Many authentic GoPro alternatives provide a high-end experience at low prices without compromising features synonymous with high-value action cameras. These cameras may not beat the GoPro Max, GoPro Hero 9, the GoPro Hero 8 Black, however, they can provide similar features at more affordable prices.
These cameras are under $100 and boast high-end features such as the electronic image stabilization that become synonymous with a next-generation camcorder after the release of the GoPro's Hypersmooth.
The GoPro alternatives discussed below offer decent image quality, high battery timing, an intuitive screen, durability for outdoor activities, and a wide-angle lens that spans from 170° to 70°.
You can capture memorable adventures from biking, rock climbing, fly-fishing, skateboarding, and sky-diving with ease. These cameras are made for you, and they work like a breeze.
1. AKASO EK7000
Price: $59.99
The AKASO EK7000 has held tech-savvy enthusiasts' attention because it's a camera with a clean, bright screen on its back, an unusual build for a camera under $100. Here are the features of the AKASO EK7000 that you need to know:
Styled in a GoPro build and features, it comes with a low price and high value. It's laced with 2 inch clear IPS color screen that will allow you to navigate quickly, manage settings, and your shots. Its user-interface is intuitive so it is easy to use even for beginners.
Also, the AKASO EK7000 offers a wide view-angle that is adjustable between wide, medium, and narrow.
Nothing better than its 170° wide-angle lens that makes the camera competitive over 120° or the much lesser, 90° cameras. It'll let you have a better vlogging experience, even if it means skiing near your home vacations.
The video is equipped with 4K footage because it offers 4K at 25 FPS, 2.7 at 30 FPS, and up to 12 MP photos. It's a value five times the traditional HD cameras. Have it with the AKASO EK7000, with which you can dive oceans (limited to 100ft) because it comes with a waterproof case.
With its Wi-Fi option, you can capture your moments and share them with colleagues, friends. And its HDMI port enables you to share the footage to your home TV set.
It also has a loop recording feature, burst and time-lapse options, which make it sound like a professional photographer under $100.
There isn't much difference between the EK7000 Pro and the basic version. Their weight, size is the same as their compartments:
- The pro version has the color trim, and it only comes in a dark gray color compared to the basic model color option (silver, black-gray, or blue).
- The main difference in the controls and interfaces is that the EK7000 has a touch screen.
- The Pro version has an image stabilization feature (EIS), which sets it apart from the basic EK7000 model.
However, AKASO EK7000 offers a setback. Its video quality is well-tuned in bright light compared to medium or low light conditions.
In this case, you can consider avoiding its electronic image stabilization (EIS) feature, which can further deteriorate the footage's quality.
2. AKASO V50 Pro
Price: $119.99
AKASO V50 Pro is a budget action camera under $200 that offers some extraordinary features. The camera comes with 4K resolution at 30 FPS or 2K, 1080P at 90 FPS, and image quality up to 20 MP. Don't forget you can take it to a beach. It offers 131ft waterproof protection and a remote-control option. Don't worry about the battery life because the cheap camera has 2 1340 mAh batteries that can support 180 minutes of video recording combined. With the AKASO V50 Pro, you'll be enjoying the following features in full:
- Electronic image stabilization (EIS)
- Wi-Fi
- Loop Recording
- Adjustable Angle
- Micro HDMI and Micro USB
Is micro HDMI and micro USD help you to connect the camera to other electronic devices, such as a computer, smartphone. Moreover, with its loop recording feature, you can also mount the camera in your car to work as a dashcam. And its adjustable angle can be changed from 170° wide-angle to 140°, 110°, and 70°.
If you have a sweet tooth for hiking, the camera is perfect for hiking as it equipped with EIS that keeps blurring away. With it, the device shake is compensated, and you get a good photo.
Also, V50 Pro comes with 17 accessories kit that fits GoPro and other cameras.
3. Dragon Touch Vision 3
Price: $54.99
The Dragon Touch Vision 3 is a perfect GoPro knock-off. It's a real alternative to GoPro's high-priced models. The inexpensive action camera is equipped with a subtle build, offering 4K in 30 FPS and image quality up to 16 MP to capture rich details during your adventure.
A wireless wrist remote control also accompanies it, which you can wear during a mountain bike adventure or whenever your hands are busy. The camera comes with essential accessories, such as a helmet mount and bike handlebar, for your action in the wilderness.
