Holy Stone HS210 vs Holy Stone HS420
Specs, camera quality, and ratings compared · Updated 2026
Two Holy Stone mini drones, both $30, both built for kids. The HS420 has a 720P camera. The HS210 has no camera at all. That sounds like an easy choice, but it's not.
The HS210 is smaller, lighter, simpler, and arguably more fun for young kids who just want to fly without fiddling with apps and Wi-Fi connections.
Pros & Cons
Holy Stone HS210
- $30 with three batteries is the cheapest way to learn whether you enjoy flying
- 24 grams and prop guards mean it bounces off walls instead of breaking. Genuinely crash-proof indoors
- No app needed. No camera, no phone required. Just charge, pair the controller, and fly
- Palm-sized and small enough to fly in a living room, bedroom, or office without destroying anything
- Three speed modes let beginners start slow and work up to the fast, twitchy setting
- 3D flips at the push of a button. Kids never get bored of this
- No camera at all. You can't take a single photo or see what the drone sees
- 7 minutes per battery is short. Even with three batteries, total airtime is only 21 minutes
- No altitude hold on older models (newer batches may include it, check the listing)
- 50-meter range limits it to indoor and small backyard use
- 24 grams is so light that even a ceiling fan's draft can push it off course
- No app or phone connection means no FPV view, no flight logs, no telemetry
Holy Stone HS420
- Three batteries in the box give about 21 minutes of total flight for $30
- 31 grams fits in the palm of your hand. You can fly this in a bedroom without fear
- Toss-to-launch actually works and kids love it. Throw it in the air and the motors catch it
- Prop guards mean crashes bounce off walls and furniture instead of leaving scratches
- Simple enough for a 6-year-old to fly within 5 minutes of opening the box
- The controller is small, ergonomic, and runs on AAA batteries (no charging wait for the remote)
- 6-7 minutes of real flight per battery. You spend more time swapping than flying
- 720p camera with a 30-meter video range. The image is blurry at any distance and useless past the length of a room
- 31 grams means any air movement pushes it around. Even walking past it creates enough turbulence to knock it off course
- No altitude hold on some firmware versions. The drone slowly drifts downward unless you actively correct it
- Brushed motors wear out after 30-50 hours of use. The drone becomes a paperweight unless you replace them
- The HS FUN app is bare-bones and the Wi-Fi video stream freezes frequently
Price Range
Both cost $30. Both include three batteries. The HS420 gets 5-6 minutes per battery (17 minutes total). The HS210 gets 5-6 minutes per battery (17 minutes total). Identical battery economics.
The HS420 has a camera and phone app. The HS210 has neither. Dollar for dollar, the HS420 technically offers more features, but features that a 6-year-old doesn't use don't count.
Specs Comparison
Swipe to see all columns →
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
3.8 | 2 | |
| Camera & Imaging | ||
| Camera | None | 720P |
| Sensor Size | None | Unknown (tiny CMOS) |
| HDR | ||
| RAW/DNG | ||
| Flight Performance | ||
| Flight Time | 7 min | 7 min |
| Range | 0.05 km | 0.03 km |
| Max Speed | 6 m/s | 6 m/s |
| Gimbal | None | None (no stabilization) |
| Smart Features | ||
| Obstacle Avoidance | ||
| GPS | ||
| Follow Me | ||
| Return to Home | ||
| Build & Design | ||
| Price | $30 | $30 |
| Weight | 24g | 31g |
| Foldable | ||
| Buy Now | Buy Now | |
Camera
- HS420: 720P camera, records to phone at ~30m range
- HS210: no camera
- The HS420 requires a phone app for video. The HS210 requires nothing except the controller and charged batteries.
Build and Size
The HS420 weighs 31 grams. The HS210 weighs 24 grams. The HS210 is smaller and fits in a child's hand more naturally. Both have altitude hold, prop guards, and 3D flips.
Features
The HS420 has toss-to-launch, which kids love. The HS210 has a simpler, no-app design that means zero setup friction: no app to download, no Wi-Fi to connect, no phone to hand over.
Choose the Holy Stone HS420 if:
- The kid wants to see what the drone sees via a live phone feed
- The pilot is 8 or older and has access to a phone
- Toss-to-launch sounds fun
- A 720P camera adds enough value over no camera at all
Choose the Holy Stone HS210 if:
- The kid is young (under 8) and you want zero setup friction
- No app to download, no Wi-Fi to connect, no phone to hand over
- You want pure flying without tech setup distractions
- The HS210 teaches better stick skills because there's nothing else competing for attention
Our Verdict
For kids 8 and up who have access to a phone, the HS420 is more versatile. For younger kids or anyone who wants pure flying without tech setup, the HS210 is simpler and lighter. Both cost $30, both survive crashes, and both do the main job: get a kid interested in flying.
Holy Stone HS210
3.8/5 overall · $30
Written by Paul Posea · Reviewed by Sarah Kim · Updated 2026-02-13