The best action camera for 2024

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.

Previous 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 (2024)GoPro's 2024 budget action camera: 4K video, slomo & photos

Reasons to buy the Insta360 X4

• 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 X4 can do both 360 degree video and single lens video, making it a great all-in-one option.

Reasons to avoid the Insta360 X4

• Not as rugged Although the X4 has new and improved lens guards, just like all 360 cameras, the camera itself is less rugged and the two rounded lenses are more exposed than on a classic action camera. If you want a sturdier camera, you could consider the GoPro Hero 13 Black or the Insta360 Ace Pro 2.
• Underwater footage requires diving case The Insta360 X4 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 2024 guide, or check the selection below.

A rival 8K 360 camera☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★Kandao Qoocam 3 UltraKandao's latest 360 camera: 8K video and integrated GPSInta360's previous 360 camera☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★Insta360 X3Insta360's 2022 360 camera: 5.7K video and a large touchscreenBudget 360 camera☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★Insta360 One X2Insta360's 2020 360 camera: 5.7K video at an affordable cost

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 avpid 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 flipscreen

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 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 wearable action camera: 4K video in a modular format

Reasons to buy the Insta360 Go 3S

• Lightweight and mountable anywhere The Insta360 Go 3S's size and weight make it ideal for sports where every gram counts such as running or road cycling. You can also use it on pets or RC cars for fun videos.
• Great for vlogging and POV videos With it's small size and magnetic clip, the Insta360 Go 3S is the perfect tool for vlogging, interviews, POV footage. Snap it to your clothes and record.
• Modular design The Go 3S is tiny, but can become a classic action camera when paired with the ActionPod. The ActionPod extends the camera's battery life and features a flip screen.

Reasons to avoid the Insta360 Go 3S

• Storage and battery limitations Since the Insta360 Go 3S is so tiny, it does not support SD cards and you will have to rely on it's internal storage. Furthermore, it has a small battery when used without the ActionPod. You might want to consider the DJI Osmo Action 2 which has close to twice the battery life without extra modules, and allows extending storage with an SD card when using an extra module.
• Not waterproof with ActionPod Although the Insta360 Go 3S can be equipped with a diving case, the case is not designed to be used with the ActionPod. This restricts you to the storage and battery life of the Go 3S when filming underwater. If you plan on snorkeling or scuba-diving, you might want to consider other options like the Insta360 X4 or the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro which are great for underwater footage.

More wearable action cameras

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

DJI's wearable camera☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★DJI Osmo Action 2DJI's wearable action camera: 4K video in a modular formatCheap 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 (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 camera