Best Go Pro Camera (2026): Compact, Budget, Accessories | WIRED

Overview

It used to be easy to buy a Go Pro camera. Grab the latest one and you're good to go. But as Go Pro has diversified its lineup, adding features and cameras, the answer is not so simple anymore. To help you out, we've put together this guide to all the currently available Go Pro cameras, as well as a few notes on some of the older models, and what's likely coming in 2026.

I started using Go Pro cameras with the launch of the Hero 5 in 2016 and have used every model since, most side-by-side with their replacements. In the end, the best Go Pro for you depends on how you plan to use it and what you want to do with the results. Read on to find our top picks for every type of action camera user.

Details

using Go Pro cameras with the launch of the Hero 5 in 2016

If you're not set on a Go Pro, be sure to check out our Guide to Action Cameras for our take on cameras from DJI, Insta 360, and other competitors. We also have a guide to The Best 360 Cameras, which offer an all-seeing alternative to action cameras.

Updated April 2026: We've updated this guide to note Go Pro's GP3 processor announcement and the new Mission 1 cameras, added suggestions on what to do after you buy your Go Pro, and updated prices and links throughout.

The Best for Most People Photograph: Scott Gilbertson Photograph: Scott Gilbertson Photograph: Scott Gilbertson Photograph: Scott Gilbertson Chevron Chevron Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Go Pro Hero 13 Black

The current Go Pro to get is the Hero 13 Black. It uses an interchangeable lens system to offer many more shooting options than previous releases. In addition to the standard wide angle action camera lens you can also invest in an Ultra Wide (

Even if you never buy any of the additional lenses, the Hero 13 is a great action camera with a newly improved battery, magnetic mounting system (finally), USB-C pass-through charging, even better Log video support, and an improved HDR mode with HLG. Video specs top out 5.3K 30 (8:7 ratio) or 5.3K 60 (16:9 ratio). Slo mo options include 2x at 5.3K, 4x when shooting 4K, and 8x for both 2.7K and 1080p. For a complete rundown of all the specs, see the comparison table below. Those of you who missed the GPS support, which briefly went missing in the Hero 12, will be happy to know that GPS support is back in the Hero 13 Black.

The disappointing part of the Hero 13 Black is that it uses the same 27-megapixel sensor and the same processor as the Hero 12, and, for that matter, the Hero 11. If you have either of those, I'd probably hold off upgrading to see if the Hero 14 (likely due in Autumn of 2025) doesn't come with a new sensor. Otherwise, though, this is the best Go Pro you can buy right now.

If you're into having something a little different, Go Pro recently released a limited-edition white Go Pro Hero 13 Black (yes, that is confusing), along with a Green model.

Interchangeable lens system opens up new shooting possibilities

Low-light/indoor performance is poor compared to competition

The Budget Go Pro Photograph: Scott Gilbertson Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Go Pro Hero 13

The Hero 13 is like a mini version of the Hero 13 Black. It's a smaller, lighter, cheaper, slightly less capable camera. With video resolution maxing out at 4K30 (compared to 5.3K60p in the Hero Black) and still photos dropping to 12 MP (compared to 27 MP in the Hero Black), it's less powerful, but it's also $130 cheaper and smaller, which is a big plus in some cases. For example, this would be my pick if you plan to mount your Hero on a helmet.

In my testing, the Hero has proved dead simple to use and the size makes it appealing. The deal break for me is that stabilization is performed in the app, not on the camera. That means you have to edit the video on your phone, apply stabilization, then save it to your phone and transfer it over to your computer before you can edit together with other footage. This workflow is cumbersome to say the least. But if you don't plan to edit on your PC anyway, then it's not a big deal and Hero might be a good, cheap way to start shooting with an action camera.