And the camera can be used for water sports, too, with up to 98 ft waterproof capability. However, that's is much lower than what Akaso cameras can manage. The camcorder also offers Wi-Fi support up to 33 feet that enables you to share your memorable moments on social media.
Also, you can use the action camera other than your action capture. Its driving feature allows you to record when you're driving as a dashcam. The loop recording mode will delete the previous video to start a new one.
However, there's a con to using the Dragon Touch Vision 3 camera. It lacks an image stabilization (IS) feature, which helps in avoiding blur images.
4. Polaroid Cube Act II
Price: $19.99
The Polaroid camera is just 49 grams, the size of two souvenir coins, equipped with HD 720P or 1080P recording feature, and provides up to 6 MP photo quality.
The cam's price starts from less than $20, which means it won't be able to deliver image quality as good as that of a 4K action camera, but it is a cheap action camera that makes a perfect gift for children, especially with its cute looking.
As a budget action camera, Cube Act II offers more than you can expect, with its splash-resistant body, 90 minutes battery life, image stabilization feature, low light capability feature. However, it lacks the 4K feature, but don't worry because the Polaroid Cube Act II comes with accessories and features that compensate for it.
5. APEMAN A87
Price: $159.99
Like its name, the Apeman A87 is a unique updated version that offers an ultra HD 4K recording experience at 60 FPS, making sure the motion is less blurred.
And its brilliance doesn't stop here: 8x zoom with its lens and four-view angles (170°, 140°, 110°, and 70°). The budget action camera is good for outdoor cycling or skiing because it has gyro stabilization and distortion correction features that set your images aside. It's also equipped with other features, such as continuous loop, slow motion, time-lapse. You get a lot at a low price. In other words, the Apeman A87 is a high-value camera for your action.
After shooting, you can share your videos to Instagram or showcase them on Pinterest, or you can conveniently watch your moments on a TV set with its HDMI, USD, and AV video ports.
It comes with a set of accessories, including but not limited to bike and helmet mounting kits. Similarly, you get an extra 1050 mAh battery. Its single battery provides 90 minutes of footage straight away.
6. AKASO V50X
Price: $99.99
The AKASO V50X will give you a rich experience. The budget action camera comes with the right amount of features, from laced with 4K at 30 FPS, likewise 2.7K at 30 FPS, and 2K at 60 FPS.
Similarly, it's equipped with IS, which helps in recording smooth footage by reducing the effect of shaking distortions on photos. Don't fear to record with it while chasing a horse in pens or a dog on your lawn.
The inexpensive action camera is also waterproof and you can take it to the sea up to 131ft. The camera also comes with the right amount of battery timing with its 1100mAh, which isn't as effective as the AKASO V50 Pro version.
The package provides more than 16 accessories kit, which is even compatible with GoPro. Similarly, it provides a 170° wide-angle (adjustable) so that you can have a perfect vlogging experience at skiing.
7. AKASO Brave 7 LE
Price: $139.99
Brave 7 LE is weatherproof without a case, to be specific, the action camera still works even after it is accidentally dropped into up to a meter deep water. However, if you want to take the action camera diving, it needs to be protected by waterproof housing. The brave 7 LE can endure a depth of 131, deeper than Scuba dive.
The Akaso Brave 7 LE is similar to the design of the DJI's Osmo Action. It has an LCD on both sides, back, and front, which provides much convenience in browsing and capturing shots.
In the bargain-priced package, you get a 4K shooting option at 30 FPS and photo quality up to 20MP. Similarly, you'll be getting image stabilization, which is better than the other low-priced AKASO cameras.
Like any other high-value product, it offers time-lapse, fast motion, and burst photos to enhance your footage experience further. Have skiing, cycling, riding, or paragliding experience with this action camera with the best value because it's well designed for actions and adventures.
8. Insta360 Go
Price: $199.99
The Insta360 Go is smaller than a thumb. It's a 20-gram camcorder that isn't just designed for 360°. It's a tiny action camera that you can stick to your shirt as you vlog your way to the supermarket.
It's a mixture of Google's Clip and Snap's glasses. The product you get is of high value at a low price. It comes with flow-state stabilization features that work like an image stabilization (EIS). As a result, the footage is smooth and stable.
