GoPros are amazing, durable cameras for sports and action. It's fair to say that the best GoPro is the latest edition – the GoPro Hero 13 Black – after a shockingly poor previous generation (the Hero 12, which actually removed one of our favourite features, onboard GPS, without cutting the price).
Now choosing your GoPro is more difficult – because we know from last year that GoPro is capable of making serious misteps. The best GoPro is NOT necessarily the best action camera, because GoPro is a brand (like Xerox and copier).
So, if you hear the word 'GoPro' and think that just means a small, rugged camera for action, I strongly recommend you look at my generic guide to 'action cameras' which will give you more options.
GoPro has also totally failed to keep pace with the best 360-degree cameras, so check that guide.
But GoPro, as a company, still created this market, and has some of the greatest the best waterproof and underwater cameras you can buy – the most powerful, the most compact OR the best value. Not to mention an ecosystem of the best GoPro accessories, so there are a lot of reasons just to look for the right GoPro for you, and that's what this guide is all about!
Adam has been obsessed with looking at cameras and gadgets for his whole life, and has written several bestselling books including The Drone Pilot's Handbook (he is our resident drone expert too). He owns and travels with action cameras, and tests as many as he can get his hands on.
Top Picks
GoPro finally brings a magnetic mount system for added versatility, plus a brilliant new swappable lens and filter system and a more reliable power system. Oh, and GPS is back. Horray!
A bit older, but with the same imaging sensor and GPS functionality as the latest Hero 13 Black, this represents great value unless you need timecodes or long record times.
A compact body with no screens to crack saves a little weight (and worry) for dangerous sports fans; think dirt bike helmets or FPV drones.
The 360-degree choice that keeps it in the GoPro family isn't a bad camera even though it's not as well known as some. The square body means the display is a friendly shape.
Even though we're back a few generations, this camera still boasts 5K and a front-facing LCD, making it a great choice for vlogging. The processor is pleasingly nippy too.
If you don't need a front LCD for vlogging, and are happy with 4K then you can snap this still very good GoPro up for about half the money the 12 costs (plus it has GPS!)
The best GoPro camera in 2024
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Best overall
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Last year's GoPro Hero 12 was almost insulting to the company's customers. Sure, timecodes and bluetooth microphone compatibility with Apple's AirPods arrived, but the world's most famous action cam took away its ability to measure the speed of the action – the GPS – and did nothing to improve the camera's performance in low light. That made us (and a lot of other people) recommend the previous generation as the better GoPro, or DJI's Action 4 as the better camera.
If it's performance in lower light you're looking for, GoPro still isn't playing ball – check out the (cheaper and better) DJI Action 5 Pro. But if it's great video in daylight and all the good stuff GoPro is known for – including GPS – then there have been really big changes – for the better – to this device.
GoPro has added a super high frame rate burst (up to 15 seconds, presumably, before the processor/buffer can't cope any more) which can give you up to 400fps, though it's only 720P so it doesn't look amazing; great in a social media post though.
More importantly for most situations, the re-designed GoPro doesn't just look cooler – it is literally cooler, not overheating so soon so it can record longer at 4K. Previous GoPros often overheated and switched off much sooner, so 'continuous' record times are significant (but thus does come at the cost of a new Enduro battery – the 10% larger 1900mAh which isn't compatible with the old one.
On the base the fold-out mount grips are still there which makes the GoPro easy to mount in traditional systems, but they are now magnetic. GoPro – admittedly late to the magnetic mount party – has cleverly created one that's easier to line up because it works both ways around.
The party piece, though, is that GoPro's clip-in filter/lens mod system has been upgraded to sense the attachment (again, not backwards compatible), so the software seamlessly adapts to a wide-angle lens, a ND filter, or even an anamorphic adapter. Now that's cinematic!
Best value GoPro
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The GoPro Hero 11 was still our recommendation for best GoPro for most people when the 12 was, theoretically, top of the line. Now the 13 has come along it is, finally, better – technically – but only if the things that matter to you are battery life, the magnetic mount, some more obscure frame rates, timecodes, microphones, and the swappable lenses.
The actual image sensor is the same size, so it performs as "well" as the Hero 13 in low light. That isn't especially well, so you'll need to ask yourself whether you do your action in the daylight, or whether you should be looking at the other best action camera guide!
You still get top-notch image stabilization, great-looking video (until things do get dimly lit or dark), and some fun modes like light painting. The Hero 11 Black remains an excellent addition to the line, and the Hero 11 Black's 8:7 aspect ratio image sensor is also a standout highlight for content creators. Able to shoot in 5.3K resolution, 8:7 video at up to 30fps, its footage can be losslessly cropped to create new 4K portrait, landscape, and square clips from a single video.
On top of 8:7 video, the Hero 11 Black captures 5.3K resolution video at 60 fps, 4K resolution video at 120 fps, or 2.7K resolution at 240 fps. You can also grab 27MP stills from 5.3K video. Overall this is particularly appealing to folks who use multiple social platforms.
Read our full GoPro Hero 11 Black review for more details and GoPro Subscription explained: what you get, and is it worth it?
Best tiny GoPro
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Like the GoPro Hero11 Black, but smaller. Yes, you probably got that from the name, but we have to do our duty. This camera has the same optical components and processing as its bigger, heavier cousin but in a casing which should be easier to pick up for extreme action sports fans and FPV drones. If you're a long-time GoPro fan, this is the successor of the Hero Session, but with better attachments.
