I test action cameras for a living — these are the ones I'd buy with my own money

Tom's Guide

24-06-2025

I'm lucky enough that my job involves me testing all of the best action cameras and best 360 cameras on the market. From the latest GoPro Hero13 Black to the Insta360 X5, I've put them all through their paces.
It's still early, of course, but July's Prime Day event is nearing, and manufacturers are already starting to cut prices. Like the DJI Osmo Action 4, which is currently $50 at Amazon
With all the above in mind, I thought it would be a good time to use my testing experience to tell you which action cameras I would actually buy with my own money. Some of these are already on sale ahead of Prime Day, and some of them might be as we creep towards the sales event.
Not all of these cameras will make the sales, though, as some are very new. But that doesn't mean they aren't worth buying. Conversely, you may see some sale prices already, but that doesn't mean the deals are actually good.
Have a look through my favorites below, and for each entry, I'll run you through what counts as a good deal and when you should take the plunge.
Pete is a senior editor at Tom's Guide, overseeing the site's reviews and camera coverage. He tests every action and 360 camera, and keeps a close eye on their pricing throughout the year to help you get the best deals possible.
This deal on the Osmo Action 4 is my top deal pick overall. This is my favorite budget action camera, as since the Osmo Action 5 Pro launched, DJI has slashed the cost of the older model. It's already seeing some decent discounts ahead of Prime Day.
Expert analysis — DJI Osmo Action 4
When to buy: Now / $200-$250
This is a pretty substantial deal, so if you need a camera now, I'd go for it. The OA4 may be an older model, but it still packs more than enough firepower for professional-tier content creation. It also has the second-best waterproofing in the industry, second only to its sibling, the Osmo Action 5 Pro.
I've seen the OA4 go as low as $209 in the past, but with the U.S. trade tariffs, I'm not sure this Chinese-manufactured camera is getting any lower in the States this year.
Find out more in my DJI Osmo Action 4 review.
The DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro is my favorite action camera overall, thanks to its blend of pro features, great video output and stabilization, and much lower MSRP than the GoPro Hero13 Black.
Expert analysis — DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro
When to buy: Now / any discount at all
The DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro isn't on sale yet, and any discounts on this camera will be small as it's the latest flagship, so I'd take any discount you can see. This is our favorite action camera for a reason, though, so I'd recommend buying even at full price. And besides, it's still $100 cheaper than a Hero13 Black, though, so if you need a top-tier camera, you're getting a great deal with the OA5 Pro even without money off.
Find out more (including how it improves on the OA4) in my DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro review.
The GoPro Hero13 Black is the best GoPro you can buy. While not much changed from the Hero12 Black in terms of the core functionality, GoPro fitted the new camera with interchangeable lens mods to allow you to get creative with the look and feel of your footage.
Expert analysis — GoPro Hero13 Black
When to buy: $300-$350
If you need a GoPro, then there should be nothing stopping you from buying the Hero13 Black right now. Tariffs have pushed up the prices of lots of GoPro gear, so the older models aren't that much cheaper, and it's difficult to justify buying them over this or the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro.
Currently, the Hero13 Black is at full price, but GoPro is usually generous with its discounts during sales events. Late last year, this camera dropped to $299. I doubt we'll see discounts that steep again this Prime Day, due to trade tariffs, but I would still consider taking the plunge on this camera at any price within the $300 to $350 range.
Find out more in my GoPro Hero13 Black review.
The Insta360 Ace Pro was the Chinese manufacturer's first concerted attempt at dislodging DJI and GoPro's hold on the traditional action camera market. Boasting 8K recording, fantastic stabilization, and seamless pairing with the epic Insta360 app, it's a strong contender in the action camera market despite having been succeeded by a new model, the Ace Pro 2.
Expert analysis — Insta360 Ace Pro
When to buy: ~$270-$300
This is actually a pretty tempting deal. When I first reviewed the Ace Pro, I awarded a 3.5* rating — it's a great camera, but felt overpriced in the market. Now, though, with prices having dropped, this is a serious contender in the sub-$300 market when on sale.
This camera has now been succeeded by the Insta360 Ace Pro 2, but the newer model is wildly expensive, so I wouldn't buy it with my own money (hence why it hasn't made this list). I've seen the Ace Pro drop to $269 only this month, so it's well worth holding out to Prime Day itself so you can snag the best deal.
Find out more in my Insta360 Ace Pro review.
The little GoPro Hero is a solid camera if you just need a basic tool for content creation. It shoots at 4K/30p and boasts impressive battery life. It has its minor drawbacks, but still beats almost everything else in the sub-$200 market when on sale.
Expert analysis — GoPro Hero (2024)
When to buy: ~$170
When it launched, the tiny GoPro Hero cost $199; however, GoPro has recently increased the price to $219 ahead of Prime Day. In its (usual) market segment, though, it's better than almost any other new action camera you can buy at around the $200 mark.
As I mentioned before, GoPro is usually fairly generous with its discounts around trade events. This camera has been on sale as low as $169 this month! At that price, it's a great little budget camera for casual content creators. My advice would be to hold out for now, as I suspect the price will drop in the next couple of weeks.
GoPro often bundles in subscriptions to its application and cloud storage service around these events, while charging the same as Amazon, so make sure to shop around and check GoPro's store.
Find out more in my full GoPro Hero (2024) review.
The Insta360 X4 isn't the manufacturer's latest 360-degree camera, but it still packs a lot of the same technology, including 8K 360 recording (enabling 4K reframed output), excellent stabilization, and the ultimate framing flexibility that 360-degree cameras provide.
Expert analysis — Insta360 X4
When to buy: $350-$400
The Insta360 X4 is currently on sale, but if I were you, I'd keep an eye on it for a week or so as Prime Day deals start picking up. This camera was reduced to $359 just this month, so there may be more discounts to be had.
However, even at $424, I would still invest my money into the X4 if I were in the market for a 360 camera. Aside from the (more expensive) Insta360 X5, no other 360 camera even comes close to the X4. That's because of the 8K maximum 360-degree resolution, which allows 16:9 reframing in 4K, higher than anything you can get from rival manufacturers.
Find out more in my Insta360 X4 review.
If you want the best of the best, the Insta360 X5 is the only 360 camera I can recommend. I didn't think it was possible to get much better than the previous model, the X4 (already better than every other 360 camera on the market), but Insta360 managed it, fitting the X5 with vastly improved internal microphones, replaceable lenses and larger image sensors for improved low-light performance.
Expert Analysis: Insta360 X5
When to buy: Now / any discount at all
The Insta360 X5 is the latest — and I mean it when I say this — greatest 360 camera you can buy. It's only a couple of months old as we head into the Prime Day event, so don't expect to find many discounts. Insta360 is usually pretty reserved with its deals anyway, so I've little hope of reductions on the X5.
That said, if you have the cash, the Insta360 X5 is worth the extra premium over its predecessor, the Insta360 X4. The older model was already the best 360 camera out there, but Insta360 added a host of genuinely useful features, improving the imaging performance, audio performance, and long-term usability. Sale or not, I would buy this camera.
Find out more in my Insta360 X5 review.