The Best Hidden Dash Cam: Our Top 3 Picks for 2023

We recommend dash cams to all our readers because we want everyone to stay as safe as possible out there!

A dash cam can help to protect you from liability should you become involved in an accident, and can also help potentially get you out of other issues like traffic violations.

But if you leave your car parked on the street, you’ll want a discrete camera in order to avoid car break-ins and theft.

Below, find our pick for the best hidden dash cam of 2023.

An Overview of Hidden Dash Cameras

If you want to choose the best dash cam for you, there are a few basics you’ll need to know first.

What are Hidden Dash Cameras?

A hidden dash camera is a small, unobtrusive camera that you mount on your dashboard.

This device is how you can replay incidents and thefts.

Additionally, it serves as a way of keeping the car owners informed of everything that happens to their vehicles.

How Do Hidden Car Cameras Work?

A hidden car camera operates similarly to any other camera. However, it does not resemble a camera, and the lenses are the size of a pinhole.

Additionally, this camera has night vision, so you can see theft at night.

This camera’s size enables you to mount it anywhere on the dashboard. To observe any theft inside the car, this must face the driver. Place the camera in a strategic location and mask it with a decorative item.

Difference Between Dash Cams and a Hidden Car Camera

There are some similarities between dashcams and hidden car cameras.

Both improve vehicle security and assurance that your belongings are safe.

However, each provides what the other does not. For instance, dash cams are visible cameras that frequently record traffic.

As the name suggests, hidden car cameras are not visible to the passengers and focus on the inside of the car. Depending on where you place them, these cameras can also record the outside.

Why Use a Hidden Dash Cam?

There are tons of dash cams out there, some large, some small, some expensive, some cheap.

What is a “hidden” dash cam anyways? And why use one?

In our mind, a hidden dash cam is just a normal dashboard camera that is small enough that it can be easily hidden away.

By making it difficult to see from outside the car, you can discourage theft and car prowls.

And in the case of insurance fraud, vandalism, etc. you can record the actions of others without them knowing there is a camera involved.

You might consider getting a hidden camera for car use if you live in a high crime area or if you park your car on the street regularly.

Additionally, some people prefer these lower-profile cams simply because they are unobtrusive and convenient.

Once installed, you pretty much never even notice them – until an accident happens, and you actually need to review the footage!

What is the Best Hidden Dash Cam? Top 3 Options Ranked

To narrow down our list of recommendations to just a top 3, we utilized a combination of manufacturer specs, customer reviews, and our own experience with these cameras. Enjoy!

1. Street Guardian SG9665GC

The Street Guardian SG9665GC is a great mid-range camera and our pick for best hidden dash cam for 2023.

Its compact, discrete design makes it easy to hide behind your rear-view mirror, providing a hidden witness to everything that happens on the road in front of you.

Beyond its ease of use and compact design, it’s also just an excellent all-around camera, sporting HD recording quality, WDR technology for night recording, GPS recording, and more.

• Small and easy to hide
• Comes with an SD card
• 1080p HD recording
• Wide dynamic range excellent night vision recording
• Built-in GPS capabilities
• Huge recording capacity
• Excellent reviews
• 1-year warranty included

2. Aukey Dash Cam

Keeping with the theme of the best hidden dash cam, the Aukey dash cam fits behind your rear view and is considered to be a low profile dash cam that offers stealth protection.

Despite being hidden, the Sony Exmor Sensor will capture everything it sees in a crisp 1080p resolution.

• Very small, stealth design
• Easy to install/mount
• Sits behind your rear-view mirror where it can go unnoticed
• Films in 1080p with Sony Exmor Sensor
• 2-year warranty is included
• Hundreds of positive customer reviews

3. Pruveeo F5

The Pruveeo F5 is a small, affordable camera that is quite easy to hide.

It’s not the smallest on this list, so it didn’t earn the title of best hidden dash cam, but it’s a solid camera all around.

And at a budget-friendly price (around $40), it’s tough to beat!

• Small, discrete design
• Recording quality up to 1080p (720p by default)
• Controllable via smartphone app
• Budget-friendly
• Wide angle lens
• 1-year warranty
• Great reviews

Best Hidden Car Cameras: Other Great Options

There are many hidden car cameras out there for you to search through. But we’ve compiled six of the best hidden car cameras for you to take into account.

If you want to secure your car in the future, check out the following cameras.

1. Garmin Mini Dash Cam

This is one of the best hidden car cameras available thanks to its size, video quality, and connectivity features.

Overview:

The Garmin Mini Dash Cam, which measures just 2.1 inches, has surprisingly good video quality for both day and night.

