A dashcam is something you may want to consider installing in your vehicle.
Installing and purchasing the necessary hardware can be very expensive, especially when the system is being set up.
Here’s an idea you might not have thought of before: replace your physical camera with a smartphone camera instead.
Dash camera apps for android are designed to turn your smartphone into a dashboard camera, saving you money on a dedicated hardware model.
Compared to mid-range hardware dash cams, top-rated programs provide all of the same basic functions, with the downside of requiring you to open the app and place your phone in an appropriate cradle every time you drive.
Some dash camera apps exceed others, and some even have features not accessible on real devices.
You can get started right away by downloading one of the top free dash camera apps for android available.
1. AutoBoy Dash Cam
The AutoBoy app comes with a lot of granular options, which makes it appealing to techies.
It does, however, have one additional feature that makes it one of the most popular dash camera apps for android for many.
While using other apps or accessing the internet, it might record in the background. The AutoBoy’s recording feature loops files, automatically erasing the oldest one whenever the maximum storage capacity is reached.
Users can choose recording cycles, storage capacity, and video quality, including frame rate, resolution, encoder, bit rate, and audio quality.
A sophisticated crash sensor locks the current video file when it detects a collision, as well as GPS capability.
The dashcam triggers an LED light that flickers in the background to let you know it’s recording. The camera software includes more functions than typical dash cam apps, such as zoom, flash, focus, and grid lines.
English, Korean, Chinese, Russian, German, Japanese, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, Turkish, Vietnamese, and Thai are the 12 languages supported by the app.
Reviews mention crashes and freezes, but as long as you leave it running in the background, you should be fine. This software is great for anyone who wishes to listen to music or podcasts while documenting a journey.
2. Dashcam 9
The Dashcam 9 by Vault Micro, Inc. is named for the nine distinct features it possesses. Many of the other features should be familiar to anyone who has worked with dashcam software in the past.
Each video file includes overlays for speed, position, and time; movies can be stored in internal or external memory, with automatic file deletion if the predetermined storage space is exceeded; and map data is provided through the GPX format (Global Positioning System).
In the case of a collision, an event data recorder (EDR) feature will automatically capture a video clip that will begin five seconds before the accident and continue for five seconds afterward.
3. DailyRoads Voyager
DailyRoads Voyager, like most dash camera apps for android, allows users to record video in a continuous loop, with the length and video quality of each clip being customizable, as well as the ability to switch on or off voice recording.
By tapping the screen only once, you can quickly save interesting video clips to your computer. After a collision, the shock sensors can instantly lock the video recording, and there’s also a time-lapse photography mode.
Timestamped and geotagged with GPS, all video files are created; however, for power saving, the GPS can be disabled and the files modified to reflect vehicle speed and height.
DailyRoads Voyager, like AutoBoy, has a background mode that saves phone space while navigating the planet.
Because the Voyager app is tied to the car deck, it can be set to start and stop with the car, which not all dashcams can do.
This laptop’s features include overheating protection, brightness control, a built-in file organizer, and the option to post files to DailyRoads.com.
Although the Voyager app’s in-app adverts annoy some users, it is a useful dash cam tool. A car desk that can be turned on or off concurrently with the vehicle is a great option for drivers who appreciate automating boring duties.
4. KM Car Camcorder
The KM Car Camcorder dash cam program makes use of loop recording, and it provides options for selecting the appropriate file amount and the maximum size of the storage folder before the oldest recordings are overwritten by the newer ones.
You’ll be able to see the date, time, vehicle speed, and position of each video file in your collection. The KM Car Camcorder can record video while you use a navigation app or listen to music.
It has the ability to record from your phone’s front or selfie cameras, allowing you to capture footage of the outside of your vehicle and the road ahead, as well as the interior, to keep an eye on your passengers.
It also contains a collision detection sensor, which will immediately lock the current video file if it detects a collision. Video files can be shared via Google Drive or Bluetooth, among other methods.
5. Drive Recorder Dash Cam
Several important features are included in the Drive Recorder software package. When the app is launched, it records in the background and can be set to start recording instantly.
It also supports multiple video resolutions and file sizes as well as shares it with your phone’s cloud drive. It can record the driving trajectory, and it can navigate to the last location recorded while driving.
In addition, the app’s editing feature lets you drag and drop to select the exact length of time to keep as a separate clip.
It is possible to play back video files with timestamps and GPS position tracking embedded in them. Your Android operating system must be 4.0 or higher in order for everything to work properly.
The Drive Recorder software is simple to use, albeit it does feature advertisements at times. Alternative dash cam software for those who don’t want a lot of extra bells and whistles in their cars.
6. Smart Dash Cam
IP Cam Soft, which also manufactures IP cam applications, provides Smart Dash Cam as a free dash cam download on its website.
Collision detection, auto-loop recording, an internet storage link with Google Drive, and a collision detection system are all included.
Unlike other highly rated free dash camera apps for android, Smart Dash Cam is an ad-supported program.
Despite the fact that this may appear unusual, it’s important to note that you’re not supposed to be looking at the screen of a dash cam when you’re driving, so while the advertisement may appear tacky, it’s not hiding any important information.
7. AutoGuard
AutoGuard by Hovan Yoo is a dash cam application that is available in both free and paid versions. However, despite the free version being advertised as ad-supported, no advertisements appear on the main screen when recording.
The subscription edition allows you to sync movies to YouTube and use AutoGuard with other apps.
Even though the majority of dash cam applications, like hardware dashboard cameras, provide a view of the road or whatever you’re filming, some of them can also be used in the background to record audio.
An example of a dash cam program that can operate in the background is AutoGuard. The commercial edition of AutoGuard is capable of running alongside other programs.
As a result, if you have a navigation app, you can continue to use it while the dash cam is filming.
With the right configuration of your hardware, you may be able to have a small AutoGuard window in the corner of your screen while using other applications.
Unlike physical devices, dash cam apps must be configured every time they are used. Some dash cam programs, like as AutoGuard, can be of use in this regard.
When you connect your phone to a car dock, a recording app will automatically activate and start recording.
8. CamOnRoad
A dash cam application from Smart Labs, CamOnRoad is fully free to use and does not have a premium or paid version to purchase.
User registration with Smart Labs grants them access to 2 GB of free cloud storage for dash cam recordings, with more storage space available for purchase through an in-app purchase.
CamOnRoad is an example of an app that fulfills a task that is impossible to accomplish with dedicated physical dashboard cameras, such as recording video in real time.
Apart from the fact that it transforms your phone into a dash cam, it also features built-in GPS navigation. Some dash cams have built-in GPS that can display the location of an accident but not directions.
9. Dash Cam Travel
In terms of free Android dash cams, Dash Cam Travel is the final one to consider, as it provides a free version as well as four distinct premium tiers.
Users of Dash Cam Travel can choose between three different tiers, each of which offers a unique set of capabilities geared toward “Professionals” or “Sports” users.
With the free Dash Cam Travel feature, you may record in both the background and foreground. As a result, you will have the option of including the dash cam overlay in your recordings as an option.
If you opt to add a GPS map that updates as you drive, the dash cam replay will also disclose the time and speed at which the recording was made and the date and time of the video.
Changing the video resolution is also possible when you turn off the overlay feature. Dash Cam Travel records on standard video resolutions, such as 1920×1080 or 1280×720, and does not include the overlay feature.
When you add the overlay to the recording, the recording resolution varies somewhat to accommodate the difference in size, for example, 1920×936 or 1280×624 to accommodate the difference in size (or the much larger 2220×1080).
