Baboo vs Nanit – Baby Monitor App or Smart Camera?

At a glance

	Baboo	Nanit Pro
Hardware	None – uses two iPhones or iPads you own	Nanit Pro camera with wall mount, floor stand or travel stand
Upfront cost	Free	Camera about $249–$379 depending on stand and retailer¹
Ongoing cost	Optional Premium (subscription or lifetime)	Nanit Insights plans after the included trial, roughly $100–$300 per year by tier¹
Live video and sound	Yes	Yes, HD overhead view
Sleep analytics	Session history and cry/motion log	Detailed sleep tracking and reports (Insights)
Breathing-motion monitoring	No	Yes, with Breathing Wear and an active Insights plan²
Portability	Anything with the app is a monitor – pack two phones	Travel stand available; the camera travels with you
White noise and lullabies	Yes, with sleep timer	Yes
Two-way talk	Yes	Yes
Watch on	iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch alerts, web browser	Nanit app on iOS and Android

What Nanit does better

Nanit's overhead camera is designed for one position above the cot, so the picture is consistent night after night, and its software builds detailed sleep reports from that view. With Nanit's Breathing Wear – swaddles, bands and sleeping bags with a printed pattern – the camera can track breathing motion and alert you if it stops seeing it. That feature requires a Nanit Plus or Pro camera and an active Nanit Insights plan.² Baboo does not offer breathing monitoring and does not try to.

No consumer monitor, Nanit included, is a medical device or a guard against SIDS. Follow safe-sleep guidance from your paediatrician whichever you choose.

What Baboo does better

Cost. There is nothing to buy to start. If you already have a spare iPhone or iPad, you can be monitoring tonight.
Portability. Two phones are a complete monitor at grandparents', in a hotel or at a holiday rental – no stand, no mount, no extra cable.
Watching from anywhere on anything. Follow along on an iPhone, an iPad, your Apple Watch, or a browser on a work laptop.
Commitment. Try it for free; if you later decide you want a dedicated smart camera, you have lost nothing.

Privacy

Nanit streams through its own cloud service, which is what powers its analytics and history. Baboo sends video encrypted directly between your devices where it can, relays encrypted traffic when it cannot, and does not record or store your video on our servers. Clips stay on your device and in your iCloud.

Questions parents ask

Is Baboo a free alternative to Nanit?

For live video, sound, two-way talk, cry and motion alerts and white noise, yes. For breathing-motion monitoring and Nanit's detailed sleep analytics, no – those need Nanit's camera and plan.

Can I use Baboo alongside Nanit?

Yes. Some families keep Nanit in the nursery and use Baboo for travel, naps at grandparents' or a second child's room.

Does Baboo need a subscription?

No. The free version works with a time limit per session and ads. Premium removes both, as a subscription or a one-time lifetime purchase.

Sources

Nanit Pro camera and Insights pricing: nanit.com, Nanit Support – Insights plans, and US retail listings, checked September 2026. Prices vary by region and retailer.
Breathing-motion requirements: Nanit – Sensor-free breathing motion monitoring.

Nanit is a trademark of its owner. Baboo is not affiliated with or endorsed by Nanit.