Nanit Pro Baby Monitor: Honest Review + Setup Guide

The Nanit Pro is one of the most talked-about baby monitors on the market — and for good reason. With a top-down camera, breathing motion tracking, sleep analytics, and a sleek app, it promises to be more than just a monitor. But is it worth the premium price? Here's our honest review and complete setup guide.

What Is the Nanit Pro?

Overview

The Nanit Pro is a Wi-Fi-enabled video baby monitor with a unique top-down (overhead) camera perspective. Unlike traditional side-mounted monitors, it mounts above the crib and looks straight down — giving you a clear, unobstructed view of your baby at all times. It connects to your smartphone via the Nanit app and includes sleep tracking, breathing motion monitoring, and two-way audio.

What's in the Box

The Nanit Pro comes with the camera unit, a wall-mount or floor stand (depending on the bundle), a USB-C power cable, and a breathing band for the breathing motion feature. The Nanit app is free to download but a subscription is required to access sleep insights and breathing motion data beyond the trial period.

Nanit Pro Key Features

Top-Down Camera View

The overhead camera perspective is Nanit's most distinctive feature. It eliminates the blind spots common with side-mounted cameras and gives you a full view of your baby's position in the crib. The 130-degree wide-angle lens covers the entire sleep surface without distortion at the edges.

Sleep Tracking and Analytics

The Nanit Pro tracks your baby's sleep patterns using computer vision — it detects when your baby is awake, asleep, or settling. Sleep data is presented in the app as a nightly timeline showing total sleep, number of wake-ups, and time to fall asleep. Over time, trends become visible — useful for identifying sleep regressions or evaluating routine changes.

Breathing Motion Monitoring

The breathing motion feature uses the Nanit Breathing Band — a wearable band that attaches to your baby's clothing — combined with the camera to monitor breathing movement. It alerts you if breathing motion is not detected for a set period. This is a wellness feature, not a medical device, and is not designed to prevent SIDS.

Night Vision

Nanit Pro uses infrared night vision that switches on automatically in low light. The image quality in night mode is sharp and clear — one of the strongest performers in this category. The overhead angle means the entire sleep surface is visible even in complete darkness.

Two-Way Audio

The built-in microphone and speaker allow two-way communication. Audio quality is clear in both directions. You can speak to your baby through the app — a soft voice often settles a stirring baby without needing to enter the room.

Temperature and Humidity Monitoring

The Nanit Pro includes a built-in room sensor that tracks both temperature and humidity. Alerts can be set for when either falls outside your preferred range — a useful safety feature for maintaining the recommended nursery temperature of 16–20°C (61–68°F).

Nanit Pro Setup Guide

Step 1: Choose Your Mount

The Nanit Pro can be wall-mounted directly above the crib or used with a floor stand that positions the camera overhead. Wall mounting gives the cleanest installation and keeps cables fully out of reach — the recommended option for permanent nursery setups. The floor stand is better for rented homes or if you want flexibility to move the monitor between rooms.

Step 2: Position the Camera

Mount the camera directly above the center of the crib mattress. The recommended height is 1.5–2 metres above the sleep surface for full mattress coverage. Use the in-app camera view to confirm the entire crib is visible before securing the mount permanently. Route the power cable along the wall using cable clips — keep it completely inaccessible from the crib.

Step 3: Connect to Wi-Fi

Download the Nanit app and create an account. Follow the in-app setup guide to connect the camera to your home Wi-Fi network. The Nanit Pro requires a 2.4GHz or 5GHz Wi-Fi connection. Place your router within reasonable range of the nursery for the most stable connection — Wi-Fi dead spots will cause intermittent disconnections.

Step 4: Set Up Breathing Motion Monitoring

Attach the Nanit Breathing Band to your baby's sleepsuit according to the instructions. Position it around the chest area. In the app, enable breathing motion monitoring and calibrate using the on-screen guide. The camera uses the band's pattern to detect breathing movement — ensure the band is visible to the camera at all times.