Thieves won’t even notice it because of its unassuming appearance, which allows it to blend in well.

But there are some drawbacks, like the absence of the GPS tracker and the overwhelming heat release.

Despite these drawbacks, this remains one of the best car cameras money can buy.

Best For Size:

This is the best option available if you’re looking for a discreet car camera that is also very small.

At only 2.1 inches, this camera is so unnoticeable that you might even lose track of where you mounted it.

Notable Features:

The features of this camera are all possible with the Garmin Drive app.

This app allows you to:

• View real-time or captured video
• Change the video quality
• Upload photos to your computer

Pros:

• The perfect size to hide in plain sight
• It has great video quality to capture any theft or accident
• It provides excellent motion stabilization when driving
• Garmin Drive app

Cons:

• No GPS tracking capability
• Unlike others, this camera runs hot sometimes
• This is an expensive camera

Using the Garmin Mini Dash Cam is simple.

You will see any theft in progress once you mount the device on the dashboard.

Pricing & Plans:

The price of the Garmin Mini Dash Cam is $109.99 on Amazon and $129.99 on the Garmin website.

Our Rating:

4.5 Stars

Our Take:

The Garmin Mini Dash Cam makes up for its lack of a GPS feature.

The camera quality alone makes the cost worthwhile, and it can keep its stability while traveling.

2. Volenberry Spy Camera

Small and easily concealable, this camera can prove to be very useful.

Overview:

The Volenberry Spy Camera is a feature-rich camera you can conceal on your car’s dashboard.

From the six infrared LED lights for night vision to the motion detection that lasts up to 60 minutes, this device will come in handy for any situation.

Even the wide-angle lens allows you to watch any development.

However, the battery life is short, and the video quality is among the lowest on the list.

While it is charging, you can record, but you cannot switch to photo mode.

Best for Multi-Purpose:

The Volenberry Spy Camera is not only great for protecting your ride.

It’s also useful in your home or at the office.

Notable Features:

The Volenbrry Spy Camera has a wide range of features to make spotting a thief easy:

• 140-degree wide-angle
• 1080p HD video recording
• Record while charging

Pros:

• Auto-induction night vision
• Motion detection
• Internal rechargeable lithium-ion battery

Cons:

• Unideal battery life
• Cannot select photo mode while the camera is charging
• Unideal video quality

Pricing & Plans:

The price of the Volenberry Spy Camera is $29.99 on Amazon.

Our Rating:

3.5 Stars

Our Take:

The Volenberry Spy Camera comes with a ton of features.

The highlights of this camera are motion detection and night vision, but you also can’t overlook its versatility.

Despite its shortcomings, its adaptability makes it fantastic.

3. CleverFox Unlimited Mini Spy Camera

Cameras can be pricy, which makes this inexpensive camera all the more attractive.

Overview:

The CleverFox Unlimited Mini Spy Camera is easy to install in your car.

This camera has all the features you could want in a covert car camera, but one of its drawbacks is that it lacks a live video feed.

Nevertheless, it’s handy.

Best for Price:

If you are looking for a cheap hidden car camera that will do the job, then the CleverFox Unlimited Mini Spy Camera is for you.

This camera has many features that you can utilize wherever you want.

Notable Features:

As previously stated, this camera offers many features you can take advantage of.

This includes:

• Motion detection triggers recording
• Wi-Fi is not necessary
• The built-in battery supports 100 minutes of recording time

Pros:

• Easy installation
• Great design
• High-quality video
• Discreet appearance
• 1080p HD recording
• High storage capacity

Cons:

• Doesn’t come with an SD card
• Lacks live feed
• Photos are only taken manually

Pricing & Plans:

The CleverFox Unlimited Mini Spy Camera is only $21.99 on Amazon.

Our Rating:

3 Stars

Our Take:

For only $21.99, this hidden car camera adequately does the job.

Those who don’t want to spend too much money will find this to be the perfect camera.

It has some shortcomings, but it has many positive aspects, such as the high video quality and simple installation.

4. Red Owl Eyes

This camera has everything you could want in a hidden car camera.

Overview:

The Red Owl Eyes is a great way to keep everything secured, especially your car, with features like motion detection and night vision.

With a 150-degree wide-angle 1080p HD lens, this camera can record for 70 minutes and cover a large area with its excellent video quality.

Best for Night Vision:

The Red Owl Eyes’ night vision is its best feature, making it the standout on this list of hidden cameras.

It includes six invisible IR LEDs in this night vision mode, making it even easier to see.

