What each camera costs in its first year, plan included

Two of the three big brands sell an annual plan, and both gate things behind it: cloud upload and camera replacement at GoPro, cloud storage and replacement at Insta360. DJI sells no such plan. That makes a straight price comparison misleading in the first year. Nothing is double-counted: where a plan is bundled or optional, only the sticker price counts.

How this list is ordered: ranked by price plus the annual plan, counted only where the plan gates features the camera advertises. 42 of the catalogue’s cameras qualify. Cameras their makers no longer sell in the US keep their figures but are listed last.

  1. 1AKASOAKASO EK7000 Pro~$84, no plan soldA first or a spare camera at the lowest possible price~$8428 mm²
  2. 2CamparkCampark X30~$89, no plan soldA holiday camera where the budget is the constraint~$8928 mm²
  3. 3CamparkCampark V40~$89, no plan soldThe cheapest way to have a camera in the water~$8928 mm²
  4. 4AKASOAKASO V50X~$99, no plan soldSnorkelling and holidays where the camera is expendable~$9928 mm²
  5. 5AKASOAKASO Brave 7 LE~$139, no plan soldTalking to camera on a tight budget~$13928 mm²
  6. 6AKASOAKASO V50 Elite~$139, no plan sold4K60 for under $150~$13928 mm²
  7. 7SJCAMSJCAM C300~$159, no plan soldLong-form recording clipped to clothing~$15928 mm²
  8. 8SJCAMSJCAM SJ11 Active~$189, no plan soldA dual-screen budget camera from an established maker~$18918 mm²
  9. 9AKASOAKASO Brave 8 Lite~$199, no plan soldA camera you can afford to lose~$19928 mm²
  10. 10AKASOAKASO 360~$199, no plan soldFinding out whether 360 shooting suits you, cheaply~$19931 mm²/lens
  11. 11SJCAMSJCAM SJ20 Dual Lens~$229, no plan soldNight riding, where a fast lens beats a bigger sensor~$22918 mm²
  12. 12SJCAMSJCAM C400~$229, no plan soldHandheld vlogging that has to run all day~$22918 mm²
  13. 13DJIDJI Osmo Action 4~$239, no plan soldA big sensor on a small budget~$23972 mm²
  14. 14GoProGoPro HERO (2024)~$199 + ~$59.99/yr GoPro Premium = ~$259A first action camera, or a disposable extra angle~$19928 mm²
  15. 15SJCAMSJCAM SJ30~$259, no plan soldAll-day recording where runtime beats resolution~$25931 mm²
  16. 16AKASOAKASO Brave 8~$289, no plan soldA GoPro-shaped camera with spares included, on a budget~$28931 mm²
  17. 17Insta360Insta360 X3~$279 + ~$35.88/yr Insta360+ = ~$315A first 360 camera without spending flagship money~$27931 mm²/lens
  18. 18DJIDJI Osmo Action 5 Pro~$319, no plan soldLow light and long days without a bag of spare batteries~$31972 mm²
  19. 19GoProGoPro LIT HERO~$269 + ~$59.99/yr GoPro Premium = ~$329Night vlogging and enclosed spaces where there is no other light~$26928 mm²
  20. 20KandaoKandao QooCam 3~$349, no plan soldSpherical stills and virtual tours on a budget~$34951 mm²/lens
  21. 21GoProGoPro MAX2~$299 + ~$59.99/yr GoPro Premium = ~$359360 capture where the lenses will take a beating~$29934 mm²/lens
  22. 22Insta360Insta360 Ace Pro 2~$399 + ~$23.88/yr Insta360+ = ~$423Vlogging to camera, where you need to see yourself framed~$39972 mm²
  23. 23Insta360Insta360 GO 3S~$399 + ~$23.88/yr Insta360+ = ~$423Pet, kid and first-person angles a bigger camera cannot reach~$39928 mm²
  24. 24GoProGoPro HERO12 Black~$369 + ~$59.99/yr GoPro Premium = ~$429Getting flagship stabilisation without flagship pricing~$36934 mm²
  25. 25GoProGoPro MAX~$369 + ~$59.99/yr GoPro Premium = ~$429A cheap second camera that shoots both spherical and straight~$36928 mm²/lens
  26. 26Insta360Insta360 X4 Air~$399 + ~$35.88/yr Insta360+ = ~$435Selfie-stick and helmet 360 where weight decides everything~$39938 mm²/lens
  27. 27DJIDJI Osmo Pocket 3~$439, no plan soldHandheld vlogging where the footage has to look glassy, not mounted~$439116 mm²
  28. 28GoProGoPro HERO13 Black~$399 + ~$59.99/yr GoPro Premium = ~$459Helmet and handlebar mounting where the accessory ecosystem matters~$39934 mm²
  29. 29Insta360Insta360 X4~$429 + ~$35.88/yr Insta360+ = ~$465Daylight 360 capture on a budget~$42931 mm²/lens
  30. 30Insta360Insta360 GO Ultra~$449 + ~$23.88/yr Insta360+ = ~$473Hands-free POV you can wear all day and forget~$44972 mm²
  31. 31KandaoKandao QooCam 3 Ultra~$509, no plan soldSpec-per-dollar in 360, if you can live with the weight~$50943 mm²/lens
  32. 32DJIDJI Osmo 360~$549, no plan sold360 work that has to be graded rather than just posted~$54996 mm²/lens
  33. 33Insta360Insta360 X5~$549 + ~$35.88/yr Insta360+ = ~$585The default 360 camera for people who will scratch the lenses~$54972 mm²/lens
  34. 34GoProGoPro MISSION 1~$599 + ~$59.99/yr GoPro Premium = ~$659Footage that has to survive a real grade~$599116 mm²
  35. 35Insta360Insta360 X6~$669 + ~$35.88/yr Insta360+ = ~$705The 360 camera to buy if you only buy one~$66992 mm²/lens
  36. 36RicohRicoh THETA X~$729, no plan soldProperty tours and site documentation, not sport~$72931 mm²/lens
  37. 37GoProGoPro MISSION 1 PRO~$699 + ~$59.99/yr GoPro Premium = ~$759Low light and heavy grading without giving up a waterproof body~$699116 mm²
  38. 38RicohRicoh THETA Z1 51GB~$1099, no plan soldProfessional 360 stills where image quality decides the invoice~$1,099116 mm²/lens
  39. 39GoProGoPro HERO11 Black MiniNo longer sold by GoPro~$199 + ~$59.99/yr GoPro Premium = ~$259A set-and-forget second angle on a helmet or chest mount~$19934 mm²
  40. 40DJIDJI Osmo NanoNot sold by DJI in the US~$299, no plan soldHands-free POV where a full-size camera is too much~$29972 mm²
  41. 41GoProGoPro HERO11 BlackNo longer sold by GoPro~$249 + ~$59.99/yr GoPro Premium = ~$309Vertical and landscape delivery from one take~$24934 mm²
  42. 42DJIDJI Osmo Action 6Not sold by DJI in the US~$379, no plan soldBright-light shooting and vertical-plus-widescreen delivery~$37996 mm²
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