Nanit Vs Owlet: Which Baby Monitor Is Better?

Traditional baby monitors were used for decades as a way of monitoring babies while they sleep.

However, at some point, this type of security became obsolete to modern parents who wanted more protection for their little ones.

Two fathers took the matter into their own hands and created two of the most popular brands among smart baby monitors, Nanit Plus and Owlet Smart Sock and Cam.

Both devices offer revolutionary improvements in the world of sleeping and breathing tracking monitors, but the time has come to discover the winner of the Nanit vs Owlet battle.

Both smart baby monitors provide peace of mind for parents who want to monitor their bundle of joy 24/7.

Wifi baby monitors have become indispensable for many parents who want to keep a record of their baby’s movements and behavior while in the crib.

More importantly, smart monitors keep track of a baby’s breathing patterns during sleep and warn parents every time there’s some unusual movement or a longer break in the usual breathing pattern.

Smart baby monitors are not as budget-friendly as traditional ones, however, they offer far more advanced technology which will make your life much easier.

You can find a lot of other video baby monitors such as Motorola Halo+, Cubo Ai Plus, Miku, etc. on shopping sites like Amazon or on official websites (if you search by the brand).

But, if you want to know which baby monitor wins in the battle of Nanit vs Owlet, read on to find out who takes first prize in this baby gadget comparison!

Owlet Smart Sock & Cam: In-Depth Review

Parents usually want only the best for their children, especially when it comes to security and protection.

The owner of Owlet, Kurt Workman, found himself in a similar position to that of the owner of Nanit.

Workman’s wife had a congenital heart defect that didn’t affect the quality of their life so much as increase the worry that it might be a hereditary disease.

From the moment they had their first baby, Workman couldn’t stop thinking about the potential risk of SIDS or any other complication related to his wife’s disease.

Knowing that there were no devices that would allow him to monitor his baby 24/7 with all possible information about her current state of health readily available, Workman decided to make his own baby video monitor that would provide parents with the correct health information.

Workman gathered a team who helped him develop a monitoring system that enables parents to see, hear and know their little one is safe and sound.

The name of the monitoring system is Owlet Monitor Duo, which includes the Smart Sock and the camera.

There’s no dedicated parent unit, only a phone app that provides all necessary information 24/7.

However, there’s a base station that sends notifications and uses a ring light to show if everything’s fine.

But, if you want more details, you’ll still have to check the app.

Installation

The camera has a flat base and can stand alone, on a magnetic base, or on the wall, depending on which angle best suits the parents for baby monitoring.

Owlet Cam comes with an easy-to-install wall mount that provides a bird’s-eye view of the crib and the baby.

Although the magnetic base seems like a great idea, some parents have mentioned problems with the installation and strength of the magnet.

Camera

Owlet was initially designed only as the Smart Sock which serves to provide information about the state of your baby’s health.

However, the company released the camera in 2019, in response to the high demand from customers.

Many parents appreciated the information they received but also wanted to see and hear their little one.

Therefore, the company decided to release a high-quality camera with 1080p video quality that surpassed quite a few competitors on the market.

The camera also includes HD night vision which makes sleep tracking easier during the night as well.

Audio

This monitoring set provides a two-way audio communication feature that enables parents to speak to their little one while she’s in her crib.

However, this video baby monitor doesn’t play any white sounds or music whatsoever.

The only time you’ll hear music might be an alert if the sock comes off your baby’s foot.

When it comes to audio, this smart baby monitor might be considered to be one of the best monitors on the market because it features powerful dual Ole Wolff speakers.

But, Owlet’s main focus was never audio and video quality. The main component of this set is the smart sock.

RELATED: Snuza Vs Owlet: Which Is The Better Baby Monitor?

Parent unit

It seems like the brand couldn’t decide between BYOD (bring your own device) and a dedicated parent unit, so they created an app and a base station with color notifications.

Even though there’s an app that provides all the information regarding the baby in detail, there’s a base station as well, which shows if the baby is okay by using a ring light.

The base station shows color alerts just in case your phone is not around or you don’t have time to look at it.

The camera is equipped with a room temperature sensor which shows in the app whether the room is too hot or cold for the baby.

The Owlet app keeps track of the baby’s sleep patterns, so parents can see how many hours the baby has slept, how many times she woke up, and her sleep trends in general.

