The best action camera for 2025

Reasons to buy the GoPro Hero 13 Black

• Proven quality GoPro is the leading action camera brand and is known for it's high quality, rugged and capable cameras.
• It's versatile The Hero 13 delivers great quality footage with proven image stabilization. The many lens mods now available for the Hero 13 make it the most versatile camera you can buy right now.
• Many accessories Buying a GoPro action camera gives you access to a wide range of quality accessories, but also, thanks to the universal mount, you can buy many third party accessories to make the best of you camera.

Reasons to avoid the GoPro Hero 13 Black

• Only an incremental update If you are already the owner of a GoPro Hero 12 Black or GoPro Hero 11 Black, you might want to avoid upgrading to the Hero 13. Indeed, the sensor technology, pixel count and image stabilization are the same. However, if you own a GoPro Hero 10 Black or earlier, you should enjoy the upgrade.
• Not the best low light performance The Hero 13's ageing sensor means it is no longer the best at capturing low light footage. If filming in the dark is a must for you, you should consider the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro.

More GoPro cameras

GoPro has many action cameras on sale, here is a selection.

GoPro's new 360 camera☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★GoPro Max 2GoPro's latest 360 cameraPrevious model☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★GoPro Hero 12 BlackGoPro's 2023 camera: 5.3K video, HDR video, great stabilization2022 model☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★GoPro Hero 11 BlackGoPro's 2022 camera: 5.3K video, improved stabilizationOld but gold☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★GoPro Hero 10 BlackGoPro's 2021 action camera: premium features at a budget pricepointGoPro's budget camera☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★GoPro Hero 4K (2024)GoPro's 2024 budget action camera: 4K video, slomo & photos

Reasons to buy the Insta360 X5

• 360 focused company Insta360 was founded as a 360 camera company and has a history of delivering great 360 degree cameras.
• The power of 360 degree footage 360 cameras allows capturing everything at once and then automatically track a subject or even create multiple videos from a single recording. Great for capturing group outings!
• A hybrid action camera The Insta360 X5 can do both 360 degree video and single lens video, making it a great all-in-one option.
• Replaceable lens kit 360 cameras are vulnerable to lens damage due to the semi-spherical lenses that protrude from the camera frame. The Insta360 X5 is the first 360 camera, and only one right now, to offer a lens replacement kit you can use to fix your camera at home, avoiding costly customer service repairs.

Reasons to avoid the Insta360 X5

• Size and weight The Insta360 X5 has a long shape and weighs about 7.05oz / 200g, which makes it's usage a bit awkard in particular use cases like when mounting on a helmet, because of the weight and protruding camera. In such cases, a compact camera like the GoPro Hero 13 Black or Insta360 Ace Pro 2 is a better choice so it can be tucked under the helmet visor for example.
• Underwater footage requires diving case The Insta360 X5 delivers incredible underwater footage with the diving case, down to 164ft / 50m, but without the case, you cannot film with lens guards and there will be a visible seam line. If you want to film without a case, you could consider the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro, which is waterproof down to 66ft / 20m without a case and features a special captor for adjusting settings to underwater conditions.

More 360 cameras

Read more about 360 degree cameras in our Best 360 camera in 2025 guide, or check the selection below.

Best alternative to the X5☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★GoPro Max 2GoPro's latest 360 camera8K50fps footage from DJI☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★DJI Osmo 360DJI's first 360 cameraInta360's previous 360 camera☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★Insta360 X4Insta360's 2024 360 camera model: 8K30fps video and great battery lifeOld but budget friendly☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★Insta360 X3Insta360's 2022 360 camera: 5.7K video and a large touchscreenLow cost 360 camera☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★Akaso 360Akaso's first 360 camera

Reasons to buy the Insta360 Ace Pro 2

• 8K video and great performance One of the few action cameras which features 8K recording, but also great footage and image stabilization overall and excellent battery life.
• Flip screen The flip screen can make it a lot easier to set up your action camera on a mount facing towards you, or simply for correctly framing yourself while filming with a selfie stick.
• Good alternative to GoPro The Insta360 Ace Pro 2 is overall a great action camera and is definitely a great alternative to a GoPro, beating the Hero 13 on most technical aspects.

Reasons to avoid the Insta360 Ace Pro 2

• Not the best in low light Although the Ace Pro 2 captures great footage, the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro will beat it in low light conditions thanks to it's SuperNight mode.
• Flip side of the flip screen The flip screen can be a valuable feature for many, but it does make the camera a bit less rugged. You could consider the GoPro Hero 13 Black or the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro if you want the sturdiest of cameras.

More Insta360 action cameras

Insta360 produces excellent 360 Cameras and action cameras, here is a selection.

