Best Microphone

The most important thing you will need for vlogging is a good microphone. The camera comes in second place. After all, nobody will follow you if they can’t hear you well, so it’s an important step to become a successful vlogger. Here are the 11 best microphones for YouTube vlogging, no matter what kind of camera you’re planning to use.

I included each of the types of microphones you might be interested in according to your needs. I’ve separated them according to their utility and nature. You can use the Table of Contents to navigate through the different sections.

Finding the best vlogging microphone

First thing is first — how are you filming your vlog? This question when becoming a vlogger will ultimately coincide with our next question below, but to summarize, what you’re using to capture your video will deter you in a specific direction for a microphone. If you haven’t grabbed your video camera yet, we highly recommend a DSLR camera or mirrorless camera, but that isn’t a must, per se.

What type of microphone? Now we’ll get into the big details for the different types of mics we have in here. As stated earlier, if you haven’t gotten your video camera yet, you’ll have some flexibility. Otherwise, this will definitely pinpoint your search.

• USB microphones: These are preferred by vloggers who stay stationary in a room with a computer. Whether you’re recording with a web cam or exterior camera on a tripod, this is great for super clear quality as long as the microphone is positioned properly and you’re not going to be moving around a lot (ie: staying seated in your chair or standing by a green screen). When it comes down to it however, we only recommend USB mics for those who are doing something such as streaming or types of vlogs that don’t entail video cameras, otherwise a shotgun mic (camera mic) below will be better.
• Camera microphones: These are microphones literally attached to your camera that typically point at you like a “shotgun mic“. These are more optimal than USB mics for those standing in a  chair or using a green screen in a room (reviewing products or speaking about something). They’re also perfect for those out in the field filming everyday life vlogs (where you’ll be walking around or engaging in an activity and you have a camera person following you). The only catch here is you’ll have to buy a compatible camera — DSLR or mirrorless cameras, and those can cost a pretty penny.
• Lavalier microphones: Another spin to a vlogging microphone here that spans across multiple uses. “Lav mics” are those small little hand-sized mics that clip on to either your shirt or somewhere else non-intrusively to your body. They’re great for interviews or any vlogging that you’d like to keep versatile, especially if you don’t have somebody to film you and you have to capture it all yourself.
• Handheld recorders: These are a bit different from all of the others, and are actually separate devices for recording audio. You can either stand them up with a little tripod near you, lay them flat on a desk, chair or floor, or carry them around with your hand and record as you go. We’d only recommend these if you aren’t filming and doing vlog audio only, or are super concerned with audio quality (since these blow all other mics out of the water when it comes to resolution — but don’t get us wrong, all mics are feasible and many audiences won’t be able to “tell”).
• Smart device microphones: Last but not least, as technology continues to grow, more and more vloggers are using their smart devices to record their sessions. Whether you’re on a iOS, Android or even tablet, these little mics connect to the lighting connector or compatible input. We’d still recommend using a real video camera and grabbing a previous microphone type listed before, but if you’re on a strict budget and want to get going right away or feel smart devices are best for your vlogging adventures, be our guest. We listed our favorite one at the end.