The Best Aftermarket Backup Cameras: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)

RBE top pick

AUTO-VOX Solar1 Pro 6 Solar Wireless Backup Camera

See why it wins Compare all

Amazon had no buyable listing for our top pick when we last checked, so there is no buy link here yet.

For most people adding a camera to a car that never had one, the AUTO-VOX Solar1 Pro 6 wins on sheer simplicity — no video wiring, a solar-assisted battery, and a big screen included. If you'll happily run a cable and already have a display with RCA video input, the wired eRapta ERT01 is the pick for a wired feed.

If your car never came with a backup camera, adding one is one of the cheapest safety upgrades you can make — but the aftermarket is a jungle of near-identical listings. We cut it down to four honest archetypes: a solar-charged wireless kit, a wired plate camera, a flexible dual-camera system, and an RV-style wireless system. Two are easy recommendations, one is a 'depends on your vehicle' pick, and one is the odd-one-out we'd skip. Note up front: this is a reversing camera guide, not a dash cam guide.

RBE top pick

AUTO-VOX

AUTO-VOX Solar1 Pro 6 Solar Wireless Backup Camera

Buy it

The easiest way to add a camera to a car that never had one — no video wiring, a solar-assisted battery, and a big 6-inch screen in the box.

Best for: Anyone who wants the simplest possible bolt-on for a car or truck with no factory camera and no desire to run wires.

$$ · mid-range

Why we like it

• Truly wireless install — the camera talks to the monitor, so there's no video cable to snake through the car
• Built-in solar assist charging helps extend battery life between charges
• Comes with a 6-inch monitor and uses a 2.4GHz digital wireless link with frequency hopping

Know before buying

• If you garage the car or park where sun is scarce, expect to charge the battery manually more often
• A wireless link can show a brief lag or hiccup that a hardwired camera never will

Amazon had no buyable listing for this when we last checked. The link still works if it returns.

Find it on Amazon Read our detailed assessment ↓

eRapta

eRapta ERT01 License Plate Backup Camera

Buy it

The no-nonsense wired plate camera that just works, if you already have a display with RCA video input.

Best for: DIYers with a display that takes RCA video, who don't mind running a cable and want a wired feed.

$ · budget

Why we like it

• A wired feed avoids the lag and dropouts a wireless link can have
• Camera only, so it suits anyone who already has a head unit or display with RCA video input
• 149-degree angle with an IP69K waterproof rating and 10 LEDs for night vision

Know before buying

• You have to run a video cable to your display and tap power from the reverse light, so install takes real effort
• No monitor is included, and it works only with displays that accept CVBS video over RCA, so check your head unit first

Check price on Amazon Read our detailed assessment ↓

AUTO-VOX

AUTO-VOX Solar 5C Dual-Channel Backup Camera System

It depends

A two-camera system, one magnetic and one plate-mounted, that's brilliant for towing but overkill for a basic commuter.

Best for: Truck, SUV, and RV owners who tow and want hitch plus rear views, not commuters who just want to see the curb.

$$$ · premium

Why we like it

• Shows both cameras at once on its 7.2-inch monitor, so you watch the hitch and the rear road together
• One camera mounts on the license plate and the other mounts magnetically; solar power reduces charging requirements
• Dual cameras give flexible views when reversing, which suits towing

Know before buying

• Two cameras mean more to mount and set up than a single-camera kit
• The dual-camera features are wasted money if all you need is a simple rear view on a small car

Check price on Amazon Read our detailed assessment ↓

We'd skip it

eRapta

eRapta AY5 Wireless Backup Camera System

Skip it

A wireless system with a 5-inch monitor, aimed at RVs and trailers, that the solar kit out-simplifies on an ordinary car.

Best for: RV, truck and trailer owners who want a complete wireless camera and monitor system rather than a plate-mounted car kit.

$$ · mid-range

Why we like it

• Genuinely wireless, so there's no video cable to run to the front of the car
• IP69K waterproof rating, infrared night vision and a 5-inch monitor in the box

Know before buying

• The camera still needs power from the vehicle, and the listing is aimed at RV, truck and trailer mounting rather than a plate-mounted car install
• Any wireless link can lag or drop, so it doesn't beat the wired pick on lag, and no solar assist is listed

See our pick instead Find it on Amazon anyway Read our detailed assessment ↓

How we judged the field

We don’t run a lab. Instead we work from each manufacturer’s published specifications, then weigh what actually matters when you’re bolting a camera onto a car that never had one.

