Best dashcams you can buy in 2025 for all budgets brought to you by our experts

Written by Alex Boyd Updated: 21 March 2025

In real life, road incidents don’t come with dramatic music or slow-motion build-ups—they happen in an instant, without warning. One moment, you’re cruising along, and the next, chaos. In the inevitable confusion that follows, details blur, and memories become unreliable. That’s where a dashcam steps in as your silent witness, capturing every second.

Technology is advancing rapidly, and today’s dashcams offer high-definition recording, night vision, Wi-Fi, and even real-time alerts without necessarily costing a fortune. Even some of the most basic budget-friendly dashcams can provide pretty good results.

We’ve done a lot of dashcam testing here at Parkers, fitting different types of dashcams to our cars and using them as we drive. We’ve been judging these dashcams based on several factors, including price, performance, ease of installation, and any extra useful features. So, whether you want a fancy mirror dashcam or a bog-standard unit, here is our pick of the best UK dash cameras for cars.

The best dashcams in detail

FAQs

What is a dashcam?

A dashcam is a small in-car camera used to monitor driving techniques and record footage in the event of an incident. They are often installed so that, in the event of an accident, motorists will have some evidence to fall back on should the other party take legal action.

How to fit a dashcam

Each car dashcam will come with its own set of instructions on how it should be installed. Depending on where you intend to place your dashcam, you’ll want to ensure the installation site is clean and dry first, as this will benefit the adhesive performance of the included stickers. It’s important to install your dashcam outside your line of sight so that it won’t impede your vision while on the road. Once you have your dashcam in place, ensure the cables are neatly tucked around the perimeter of the windscreen and then fasten them in position. Some may even offer a prying tool to hide the cables behind the panel gaps of the cabin.

Which dashcam is right for me?

There are hundreds of different models on the UK dashcam market, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. Before considering which model would best suit your car, however, it’s important to think about your budget. The cheapest dashcams start from around £30, but for this, you can expect a bottom-of-the-market product in terms of capabilities and footage quality.

Dashcam jargon buster:

A mini dashcam is a scaled-down model that’s perfect for the price-conscious. They’re hugely popular as they are inconspicuous enough not to obstruct your view while on the road but can still shoot high-quality footage covering the full extent of the windscreen.

A dual dashcam can shoot both front and rear video by virtue of two cameras. While the primary camera is fastened to the windscreen, a smaller camera films out the back window, offering better cover both front and rear. Dual dashcams are usually a bit more expensive, but given the extra level of cover and protection that they offer, it’s usually a premium worth paying for. That being said, there are some affordable examples on the market.

Why should I have a dashcam?

There are myriad reasons why you should have a dashcam installed in your car, and not all of them revolve around fair play.

Justice – If only all drivers were as careful and considerate as our readers, the world would be a far more congruous place. Alas, they aren’t, so we have to take precautions. In the event of an accident, leaving yourself or your car damaged, a dashcam will allow the authorities to ascertain who was truly at fault by reviewing the footage. On that unfortunate day, you’ll want the evidence to fall back on.

Insurance disputes – People really hate admitting blame when they know it’s going to hit their pockets. Insurance disputes over road traffic accidents occur all the time and can lead to no payout at all. Dashcam footage will conclusively settle such a dispute with the evidence to back your claim.

Monitor your driving – You may feel uneasy on the road at times, and that’s okay. A dashcam will allow you to review your driving technique, providing the necessary guide on where to change your style for the safety of yourself and other cars around you. Having one could also bring your insurance premium down, too.

Need an SD card? We’ve put together a short guide on SD cards to help you out.

The best dashcam features to consider:

Camera quality – most dashcams record decent video footage these days, offering 1080P in 30FPS as standard with some stretching up to 4K. Resolution is important, but the frame rate is equally so, as a low frame rate (some dip to 25FPS in 4K) will impede the smooth flow of video and could lead to crucial information being missed.

Size – Again, most modern dashcams excel in this department, too. Having an inconspicuous dashcam is important as you don’t want it to obstruct your view while driving. Some are bigger than others, so if maintaining a clear windscreen is high up on your agenda, make sure to go for the smallest footprint possible.

Field of view – A good field of view is important as you won’t want to miss anything that may have occurred on the periphery of your camera’s range. We would recommend at least 120 degrees to cover the majority of your windscreen.

Voice recognition – Using your hands to operate anything other than the controls of a car while driving is almost always frowned upon in the eyes of the law. A voice-activated unit will save you the commotion of finding elusive power buttons so you can keep your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.

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