The sacrifice you make is that there are no on-device displays. Settings are instead operated using the phone-based Quick app, so if you're doing something "fire and forget" like mountain biking, why not? You still get excellent image stabilization of the action (I mean, is it really 'action' if you have time to watch the screen of your camera?)
There is still a start/stop shutter button – it is only other settings you'll need the app for granular control over. We think you're unlikely – certainly unwise – to be partaking of the action sport you're attempting to document and tweaking settings on any camera! The tiny housing also has brackets for the usual GoPro / sports camera accessories, so for many this might be the better choice.
Read our full GoPro Hero 11 Black review for more details
Best for 360
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Unfortunately for GoPro, the Hero Max has been slightly eclipsed by the options from Insta360, despite the fact it's actually a really good bit of kit. The GoPro Fusion was the original GoPro 360 camera but the Max benefits from some significant improvements such as 5.6K video in all directions making it a professional movie-making tool. It has four digital focal lengths, horizon levelling, HyperSmooth stabilization, and ProTune video editing software.
If you've never tried 360-degree video, it isn't just for VR; you can drag on screen, or track subjects, to re-point your camera after the fact, meaning nothing is ever missed again.
I can't tell you that this is the best camera to do this with though because, right now, the Insta360 X4 offers 8K and better software so tops our best 360-degree camera guide, but – spoiler – GoPro are still working on another camera and it might well be a 360-degree one. They have, after all, already invested a fair bit in the software.
It doesn't have the same raw resolution as the Hero 8 – let alone more recent models – but since it has so many other things going for it, we can let it slide. The GoPro Hero Max could even change how people Vlog and create YouTube videos – we just need more people to know about it first!
Read our full GoPro MAX review for more details
Cheaper Vlogging
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We like it as a vlogging camera because even though it's not the latest model it still has a front-facing screen to line up shots with. It features the G2 processor which makes the interface super responsive compared to its predecessor, doubles the frame rates, and fuels the best image stabilization tech available in action cameras.
The stand-out feature is its ability to record 5.3K 60p using GoPro's new HyperSmooth 4.0 video stabilization. It also has the ability to shoot 23-megapixel photos. There is, of course, a wealth of accessories separately so as well as mounting it on your helmet, you could attach it to your chest, your head, or even onto one of the best selfie sticks.
The GoPro Hero 10 might still be a little more than you need if you just want a helmet cam for safety purposes, but if you're looking for a camera that's going to record super-smooth high-quality video it's a good choice at the right discount.
Read more: GoPro Hero 10 Black review for more details
Cheap 4K GoPro
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All GoPros since this have included a front-facing screen for vlogging, but if you don't need one, then this might be a wise financial move. There is still decent image stabilization (though not up to the latest standards as image processing power has improved) and video maxes out at 4K but (for most of us) that is enough. Hands up who has a 5.3K TV? Thought not!
Actually, you can get a Media Mod to improve the production value of your videos, or a Display Mod to add a second monitor that’s perfect for vloggers, and even a Light Mod LED light adds illumination, though of course this might eat into your savings.
The point of looking at this GoPro is that, in most cases, you'll find you can save nearly half the money of the latest model by sacrificing the extra resolution that you probably don't need and the front-facing screen. Oh, and unlike the GoPro 12 Hero Black, this does have built-in GPS!
Read our full GoPro Hero8 review for more details
Another option
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The most obvious difference between the GoPro Hero 8 and GoPro Hero 9 is the addition of a front-facing LCD screen. So, somewhere between the 10 and the 8 (and therefore down here in our list) is this choice.
It also boasts a 20-megapixel sensor and can shoot up to 5K video which might be a bit overkill but it's certainly nice to have! You can also capture 14.7-megapixel still grabs from the video which is ideal for sharing on social media.
The 2.27-inch rear screen is larger than that found on the Hero 8 black (though occasionally a little laggy) and its Hypersmooth 3.0 video stabilization has also benefitted from improvements.
Thanks to its removable lens over, there's also the option to add a Max Lens Mod accessory to the GoPro Hero 9 Black which adds a few GoPro Max-style features such as 360-degree horizon lock and ultra-wide 155-degree Max SuperView mode. It's a fantastic bit of kit that will help you capture moments to remember in high definition.
Read our full GoPro Hero 9 review for more details
FAQs
Are there any alternatives to GoPro?
Yes! GoPro, like Walkman before it, has become the de facto name for a product category, but others offer good alternatives. GoPro is especially vulnerable in the area of 360 cameras (see our 360-degree cameras guide), while DJI has interesting premium action cameras. Check our whole best action camera guide to see comparisons. I'd say that the DJI Osmo Action 4 Pro is now the best action camera because it has a bigger sensor which is better in low light (if you're surfing in the sun, however, that advantage might be moot).
What is the point of having GPS in a GoPro?
By including a GPS sensor in a GoPro (or any) camera, it can record its exact location all the time while it records video. This can be used to work out how quickly the camera is moving and even to create cool animated effects you can add to your videos like speedometers, which are an easy for viewers to understand your speed.
How do you test GoPros and other action cameras
Since testing an action camera is a lot more about the action than measuring lens specifics, we like to take them out and try some activities. Using them while cycling, on location for capturing video (in varying lighting), and even on drones. We think it is important to use the device in real world scenarios to experience how easy the GoPro is to use and see how features like image stabilization cope with different tasks. Our expert reviewers include Jamie Carter and Adam Juniper who both have many years of experience with these devices (Adam once owned a GoPro Hero 2, and has experimented with a lot of GoPro alternative action cameras too).