Good for FPV drones, helmet mounts and other scenarios where minimizing size and weight is important

Best Go Pro for Selfies Photograph: Scott Gilbertson Photograph: Scott Gilbertson Photograph: Scott Gilbertson Photograph: Scott Gilbertson Chevron Chevron Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Go Pro Lit Hero

If you're going to use your Go Pro primarily to record yourself talking to the camera, the Lit Hero is the camera to get. It's an entry level model, new for 2025, that adds a light to the body of the Hero 13 above. The cluster of four LEDs next to the lens make this the best way to ensure you're well lit every time you're on screen. The Lit Hero is also plenty small and light if you do want to strap it to your body and use it as an action camera. It's 93 grams, just 7 grams heavier than the basic Hero above. The other good news is that the specs get a slight bump. The Lit Hero can shoot 4K at 60 fps, while the plain Hero only manages 4K at 30 fps.

This one is brand new. I haven't had a chance to thoroughly test it yet, but so far I am most impressed with how tiny it is. I'll update this guide with more detail once I've had a chance to use it for a few months.

Best Budget Go Pro Photograph: Scott Gilbertson Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Go Pro Hero 12

The Hero 12 Black (8/10, WIRED Recommends) might have been replaced, but it's still a great camera. It's got the same sensor and processor as the latest model, Go Pro's class leading image stabilization system, excellent battery life and better thermal performance than its predecessors. True story: this is the first Go Pro that I had to work to make it overheat, which is quite a change from the Hero 11 and before, which tend to shutdown alarmingly fast when shooting in high temps.

Note that Go Pro removed GPS support in the Hero 12, so you can't record GPS logs as you shoot. The company claims that less than 1 percent of users were actually using GPS, but if you want GPS support, then you'll want to go with the Hero 13 Black.

Improved battery life and heat tolerance over previous models

The Best 360 Go Pro Photograph: Scott Gilbertson Photograph: Scott Gilbertson Chevron Chevron Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Go Pro Max 2 360 Camera

OK, so there's only one 360 Go Pro, but it is the best, not just from Go Pro, but the best 360 camera you can buy. Its modestly larger sensor edges out the (still pretty dang good) Insta 360 X5 by offering a slightly sharper image and more realistic color rendition, especially in the sky. Go Pro is calling the Max 2’s video “True” 8K footage, touting the fact that its image has more pixels than competitors, which count the black, unused portion of the sensor. The Max 2 also has support for 10-bit color, something Insta 360's X5 lacks. Throw in the replaceable lenses (like, really, easily replaceable, you can do it with your fingers) and you have a winning combination of features. The icing on the cake for Go Pro fans is that single lens mode on the Max 2 essentially turns it into a 4K Go Pro Hero with almost exactly the same capabilities.

The weak points of the Go Pro Max 2 are low-light performance (essentially, there isn't any) and the editing software. Editing on mobile in the Quik app is excellent, with automated tracking features that work extremely well. Unfortunately those features are only available on mobile. Hopefully Go Pro will update its desktop software with the automatic tracking features in the near future.

5.3K (8:7) @30/25/24 fps, 5.3K (16:9) @60/50/30/25/24 fps, 4K (8:7) @60/50/30/25 fps, 4K (9:16) @ 60/50/30/25 fps, 4K (16:9) @120/100/60/50/30/25/24 fps, 2.7K (4:3) @120/100 fps, 2.7K (16:9) @240/200 fps, 1080 (9:16) @ 60/50/30/25 fps, 1080p (16:9) @240/200/120/100/60/50/30/25 fps

4K 16:9 @30/25 fps, 1080p 16:9 @30/25 fps, 2.7K 16:9 @60/50 fps

5.3K (8:7) @30/25/24 fps, 5.3K (16:9) @60/50/30/25/24 fps 4K (8:7) @60/50/30/25/24 fps, 4K (9:16) @ 60/50/30/25 fps, 4K (16:9) @120/100/60/50/30/25/24 fps, 2.7K (4:3) @120/100/60/50 fps, 2.7K (16:9) @240/200 fps, 1080 (9:16) @ 60/50/30/25 fps, 1080p (16:9) @240/200/120/100/60/50/30/25/24 fps

