Are you looking to record live traffic videos but don’t want to invest in a dash cam? Then look no further. In this guide, we cover the best android apps that turn your smartphone into a dash cam.
Each app in our list has a 4-star rating or higher and 100,000 reviews in the Google Play store, so you can be sure you’re choosing from the best android dash cam apps available.
These 5 android dash cam apps make using your smartphone to record traffic videos a breeze.
Quicklook: Best Dash Cam Apps for Android
- Best For Continuously Running in the Background: AutoBoy Dash Cam
- Best For Use with Google Maps 3D: Autoguard Dash Cam
- Best For Users Who Like To Edit and Archive Recordings: Droid Dashcam
- Best For a Free Dash Cam App: Drive Recorder
- Best For Users with Older-Model Phone: Daily Roads Voyager
5 Best Dash Cam Apps for Android
Are you looking for the best android dash cam app to fit your needs? Here we highlight the five best dash cam apps for android available to download today.
AutoBoy Dash Cam
AutoBoy Dash Cam is a free and reliable dash cam app for android. It will record your entire journey, audio included. If you allow access to your GPS, it will also add the location information to the recordings.
You can run other apps simultaneously with AutoBoy Dash Cam since the app can run in the background of your phone. In addition, it will automatically save your videos to your SD card and remove older videos.
By upgrading to the paid version, not only are ads removed, but you get some other cool features such as:automatic uploading to a YouTube channel, a smart crash sensor, and an LED backlight flicker to alert your recording is in progress.
Best For: Continuously Running in the Background
Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.happyconz.blackbox&hl=en&gl=US
Google Play Downloads: 1M+ (over 1 million)
Star Rating: 4.1 stars out of 5.0
Special Features:
- Can run seamlessly in the background
- As long as your battery is charged, it will continue recording
- Has an automatic emergency dial option in case of a collision
- Available in 12 languages
Benefits:
- Free
- Records the location, speed, and time into the video
- You can see your location in detail when watching footage in the app
- Plenty of Auto-start options are available
Disadvantages:
- Has ads
- Doesn’t work as well on older model phones
- High-resolution options only available in the pro version
Pricing: Free or $2.49 for the pro version
Autoguard Dash Cam
This ash Cam aims to be the best black box application for any driver. The Autoguard dash cam includes latitude/longitude in its video recording and tracing paths on Google Maps 3D.
The Autoguard dash cam automatically captures snapshots of important events during recordings, ensuring you don’t miss anything in case of an accident. In addition, Autoguard will delete the oldest recording on its own when more storage space is needed.
Additionally, this app will also allow you to upload videos to YouTube automatically. However, this feature is only available in the Pro version.
Best For: Use with Google Maps 3D
Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hovans.autoguard&hl=en&gl=US
Google Play Downloads: 1M+
Star Rating: 4.1 out of 5.0 stars.
Special Features:
- Automatic snapshot feature
- Google Maps 3D tracing paths
- Can show video and maps on the same screen
Benefits:
- Will take snapshots of important events automatically
- Traces your route on Google Maps 3D
- Includes extra details in recordings, including latitude and longitude
- Automatically starts recording when connected to a Bluetooth device
Disadvantages:
- Doesn’t allow background recording in the free version
- Automatic YouTube syncing and uploading locked behind the pro version
- Has ads
Pricing: Free or $4.49 for the pro version
Droid Dashcam
Droid Dashcam stands out as a free app without any extra features locked behind a paywall. You get all this app has to offer for free, but with ads. Donating will remove the ads.
It will hardcode important information into your recordings, such as time-stamps, locations addresses, GPS, and speed. In addition, Droid Dashcam will automatically delete older recordings to make space for new ones.
Best For: Editing and Archive Recordings
Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.helge.droiddashcam&hl=en&gl=US
Google Play Downloads: 100K+
Star Rating: 4.4 out of 5.0 Stars
Special Features:
- Hardcodes important information as subtitles into recording
- Can run in the background while using different apps
- You can control it from the notifications panel.
Benefits:
- No paywall for additional features
- Comes with camera stabilization
- Plenty of Autostart options
- Lots of interface customization
Disadvantages:
- No automatic upload options
- Has ads
Pricing: Free, requires a $4.49 donation to remove ads
Drive Recorder
Drive Recorder is another excellent dash cam app you can use for free. While it comes with ads, you can turn them off in the settings without paying or donating. This app also features a built-in speedometer that warns drivers if they’re speeding.
With Drive Recorder, you can share your current location as you drive. Additionally, you also can edit any recordings you make for easy viewing. This dash cam app also supports loop recording.
