9 Highly Recommended Chinese Action Cameras on AliExpress for Adventure Seekers
by Tim Blue on Sep 17, 2025
If you're searching for high-performance action cameras without the steep price tag of top brands, Chinese action cameras on AliExpress offer excellent value.
These devices are suitable for activities like biking, hiking, diving, and vlogging, providing notable features and reliable performance.
Below is a comprehensive guide to the best models currently available.
| Type of Action Camera | Brand |
| Best Budget Action Camera | Sport DV |
| Best Premium Action Camera | Thieye T5 Pro |
| Best Alternative to Go Pro |
Akaso V50 Pro |
| Best Mini Action Camera |
Xiaomi Yi 4k Action Camera |
| Best Chinese Action Camera | Akaso Brave 7 |
Chinese Action Cameras - My Personal Experience
Go Pro's are super pricey and I thought, ok what's good in the Chinese market. There are a few brands such as Eken and Akaso.
In fact, a few years back I got an Akaso for free from a friend who had come from China and picked it up. Whenever I surf (Horrible at it), I'd like to strap on a camera and document the experience.
To be very honest, Chinese cameras don't come close to the quality of a Go Pro. No way. But also, a Go Pro is ridiculously expensive. An Akaso or an EKEN does a decent enough job for normal stuff. If you are a professional and need pro quality footage, just get a Go Pro or a DJI or Instapro.
If you want decent quality and good battery life and something within the budget, then go for an EKEN or an AKaso.
- Yi Official Store:This two-year brand has a positive feedback of 97.8%. They are known worldwide for their best computer vision and imaging technology. Their innovative approach towards the latest technology helps them create the best products for us. Some of their bestselling products are YI Smart Dash Camera and YI Lime Green Action Camera.
- SJCAM Official Store: Another store which is rated very high for the creation of action cameras. They tend to evolve with time and always tend to satisfy the demands of their customers by all means. They also boast of their great after-sales support which helps you if you face any issues after buying the product. The store is 4-year old in Aliexpress and has a positive feedback rating of 98.6%.
- China Bay Co. Ltd.: This company is also in the Aliexpress market for four long years. They are a well-known brand and enjoy a healthy positive rating of 97.8%, which proves in itself about the quality of their product. Some of the top products of the brand are Eken H9/H9R, Eken H8R Plus, Eken H5S Plus, and Eken H6S.
Top 9 Chinese Action Cameras in Aliexpress
#1 - Thieye T5 Pro
The Thieye T5 Pro is one of the action cameras on Aliexpress that's been consistently getting the top ratings and that's because it's value for money. Compared to a lot of the other action cameras which are priced around $30+, the Thieye T5 Pro is actually $100+
- Resolution: 4K at 60fps
- Key Features: Wifi transfer, auto low light, distortion correction, night lapse, long exposure, 8X zoom
- Additional Use: Functions as a car dash camera with auto recording
- Approximate Price: $100+
#2 - Waterproof WIFI N9
The stylish camera is made to fulfill all your needs. You can take pictures as well as record videos using the device. Your selfie and groupie photos will get a new dimension using the monopod which comes with it.
Not only the camera is waterproof, but you can use it in water as deep as 30 meters. It supports memory card up to 32GB. The price of this amazing piece of device is $48.99.
- Resolution: 4K at 30fps, 20MP camera
- Features: Dual screen, WiFi connectivity, 170° wide-angle, waterproof up to 30 meters
- Screen: 2-inch IPS
- Colors: Six options
- Memory Support: Up to 32GB micro SD
#3 - Original Eken H9 / H9R Ultra HD 4K Action Camera 30m waterproof
The Eken H9 is one of the best Aliexpress action cameras and it has been on the top for a while.
The all extreme Eken H9 extreme camera comes with a 2-inch screen with a wide angle of 170 degrees. You will get different accessories in the package like various mounts, clips, waterproof casings, etc.
The memory can be extended up to 32 GB using a micro SD card. The camera can be found in a total of 8 different colors. The price of this products is around $30 and the estimated delivery time for the products is 60 days.
- Resolution: 4K
- Wide Angle: 170°
- Battery: 1050mAh
- Ports: Micro USB, HDMI
- Languages: Supports over 10 languages
- Accessories: Mounts and waterproof casing included
- Colors: Up to 8 color options
- Memory: Up to 32GB micro SD
- Price: Around $30
#4 - Xiaomi Yi 4K Action Camera
Xiaomi’s spin off brand Yi deals specifically with cameras. It’s a company dedicated to all types of cameras and today we cover the Xiaomi Yi Lite Action Camera.
Just like most Xiaomi devices, the Yi Lite camera is super good looking and comes in numerous colours such as sky blue and lime green.
This is a petite hand-held camera that packs some punch. It runs on a Hi3556 Chipset and has a 2-inch touch screen which is big enough to analyze the setting you are shooting. It can record 1080p videos at 650 fps.