4K: (16:9) @ 60/50/30/25 fps, 4K: (4:3) @ 30/25 fps, 1080p: (16:9) @ 60/50/30/25 fps, (rotate camera for 3:4 and 9:16)

360: 8K: (7680x 3840) @ 30/25/24 fps, 5.6K: (5376x 2688) @ 60/50/30/25 fps, 4K: (3328x 1664) @ 100/90/60/50 fps, Single-Lens: 4K: (16:9) (3840x 2160) @ 60/50/30/25/24 fps, 4K: (9:16) (2160x 3840) @ 60/50/30/25/24 fps, 4K: (4:3) (4000x 3000) @ 60/50/30/25/24 fps

Video, HDR Video with HLG, Burst Slo-Mo, Looping Video

Video, Slo-Mo, 4:3 Video. Time Lapse video mode “coming soon” according to Go Pro

Hyper Smooth stabilization applied via the Go Pro Quik app.

Hyper Smooth stabilization applied via the Go Pro Quik app.

Hyper View, Super View, Wide, Linear, Linear + Horizon Lock / Leveling

Hyper View, Super View, Wide, Linear, Linear + Horizon Lock / Leveling

Max Hyper View (16:9 only)Max Super View (16:9 only)Ultra Wide Wide Linear

24.69MP from (8:7) 5.3K Video 21.16MP from (4:3) 5.3K Video 15.87MP from (16:9) 5.3K Video

8.29MP from 4K 16:9 4.11MP from 2.7K 16:9 2.1MP from 1080p 16:9

24.69MP from (8:7) 5.3K Video 21.16MP from (4:3) 5.3K Video 15.87MP from (16:9) 5.3K Video

JPG Only. 360: Photo, Burst Photo, Night Photo Single-Lens: Photo

Go Pro doesn't sell anything older than the Hero 12, but there are plenty of Hero 11s and even Hero 10s out there for sale on the internet. We suggest avoiding them. They may work fine, but modern accessories designed for later models won't work, and these cameras have likely been through the wringer. (They are action cameras, after all.)

Go Pro no longer sells the Hero 11, but it's still commonly available on Amazon and other retailers. Unfortunately, it's usually the same price as the Hero 12 (around $300) and therefore not worth buying.

The Hero 10 is really showing its age at this point. It can sometimes be found on sale for

A Good Micro SD card for $50: According to Go Pro's recommendations, you want a micro SD card with a V30 or UHS-3 rating. That said, Go Pros can be finicky about SD cards. I've had good luck with, and recommend, the Samsung linked here. Another card I've used extensively is the Sandisk Extreme Pro.

Go Pro Media Mod for $100: By far my most-used accessory, the media mod does add some bulk, but in most cases this is more than made up for by the fact that you can plug in a real microphone (I use mine with a Rode Wireless). Sound quality is radically improved with this one. This may be less necessary if you get the Hero 12 or later, since those models do have support for Bluetooth mics.

Go Pro Handlebar Mount for $40: I've been doing a lot more riding lately, and this mount pretty much lives on my bike these days. It's been rock solid in my testing, and beats any of the third-party mounts I've tested.

Go Pro Tripod Mount Adapters for $30: Unless you have the Hero 12 or 13, which have a tripod mount built-in, you'll need a few of these to mount your Go Pro to a tripod like the Gorilla Pod.

Go Pro Floaty for

Go Pro Selfie Stick for $80: This 48-inch extension pole collapses up surprisingly small and isn't very heavy. It's the best selfie stick I've used. I rarely use it for selfies, but it makes a great monopod on soft ground, like a sandy beach.

Da Vinci Resolve Studio for $300: This is my video editing software of choice. There is a free version, but I got tired of converting media to fit the restrictions of the free version. Best money I ever spent when it comes to making better videos.