Best For: Free Dash Cam App
Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dayun.driverecorder&hl=en&gl=US
Google Play Downloads: 100K+
Star Rating: 4.4 out of 5.0 stars.
Special Features:
- Built-in video editing
- Speed limit reminder that warns drivers when they’re going too fast
- Records in the background
Benefits:
- Free
- Has auto-start options
- Supports uploading to YouTube or your cloud drive
- Video editing tools
Disadvantages:
- Videos must be uploaded manually
- Doesn’t have a snapshot function while recording
- Requires a minimum of android OS 4.0.3 to function
Pricing: Free
Daily Roads Voyager
Daily Roads Voyager is a veteran app. It has been recording dash cam photos and videos since 2009.
The app automatically records videos for short-term storage and lets you save specific segments for the long-term simply by tapping the screen. It can run in the background and comes with an alarm sound in case the app stops working for any reason.
The free version offers most of the primary functions necessary for a dash cam app. However, some functions are only available in the paid version. Pro functions include automatic uploading, automatic recording when connected to Bluetooth, camera selection options, and video overlay credits.
Best For: Users with Older-Model Phones
Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dailyroads.v&hl=en&gl=US
Google Play Downloads: 1M+
Star Rating: 4.2 out of 5.0 stars.
Special Features:
- One-tap quick-save recording segments
- Auto retain video upon shock
- Records in the background
- Overheating protection
Benefits:
- All recordings are time-stamped and geotagged
- Alarm in case of app crash
- Extra display options such as speed and elevation
- Automatically adds street addresses to videos
Disadvantages:
- Doesn’t work well with some phone models
- Many quality of life functions are locked in the pro version
- Uses a purchase credit system to put overlays on videos
Pricing: Free, but the $4.99 pro version is recommended
Selection Criteria
All of our top picks for android dashcam apps all come highly rated. These dash cam apps all have more than 100K downloads and a greater than the 4-star rating in the Google Play store.
We also considered the features offered by dash cam apps. For example, users find background recording an essential function of a dashcam app, so all our recommendations have background recording. Additionally, we included dash cams apps with unique features that suit different needs.
What Is a Dash Cam App?
A dash cam app is an application that allows you to use your android phone as a dashcam. Since cell phones today have excellent cameras, a dash cam app can have most of the capabilities of an actual dash cam.
How Does a Dash Cam App for Android Work?
An android dash cam app will record your journey. All you have to do is put your phone in a stand or dock facing the road.
Dash cam app recordings are valuable in case of an accident so you can look back at what happened and see who was at fault. You can even lookup the license plates in the recordings.
What to Consider With an Android Dash Cam App
When choosing an android dash cam app, you must pick one that will work both for your phone and your needs. All dash cam apps have different features, and some apps require newer model phones and operating systems to function correctly.
Google Play Downloads
The number of Google Play downloads an android dash cam app has is an excellent indicator of its popularity. Apps with more than one hundred thousand downloads are usually a safe bet.
Ratings & Reviews
Positive ratings and reviews show that users enjoy an android dash cam app. Through ratings and reviews, you can get the opinions of thousands of people all at once, making choices more manageable.
Special Features
Each android dash cam app has unique features such as video editing, emergency contact alerts, and auto-save. To choose the best android dash cam app for you, consider what special features are most important to fit your needs.
Ease of Use
You want to ensure that your android dash cam app is easy to use and that most of the features are automated. You’re much more likely to use an app with an intuitive interface.
Storage Options
The best android dash cam apps have multiple storage options. Being able to store and upload your traffic videos is an essential function of these apps, so look for things like automatic uploading and ample storage space.
Minimal Advertisements
Advertisements can be annoying when using an android dash cam app. While most free options will have ads, if you plan to use your dash cam app often, you may want to consider paying to remove them. All of our choices allow you to pay a small fee to go ad-free.
Download an Android Dash Cam App and Start Recording Live Traffic Videos Today
If you’re looking for the best android dash cam app, consider one of the five options listed here. All of our dash cam app recommendations are highly rated in the Google Play store and have some awesome features that let you use your smartphone just like a dash cam.
FAQ
Yes, you can use your smartphone as a dash cam by using a dash cam app. However, the quality of recordings is directly dependent on the camera in your smartphone.
Simply download a dash cam app that works with your phone, model, and brand and set it up in a dock on your dashboard.
Dash cam apps can be great, but they will only be as good as the phone they run on. Higher phone specifications and newer models will result in better video quality.
Sign up for a FreightWaves e-newsletter to stay informed of all news and trends impacting supply chain careers and operations.
