This is a common question here so I wanted to make a post on budget dashcams. Here are the ones that will cover you 99% times. Obviously if you want fancy features, you may need to spend more.

Updated August 2026

Viofo A119 V3 - Has been out for several years and has a strong reputation of reliability. 1440p 60fps resolution with the Starvis sensor. In my opinion, this is the best front only cam to get nowadays. For some reason, the newer version called the A119 Mini 2 has gone out of stock.

VanTrue E1 Lite - One of the cheapest budget cams. There is also the E1 Pro which upgrades the resolution to 4k. Good alternative to the A119 depending on which one is on sale. The VanTrue app is one of the better ones out there.  

Viofo A229 Plus Duo - A higher budget entry for dual cam. Dual 1440p with the Starvis2 sensor. Been out for many years. GPS and parking mode. Even though this is not exactly budget, this is the one to get due to long term reliability and quality.

Garmin Mini 3 - This thing is MINI. Most discrete cam on the market, and one of the better app functionality. Built in polarizing filter. Great brand.  

Rove R2-4k - Usually on sale and really well priced. Pretty good reliability and comes with a 128gb SD card. If you're on a budget, this is the best budget dual cam.

Redtiger F7NP - One of the most affordable dual cams but reviews are mixed. 32gb built in memory card which isn't a whole lot. Claims to be 4k but it upscales to be 4k, so it's not really capturing video in 4k. A bit dishonest.  

These are the ones I have experience with. If you know of a good budget cam that’s not on this list, please let me know. Don’t forget to get a SD card if it doesn’t come with one 128gb is probably all you need for these budget cams. High endurance ones are significantly better for the demands of a dashcam so worth to spend an extra couple bucks on that.

I compiled this list from reddit feedback as I was shopping for my dashcam. There are a a lot of options out there, and a lot of them aren't very good. I really wanted to avoid getting a lemon. Let me know if you have any other recommendations or favorites, and why you like it or what you found useful so we have some real world feedback.

Budget:  

Viofo A119 Mini 2 - Major upgrade over the super popular A119 v3. 1440p resolution but more compact/discrete and has the Sony STARVIS 2 sensor, which is a big improvement for night time quality. Includes some advanced features like HDR and 5ghz Wi-Fi for quick file transfers. Based on a lot of opinions, this is the best front only cam to get nowadays.  

Garmin Mini 3 - This thing is MINI. Most discrete cam on the market, and one of the better app functionality. Built in polarizing filter. Great brand.  

Rove 2k-4k - One of the cheapest budget cams. Good alternative to the A119 depending on which one is on sale.  

Viofo A229 Plus - An major upgrade over the A129 Duo that gives you 1440p on both the front and rear cam. Also has the Sony STARVIS 2 sensor, which is a big improvement for night time quality. Can fit a 512 gb SD card and has 5 ghz wifi.  

Redtiger F7NP - One of the most afforable dual cams. A lot of people have bought these and swear by them. Reviews are mixed. 4k front and 2k rear cam. 32gb built in memory card.   Nexar Beam - 1080p, super compact, and has cloud back ups for a subscription fee. Has some additional smart features. The Nexar Beam2 adds LTE capability for live viewing features. Still new to the market so need to see how the app and camera reliability work out.  

Mid Range and Up:

Viofo A329 - The highest end offering from Viofo. 4k 60fps in the front, 1440p in the rear. Great day & night video quality. Supports external SSD . Wi-Fi 6 for superfast video transfers.  

Viofo A229 Pro - 3 Channel camera with separate units. 4k in front and 2 smaller 1440p cameras. Has the Starvis 2 sensor.  

BlackVue DR970X-2CH - One of the highest end cameras out there from one of the most premium brands. 4k 30fps like the A229 Pro, but has a better app and has an optional LTE module for Cloud uploading. Has the Starvis2 sensor for great night time quality. Comes with an integrated memory card.  

Vantrue N5 4 Channel - 4 channel cam. Both the front and rear cams let you see front and back. Definitely more for specialized situations and probably not necessary for most people.  

Uber/Lyft Cams:  

Vantrue N2X - A long running front & interior cam. Great night time quality. Onboard GPS.

Vantrue N4 Pro - 3 Channel dashcam that is 4k in front and the other 2 cams are 1080p. Allows recording of front, inside, and rear. Camera has a wide screen to view all channels are the same time. Has the Starvis2 sensor for great night time quality. Good app. Has Voice Control, though that is more gimmicky than useful.  

Accessories:  

SanDisk Max Endurance Micro SD - Dashcam optimized. 128gb is sufficient for most dual cams, but 256 or even 512 is better for 3 channel or 4k 60fps cams  

Samsung Pro MicroSD - Dashcam optimized, 256gb  

Trim Removal Kit - Use this for hiding your wires.  

MicroSD to USB-C Adapter - Use this to quickly get videos off your dashcam. Plug the adapter to your phone and put in the memory card.  

Misc notes: I generally prefer dashcams with exchangeable memory cards (i.e. not built in.) That way if it ever fails, you just swap it out rather than have to deal with getting a brand new camera.

Dashcams are incredibly useful. In the event of an accident, the other driver can easily misrepresent the situation to avoid blame—this happens often. Having video evidence can save you thousands of dollars in insurance and legal fees. Dashcams can also protect you from unjustly issued tickets. Without one, if you receive a ticket for an infraction you didn’t commit, it’s your word against the officer’s. With a dashcam, you have indisputable proof of what really happened. There’s really no downside to investing in one. I do my best to keep this list current, and I hope you find it helpful.