The Insta360 Go is equipped with AI-powered FlashCut that edits and ensures you get the best against the drawbacks camera suffers from, such as low to medium light.
The action camera is splash-resistant. You can get it out in the rain or dip it in a drink (10-sec limit). The camera is designed to record a quick snap of a 30 or 60 seconds clip. Its AI is backed up to select and edit the best among the clips. The footage is of HD quality. It comes in 1080P.
It has a single button, which makes the cam easy-to-use. Likewise, it's not a highly recommended option for photo-shoot in low light. Still, the camcorder is a tech marvel designed for you.
9. GoPro Hero 7 White
Price: $158.99
GoPro cameras are the perfect companion for your active adventures. The brand is out with its competitive camera, the Hero7 White, at a low-price, to which you should give a courtesy glance:
It's tiny, waterproof, rugged, and ensured to give you a thrilling experience. This cheap GoPro offers HD quality footage at 1080P at 30 FPS and rich photo quality at 10MP. You can also use its burst mode to capture more than 15 photos in one go. The GoPro Hero7 White is waterproof. You can take it to the Florida beach but be aware of its limitations (33ft).
The GoPro is easy to use. All you need to do is swipe and tap because it has a touch screen that is 2-inch and intuitive to use.
Similarly, like any other high-end action camera, it has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth options, and video stabilization feature. Its stabilization feature isn't as good as the other versions of the Hero7.
10. Sony HDR-AS50
Price: $198.00
The Sony HDR-AS50 is a low-price, high-value action camera that features high standard SteadyShot image stabilization, hard to find across action cameras in the range below $200.
Its adjustable beep sounds ensure you're aware of its condition during skiing or bicycling. Furthermore, the camera can capture a fine quality of footage under the water (up to 60m).
The camera comes with a CMOS sensor paired with a Zeiss Tessar lens that provides high-quality HD footage in 1080P at 60 FPS to capture exquisite details. Its high-quality lens comes with an f/2.8 maximum aperture that could be called standard, providing up to 3x zoom, a wide or narrow-angle, and 11.1 MP photo quality.
Without waterproof housing, the camera weighs 83g, which could be called a standard to look for. The Sony HDR-AS50 also comes with apps such as Action Cam Movie Creator that lets you edit and manage your footage easily, including 4K time-lapse.
A plastic housing (the MPK-UWH1), which is also dustproof and provides waterproof protection, makes it a good option for divers. It also comes with a wrist-mounted remote control used to adjust the Sony HDR-AS50's settings.
Conclusion
The AKASO EK7000 is a better choice if you're looking for a camera with multiple features on a scale. However, it comes with a disadvantage. Unlike the AKASO V50 Pro or the low-priced counterpart, the AKASO EK7000 comes with low frames per second, but you get a 4K that you won't find in the Dragon Touch Vision 3.
The Dragon Touch Vision 3 has its own merits. The Dragon Touch Vision 3 offers photo quality up to 16 MP. That's better than the mentioned Akaso cameras and similarly much better than the Polaroid Cube Act II that offers 6 MP.
However, no camera can match the Polaroid Cube Act II at its price, for it comes in a bargain-priced that you won't find anywhere else.
If the latter is a new brand, then opt for an old name. The GoPro Hero 7 is another perfect option, but it doesn't offer any HDMI support. Though, you can have it across other versions in the family of Hero7.
The AKASO Brave 7 is a perfect option for diving. It's well packed to offer a depth of 131 feet that is deeper than Scuba dive. Further, the camera is a cost-effective decision that offers 20 MP photo quality in a 1350mAh battery. You also get an image stabilization feature that you won't be able to spot across the dashboard of the Dragon Touch Vision 3.
Likewise, the GoPro Hero 7 White is the least water-resistant camera. It comes with a limit of 33ft. In this case, the Insta360 Go doesn't offer water-resistant at all. However, it's splash-resistant, and it came with rich features that make it a perfect camera for vlogging, weighing only 20 grams. Tug it to your shirt.
If you're looking for quality HD footage, go for the Sony HDR-AS50 that gives 1080P at 60 FPS, but it weighs 83g that can be considered as a disadvantage, but on the other hand, the Polaroid Cube Act weighs 49 grams.
With the Aperman A87, you get a 4K footage experience at 60 FPS, making it the right choice for your outdoor adventure.