The photos are of super high quality and the camera shoots 16-megapixel images. The battery life is about 140 minutes, which is about 2 hours of constant use. It can connect to the Wifi and also has Bluetooth capabilities.
The 150 degree wide angle lens ensures that you can shoot a good panoramic shoot that is great for outdoor shots.
I was a bit concerned about the 2-inch glass, but it’s made of Gorilla glass and cannot be broken easily. With the EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization) technology, one can shoot non-shaky videos even while moving.
Just like most modern day cameras, you can shoot in different modes such as photo mode, burst mode, time lapse and more. My favourite part though is the accompanying Yi app, where you can cut and edit videos.
- Chipset: Hi3556
- Display: 2-inch Gorilla Glass touch screen
- Photo Resolution: 16MP
- Video Resolution: Up to 1080p at 60fps (Yi Lite version)
- Features: WiFi, Bluetooth, 150° wide-angle, EIS, multiple shooting modes, companion app for editing
- Battery Life: About 2 hours
#5 - Akaso V50 Pro
Akaso is one of the top Chinese action camera manufacturers. They make numerous product and the Akaso V50 pro is one of their top products. The V50 Pro is an action-junkie’s dream.
The screen is a 2-inch IPS Touch Screen, which lets you use your fingers to zoom in and zoom out, focus and other options. The EIS tech lets you shoot crystal clear, high-quality 4k videos at 30 frames per second.
This camera is built-for shooting moving objects very clearly. When it comes to shooting images, you get crystal clear 20-megapixel photos that are gallery worthy.
It has a wide-angle lens that is adjustable to your requirement. You can shoot a narrow shot or a wide shot or an ultra wide shot. The Akaso V50 has an app that lets you instantly share your videos to friends and family.
Some of the features it has while shooting action videos is the wind noise reduction, long exposure, sound recording, scene mode, white balance and more. It’s also compatible with driving mode with an external mic.
Inside the box, you get more than what you paid for, as every V50 Pro ships with two batteries, a waterproof case, a bicycle stand, mounts, helmet mounts, bandages, tethers, protective back door, USB cable and finally a selfie stand.
- Video: 4K at 30fps with EIS
- Photo: 20MP
- Display: 2-inch IPS touchscreen
- Adjustable Angle: Wide/narrow/ultra-wide
- Additional Features: Wind noise reduction, sound recording, driving mode
- In the Box: Two batteries, waterproof case, multiple mounts, accessories
#6 - Ghost X by Drift
Drift is one of the premier action camera companies not only in China, but all around the world. Drift’s Ghost X has become quite the range in the action camera segment and this is your true, blue action camera experience.
The Ghost X is a camera the likes of which you’ve never seen before. First of all, let’s talk about the design. The design for this camera is different. You shoot with it pointing it like a gun, compared the rectangular designs of other action cameras.
This is a modular design which makes it super petite and easy to use. It has a 5-hour battery life which is pretty incredible considering most action cameras last for a couple of hours. You can also choose to purchase the battery extender which gives you an 8-hour battery life.
It can stream live in 720p and shoot videos in 1080p. The lens itself is a 300 degree rotating camera, making it ideal for adventure sports. If you own a few of these cameras, there is a pretty nifty feature called the ‘Clone Mode’, where the settings and mode of one camera is replicates across all the Ghost X cameras.
This is perfect for shooting from multiple angles, which gives you a different angle to the same action.
You can download the drift life app through which you can share videos.
- Design: Modular, compact, unique form
- Battery Life: 5 hours (standard), up to 8 hours (with extender)
- Resolution: 1080p video, 720p live streaming
- Special Features: 300° rotating lens, 'Clone Mode' for multi-camera sync, Drift Life app for sharing
#7 -- Rumixi Action Camera
The Rumixi Action camera is another strong budget contender in the action camera space. It's a top seller on Aliexpress.
- Features: WiFi sharing, microphone input, remote control, HDMI output, EIS, 170° wide angle
- Screen: 2 inches
#8 -- DRIFT Wearable Action Camera
Drift is known for making some truly unique action cameras, like the Ghost reviewed above. But they've gone above & beyond with the DRIFT wearable action camera.
This camera looks like a headband that can be placed on top of the forehead and can shoot high quality HD shots from the perspective of your eye level.
It has a 4 hour working time and can also stream real-time in 4G. It's got the AMBARELLA chip inside. You can stream live with the touch of a button directly to Facebook, Youtube. The chip enables one to shoot 1080p @ 30fps.
It's got a built-in Wifi that lets you connect to the Drift App in real-time. The videos can be edited on the move through the Driftlife App.
You can livestream continuously for 3 hours. It's available in 5 catchy colours.