Four things separated the good kits from the forgettable ones:

• Install effort. The single biggest decision is whether you’re willing to run a video cable. Wireless and solar kits let you avoid it; wired kits reward the work with a rock-steady feed.
• Feed reliability. A backup camera is a safety device, so a picture that lags or drops out at the wrong moment is a real problem. Wired avoids wireless lag; good digital wireless is a close second.
• Power and charging. Solar-assisted batteries mean you rarely touch the camera again. Wired cameras sip power from the reverse light and never need a recharge.
• What’s in the box. A camera alone isn’t a solution — you need a monitor. We favored kits that include a screen and noted which listings are camera only.

This is the pick for the person who just wants it done. Because the camera sends its picture wirelessly, there’s no cable to snake from the tailgate to the dash — the hardest part of a camera install simply disappears. The camera clips onto the license plate, a small solar panel helps extend battery life between charges, and a 6-inch monitor comes in the box. The link is 2.4GHz digital with frequency hopping to resist interference. The caveats: if you garage the car you’ll need to charge the battery more often, and a wireless link can still show the occasional split-second hiccup a wired camera won’t. For most drivers, that’s a fair trade for a quick, no-wiring install.

The wired pick. It’s a plain wired camera that tucks into a license-plate bracket, and because the video runs down a physical cable, the feed avoids the lag and dropouts a wireless link can have. The page lists a 149-degree angle, an IP69K waterproof rating and 10 LEDs for night vision. It is camera only, with no monitor in the listing, and it works with a radio, DVD player, OEM navigator or any display with RCA video input. The catch is the install: you tap power from the reverse light and run a video cable to your display, which takes more effort than a clip-on. If you already have a compatible display and are comfortable with that, it is a straightforward wired option.

This one is excellent, for the right vehicle. It shows two cameras at once on a 7.2-inch monitor: one bolts to the license plate and the other mounts magnetically, with solar assist keeping the batteries up. AUTO-VOX pitches it for watching the hitch and the rear road together, which suits towing. But that flexibility is exactly why it’s a ‘depends’ rather than a straight buy: two cameras mean more to mount and set up than a single-camera kit, and if all you need is to see the curb behind a small commuter car, you’re paying for a second camera you’ll never use. Buy it if you tow and want hitch and rear views together; otherwise the simpler picks do the job with less to set up.

This is a complete wireless system with a 5-inch monitor, infrared night vision and an IP69K rating, but the listing is aimed at RVs, trucks and trailers, with mounting to pre-drilled RV holes or Furrion pre-wired points rather than a plate bracket. You still have to get power to the camera, and as a wireless link it can lag or drop, with no solar assist listed. For a typical car, the solar kit is easier and the wired camera avoids wireless lag. This one makes sense if you drive an RV or tow a trailer.

AUTO-VOX Solar1 Pro 6 vs eRapta ERT01: which should you buy?

This is really a question about one wire. The Solar1 Pro 6 wins if you value your time and don’t want to touch the car’s wiring: it beams the picture to its own 6-inch screen and has solar assist charging, so the install is mostly a clip. The ERT01 wins if you’ll trade some labor for a wired feed and already have a display with RCA video input. A wired camera avoids wireless lag, though this one needs a display you supply. Put bluntly: choose the Solar1 Pro 6 for maximum convenience, choose the ERT01 for a wired feed. Both are sound picks; the deciding factor is whether running a single cable sounds like a fair afternoon’s work to you.

What to look for

• Decide on wiring first. If you won’t run a cable, go solar or wireless. If you will, a wired plate camera avoids wireless lag.
• Make sure a monitor is included — or that you already own a compatible one. A camera by itself is not a finished install.
• Favor digital wireless over analog if you go cordless; it holds a much steadier picture.
• Match the mount to the vehicle. Plate mounts are tidy and permanent; magnetic mounts are great for trucks, trailers, and swapping between vehicles.
• Check the field of view and night vision — a wide angle (roughly 130 degrees or more) and real low-light performance are what make the camera actually useful.
• Weather sealing matters. Look for a high IP rating so rain and car washes don’t kill the camera in a season.

Our final take

For the vast majority of people adding a reversing camera to a car that never had one, the AUTO-VOX Solar1 Pro 6 is the easy answer: no wiring, solar assist charging, and a big screen in the box make it the lowest-friction upgrade here. If you’re handy, have a display with RCA input and want a wired feed, the wired eRapta ERT01 is the smarter buy and our wired pick. Step up to the AUTO-VOX Solar 5C only if you tow or genuinely need two cameras — and skip the eRapta AY5 unless you want an RV-style wireless system. Pick based on whether you’ll run a wire, and you’ll be happy either way.

Deciding between the top two? See our head-to-head: AUTO-VOX Solar1 Pro 6 Solar Wireless Backup Camera vs eRapta ERT01 License Plate Backup Camera.

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