When you enter the app, the first thing you see is the video stream of your baby in the crib and the baby’s heart rate and oxygen levels, but there are other options listed in a menu, as well.

All info about your baby is completely secured by encrypted wifi, but you can share the account with multiple caregivers who download the app on their Android or iOs devices.

However, the app can’t be used for two children – if there are two or more monitors in the room for more than one child, parents will have to download the app on separate devices and use different accounts.

Additional equipment

The Smart Sock is the most popular component of the Monitor Duo set.

It’s a small wearable device made for a baby’s first year of life, even though a lot of parents use it until their babies are 18 months old.

The sock is not a real sock, of course, but rather a small wrap made from fabric that comes with a sensor the parent attaches to the baby’s foot.

The sock provides parents with vital real-time information about their babies, including the baby’s breathing, oxygen level, and heart rate.

All these features offer peace of mind for new parents who are worried about their little one’s safety, especially of those babies who already have a certain risk of SIDS or other disorders like sleep apnea.

However, even though this device is nearly ground-breaking for alerting parents about any possible complication in time, it doesn’t come without flaws.

The main issue parents have had with it are the false alarms, which will happen even more often with preemies whose feet are too small to properly fit the sock. But, it will stop eventually, when your little one’s foot grows (and it grows really fast!).

But, that’s not the only issue. Mama might hear music from the base station every time she feeds the baby because it seems that human bodies may block the signal being sent to the base.

However, if you nurse in the same room where the base station is placed, you’ll have no problems or false alarms.

The sock is wireless and the battery life is up to 16 hours (even though some parents claim it rarely works that long).

This device can be purchased separately or as part of the Monitor Duo bundle, but the app is completely free.

Nanit Plus: In-Depth Review

Nanit Plus, created by a father who was completely disappointed by all baby monitors he found after his first child was born, is one of the best smart baby monitors on the market.

Assaf Glazer hopelessly searched for a baby monitor that would provide him better supervision of his child, but all he found were baby monitors with poor design and limited options.

So, Glazer decided to form a team of experts that helped him create one of the greatest baby monitoring systems, Nanit.

Nanit has included smart technologies into baby monitoring systems and made life easier for thousands of parents who are concerned about their baby’s safety.

Nanit Plus is a lot more than just a smart baby monitor. It’s a wifi device that monitors the baby and analyzes her behavior and sleep patterns.

The company describes this product as a “baby translator” and “sleep guru” which should greatly improve the quality of life for parents and babies.

Nanit Plus has a successor, the Nanit Pro device, which still has a lot to prove as it was only released in February 2021.

Even though Nanit Plus came out three years ago, it’s still one of the best monitoring systems on the market.

This model was the best-selling monitoring device of 2019 and 2020 in the category of high-tech video monitoring.

The Nanit monitoring system includes the child unit and:

• Camera

• Wall mount

• Stands

• Breathing Wear

There’s no dedicated parent unit in the form of a monitor with speakers. However, this model is a BYOD, which means every parent can install the app on their phone or tablet made after 2017.

Installation

The central part of the monitoring system, the camera, can be installed in the nursery in three different ways to have a direct look at the baby or a bird’s eye view perspective.

The most optimal way to monitor a child is to use the wall mount.

The app requires a direct look at the baby in order to analyze all details regarding the baby’s sleep behavior and patterns.

However, the wall mount is not the most practical feature because it requires wall drilling, which also means you can’t move it around.

Essentially, once you put the crib or bassinet and the monitoring device in place, it can’t be moved anymore (if you want to avoid additional holes in the wall).

Also, the camera is static which means it has to be placed directly over the crib for a full view of the child.

The camera is detachable, of course, so it can be used on other mounts from the set.

The Floor Stand mount is a movable feature that’s easier to install, but it’s not included as part of the basic kit.

However, this doesn’t mean you’ll be able to purchase it anytime you want.

Even though parents have to pay more to receive it, the stand is not available after the initial purchase.

The strangest part is that this stand comes with two legs only.

Essentially, to have the same view as with the wall mount, you need to keep the floor stand next to a wall.

I would prefer a setup that could move around the room and stand in different positions, but I guess this is still better than drilling holes in the wall.

