Best for Most families who want a reliable, private audio monitor with the useful extras.
Sleep & Monitoring
Best audio baby monitors in the UK (2026)
Clear, private DECT audio monitors from around £20, plus when audio-only is all you need and when video is worth it.
Quick picks
Best first
The shortlist
Best for Anyone who just wants to hear their baby clearly, or a cheap spare for the grandparents.
Motorola Nursery
Motorola AM21
The cheapest way into a digital monitor, if you can live without extras.
Best for Budget buyers who want DECT sound and the option of a second parent unit.
Nanit
Nanit Sound + Light
A monitor, sound machine and night light in one, if you're happy relying on Wi-Fi.
Best for Nanit Pro owners, or parents who want cry alerts on their phone plus white noise and a night light.
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Side by side
Compare every audio baby monitor
Tap a column to sort. Scores are out of 10.
| Product | Links | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VTech DM1212Gold Star | 8.4 | 8.2 | 8.8 | 7.2 | 8.8 | 8.0 | 9.0 | £30 | Amazon |
| VTech BM1000Value Star | 7.4 | 7.8 | 7.8 | 6.0 | 5.0 | 9.0 | 9.2 | £22 | Amazon |
| Motorola AM21 | 7.0 | 7.6 | 7.6 | 5.2 | 4.6 | 8.8 | 8.8 | £20 | Amazon |
| Nanit Sound + Light | 6.9 | 7.2 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 8.4 | 7.0 | 6.0 | £100 | Amazon |
Head-to-heads
Before you buy
Buying guide
When audio-only is enough
If your home is small enough that you'd probably hear your baby anyway, an audio monitor is simply insurance for when the TV is on or the kettle is boiling. It's also all you need if your plan is to go in whenever your baby cries.
Consider video instead if you want to check without going in, you have a baby who often grizzles and resettles, or a toddler who might try to climb out of the cot. Plenty of families start with audio and add a camera later.
DECT or Wi-Fi?
Most audio monitors use DECT, the same digital technology as cordless home phones. The baby unit talks directly to the parent unit, there's no internet involved and there's nothing to set up beyond plugging in and switching on. For most people that's the right choice.
Wi-Fi audio monitors, like the Nanit Sound + Light, send alerts to your phone instead. That's handy if you want notifications anywhere, but it depends on your broadband, and you're usually paying extra for things like a sound machine and night light.
Range claims, decoded
Manufacturers usually quote two figures: a modest indoor range and a much bigger outdoor range measured in open space. The indoor figure is the one to pay attention to. Thick walls, floors and extensions reduce range quickly, so if you live in an older house with solid walls, make sure your monitor has an out-of-range warning so you know when you've lost the signal.
Features worth paying for
Sound level lights let you keep the volume low and still see when your baby stirs. A vibration alert is useful if you want the parent unit silent, and an out-of-range alarm is, in my view, essential. Talk-back and a temperature display are nice to have. Projectors, lullabies and night lights are pleasant extras, but they're no reason to choose one monitor over another.
Batteries and power
The baby unit usually plugs into the mains, so think about where the nearest socket is and keep the cable well away from the cot. For the parent unit, a rechargeable battery and a belt clip make it easy to carry around the house. Check whether batteries are included and how long they last, because the cheapest monitors can need charging every day.
Questions parents ask
When will I actually need a baby monitor?
Probably later than you think. The Lullaby Trust recommends your baby sleeps in the same room as you for every sleep, day or night, for the first six months, so a monitor mostly comes into its own once they move into their own room. From then on, an audio monitor is enough for many families, especially in a smaller home. If you'd like to see as well as hear, have a look at my guide to video baby monitors.
Can an audio monitor detect breathing?
No. An audio monitor picks up sound, like crying, coughing or grizzling, not breathing. Movement monitors that sit under the mattress or clip on to a nappy do exist, but The Lullaby Trust says there's no research showing monitors help prevent SIDS, and none of them replaces safe sleep practice.
What range do I need?
Less than the box suggests, as long as you look at the right number. Manufacturers quote a big outdoor figure measured in open space and a much smaller indoor one, and walls and floors eat into both. For a typical house, the 50m to 75m indoor ranges VTech quotes for its monitors here should be plenty. If you want to use one at the bottom of a long garden, pick a model with an out-of-range alert and test it before you rely on it.
Can audio baby monitors be hacked?
DECT monitors use a closed, digital link between the baby unit and the parent unit and never touch the internet, so they avoid the remote hacking worries that come with Wi-Fi cameras. Wi-Fi audio monitors, like the Nanit Sound + Light, are internet-connected, so the usual advice applies: a strong password, two-factor authentication if it's offered and up-to-date firmware.
Do I need talk-back?
It's nice rather than necessary. Some parents find a few soothing words through the speaker help a stirring baby resettle; others find it has the opposite effect. If you want it, the VTech DM1212 has it. The VTech BM1000, Motorola AM21 and Nanit Sound + Light don't.