Dash Cam vs GoPro: Can You Use a GoPro as a Dash Cam?

You’ve heard of a dash cam. You’ve heard of a GoPro. But what is the difference between each type of camera, and which one is right to protect your car?

I’ve tested out each type of camera and can firmly tell you that they’re not interchangeable, but on this page, I’ll break down exactly what each camera can do, the situations they’d be helpful in, and the situations they wouldn’t be so helpful in, so you can decide which is right for you.

What is a Dash Cam?

A dash cam, short for “dashboard camera,” is a camera that you use on your dashboard to monitor either the inside of your car, the outside of your car, or both. Typically, it’s mounted to your car, so you won’t move it around like a general purpose camera.

The purpose of a dash cam is to capture footage of incidents that could help you in either a crime investigation or an insurance dispute. Designed to be discreet and to operate without any input from you, the user, dashcams are either only on when your car is on, or, if they have parking mode and their own batteries, whenever an incident occurs.

Here are a few key features of dash cams that should help you understand how they work in more detail:

Automatic recording

Automatic recording, not too shockingly, means that dash cams record automatically without you having to press a button. The more basic dash cams are hardwired or plugged into your car and will record whenever your car is on.

However, dash cams not reliant on your car’s power can stay on even if your car isn’t, which brings me to my next point…

Parking mode

More advanced, wireless dash cams have something called “parking mode,” which means that they start recording whenever there is an incident, say vandalism, a rear-ending, auto theft, etc. Even if your car is off and parked, you can still capture incidents using dash cams with parking mode.

Loop storage

Most dash cams store their footage locally on SD cards, which means that when the storage is full, the newest footage will replace the oldest, which is called “loop storage.” If you want to keep any footage, you’ll need to manually upload it to other storage, if your dash cam lacks additional cloud storage.

G-sensors

G-sensors are the sensors in the dash cams that can register vibrations, allowing the camera to know when an incident has occurred and begin recording. For example, if someone sideswipes you while your car is parked, your dash cam will record and will save this footage so it can’t be erased, with more advanced dash cams. However, budget dash cams lack g-sensors and only record when your car is on.

Vehicle integration

Some cars like Teslas and BMWs have built-in dash cams, while others simply integrate with your vehicle based on the model and manufacturer. For example, these integrated cameras are completely hidden in the design of your rearview mirror or windshield, and you can easily connect them to your car’s Wi-Fi.

What is a GoPro Camera?

In contrast to a dash cam, a GoPro camera is a specific camera brand that is meant to be portable and is often used to document fun, action-packed activities like surfing, snowboarding, or skiing.

You can easily attach the GoPro to a headband to get some great POV (point-of-view) footage through a helmet cam, or use a mount for a hands-free mode. There are even cases that allow you to use GoPros underwater, making them fully waterproof.

The camera also allows you to shoot in either full-frame, wide, or vertical, optimizing for social media platforms, with a wide angle so you can record the environment around you.

How Can I Use a GoPro as a Dash Cam?

It’s possible to use a GoPro as you would a dash cam; since they’re powered by either batteries or USB-C cables, you could simply buy a GoPro and use a magnetic or adhesive mount to put it in your car. GoPro has 23 different mounts that work with cars, so you could easily buy one of their models and use it as you would a dash cam.

That being said, since a GoPro is more like a regular camera than a dash cam, you’ll either have to set it to record manually, or set it on a mode called Duration Capture, which lets you choose time increments between 15 minutes and three hours.

You can also schedule your camera to record, starting at a specific amount of time, for a specific amount of time.

To set up Duration Capture in your camera itself:

1. Press and hold the Preset Pill.
2. Scroll down. Click Duration.
3. Choose how long you’d like the camera to record for.
4. Press the Mode Button.

Or, if you want to set up Duration Capture using the Quik App:

1. Pair your camera with the Quik App.
2. Click the Preset Pill.
3. Click the pencil button.
4. Scroll down. Click Duration.
5. Choose how long you’d like the camera to record for.
6. Press the X in the top left-hand corner.
7. Press the X at the bottom of the screen.

Using a GoPro as a Dash Cam: Pros & Cons

Replacing a dash cam with a GoPro has its pros and cons, but as you’ll see below, the cons outweigh the pros.

Pros

• Better video quality: The biggest benefit of a GoPro is the higher video quality, both in terms of the resolution and the field of view. You’ll get footage that’s more clear and wider compared to dash cams, so if physical beauty is a priority, it may make sense to spring for a GoPro. That being said, physical beauty isn’t why most people buy dash cams.
• Easy installation: Compared to hardwired dash cams that may require professional installation, GoPros are easy to install on magnetic or adhesive mounts. That being said, there are many comparable wireless dash cams as well as dash cams that plug into USB-C drives.

Cons

• No parking mode: GoPros lack the G-sensors that allow dash cams to sense incidents and start recording automatically, so if your camera isn’t recording or set to record at a certain time, you could miss key incidents.
• Requires user input: While dash cams turn on automatically when a car is on or when an incident occurs, you’ll have to tell your GoPro to record now or later, requiring more input from the user.
• More risk of theft: While some dash cams are integrated with cars and are hidden, GoPros are not at all conspicuous and are more likely to be stolen compared with dash cams. And if you don’t pay for your SD card footage to be uploaded to the cloud automatically (more on this below,) you could lose the footage altogether, defeating the purpose of any camera.
• Shorter battery life: Battery-powered GoPros have lives of 81 to 155 minutes, about two and a half hours, although you can extend the battery life by lowering your video resolution. Wireless dash cams, on the other hand, can last for hours or even a couple of days in parking mode. While a chargeable GoPro means you don’t have to worry about battery life, it also means your camera will only work when your car is on.
• Expensive: The cheapest GoPro is $200, while the cheapest dash cams start around $30. Additionally, if you want your footage to upload to the cloud automatically, it will cost either around $100 a year or $25 a month, while a dash cam’s cloud storage costs $3 to $10 a month. If you want to save money, a dash cam is a much more economical choice.

Should I Use GoPro as a Dash Cam?

I would not recommend using a GoPro as a dash cam unless your sole goal is to capture beautiful footage for a short period of time, like if you’re driving through Big Sur or want to capture your teen driver’s first experience parallel parking so you can post it on Facebook (good luck to you!).

But if your main purpose of buying a dash cam is to record potential incidents like a hit-and-run, a GoPro may miss key events. Instead, I’d recommend buying a dash cam, particularly a dash cam with parking mode. This will ensure that your dash cam provides the footage you may need for an insurance claim or investigation of a crime.

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