The Multi-stand mount is the basic travel kit – small, light, and doesn’t require any special assembly, unlike other stands.

But, parents can’t have a direct look over their baby by using this particular stand, which means they won’t be able to use the Nanit Insights options in the app.

Camera

Nanit Plus had the best HD video quality when it got released, but was surpassed by newer models such as Arlo Baby, VTech, iBaby Care M7, and the company’s new model, Nanit Pro.

However, lower video resolution is not a big minus, because Nanit Plus includes other very useful features that most of the other baby monitors don’t possess.

At no point does the zoom-in feature reduce the image quality of the high-quality video streaming.

This feature is important because it allows every parent to see their baby clearly at any moment and study every little detail around her.

This model also has one of the best night vision features, supported by 10 infrared LED bulbs which help you monitor your little one even during the night.

Some consider the night light feature useful, others think it’s unnecessary, but it’s there and serves the purpose.

This option is great for all mamas that have to sneak into the nursery during the night. The light faces upwards so it doesn’t affect your baby’s sleep.

Audio

Nanit Plus supports the two-way audio communication option which allows parents to communicate with their child, sing lullabies, or tell bedtime stories.

Some parents were concerned about the security of this feature, as someone could hack the system and talk to your little one without your knowledge.

However, Nanit has provided top-notch security for the Nanit Plus model, so there’s no need to fear.

Nanit has integrated white noise and nature sounds that can be used as an alternative to pacifiers, but it doesn’t include any lullabies.

Parents can leave the sounds on for half an hour to an hour or turn it off manually.

Parent unit

As mentioned above, Nanit prefers the BYOD feature more than using a dedicated parent unit.

This is actually a big pro for a lot of parents because they don’t have to carry additional screens outside the house.

Parents can monitor their baby from any place that has wifi. Essentially, you can go to dinner, a meeting, or stay late at work, and still be able to check on your little one.

​The phone app is free to download for both Android and iOs devices.

The main feature of the app is the HD monitor feed that streams 24/7, even if there are wifi connectivity issues.

Parents can turn on the light, take snapshots, zoom in at any time, or check humidity and temperature on the screen.

The app continues working in the background, so parents can hear every sound from the crib even when they use the phone for other actions.

The activity option shows the summary of general activity in the crib, which can go back a few days with the standard package.

However, Nanit Insights can save up to a year of sleep analysis, stats and offer personalized recommendations for baby’s sleep.

This software service is one of the few unique subscription services that captures time-lapse videos of baby’s sleep, stores them, and provides sleep recommendations based on them.

Nanit has made this service available for free during the first year of using Nanit Plus.

Additional equipment

Nanit has introduced AI technology to the world of baby equipment and monitoring systems as a way of improving the quality of life for babies and parents.

This company has revolutionized the way we take care of our babies by adding the Breathing Wear Starter Pack, which is included in the initial monitoring pack.

This set includes a velcro breathing band for older infants and a swaddle covered with black-patterned shapes for newborns.

These shapes serve as breathing trackers that show a breathing pattern at the bottom of the screen.

Parents can see a green pulse as their little one inhales and exhales.

However, if anything goes wrong and the camera doesn’t detect any movement for 20 seconds, the Red Alert comes on which might scare you and the baby as well!

But, the system is so precise that you’ll never hear Red Alert unless it’s a real alert, which I hope will never happen.

If you have a baby that doesn’t like swaddling or can’t keep calm during the night, you can switch to pajamas and sleeping bags from Nanit which are available on their official webpage.

Basically, you can monitor your child’s sleeping and breathing patterns without using any electronics, which is my personal favorite.

Is the Nanit worth it? In my personal opinion, yes.

It’s one of the best baby monitors on the market, but it has pretty good competition when it comes to Owlet.

Nanit Plus Vs Owlet Vs Miku

Nanit and Owlet smart baby monitors are very popular on the market.

However, there are other models that can easily compete with the two, such as the Miku monitoring system.

Owlet has the highest video resolution of the three, but Nanit leads with its improved zoom-in feature.

RELATED: Nanit Vs Miku: Which Baby Monitor Is Better For Your Baby?

However, Miku’s greatest strength is the military-type security, which deletes all history in case someone hacks the system (which is nearly impossible because of the encryption).

