Is Nanit really worth it? Read my thoughts on the world's most advanced baby monitor and find out!
Disclosure: I purchased this product independently; however, I may earn a small commission from sales purchased in links within this post at no extra cost to you.
When we were expecting our first child, I didn’t really have much experience with baby monitors. I knew he would sleep in the bassinet next to our bed for a while so I never really put too much thought into it. I had originally purchased a handheld monitor that came with a separate base. Once he started sleeping in the crib, I quickly learned the range isn’t the best if I wanted to enjoy time on the deck in the evening. Not to mention the video quality was that of the "help us identify this individual" footage posted online by your local police department. During this time, my husband also worked the night shift so started to look into smart baby monitors. That way he could easily “drop in” and check on our little one since he would be up all night. After much research, I settled on the Nanit Plus, and honestly, I’ve never regretted that decision in the almost 4 years of owning the monitor. That was why the Nanit Pro, their latest model of the camera, was the obvious choice when we had our second baby despite needing to switch between the profiles to view each child. (More on that later, but they now offer split view!) About Nanit Nanit launched in 2016 and is a suite of products that lets parents track the health, wellness, and development of their baby directly on their smart device. In that short amount of time, they have received many awards including What To Expect Mom Must-Have Award in 2021, Time Magazine’s Best Inventions Award in 2018, and USA Today Best Tech of CES in 2019- just to name a few. According to Nanit, 94% of parents that use Nanit say they sleep better and that Nanit babies sleep 10% longer per night and fall asleep earlier. What Products Does Nanit Offer? Nanit Pro Camera The Nanit Pro Camera offers crystal-clear 1080p HD video. You can see your baby from anywhere with the Nanit App which is available on iOS, Android, and Alexa. Within the app, you can access real-time sleep tracking data, alerts, and personalized sleep tips. It is the only smart baby monitor on the market that offers split-screen viewing of two Nanit cameras at the same time! The camera also features two-way audio where you can interact with your child while they are in the crib, a variety of white noise options, and an adjustable nightlight. Each camera purchase comes with a one year subscription to Insights Basic. The Nanit Pro is also now offered in several colors such as the original White, Midnight Blue, Silver Moon, and Galaxy Black! Breathing Wear Nanit's Breathing Wear allows you to monitor your baby's breathing motion in real-time which sends you alerts the second your baby needs you. The Pro Camera safely detects your baby's breaths per minute (BPM), sensor and electronics-free! They offer the Nanit Breathing Band that works when your baby is in almost any sleep position, Nanit Pajamas that are a cozy fit, Nanit Swaddle for babies that cannot roll yet and prefer being swaddled to prevent the startle reflex, and Nanit Sleeping Bag that is perfect for babies that are transitioning out of their swaddle.
Smart Sheets Watch your baby grow in real-time by pairing Nanit Smart Sheets with your Nanit Pro Camera, which will automatically estimate your baby's measurements and track them right on your device. Accessories Nanit offers the purchase of several accessories to fit your needs. You can now purchase the Nanit Floor Stand and Nanit Wall Mount separately, something that was not available when we first purchased them. Both options offer a bird's eye view of your child's sleep space. The Nanit Flex Stand (previously the Multi-Stand) is a base that you can plug your Nanit Pro on and move it room to room or while on the go. They also have a Nanit Travel Pack that comes with a compact travel case and Nanit Flex Stand or if you prefer, you can purchase them separately. Nanit offers several bundle packages that can save you money as well- Something that I always consider when looking at a company that offers several products that I’m interested in. Can the Nanit Pro Baby Monitor Be Hacked?
Any smart camera can be hacked. However, Nanit has several safety measures to ensure their systems' security. Nanit states they specifically designed their camera so that the video stream can never be pulled from the camera directly- it can only be pushed by their secure servers onto your device. The video data is 256-bit AES encrypted and the app offers two-factor authentication as an extra layer of security. Does Nanit Work Without WiFi?
Somewhat. It is necessary to connect your Nanit to WiFi during setup, but it may continue to send a live feed to your device even if there is no internet connection during an outage. For the feed to work, your device and camera must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. If you are not home and the WiFi your camera is connected to is not working, your feed will not work. Can You View Two Nanit Cameras At The Same Time?
As of July 2022, Nanit released the number one requested feature- Split Screen functionality! You can now view and hear more than one child simultaneously. Nanit is the only smart baby monitor to offer this feature. A total game-changer! What Is The Difference Between The Nanit Plus vs The Nanit Pro?