Step 5: Configure Alerts

Set your temperature and humidity alert thresholds in the app. Enable sound alerts for when your baby cries. Configure breathing motion sensitivity. Set your sleep tracking preferences — you can choose whether to include or exclude certain times from sleep data. Test all alerts before your baby's first night with the monitor.

Step 6: Invite Co-Parents and Caregivers

The Nanit app allows multiple users to access the camera feed simultaneously. Add your partner, family members, or trusted caregivers through the app's sharing settings. Each user needs their own Nanit account. Manage access permissions carefully — only share with people you trust completely.

Honest Pros and Cons

What We Love

The overhead camera angle is genuinely superior to side-mounted alternatives for full crib visibility. Sleep tracking data is presented clearly and becomes more useful over time. Night vision quality is excellent. The app is well-designed and reliable. Temperature and humidity monitoring adds real safety value.

What to Consider

The Nanit Pro requires a subscription for full access to sleep insights and breathing motion data — ongoing cost beyond the hardware purchase. It is Wi-Fi dependent, so a router outage means no monitoring. The breathing motion feature requires the Nanit Breathing Band, which must be attached to clothing at every sleep — easy to forget. It is one of the more expensive monitors on the market.

Who It's Best For

The Nanit Pro suits parents who want detailed sleep data, strong app integration, and the reassurance of breathing motion monitoring. It is a premium product at a premium price — most suited to parents who will actively use the sleep tracking features rather than just wanting a basic visual monitor.

Nanit Pro vs Other Baby Monitors

Nanit Pro vs Traditional Video Monitors

Traditional side-mounted video monitors are simpler, cheaper, and do not require a subscription. They work without Wi-Fi via a dedicated parent unit. The Nanit Pro offers significantly more data and features — but if you want straightforward video monitoring without ongoing costs, a traditional monitor may serve you better.

Nanit Pro vs Owlet

The Owlet Dream Sock tracks pulse rate and blood oxygen levels via a wearable sock — a different type of monitoring to the Nanit's breathing motion detection. Both are wellness devices, not medical monitors. The Nanit has superior camera quality and sleep analytics; the Owlet provides more physiological data. Some parents use both.

Is the Nanit Pro Worth It?

If you want a premium baby monitor with detailed sleep tracking, excellent camera quality, and breathing motion monitoring — and you're comfortable with a subscription model — the Nanit Pro delivers. If you want a reliable, no-subscription video monitor, there are strong alternatives at a lower price point. Browse our full baby monitor collection to compare options across every budget and feature set.

Complete Your Nursery Safety Setup

A baby monitor is one part of a safe, well-prepared nursery. See our complete nursery safety checklist for a full childproofing guide. For everything to prepare before birth, read our newborn essentials checklist. For sleep strategies that work alongside any monitor, read our baby sleep guide. For the best-rated nursery products across every category, browse our baby shower gift guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Nanit Pro require a subscription?

Yes. The camera works without a subscription for basic live viewing. Sleep insights, breathing motion data, and historical tracking all require an active Nanit subscription. A trial period is included with purchase — check the current subscription pricing before buying.

Does the Nanit Pro work without Wi-Fi?

No. The Nanit Pro is entirely Wi-Fi dependent. If your router goes down or the Wi-Fi signal in the nursery is weak, the monitor will not function. Ensure you have a strong, stable Wi-Fi signal in the nursery before committing to this monitor.

Is the Nanit breathing motion monitor a medical device?

No. The Nanit breathing motion feature is a wellness monitor — it is not FDA-cleared or medically certified as a SIDS prevention device. It should not be used as a substitute for safe sleep practices or medical monitoring for at-risk infants.

How high should the Nanit Pro be mounted?

Nanit recommends mounting the camera 1.5–2 metres above the sleep surface for full mattress visibility. Use the in-app camera preview to confirm full crib coverage before securing the mount permanently.

Can multiple people use the Nanit app at the same time?

Yes. Multiple users can view the live feed simultaneously through the Nanit app. Each user needs their own account. Sharing access is managed through the app's settings — add and remove users as needed.