Best GoPro Alternative for Immersive POV Movies

Once upon a time, GoPro was king of the action camera market.

However, here in 2023, there are several GoPro alternatives offering better value, reliability and features.

The latest GoPros have less responsive UIs, fixed screens, no 4K/120p mode and batteries that aren’t backwards compatible. They’re also expensive!

However, if you want to rival the electronic image stabilization and video recording quality of the GoPro Hero 10, you need to be prepared to spend as much, if not more, on the best action camera of the year.

In this guide, we’ll introduce the best GoPro alternative action cameras, as well as some cheaper options if you’re on a budget.

Let’s take a closer look at the recommendations.

What are the Best GoPro Alternatives in 2023?

Image	Product	Features
	Insta360 X3OUR #1 CHOICE	FlowState Stabilization 360 Creative Freedom AI Editing IPX8 Waterproof	View Price →
	DJI Osmo ActionHIGHLY RECOMMENDED	Dual Screens 8x Slow Motion UHD Image Quality More Dynamic Detail	View Price →
	Oclu Action CameraBEST BUDGET	Customizable Modes Universal Mounting IPX7 Waterproof Motion Recording	View Price →
	Insta360 Go 2	Mount Anywhere IPX8 Waterproof FlowState Stabilization Multi-Use Charge Case	View Price →
	Olympus TG-Tracker	Electronic Image Stabilization Immersive Ultra HD Video Front LED Headlight Built Tough to Shoot Anywhere	View Price →
	Sony HDR-AS50R/B	Flexibly Mountable Live-View Remote Sharp,Ultra-wide ZEISS® Tessar lens 4K Time-lapse Capture SteadyShot	View Price →
	Akaso Brave 4	4K Ultra HD Smart Gyroscope for Anti-shaking Waterproof Edit and Share Videos Instantly	View Price →
	Dragon Touch 4K	Wireless Wrist Remote Control Versatile but Compact Multi-functions Action Camera Waterproof up to 30m	View Price →

 

Insta360 X3

Imagine being able to mount your action cam anywhere and grab footage in 360 degrees. You’d never even have to worry about which direction the lens was pointing.

Pretty neat, huh?

That’s just one of the major upsides of the Insta360 One X3, which we’re calling the best GoPro alternative available right now.

The Insta360 works by taking a completely spherical recording. Later, in editing, you can choose which perspective of the recording you want to showcase in your footage.

That also means you have the option to cut several different angles from one recording, limiting the need to take multiple action cameras on your adventures.

This makes the Insta360 X3 especially useful as a cycling camera, where changing camera positions isn’t easy.

The solid, rectangular shape of the Insta360 makes it highly pocketable as well as durable. It’s also waterproof to 10 meters (32 feet) so no worries about using it for watersports or in heavy downpours.

The Insta360 X3 records in 5.7K, delivering excellent video quality when lighting is good. In low light, footage does suffer and image quality declines somewhat.

Where the Insta360 really breaks ground is in its electronic image stabilization. Take it on any extreme sports adventure over rough terrain and the FlowState 6-axis gyro-based stabilization will ensure smooth footage every time.

As well as video, you can capture images at 18MP resolution, with the option to shoot in Raw for more flexible post-processing.

You’re also able to produce some awe-inspiring third-person footage on your own, using the Insta360 in conjunction with the Invisible Selfie Stick, with the software intelligently ‘erasing’ the stick from the final video – even in our extensive GoPro comparison, we didn’t find a GoPro that could do something similar.

Audio-wise, this action cam doesn’t win any awards for its sound quality – although the inclusion of four mics for spatial sound does put it a step up over some other GoPro alternatives. There’s also the option to mount a separate mic to improve the audio quality using a 3rd party microphone attachment.

Another thing we love about the Insta360 is its mobile app. It’s both intuitive and powerful, with inbuilt effects and AI tools that take away much of the hard work.

The app also includes an inbuilt social media platform for sharing all your awesome footage, plus plenty of tutorials in case you get stuck.

Being able to quickly and easily process your videos and images on the go is a huge added bonus to this already impressive action camera and another reason why it tops the list of best GoPro alternatives in 2023, as well as being the best 360 camera too.

• Buyer’s Guide to Insta360 action cameras

DJI Osmo Action

This very worthy GoPro alternative offers the kind of durability every dare-devil wants from their action camera.