The previous Ace Pro☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★Insta360 Ace ProInsta360's 2023 action camera: 8K video and a flipscreenInsta360's budget camera☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★Insta360 AceInsta360's budget action camera: 6K video and a flipscreenInta360's lastest 360 camera☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★Insta360 X5Insta360's flaghship 360 camera with new replaceable lensesInta360's 2024 360 camera☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★Insta360 X4Insta360's 2024 360 camera model: 8K30fps video and great battery life

Reasons to buy the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro

• SuperNight mode The Action 5 Pro offers far superior footage in low light situations than it's competitors thanks to it's SuperNight mode that combines a great sensor and a bit of AI magic.
• Ready for any conditions The Action 5 Pro is a sturdy action camera that can go twice as deep as the GoPro Hero 13 Black without a case, making it great for Snorkeling, but it can also run at temperatures low as -4°F / -20°C, perfect for Snowboarding or Skiing in extremely cold weather.
• DJI ecosystem Buying a DJI action camera unlocks the entire ecosystem and it can make a great companion device if you already own a DJI drone.

Reasons to avoid the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro

• Only 4k video resolution The Action 5 Pro's video is capped at 4K which can be lackluster for capturing high quality content. It will still be fine for most people recording fun times and sharing them online, but you might want to consider the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 with it's 8K video.

More DJI action cameras

DJI offers several great action cameras as well as drones and more.

DJI's 360 action camera☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★DJI Osmo 360DJI's first 360 cameraDJI's 2023 action camera☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★DJI Osmo Action 4DJI's 2023 premium action camera: 4K120fps videoDJI's 2022 camera☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★DJI Osmo Action 3DJI's 2022 premium action camera: 4K120fps videoDJI's modular camera☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★DJI Osmo Action 2DJI's modular action camera with 4K video

Reasons to buy the DJI Osmo Nano

• Best performance for action The DJI Osmo Nano offers the best 4K footage for action scenes, with up to 120fps and 10-bit color depth.
• Great low light performance DJI's action cameras are known for their good low light performance and the Osmo Nano comes with a SuperNight mode which delivers excellent footage in dark settings.
• Made as a wearable The Osmo Nano is compact and lightweight and offers a wide range of accessories for any possible use case: a hat clip, a magnetic necklace, a headband, a suction pad mount and more.
• DJI's ecosystem The Osmo Nano is part of an ecosystem and DJI users will be able to combine their existing accessories, microphones and more with the Nano.

Reasons to avoid the DJI Osmo Nano

• Storage and battery limitations Although the Osmo Nano is best in it's category for runtime, you will be restricted to the internal storage and integrated battery of the camera when used alone. If you are looking for the best storage in a wearable format, consider the Insta360 Go Ultra which features a microSD card slot in the camera. For the best runtime possible, you might want to consider a traditional action camera like the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro or the GoPro Hero 13 Black.
• Not waterproof with the Vision Dock The Vision Dock is only splashproof so you cannot use it underwater, bringing you back to the limitations of the camera's internal battery and storage. The Osmo Nano will suffice for short and occasional underwater footage but you might want to read our Snorkeling or Scuba Diving guides for a more intensive usage.
• No diving case The 33ft / 10m waterproofing is the industry standard but there is always the risk of a seal failure, so if you plan on filming underwater regularly and want to be on the safer side, the Insta360 Go Ultra or the older Insta360 Go 3S which both offer a diving case.

More wearable action cameras

Read our Best wearable camera guide to discover the best pocket and thumb action cameras.

Insta360's flagship wearable camera☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★Insta360 Go UltraInsta360's latest wearable camera, now with 4K60fps videoSmallest wearable camera☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★Insta360 Go 3SInsta360's 2024 wearable camera: 4K video in a tiny packageDJI's modular camera☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★DJI Osmo Action 2DJI's modular action camera with 4K videoCheap thumb camera☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★Sixmou i3A thumb sized, budget action cameraA budget pocket camera☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★SJCam C110 PlusA pocket camera for an affordable price

Reasons to buy the Akaso Brave 8 Lite

• 4K HDR video The Brave 8 Lite is the only budget action camera by Akaso featuring HDR video, which largely improves the quality of footage when lighting conditions change.
• Many accessories, great value for money As with all Akaso cameras, the Brave 8 Lite comes with many accessories. You will find other cameras at the same pricepoint, but without accessories, so the value of the whole bundle is difficult to beat.

Reasons to avoid the Akaso Brave 8 Lite

• Subpar image stabilization Image stabilization is a very important part of action cameras and will make or break footage of any sport with a lot of camera movement. You might want to consider older action cameras that provide great stabilization at a moderate price such as the GoPro Hero 10 Black.

More budget action cameras

Read our Best budget action camera guide for a deep dive in afforable action cameras or check out the selection below.

An affordable GoPro☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★GoPro Hero 10 BlackGoPro's 2021 action camera: premium features at a budget pricepointGoPro's budget camera☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★GoPro Hero 4K (2024)GoPro's 2024 budget action camera: 4K video, slomo & photosA cheaper camera by Akaso☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★Akaso Brave 7 LEAkaso's 2020 mid range budget action cameraAkaso's entry level camera☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★Akaso Brave 4 ProAkaso's 2022 entry level budget action cameraLow cost 360 camera☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★Akaso 360Akaso's first 360 camera