GoPro cameras are excellent at capturing action.
You can mount one on a helmet, carry it while traveling, record yourself mountain biking, or use it as a tiny vlogging camera. Modern GoPros produce impressive video from a camera small enough to fit in your pocket.
Audio is more complicated.
The built-in microphones are convenient, but wind, traffic, crowds, and distance from your subject can make your recordings difficult to hear. If you’re trying to create polished YouTube videos, interviews, or travel vlogs, improving the microphone can make almost as much difference as improving the camera.
The catch is that connecting an external microphone to a GoPro isn’t always as simple as plugging a mic directly into the camera.
Depending on your GoPro model, you may need GoPro’s Media Mod or Pro 3.5mm Mic Adapter. GoPro’s current Pro 3.5mm Mic Adapter supports models including HERO13 Black, HERO12 Black, HERO11 Black, and HERO10 Black, while the Media Mod provides both its own directional microphone and a 3.5mm external microphone input.
Once you’ve sorted out the connection, you have plenty of excellent microphones to choose from.
What is the Best GoPro Microphones?
Here are seven of the best GoPro microphones.
1. RØDE VideoMicro II – Best GoPro Microphone Overall
The RØDE VideoMicro II is my favorite external microphone for most GoPro users because it’s small, lightweight, and simple. That’s exactly what you want with an action camera.
There’s little point buying a tiny GoPro and then attaching a huge microphone that makes the entire setup awkward to carry.
The VideoMicro II weighs only 39 grams and measures around 80mm long.
It uses a supercardioid pickup pattern, which means it focuses strongly on sound coming from the front while reducing sound arriving from the sides and rear. That’s particularly useful for vlogging.
Point your GoPro and microphone toward yourself and the mic can capture your voice more directly than an omnidirectional microphone.
The VideoMicro II doesn’t require its own battery either. It runs from plug-in power supplied by a compatible connected device.
RØDE also includes its HELIX isolation mount, which helps reduce knocks, bumps, and handling noise. You get both foam and furry windshields, with the latter being especially useful outdoors.
To connect the 3.5mm microphone to a compatible GoPro, you’ll generally need the appropriate Media Mod or GoPro microphone adapter.
2. GoPro Media Mod – Best All-in-One GoPro Microphone
Sometimes the simplest solution is using GoPro’s own accessory. The Media Mod turns compatible HERO cameras into a more creator-focused video rig.
Most importantly, it includes a built-in directional microphone designed to improve voice capture. That means you don’t necessarily need to attach another microphone at all.
The Media Mod also adds a 3.5mm microphone input. This is extremely useful because it gives you an easy path toward upgrading your audio later.
Start with the Media Mod’s built-in microphone. If you eventually want something better, connect a RØDE or another compatible 3.5mm microphone.
GoPro also gives you two cold-shoe mounts for attaching accessories such as microphones, lights, or displays, plus an HDMI-out port.
The disadvantage is size. Your GoPro becomes larger once it’s inside the Media Mod. But for vlogging and content creation, the extra functionality is often worth it.
3. RØDE VideoMic GO II – Best GoPro Shotgun Microphone
If you want something more substantial than the VideoMicro II, consider the RØDE VideoMic GO II. It’s still relatively compact, but it provides a more advanced directional microphone design.
The VideoMic GO II uses a supercardioid polar pattern and has a frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
It weighs only 89 grams with the included accessories, making it light enough for a compact video rig. The microphone provides both a 3.5mm TRS output and USB-C.
For a traditional GoPro setup, you’d typically use the 3.5mm connection through a compatible Media Mod or Pro 3.5mm Mic Adapter.
One nice advantage is that there’s no internal battery to worry about. For creators who use several cameras, the VideoMic GO II is also more versatile than a GoPro-specific accessory. You can use it with compatible mirrorless cameras, smartphones, tablets, and computers.
4. RØDE Wireless Micro Camera Kit – Best Wireless GoPro Microphone
A microphone attached to your GoPro works well when you’re close to the camera. things change when you move farther away. Imagine putting your GoPro on a tripod and standing 15 feet away.
The camera microphone is now 15 feet away too. A wireless microphone solves that problem.
The RØDE Wireless Micro Camera Kit includes small clip-on transmitters with built-in microphones and a camera receiver. The transmitter stays close to your mouth while the receiver stays with the camera.
This is ideal for travel videos, tutorials, interviews, demonstrations, and other situations where you need to move around.
The Camera Kit supports two transmitters, making it useful for two-person content as well.
For a compatible GoPro setup, the camera receiver’s 3.5mm output can be routed through the GoPro’s appropriate external-microphone connection.
The biggest downside compared with a simple shotgun mic is complexity. Wireless equipment needs charging and adds more pieces to your setup. But when you need freedom to move, wireless is hard to beat.
5. GoPro Pro 3.5mm Mic Adapter – Best for Using Existing Microphones
Technically, this isn’t a microphone. But for many GoPro owners, it may be the most important audio accessory they buy.
GoPro’s Pro 3.5mm Mic Adapter allows compatible HERO cameras to accept a wide range of external 3.5mm microphones. This opens the door to using microphones you may already own.
GoPro says the adapter supports stereo microphone and line-level input, meaning it can also accept audio from equipment such as an external recorder or mixer.
That can make your GoPro much more flexible for serious video work. The downside is obvious. It’s another adapter hanging from your tiny camera.
For a clean vlogging rig, the Media Mod may be more convenient because it wraps around the camera and provides a microphone input alongside other creator features.
But if your main goal is simply connecting an existing professional microphone, the adapter can be the more straightforward solution.
6. RØDE Wireless GO – Best for Serious Wireless GoPro Audio
RØDE’s Wireless GO family has become popular with video creators because it combines small wireless transmitters with camera-friendly receivers.
If you’re filming a travel video in a busy market, for example, an on-camera microphone may capture large amounts of crowd noise.
A microphone attached close to your mouth gives your voice a much stronger signal relative to the background.
Wireless GO systems are particularly attractive if you also use DSLR or mirrorless cameras because the system isn’t limited to your GoPro.
Final Thoughts
For most people, I’d start with the RØDE VideoMicro II.
It’s small, weighs only 39 grams, uses a focused supercardioid pickup pattern, requires no internal battery, and includes both an isolation mount and wind protection. For maximum simplicity, choose the GoPro Media Mod.
It already contains a directional microphone and gives you a 3.5mm input for future upgrades.
For wireless recording, consider the RØDE Wireless Micro Camera Kit or a Wireless GO setup.
And if you already own a good 3.5mm camera microphone, you may simply need GoPro’s Pro 3.5mm Mic Adapter rather than buying another microphone.