- Mount: Headband-style for first-person POV
- Battery Life: 4 hours (3 hours continuous live streaming)
- Resolution: 1080p at 30fps
- Chipset: AMBARELLA
- Live Streaming: Supports direct streaming to Facebook, YouTube
- App: Driftlife for editing on the move
- Colors: Available in five colors
Check it out here on Aliexpress
#9 Akaso Brave 7 LE
Apart from The V50 Pro and the EK7000, the Akaso Brave action camera has become quite the rage. It's quite different from the Akaso Brave 4.
The Brave 7 has a 20MP camera which is the same as the Brave 4 and can shoot high quality 4k videos. The only difference between the Brave 7 and the Brave 4 is the touch screen availability on the Brave 7.
There is also a dual screen on the Brave 7 which isn't there on the Akaso Brave 4. When I did the Akaso Brave 7 review, I found it to be much better than the Brave 4.
Apart from that, it's got dual screen support, EIS 2.0, waterproof, 6 Axis stabilization, built-in Wifi, remote control and much better battery life.
The Brave 7 has a 1350 mAh battery, whereas the Brave 4 has a 1050 mAh. This is the improvements Akaso has made and with just a meager price increase of $40, you get a much better action camera!
I loved using this, because it lasts longer and the dual screen and touch screen makes a massive difference!
- Video: 4K, 20MP photos
- Screens: Dual display (front and back touch)
- Stabilization: EIS 2.0, 6-axis
- Waterproof: Yes
- Battery: 1350mAh (improved from previous models)
- Additional: Remote control, robust accessory support
Check it out here on Alixpress
Action cams are here to stay. They remain the best tool for filming diving and other outdoor activities. Buying from Aliexpress will be your best choice.
Action cameras come in different shapes and sizes. But considering the offers you have in the market, it’s pretty easy to find a good Budget camera. Based on all the reviews I’ve done and considering all the products in this article.
The Best Budget Camera would be EKEN H9. It shoots in 4k. It’s an Action camera and comes with amazing camera protective gear.
SJCAM SJ4000 Air 4K Action Camera
The SJ4000 4K action camera is probably the only Chinese action camera to come close to a GoPro in terms of build-quality and performance. I’ve been using SJCAM’s action cameras for some time now and have never been disappointed with what their cameras have to offer. Priced under $60, this camera is incredibly easy to use and comes with a large 2” LTPS display.
With this camera I was able to shoot crystal clear videos on land, in the sea and even in the sky (by attaching it to my drone of course). The 4K clarity is much more refined and detailed on the SJ4000 as compared to the other action cameras on this list and the large lithium battery can keep the camera running for up to 90 minutes on a single charge.
Personally, SJCAM is my go-to brand especially for cheap action cameras and accessories. Their cameras have won numerous awards and they all come with a 1-year warranty from the date of purchase.
Though the SJ4000 is not their best action camera, it’s worth every buck and if you’re truly in the market for something phenomenal and don’t care about the cost, then check out the SJ10 Pro Dual Screen which is a replica of the GoPro Hero 9 action camera.
- Price: Under $60
- Display: 2" LTPS screen
- Video: 4K recording, clear video quality, suitable for drone mounting
- Battery Life: Up to 90 minutes
- Warranty: 1-year (from purchase date)
What is the best alternative to GoPro?
While GoPro leads in features, durability, and battery life, Chinese alternatives such as Akaso, Eken, and Xiaomi Yi offer excellent performance for the price. For example:
- GoPro Hero 9: Approx. $800, best suited for professionals
- Akaso Brave 7: Around $123, ideal for budget-conscious creators
If professional-grade footage or robust build quality is essential, GoPro is recommended. For enthusiasts or those with smaller budgets, high-value alternatives such as Akaso and Eken are more accessible.
Buying Tips: Choosing the Right Action Camera
- Purpose: Consider whether you need a camera for outdoor sports, travel, vlogging, or casual use.
- Portability: Choose a compact, lightweight model for ease in mounting and travel.
- Image & Video Quality: Look for at least 1080p video at 30fps, with 4K available on many modern models.
- Lens & Angle: A wide-angle lens (120° or more) captures more of your surroundings.
- Image Stabilization: EIS helps reduce shaky footage, especially during intense activity.
- Water Resistance: Ensures usability in wet or underwater environments.
- Battery Life: Seek at least 90 minutes or more of continuous shooting in high resolution.
- Accessories: Check if the camera includes mounting gear, waterproof cases, and spare batteries.
- Connectivity: WiFi and Bluetooth allow easy transfer of files; expandable storage via micro SD is a bonus.
- Budget: Decide how much you want to spend and prioritize cameras that fit within your range while still offering the necessary features.
Conclusion
Chinese action cameras have become a popular choice for adventurers and hobbyists seeking affordability and performance. With ongoing improvements in design and functionality, these models make an excellent alternative to premium brands, especially for users who require versatility without a high financial commitment.
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