When we had our first child in 2018, they had the Nanit Plus model available. In 2021/2022, we were expecting a second child and at that point, Nanit had released a newer and better model, the Nanit Pro. The biggest difference I have noticed between the two is that the Pro offers a higher-definition camera. The other notable changes are the nightlight now has a better glow, easier access to the reset button, there is a separate 'status' light in reference to the WiFi, and the Pro comes in several colors vs the original white which was the only color available with the Plus. How Much Does The Nanit Pro Cost?
Depending on the options you choose, the camera, and Mount/stand will run anywhere between $299 and $379. Nanit often runs deals where you can get a pretty good discount and their bundle options will save you money as well.
My Nanit Pro Review Honestly, our Nanit cameras are probably one of the most and longest used products we own for the kids. Setting up the camera was a breeze. The app walks you through step-by-step instructions along with photos. It’s basically foolproof. My top favorite features are the split screen and background audio setting. It has been super beneficial with two kiddos and I love that I can still hear them by streaming the audio in the background of my phone while I’m doing other things. Another awesome feature is that you can share app permissions with other people like your partner and/or sitter in the Parenting Team settings. Nanit also works on certain tablets and Alexa Show so I can always turn those on for our sitter while we are away and I can still check in on them through my phone.
Nanit offers two “mounting” options- The Floor Stand and the Wall Mount. With our first purchase, I went with the Wall Mount. The downfall to that is if you rearrange their room or relocate, it’s not as easy to move and we lost the sticky backs to the cord protectors when we tried it remove them. When I reached out to Nanit for a solution, they recommended this 3M Double Sided Tape from Amazon and it worked great when we installed the camera in the new house. With our second, I decided to try out the floor stand. It’s not as sleek to the wall, but I love that I can more easily move the camera should we decide to in the future. There are several monitoring devices out there that track by electronic sensors, but Nanit offers a wire and electronic free way of monitoring your baby's movements and growth. Something many parents will appreciate!
Another perk is the Sleep Analysis which provides insights into your child’s sleep by telling you how many visits were made during the night (it’s hard to remember at 3 am), sleep onset, time asleep, and sleep efficiency. The summary even includes a time-lapsed video and a separate ‘movement map’ that shows their position in the crib throughout the night. My husband and I always get a kick out of the crazy positions they end up in.These insights allow you to learn about your child’s sleep habits, make adjustments, and see improvements. They even offer personalized tips that I found super helpful.
We have the Nanit Multi-Stand, now Flex Stand, that is perfect for traveling or when I need to keep an eye on my toddler in the playroom. I’ve been currently using it in our bedroom to monitor the baby since he’s still in the bassinet and I wanted to already have the floor stand set up at his crib when we decide to transition. We’re starting with naps in the crib right now and it’s super easy to swap the camera between bases.
Nanit is always looking for ways to improve their technology and take suggestions from their users to make make the lives of parents easier. I wholeheartedly appreciate that!
I really enjoy looking back at videos or peeping in to see sweet moments of him hugging daddy after nap time, snoozing with the kitty, or snuggling with his baby doll.
There Isn’t much I don’t love about Nanit! A Few Notables I take our Nanit with us when we go out of town, but when you are staying in a hotel or with a friend that doesn't have password-protected WiFi, connecting to your Nanit will be an issue. Understandably so, for privacy and security, you cannot connect your Nanit to an open network. While this is inconvenient, I completely understand their decision to protect the privacy of our little ones. The Nanit Team has confirmed they do not plan to be adding that feature anytime in the near future. My son moves a lot during the night, resulting in many movement detections. Additionally, the camera can pick up other noises unrelated to your child like a loud car. I was receiving so many notifications that didn’t require attention so I decided to turn them off. The Nanit Pro price is high compared to some of the other cameras on the market, but when it comes to the features and how long it will last (currently on year four), it’s worth every penny! Final Thoughts: Is The Nanit Pro Worth It?
Yes! A thousand times, yes! Anytime a friend asks for a baby monitor recommendation, I have always, and will always suggest Nanit. It has given me a piece of mind so I sleep better and it allows me to gain insights into my little ones’ nights to improve their sleep. We are all better when we have a good night's rest.
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I hope you found this review helpful! More baby and mama product reviews to come!