So you bought a Go Pro, now what? Well aside from reading the manual and learning how to control it, the best thing to do is get out there and experiment. Here are a few suggestions and things I use my Go Pro for regularly.

Go Pro Labs: Go Pro Labs is an alternative firmware for your Go Pro Hero camera that enables all sort of features and experiments that allow you to do things you can't do with the stock firmware. There is some risk of instability and bugs, but I've been using the Labs firmware for five years now and never had an issue. It's like adding 10 new features to your Go Pro for free. I'll reference several of my favorites in the sections below, but you can see the full list of things you can do with Go Pro Labs on the Go Pro Labs website.

Time Lapse Videos: After mounting the Go Pro on my bike, this is my most used feature. Go Pro's time lapse is incredibly easy to use (compared to most mirrorless cameras anyway) and with the Labs firmware you can do really long timelapse shots, over 24 hours if you have a battery pack to help power it.

Raise the Bitrate: By default the Hero 13 Black does not record at the highest bitrate. This is likely the reason your video looks mushy and not as clear and sharp as it should. Change that by going to the Pro Tune settings and pick "high" for the bitrate. If you want to go crazy you can use Labs to raise your bitrate all the way the 200 (the “high" setting in the stock firmware is 100). The caveat is that depending on your SD card, you may not be able to record that high. But every bit helps. The trade off is that cranking up the bitrate does chew through battery and can also lead to overheating, so if you're shooting in very warm conditions, you might want to dial this down. Some footage is better than no footage because you overheated and the camera shut off.

Learn Manual Exposure: The Hero 13 Black gives you full control over exposure, so take advantage of it. Play with the exposure compensation especially (called EV Comp in the settings). Try dialing it down to -1 for midday shots. Also play with max ISO. The lower you can keep this, the better your footage will look, though because the Go Pro kinda sucks in low light, there are some limits here.

Improve Sound with the Media Mod: It bears repeating, but the Media Mod is the best way to get good sound out of the Go Pro without investing in Bluetooth mics (which is impractical in many mounting scenarios anyway). The only time the media mod leaves my Go Pro is when I'm in the water (sadly, the Hero with the media mod installed is not at all waterproof).

Earlier this week, Go Pro announced its new Mission 1 cameras, which offer cinema-ready features in an action camera form. The Mission 1 cameras have a new image processor, the GP3. The last time Go Pro updated its processor was in 2021 with the release of the Hero 10 with used the GP2.

The GP3 is a 5-nanometer system on a chip (So C), which matches what we saw in Insta 360 and DJI's action cameras released late last year. More interesting is the claim that the GP3 will have "more than 2X the pixel processing power," which would be what you want to handle 8K (or higher) footage. The Hero 13 Black is limited to 5.3K video.

The Mission 1 cameras will have better low light performance, which Go Pro has sucked at in the past, while retaining the small camera form factor. However, it's worth noting here that Go Pro has yet to mention the price and the Mission 1 and Mission 1 Pro aren't available for preorder until May 21. The Mission 1 Pro ILS, along with some of the bundles, will not arrive until later this year (Go Pro says Q3).

If you want a Go Pro for the start of the summer, the Hero 13 Black is still fine. Otherwise, I will update this guide once I've tested one, or all, of the Mission cameras.

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Key Takeaways

• It used to be easy to buy a Go Pro camera
• I started using Go Pro cameras with the launch of the Hero 5 in 2016 and have used every model since, most side-by-side with their replacements
• using Go Pro cameras with the launch of the Hero 5 in 2016
• If you're not set on a Go Pro, be sure to check out our Guide to Action Cameras for our take on cameras from DJI, Insta 360, and other competitors
• Updated April 2026: We've updated this guide to note Go Pro's GP3 processor announcement and the new Mission 1 cameras, added suggestions on what to do after you buy your Go Pro, and updated prices and links throughout