You may want to consider installing a dashcam in your vehicle. However, 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 replacing your physical camera with a smartphone one.
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.
The downside is that they require you to open the app and place your phone in an appropriate cradle every time you drive.
Some dash camera apps exceed others; some even have features inaccessible on real devices.
You can get started immediately by downloading one of the top free dash camera apps for Android.
1. AutoBoy Dash Cam
The AutoBoy app has many granular options, making it appealing to techies.
However, it has one additional feature that makes it one of the most popular dash camera apps for Android for many.
It might record in the background while using other apps or accessing the internet.
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 and GPS capability when it detects a collision.
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.
The app supports 12 languages: English, Korean, Chinese, Russian, German, Japanese, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, Turkish, Vietnamese, and Thai.
Reviews mention crashes and freeze, but you should be fine if you leave it running in the background.
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 its nine distinct features.
Many other features should be familiar to anyone who has previously worked with dashcam software.
Each video file includes overlays for speed, position, and time. Movies can be stored in internal or external memory, and if the predetermined storage space is exceeded, the file is automatically deleted. 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 begins five seconds before the accident and continues for five seconds afterward.
3. DailyRoads Voyager
Like most dash camera apps for Android, DailyRoads Voyager allows users to record video in a continuous loop.
The length and video quality of each clip are customizable, and voice recording can be switched on or off.
You can quickly save interesting video clips to your computer by tapping the screen only once.
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 is not possible with all dashcams.
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, a dash cam program, uses loop recording and 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 can 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 can record from your phone’s front or selfie cameras, allowing you to capture footage of the outside of your vehicle, the road ahead, and the interior to monitor your passengers.
It also contains a collision detection sensor, which will lock the current video file immediately 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 and shares it with your phone’s cloud drive.
It can record the driving trajectory and 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 to work properly. The Drive Recorder software is simple to use, although it sometimes features advertisements.
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 download on its website.
Collision detection, auto-loop recording, an internet storage link with Google Drive, and a collision detection system are all included.
Smart Dash Cam is an ad-supported program, unlike other highly rated free dash camera apps for Android.
Although this may appear unusual, it’s important to note that you’re not supposed to look 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 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 lets you sync movies to YouTube and use AutoGuard with other apps.
Although the majority of dash cam applications, like hardware dashboard cameras, provide a view of the road or whatever you’re filming, some can also record audio in the background.
AutoGuard is an example of a dash cam program that can operate in the background. The commercial edition of AutoGuard can run 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 hardware configuration, 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 whenever they are used. Some programs, like AutoGuard, can be useful 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 2GB of free cloud storage for dash cam recordings, with more storage space available 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 real-time video.
It transforms your phone into a dash cam and 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
Dash Cam Travel is the final one to consider for free Android dash cams. It provides a free version and four distinct premium tiers.
Users of Dash Cam Travel can choose between three different tiers, each offering a unique set of capabilities geared toward “Professionals” or “Sports” users.
You may record in the background and foreground with the free Dash Cam Travel feature. As a result, you will have the option of including the dash cam overlay in your recordings.
If you 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 (or the much larger 2220×1080).
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