Notable Features:

As you can see, the Red Owl Eyes have a lot of wonderful features:

• Motion detection
• Night vision
• Photo mode

Pros:

• Connectivity
• Quality
• Wide-angle lens
• Includes SD card

Cons:

• Can’t monitor the live feed
• Does not record audio
• Battery life

Pricing & Plans:

The Red Owl Eyes are only $24.99 on Amazon.

Our Rating:

3.5 Stars

Our Take:

The Red Owl Eyes is a versatile hidden car camera with many great features.

The night vision is the highlight of this camera, and it has the best view of all the cameras on this list.

However, this camera is diminished by its short battery life and lack of audio recording.

5. NIYPS Mini Spy Hidden Camera

Produced by a company specializing in hidden cameras.

Overview:

The Mini Spy Hidden Camera from NIYPS is a wonderful addition to the list and will aid in the security of your vehicle’s possessions.

This hidden camera can also function as a body cam.

The NIYPS Mini Spy Hidden Camera has a shield in front of the lens to further increase discretion.

This camera has to charge for at least two hours; this can happen while you’re recording.

Best for Motion Detection:

The best motion detection on this list comes from the NIYPS Mini Spy Hidden Camera.

The built-in motion detectors are superior to the others on this list.

Compared to other hidden car cameras, this makes it easier to save storage space and use for a longer time.

Notable Features:

The NIYPS Mini Spy Hidden Camera offers many features to make surveillance simple:

• Motion detection
• Supports T-flash cards
• Loop recording

Pros:

• Can stick to any surface due to the packaged magnet
• Recharging is quick and simple
• It has a discreet design

Cons:

• No live feed

Pricing & Plans:

The NIYPS Mini Spy Camera is $29.99.

Our Rating:

4 Stars

Our Take:

There are many benefits and hardly any drawbacks to the NIYPS Mini Spy Camera.

It can perform any task you ask of it, including monitoring your home or vehicle or acting as a body cam.

Without a doubt, this is among the best hidden car cameras available.

6. Papakoyal Hidden Spy Camera

From high-definition video and audio recording to a lasting battery, this camera has it all.

Overview:

Another excellent spy camera with all the features you could want is the Papakoyal Hidden Spy Camera.

Once you get going, you’ll realize there are almost no restrictions on where you can use this camera.

This camera can be utilized in a variety of settings, including the office, at home, as a body cam, and more.

It is not only limited to the dashboard of your car.

Best For Long-lasting Capability:

Many of the cameras on this list are outstanding in and of themselves.

However, the short-lasting batteries of the majority of them seriously detract from the overall rating.

Fortunately, the longest-lasting battery you seek on this list is found in the Papakoyal Hidden Spy Camera.

The TF Card will also allow loop-recording, ensuring it lasts even longer.

Notable Features:

A few of the many features that this camera offers:

• Multi-purpose recording
• Clip with multi-angle installation
• Loop recording

Pros:

• Quality Audio
• Comes with an SD card
• Supports T-Flash cards

Cons:

• Some may have difficulty operating

Pricing & Plans:

 The Papakoyal Hidden Spy Camera is $32.99 on Amazon.

Our Rating:

4 Stars

Our Take:

The Papakoyal Hidden Spy Camera is a great camera for surveillance.

This has many outstanding features that will make life easier.

However, this camera can be a bit confusing to get the hang of at first.

How We Chose the Best Hidden Dash Cams

There are plenty of things we took into consideration when looking for the right hidden dash cam for car usage.

Sure, you want a secret dash cam, but beyond the ability to be stealthily placed, there are a variety of other options to consider before you choose which dash cam you’ll buy.

With that in mind, here are some factors we considered and that you should consider too, when choosing a discreet dash cam.

These and other factors helped us choose the recommended hidden dash cam for car list.

Size

If you want a discreet dash cam, size is going to be an important factor.

The ability to hide your dash cam in a small, tucked away spot is going to depend partially on the size of the camera.

Luckily, there are a variety of options that are small enough to be tucked in and go unnoticed whether your car is being driven or parked.

Keep in mind, a dash cam might not always be marketed as a hidden dash cam for car use, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use it as such if the size is right (check our top mini dashboard cam pick for more info).

Value

Like other types of dash cams, you can find some great deals on discreet or secret dash cams.

Of course, it’s important to remember that if the price is lower, you’re probably going to suffer in other areas – usually with lower video or audio quality.

While you can find a good deal, make sure that you check the features and camera specs, so you know exactly what you’re going to get.

If you need cheap dash cam, chek our best cheap dash cam pick.

