Napbell

Turn an old phone into a baby monitor camera

Napbell turns a spare Android phone into a baby monitor. Put the old phone near the crib, open Napbell on the phone you carry, and you get live video, sound, two-way talk and an alarm when your baby cries. The two phones connect directly over your home Wi-Fi, so it works without internet, an account or a monthly fee.

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Napbell: old phone by the crib and live video on the parent phoneNapbell cry alarm: Baby may be crying, Silence alarm

How to use an old phone as a baby monitor

  1. Put a spare phone near the crib. Install Napbell on an old Android phone (Android 8 or newer), open it and choose Baby. Keep it plugged in and point the camera at the crib from a shelf or stand.
  2. Open Napbell on your phone. On the phone you carry, choose Parent and scan the QR code shown on the baby phone. Both phones must be on the same home Wi-Fi.
  3. Pick how it watches. Choose Cry only (camera off), Audio, or Video. You can switch modes later from your own phone.
  4. Go about your evening. Watch or listen whenever you like, hold the button to talk to your baby, and let your phone ring when steady crying starts.

What you get

Live baby cameraVideo from the baby phone with a light, low-light picture, front or back camera and zoom.
Cry alerts that ring your phoneA cry detector runs on the baby phone and rings yours after a few seconds of steady crying, not at every squeak. How the baby cry alert works.
Audio baby monitorListen to the room with a boost for quiet rooms, or choose Cry only to keep the camera off.
Talk backHold the button and your voice plays softly on the baby phone.
Warnings when something is wrongIf the baby phone drops off the Wi-Fi, its microphone stops or its battery runs low, you will know.
Made for the nightDark, calm screens and a dimmed screen on the baby phone so it does not light up the room.
Watch your baby live on the parent phoneHold to talk back to your babyChoose Cry only, Audio or VideoCalm, dark screen on the baby phone

Why use a phone instead of buying a baby monitor?

A video baby monitor costs real money, and many now want a monthly subscription for features such as alerts or history. Most homes already have an old Android phone in a drawer with a good camera, a microphone and Wi-Fi. Napbell uses that phone as the camera and your own phone as the parent unit, so the only thing you buy, if you want cry alerts after the free 15 days, is a single in-app purchase that covers both phones.

A phone also does things a basic monitor cannot: it can tell you when its own battery is low or when it loses the Wi-Fi, and it can switch to audio-only when you do not want a camera on. If you only have two phones and want to know how the setup works in detail, read baby monitor app for two phones.

Private by design: no internet, no cloud

Many app and Wi-Fi monitors send your baby's video through a company's servers. Napbell does not. The baby phone and your phone connect directly, encrypted, inside your home network. There is no Napbell account, no cloud and nothing recorded, so there is nothing for anyone to leak or hack on our side. More on this: a baby monitor that works without internet.

Price

WhatCost
Live video and audio monitoring, talk backFree, with ads
Cry alertsFree for 15 days
Keep cry alerts and remove ads (both phones)One payment, no subscription

Questions

Can I use an old phone as a baby monitor?

Yes. Install Napbell on a spare Android phone running Android 8 or newer, choose Baby, and place it near the crib. Your everyday phone becomes the parent unit. Both phones need to be on the same home Wi-Fi.

Does Napbell need internet or an account?

No. The two phones talk to each other directly over your home Wi-Fi, encrypted. There is no account and no Napbell server, and nothing is recorded or uploaded. The internet is used only for ads in the free version and for Google Play purchases.

Does it work on iPhone?

Not yet. Napbell is for Android phones. Both the baby phone and the parent phone need Android 8 or newer.

How does the cry alert work?

A sound model runs on the baby phone itself and listens for crying. After a few seconds of steady crying it rings your phone, even when your phone is locked, until you check in. You can choose Sensitive, Balanced or Fewer alerts.

Is it free?

Live video and audio monitoring are free, with ads. Cry alerts are free for 15 days. After that, one payment keeps cry alerts and removes ads on both paired phones. There is no subscription.

Can I watch from work or another house?

Not yet. Both phones must be on the same Wi-Fi network. Monitoring away from home is not available.

Is Napbell a medical device?

No. It is a convenience monitor. It does not track breathing or health and does not replace safe-sleep practices or checking on your baby.

Napbell is coming to Google Play. Leave your email and we'll tell you the day it's out.

One email when it launches. No spam, never shared. Privacy