All three have their own pros and cons, but I would say Nanit is the most complete of them all.

Essentially, it all depends on what you’re looking for in a monitoring device – if your focus is on data security, Miku will be a perfect choice.

But, if you’re concerned about your baby’s health and want a more detailed analysis, Owlet Monitor Duo will be the best set for you.

Nanit Vs Owlet

Nanit and Owlet are both excellent wifi baby monitors that will certainly improve the quality of life for parents and babies.

However, after the in-depth review of both products, I have made my call about which baby monitor deserves to be the winner of the Nanit vs Owlet battle!

Installation: Nanit

It’s a close match between the two when it comes to mounting.

Both cameras mount to the wall, but Nanit does have a floor stand that will save you from multiple holes in the wall.

When it comes to traveling, Owlet would be a better solution as it has a flat base and can stand on its own.

However, even though the magnetic stand is a great feature in theory, it’s not very reliable in practice, while Nanit offers three sturdy and safe mounts that can be placed anywhere in the baby’s room.

Camera: Nanit

Some might think I’m wrong, and I will not argue with them, but I’d say Nanit has better camera performance overall.

Even though Owlet Cam has higher resolution and night vision, Nanit’s camera includes a zoom-in feature which doesn’t affect the picture quality at all.

Also, Nanit comes with a night light which can be very helpful for mamas who are trying to reach their baby in a dark room without waking the baby.

But, this is not a major surprise as Owlet released the camera just as additional support for the Smart Sock.

Additional equipment: Owlet

It was quite difficult to choose between Nanit vs Owlet in this category, as both devices have game-changing equipment that provides maximum protection for your baby while she’s asleep.

But, if I had to choose, I would go with Owlet.

Even though the Smart Sock is not perfect and has flaws, the idea of having a device that can track your baby’s oxygen levels and heart rate at home is amazing.

However, this should not be used for medical purposes, which is stated by the American Academy of Pediatrics that says there’s no proof that smart baby monitors decrease the risk of SIDS.

But, they’re very valuable in warning parents about any unusual behavior, including breathing and sleeping patterns, as well as a drop in oxygen levels or abnormal heart rate.

The Smart Sock is wireless and connected to the base via Bluetooth low energy (BLE), which makes it safe for your baby.

Nanit’s technology is also great and I really love the fact that wearables don’t include any sort of wires around the baby.

Audio: Nanit

The Nanit vs Owlet match in this category can be considered over before it even began.

Yes, both devices offer two-way audio communication, which is very important for a lot of parents.

However, Owlet doesn’t offer a lot here, while Nanit includes white noise sounds from nature that can calm your baby in no time.

I won’t say Nanit is perfect in this case, but it definitely offers more than the Monitor Duo.

The Final Verdict: Nanit Plus Vs Owlet

Smart baby monitors may be a big investment for parents on a budget and they may not be the most important things for your baby.

However, these smart gadgets might be true lifesavers, especially for babies who have a certain risk of sleep apnea or other conditions that might end fatally.

I still remember sleepless nights spent in front of the nursery door, wondering if my baby was sleeping and worrying that I may not hear her cry from my room.

Low-emission monitors were a nice solution, but sometimes I would wake my baby up just because I thought I heard her cry, and then we would cry together (lol).

Nanit Plus and Owlet Monitor Duo are both great monitoring systems created by parents who wanted something better for their children.

Both devices are excellent, but after the in-depth review, I believe that Nanit Plus takes the win in the battle of Nanit vs Owlet.

Owlet Smart Sock is a great device that can improve the quality of life during the baby’s first year.

However, there’s still a lot of room for improvement, especially when it comes to video and audio features.

Whereas Nanit Plus is still the most complete system for baby monitoring when it comes to both hardware and software features.

It’s no coincidence that this model was the best-selling video monitor two years in a row since it was released!

References:

• Moon RY. (November, 2011.) “American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths: expansion of recommendations for a safe infant sleeping environment.” AAP website.

Like this post? Please share or pin it for later. You can also stay in the loop and follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest.

We love honesty! Find Your Mom Tribe is an Amazon Associate and we earn from qualifying purchases through affiliate links at no extra cost to you. Please see our full Amazon Affiliate disclosure for more information.