Dive with it up to 11 meters (36 feet) deep and do gnarly ski jumps with it in temperatures of -10°C (14°F).

Video resolution is highly commendable, with 4K footage at up to 60fps and 1080p slow motion at up to 240fps.

The DJI Osmo Action also allows for HDR video recording – a feature your GoPro camera may well not have. (Note, though, that HDR footage doesn’t feature image stabilization.)

Want to use your action cam to shoot vlogs or selfies? With full-colour screens on both front and back, the DJI Osmo Action ensures your compositions are always on point.

The 1.4-inch front screen doesn’t include touch functionality, while the 2.25-inch rear screen is touch-sensitive and has a waterproof, fingerprint-resistant, hydrophobic coating.

For moments when you’re too busy gripping the handlebars (or, you know, chasing your kids around) you can use the voice control function. Shout out “Start Recording,” “Stop Recording,” “Screen Switch,” “Take Photo” or “Shut Down” to operate the camera.

Download the DJI Mimo app (available for both Android and iOS) and you can even use your smartphone as a remote control, making it easy to change shooting modes and settings from afar.

Unlike the Insta360, this action camera doesn’t capture a spherical view – but the 145-degree wide-angle lens does a good job of fitting both an action hero and plenty of scenery into the footage.

It’s also super easy to add and swap out filters for the lens, allowing you to use an ND filter to take advantage of 24fps even in very bright conditions.

DJI’s RockSteady electronic image stabilization makes for super smooth videos, and video quality doesn’t disappoint. Unfortunately, you can’t live stream video with it – but that’s one nitpick against a long list of positives.

In all, the DJI Osmo Action deserves its place high on our list of best GoPro alternatives.

• GoPro photography guide

Oclu Action Camera

As we’ve seen, action cameras these days come in all shapes and sizes. The OCLU Action Camera aims to shake up the market further with its “sleek, aerodynamic design” and low-profile format.

The OCLU measures a little more than an inch high (2.8 cm) and 2.4 inches across (6.1 cm). On top of the camera body, you’ll find a small but bright LCD screen that gives you key information and allows some basic editing (more on that later).

This budget GoPro alternative shoots still images at 12MP and records video at 4K (maximum frame rate of 30p). Using the action cam’s full HD video mode, you can shoot super-slow-mo at 120fps.

You also get modes like timelapse, burst mode, loop recording, and a motion sensor mode that’s great if you only want the camera to start rolling once you get in front of it.

The OCLU Action Camera comes with basic image stabilization but it’s not available in all modes – in fact, it only works at 1080p. If you’re shooting 4k video, you’ll have to sacrifice the smoothness of the footage for the higher resolution – not an optimal scenario if you need optimal video quality.

Another downside of the OCLU is that battery life is not the best. While the shooting time is fairly standard (you can manage just over an hour of shooting at 4k), the battery runs down much quicker when using particular functions – like if you use the built-in wifi to connect to your smartphone.

On the plus side, image quality is clear and bright with vibrant colours, which adds much to the OCLU’s reputation as a worthy sports camera. The magnetic battery charging function is efficient and useful, although we couldn’t get the file transfer to work via the magnetic cable, having to resort to using an SD card reader instead.

The OCLU offers a neat feature called LiveCut that allows you to cut footage on the go. This is great for when you’re capturing an action repeatedly (like a skateboarding or snowboarding trick) and you want to delete all the failed attempts immediately to save space.

The OCLU Action Camera has an IPX7 standard waterproof rating (1 meter for 30 mins). Add the OcShell waterproof case, and you can take it to depths of 50 meters (164 feet) and do some awesome video underwater.

The OcShell has a hydrophobic coating that protects against impacts and dirt as well as water, so it’s a worthwhile accessory to have. Unfortunately, it has to be purchased separately (approx. US$39.99), but considering the budget price of the camera itself, this isn’t such a bad thing.

If you intend to use your action camera in wet or muddy situations, be sure to pick up the waterproof housing, as well as one of the other optional accessories – our favourite is the chest harness, which is comfortable, well made and easy to use. Having tested it for hours on multiple bike rides, you almost forget you’re wearing it.

OCLU’s accompanying app isn’t the best one we’ve tried, suffering from some connectivity lagging issues – we solved this by engaging Airplane Mode, but this obviously isn’t ideal if you need to use your phone for calls etc.

