two-way audio, background audio | Face-covering detection, rollover alerts, danger zone alerts, cry detection, lullabies, white noise, temperature/humidity monitoring | Heart rate monitoring, oxygen saturation (SpO2), sleep tracking, movement detection, 1080p HD camera, two-way audio, night vision |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz / 5 GHz) | Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz) | Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz), Bluetooth (sock to base station) |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year | 1 year |
| Age Range | Birth to ~4 years (or until child can reach the camera) | Birth to ~5 years (with stand evolution from crib to play area) | Birth to ~18 months (sock); camera usable to ~5 years |
| Australian Standards | AS/NZS 62368.1 (electronics safety) | AS/NZS 62368.1 (electronics safety) | AS/NZS 62368.1 (electronics safety); ARTG listed medical device |
The CuboAi Plus stores video locally on a microSD card (up to 256GB, ~30 days of continuous recording). No internet connection needed for recording — only for live streaming to your phone. If your WiFi goes down, recording continues on the SD card. The Nanit Pro stores video in the cloud — accessible from anywhere, automatically backed up, but requires a $149/year subscription for more than a live feed. If your WiFi goes down, the Nanit stops recording entirely (no local backup). The Owlet Dream Duo uses a hybrid approach: the camera streams live to your phone without subscription, and the Dream Sock stores pulse oximetry data in the Owlet app. For parents who value privacy and don’t want their baby’s video on a company server, the CuboAi’s local storage wins. For parents who want sleep analytics and coaching, the Nanit’s subscription may be worth the cost — but at $996 over 3 years, it’s a significant commitment.
All three monitors carry the RCM (Regulatory Compliance Mark), required for electronic devices sold in Australia — covering electrical safety and electromagnetic compatibility. The Owlet Dream Sock (included in the Dream Duo) is also ARTG listed(Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods) as a Class I medical device for pulse oximetry monitoring. It is the only monitor in our comparison with medical device registration in Australia. IMPORTANT: the Owlet Dream Sock is a monitoring aid, not a medical device for diagnosing conditions. It does not replace SIDS-safe sleep practices. PCMag Australia and other international review sites often fail to mention RCM/ARTG compliance — always verify Australian regulatory status before purchasing a baby monitor, especially if buying from overseas retailers.
Nanit (by Procter & Gamble)
The overhead baby monitor with sleep tracking and breathing motion detection.
From $479.00
View details & buy →
CuboAi (by Taipei-based CuboAi Inc.)
The AI-powered baby monitor with face-covering and rollover alerts.
From $399.00
View details & buy →
Owlet Baby Care
The pulse-oximetry smart sock and HD camera bundle for complete monitoring.
From $599.00
View details & buy →
The CuboAi Plus ($499 AUD) has no mandatory subscription — all core features (1080p video, cry detection, sleep analytics, 18-hour timeline) work without a monthly fee. The Owlet Dream Duo ($599 AUD) also has no subscription. The Nanit Pro ($549 AUD) requires a Nanit Insights subscription ($149/year or $29/month) to access sleep analytics, 30-day video history, and personalised sleep tips — the camera streams video without a subscription, but most smart features are paywalled.
Nanit Pro: $549 (camera) + $149/year × 3 years = $996 total. CuboAi Plus: $499 (camera) + $0 subscription = $499 total. Owlet Dream Duo: $599 (camera + sock) + $0 subscription = $599 total. Over 3 years, the Nanit costs $497-$497 more than the CuboAi or Owlet — effectively paying for the camera twice in subscription fees. The CuboAi Plus is the best-value subscription-free monitor.
Yes. All three are WiFi-connected monitors — they stream video to your phone via a smartphone app and require a 2.4 GHz WiFi connection. If you want a non-WiFi monitor (local screen only, no phone app), consider a dedicated radio-frequency monitor like the VTech RM7766HD (~$199) or Oricom Secure 740 (~$299). These have no ongoing costs but lack the smart features (sleep tracking, cry detection, app alerts) that WiFi monitors provide.
Local storage (CuboAi Plus — microSD card up to 256GB) keeps your baby's video on a physical card in your home, not on a company server. This means: (1) no monthly cloud fees, (2) no risk of your baby's video being accessed in a cloud data breach, and (3) you control who sees the footage. Cloud storage (Nanit Pro) means: (1) video is accessible from anywhere, (2) automatic backup if the camera is stolen, but (3) requires a subscription and (4) your baby's video sits on a company server. For privacy-conscious parents, local storage wins. For parents who want anytime-anywhere access without managing SD cards, cloud wins — but you pay for it monthly.
How we compare monitors