Picture Quality

This is one of the most important features to consider because ultimately, you’re going to want the best camera footage possible, whether you have a discreet dash cam or something that goes unhidden.

Some models offer 720p, which isn’t necessarily bad, but for a small upgrade in price you can find 1080p or in some cases 1440p.

At the end of the day, the better quality means an easier way to show what happened if a situation arises.

You can also get license plates and other important information if your dash cam is of a higher quality.

Consider checking the top 4k dash cam if picture quality is important to you.

Ease of Setup

If you lack any kind of technological knowledge, you can have Geek Squad install your hidden dash cam.

If you don’t want to spend an extra $50 (or more, depending on the service you choose, you’ll want to make sure that the installation instructions are easy to follow.

Many of the secret dash cams we chose are easy to install and come with adequate instructions to ensure that most people can install their dash cam with minimal problems.

If you do find problems, customer tech support should be able to help you.

Display

Hidden dash cams vary a little bit where the display is concerned, because you want a unit that is small enough and discreet enough to remain hidden.

Often, a 2 to 3-inch screen is going to make the device more noticeable. If display is an issue for you and you want one that is easy to manipulate, you might want to consider something like the YI Mirror, which is installed in your existing rearview mirror and offers a convenient touchscreen display that can be manipulated before use.

We have a list of other mirror-mounted dash cams as well.

Added Features

There is no shortage of features on even the simplest dash cam. If you have a few in mind that you want, you can find the right secret dash cam quite easily.

Some popular options for added features include things like Wi-Fi, parking surveillance, GPS, driver fatigue alerts, night vision, dual cameras, and more.

Warranty

Make sure you’ve looked at how long the warranty lasts, also.

Whether you pay a small amount or get a luxury, higher-end hidden dash cam, you want something that the company stands behind.

In our research, we found dash cams that offered everything from a 30-day warranty to up to 2 years.

Why Our Opinion Counts

Here at EducatedDriver, we strive to offer you everything you need to know to find the right hidden dash cam for car usage for you!

We are proud that our work has been featured in publications like Bustle, MarketWatch, Chron, Thrillist, RD.com, and others.

We start by spending hours personally researching these products to determine what features are offered and if they live up to the product claims.

From actual performance to durability and quality of build, we consider all factors when making our recommendations.

From there, we consider third-party verified customer reviews and how the product is handled in the manufacturing process.

This allows us to narrow down the best options in any given category – in this case a hidden dash cam for car use.

How to Install Dash Cams Discretely

The small dash cams we recommend on this list are chosen for their unobtrusive, discrete nature.

That said, you’ll still want to install them in a way that minimizes their profile

But what’s the best way to install a hidden dash cam?

Generally speaking, the best place to put one is behind your rear-view mirror.

As you can see in the image above, if properly installed behind your rear-view mirror, it’s pretty hard to notice from the inside of the vehicle.

Even from the outside, it often just looks like part of the rear-view mirror.

Unless someone is specifically looking for it, it’ll be hard to notice.

With that said, here are some tips to hide your dash cam once its installed:

• Purchase a small, discrete cam like the ones recommended here
• Hide the wires by snaking them around the vehicle’s windshield, under the ceiling components
• Hide the cam itself by placing it near the top of the windshield, ideally in the shaded area
• If you live in a high-crime area, consider removing your dashcam at night

Once you have it installed, step out of your car and see how it looks from the outside.

Is it noticeable? Is there another place you can put it to make it more discrete?

It’s very important to review your work from the outside to see how things look.

Which Industries Can Benefit From Hidden Car Cameras?

Hidden car cameras can be useful for a variety of professions:

• Fleet management
• Delivery
• Commercial driving
• Ride-sharing.

These professions involve working with vehicles and interacting with strangers, increasing your risk of getting your possessions stolen.

That’s why a hidden car camera is helpful.

You will catch the thief in the act, know exactly who committed the crime, and know what steps to take next.

Frequently Asked Questions

Hopefully, we answer your remaining questions below.

More Information

Want more info? Check out:

• Our pick for the best dash cam
• Best SD cards for dash cam
• Our picks from the dash cam categories:
  • Dash cam with GPS
  • Hot weather dash cam
  • Dash cam with capacitor
  • Night vision dash cam
  • Dash cam front and rear
  • Parking mode dash cam
  • Rear dash cam

We have also covered the motorcycle dash cameras along with dash cameras for truckers, and looked into the community to find out which dash cameras are best according to Reddit.

We haven’t forgotten our professional drivers and made the list of our top Uber dash cameras and top Lyft dash cam.