On the whole, though, this action camera makes for a very decent GoPro alternative – especially thanks to its sleek, easy-to-mount design and on-the-fly editing.

It’s also frequently on sale, so if you’re looking for the best budget GoPro alternative, this is definitely the one to get.

Insta360 Go 3

The tiny Insta360 Go 3 is the successor to the brand’s popular, highly-acclaimed Go 2 camera from 2021.

The newest version however takes all the best from the Insta360 Go 2 and adds a bunch of powerful new features to it.

This diminutive action camera technically isn’t really an action camera, though it meets all the performance metrics and specs of one with its own usefully unique design twists. They also make it perfect for all kinds of field scenarios.

Weighing in at just 1.25 oz (35g) for the camera unit itself and another 3.4 oz or 96g for its Action Pod component, the Go 3 is a heftier (but still tiny) camera than its Go 2 predecessor.

However, in exchange for its extra weight and size, the Go 3 packs in a bunch of new features. These make this newer camera definitely worth going for as a GoPro Hero alternative.

For starters, the new larger Action Pod component of the Go 3 gives it a wholly new flip touch screen that you can use to preview and control video recordings.

In addition to this, the Go 3 comes with an expanded battery capacity that lets the camera run longer than its predecessor.

Instead of the Go 2’s 1100mAh charge case, the Action Pod of the Go 3 packs a total of 1270mAh plus an extra 100mAh in the camera itself.

The Go 3 can also record crisp, colorful 2.7K video instead of the 1440p shooting that the Go 2 was limited to.

Aside from increased resolution, the Insta360 Go 3 also features several new video modes that include Timed Capture, Loop Recording, and Pre-recording. It however still features all the video modes of the Go 2.

To capture audio with its Ultra HD video clips, the Go 3 also includes 2 different microphones instead of the 1 that the older version came with.

Other features of the newer camera include unlimited video clip length and voice control features that the Go 2 completely lacked.

Most importantly, the Action Pad of the Go 3 is what makes the new camera so much more robust.

This rectangular cube adds a bit to the Go 3’s bulk, but the camera unit itself is completely removable from the magnetically secured slot it has in the pod.

With the Action Pad’s 2.2-inch flip touchscreen, you can enjoy live previews and silky smooth interface control with your tiny Go 3 camera remotely in all kinds of scenarios.

These features alone make the Go 3 a much more worthwhile option than the original Go 2 despite its slightly higher retail price. You’ll definitely be getting much more power for your money.

Olympus TG-Tracker

The Olympus tough range prides itself on durability: these cameras are waterproof, shockproof, crushproof, freezeproof, and dustproof!

So what does that mean in practice?

With the Olympus TG-Tracker, it means you can take it diving to 30 meters (98 feet), drop it from a height of 2.1 meters (7 feet) without it smashing to bits, crush it under 100 kg (220 lbs) of weight (don’t ask us how you’d do that), and use it in freezing conditions of -10°C (14°F).

If extreme adventures are your bag… your bag will welcome this little action cam.

The camera features a fixed ultra-wide-angle lens with an aperture of f/2.0, which makes for some nice bright shots. As you’d expect from a 204° angle, the lens gives quite a fisheye effect to your images and footage.

It also results in some distortion and vignetting in the far corners.

The TG-Tracker lets you record videos in Ultra HD 4K, but it’s limited to 30fps. That bumps up to 60fps if you shoot in FullHD video.

Regardless of how rough-and-tumble your adventures get, the commendable electronic image stabilization keeps your footage smooth and steady. Image stabilization isn’t available for shooting stills, however.

Two features that give the Olympus TG-Tracker an edge over the other best GoPro alternative cameras are the flip-out LCD screen and the built-in headlight – both handy for extending the possibilities of your action shots.

The 1.5-inch LCD monitor tilts out to 90°, which gives you more versatility in capturing difficult shots. Flip it out to better compose your frame or to quickly change your camera settings.

The headlight is another bonus not sported by many other GoPro competitors. When you find yourself in low-light or dark conditions, activate the front LED to light the scene. You get 60 lumens of brightness when you need a quick burst of light (up to 60 seconds), or 30 lumens for up to 30 minutes.

Depending on what you’re shooting, you may need a more complex or powerful lighting setup – but it’s comforting to know you always have the in-built light source handy if you need it.

Battery life is good, with the 1350mAh-rated battery offering 95 minutes of recording time. You can charge the battery with a standard MicroUSB cable.

Other features include built-in wi-fi and a range of sensors to track your activities – temperature sensor, accelerometer, barometric pressure sensor, GPS and e-Compass among them.

The Olympus TG-Tracker may not look like your standard action cam, but at the end of the day, it’s built for serious adventures. The biggest downside is the price.

If you’re not deterred by the expense, it makes for a very worthy GoPro alternative indeed.

Sony HDR-AS50R/B

The Sony cameras you most hear about these days are the superb mirrorless models, but let’s not forget that Sony also has its finger in the pie of the action camera industry too.

The HDR-AS50R/B may be an awkwardly named and fairly dull-looking action camera, but what Sony lacked in creativity, they made up for in features.

You get a ZEISS Tessar lens with a f/2.8 maximum aperture, two viewing angles (wide and narrow), and a power combination of 1/2.3″ Exmor R sensor and BIONZ X processor.

Spec-wise, it’s not going to rival your DSLR or Sony mirrorless – but then again, no action camera is. The purpose of this device, as with all the very best GoPro alternatives, is to capture the action as it happens.

The sensor quality on the HDR-AS50R/B makes for better-than-average low-light performance, and Sony’s proprietary SteadyShot stabilization does a great job of minimising camera shake.

This action cam isn’t waterproof, but it does come bundled with a waterproof housing that allows you to submerge it to impressive depths of 60 meters (197 feet).

You can purchase it with or without the live view remote – a wristband accessory (called RM-LVR3) that allows you to change settings, start and stop video recording, take photos, and view a live video image.

The live view remote will set you back about an extra US$80, but it does add volumes to the experience of using the camera. If you’re going to make the investment in this Sony, we’d definitely recommend grabbing the remote as well.

Another feature of the HDR-AS50R/B is 4k timelapse capture. Use the Sony-supplied software tools (Action Cam Movie Creator or Action Cam App) to mash the images together into a timelapse film.

The camera body has no viewfinder – just a small LCD for displaying shooting modes and settings. This isn’t one of those action cameras where you can carefully compose shots or review footage on the go.

That means it’s more a case of setting it up, hitting record and hoping for the best! But if you’re after a tiny, unobtrusive camera where you don’t have to think too much, the Sony HDR-AS50R/B is well worth checking out.

Akaso Brave 4

If you’re after a cheap GoPro alternative, check out the Akaso Brave 4. Coming in at under US$100, this is an affordable action camera that’s perfect for beginners.

Akaso may not be a brand you’ve heard of before, but it’s fairly well known in the automotive industry for producing one of the best backup cameras for the money.

On the surface, it looks a lot like a GoPro camera: boxy design, rear IPS screen and small front LCD, and dimensions of 59 x 40 x 23.1 mm.

Under the hood, the specs are also impressive given the price point. You get a 20MP sensor, 4k video recording for HD video, and a built-in gyroscope.

While the electronic image stabilization and gyroscope are definitely helpful in smoothing out camera shake, they don’t rival the technology delivered by other GoPro alternatives (like the action cams from Insta360).

Still, you can definitely get some decent footage — and have plenty of fun — with this affordable device.

The Akaso Brave 2 comes with a number of shooting modes including Video, Photo, Burst, Time-lapse, Loop, and Underwater.

The view angle of the camera is adjustable: choose from 170°, 140°, 110°, and 70°.

One nice inclusion on the Akaso Brave 2 is the wireless remote control which is in the form of a wrist strap, so you can easily start and stop recording without having to touch the camera.

You can also use the smartphone app (available on Android and iOS) as another remote control option.

The camera itself isn’t waterproof, but snuggle it into its waterproof case, and you can go deep diving up to 30 meters (100 feet).

Note that the wrist strap isn’t waterproof.

Another benefit of the Akaso Brave 4 is the bounty of accessories it comes with. As well as two rechargeable batteries, you get a 19-piece kit with various mounts, stands and cleaning accessories.

The batteries themselves are 1050 mAh batteries that allow you to record one hour of footage at 4K – not a terrible battery life given the affordability of this little action camera.

One area you do have to compromise on if you choose this device is the audio quality. While it does the job, it’s average at best, and definitely not the best GoPro alternative if you need to record talking a lot in your videos.

Overall, the video quality and sound quality of the Akaso Brave 4 won’t rival that of many more costly action cameras, but it offers an impressive set of features for the price.

If you can’t find the Brave model in stock, you may also want to check out the Akaso EK7000 to0.

Dragon Touch 4K

Here’s another budget GoPro alternative that looks the part, acts the part and offers impressive value for money.

You can pick one up for around US$65, making it less than half the price of even the cheapest GoPro!

Despite the low price, you can shoot 16MP still images and high-quality videos up to 4k (limited to 30fps).

The image quality isn’t as good as what you’ll get from high-end action cameras – sometimes pixelation is evident, and the lack of image stabilization definitely impacts the smoothness of video recording.

Of course, some compromises are inevitable given the price tag of this action cam!

Like other action cameras, the Dragon Touch 4k has multiple modes – driving mode, image rotation, time-lapse, loop recording, slow motion and drama-shot among them.

If you want to take it diving or on watersport adventures, you’ll need to pop it in the waterproof case (included). Once inside, you can go to depths of 30 meters (100 feet).

The camera body itself is made from a mix of rubber and plastic and features a 2-inch LCD display on the back. Unlike some action cams, this one doesn’t have a front display.

Like the Akaso Brave 4, the Dragon Touch 4k comes with its own wireless remote control wrist strap. It’s not waterproof, so don’t go scuba diving with it – but for easily activating the camera from dry land, it’s a nifty thing to have.

The wireless remote operates at 2.4GHZ and syncs with the camera to a distance of 10 meters/33 feet. You can use it to start video recording or to capture still images.

Another benefit of the Dragon Touch 4k is the bundle of accessories that comes with it.

Without having to fork out any extra, you’ll get a bunch of mounts, clips and tethers, as well as a bicycle stand, helmet mount, protective backdoor, a remote control and waterproof housing with the refreshingly affordable Dragon Touch 4k.

Battery life is decent: you get two 1050mAh rechargeable batteries that last up to 90 minutes each. The best part is that you can use them both at once for a combined 180 minutes of run time.

As far as action cameras go, this one won’t be suitable for pro-level movie-making and it certainly won’t nab you the smoothest footage or clearest images of bumpy action sports. The audio quality is also pretty iffy.

However, if you’re on a tight budget and looking for an action camera to shoot fun adventure videos with, to take on family beach holidays, or to use as a dashcam, webcam or surveillance camera, this little device is as bang-for-your-buck as they come.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is GoPro still the best?

These days there are plenty of GoPro alternatives that rival – or even beat – the original in terms of features, quality, and reliability. Depending on your needs, there are several great action cameras on the market today that are better than GoPro.

Which GoPro is the best for the money?

Despite being launched in 2018, the GoPro Hero7 White is still an excellent budget option that offers great value for money. It’s rugged and reliable and available at a much lower price than other GoPro cameras.

Does GoPro take better pictures than iPhone?

It depends on what you’re shooting. For standard still photography, an iPhone is a better choice – GoPro’s wide-angle view is better suited to action scenes. However, if you’re shooting on the move, GoPro takes clearer pictures with less camera shake thanks to its image stabilization.

Which is better GoPro Black or Silver?

The GoPro Black includes all the same features as the Silver, plus some additions – like a higher frame rate, additional front LCD screen, HyperSmooth stabilization, Wake on Voice command, and removable battery. So feature-wise, the Black is better. The only downside is that it’s more expensive.

Final Words

So you’ve packed your supplies and your sense of adventure, and all that’s left is finding the right action camera for proving your courageous feats really happened. (And for sharing them on social media, of course!)

Odds are, you initially gravitated toward GoPro as the original and most well-known action camera brand. But, as we’ve just discovered, there’s a whole world out there with plenty of options to suit every need.

We hope this article has expanded your horizons and showed you a wider range of what’s available in the action cam market.

From here, think about what’s most important to you. Is it steady footage? Long battery life? Extreme durability? An affordable price?

Whatever your requirements and whatever type of adventures you want to shoot, we’re confident there’s a GoPro alternative above for you.

What type of adventure camera are you looking for? And what do you plan to shoot with it?

If you have any questions or comments, just leave them below – we’ll be sure to get back to you.