DJI or Holy Stone -- which is better for a beginner?
I have been going back and forth between the DJI Mini 2 SE ($299) and the Holy Stone HS720E ($180-220) as my first drone. The DJI is clearly better reviewed and more expensive. The Holy Stone has a lot of positive reviews too and is $80-120 cheaper. For a complete beginner who just wants to learn to fly and take some aerial photos, is the DJI worth the extra money or is Holy Stone good enough?
5 Answers
Sorted by: Votes
GearReviewer_Tom
Best Answer
DJI is better on almost every technical measure. Here is an honest side-by-side:
| Feature | DJI Mini 2 SE ($299) | Holy Stone HS720E ($180-220) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 249g (no registration) | 492g (registration required) |
| Camera sensor | 1/2.3-inch CMOS | 1/4-inch CMOS (smaller) |
| Max video | 2.7K/30fps | 4K EIS |
| Image quality | Noticeably superior | Good for price |
| Flight time | ~31 min | ~26 min |
| Range | ~10 km | ~1 km |
| Wind resistance | Level 4 (~24 mph) | Level 3-4 (~18 mph) |
| GPS precision | Excellent | Good |
| App quality | DJI Fly (excellent) | Holy Stone app (decent) |
| Price | ~$299 | ~$180-220 |
DJI wins on: image quality, range, app experience, GPS precision, wind resistance, and portability (weight). Holy Stone wins on: price, and has 4K labeling (though the sensor is smaller).
Which should you buy?
If you can afford $299: Buy the DJI Mini 2 SE. The performance gap is real and you will not regret it. No registration needed is also a practical advantage for hassle-free flying anywhere.
If your hard budget is under $230: Holy Stone HS720E is a capable drone that many beginners are genuinely happy with. It is not a bad choice -- just an inferior one when directly compared to DJI at the same tier.
Alternative at $149-169: Potensic ATOM SE is worth a look -- better GPS than Holy Stone, no registration at 245g, and strong value.
Check DJI Mini 2 SE Price on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
TravelDroner
Personal upgrade story: I started on a Holy Stone HS720E and eventually moved to a DJI Mini 3. The HS720E is not a bad drone -- I learned to fly on it and had genuinely fun sessions. But when I used the DJI for the first time, the differences were immediately obvious:
- The DJI Fly app: Noticeably cleaner, faster, and more intuitive than the Holy Stone app. The Holy Stone app occasionally had connection hiccups I never experienced with DJI.
- GPS hold: DJI's GPS precision in hover is tighter. The HS720E hovers well but drifts slightly more.
- Footage: The color, sharpness, and dynamic range difference is clearly visible when you compare clips side by side.
- No registration: The Mini 3 at 248g goes everywhere without the registration paperwork dance that the 492g HS720E requires.
If I could go back, I would have saved the $180 on the HS720E and put it toward the DJI upfront. Hindsight is clear. The HS720E taught me to fly, but I was always flying below what I eventually wanted.
CasualFlyer_Lisa
Reasonable defense of Holy Stone here: the HS720E is a perfectly fine beginner drone that tens of thousands of people are happy with. Not everyone needs DJI-level image quality, and not everyone can spend $299 on a hobby they have not yet confirmed they will enjoy.
If you just want to:
- Learn the basics of flying a GPS drone
- Take casual aerial photos and video to share with family
- Spend time outdoors doing something interesting
...the Holy Stone HS720E delivers all of that at a lower price. The DJI superiority argument makes more sense for people who care specifically about image quality for content creation or social media. For pure recreational enjoyment, Holy Stone is not a bad drone.
PhotographyDroner
Here is the test I recommend to anyone sitting on this fence: search YouTube for "Holy Stone HS720E footage" and "DJI Mini 2 SE footage" in the same conditions -- outdoor daylight, golden hour, whatever interests you. Watch both back to back.
If the difference is obvious and bothers you: buy DJI. Your instincts about needing better quality are correct and you will be dissatisfied with Holy Stone footage quickly.
If you watch both and genuinely cannot see a meaningful difference in what matters to you: buy Holy Stone and save the money. If the footage looks fine to you, it is fine. No need to pay a premium for quality you do not appreciate.
Most people who do this test end up seeing a clear difference. But it is a useful exercise because it makes the decision personal rather than abstract.
DroneInspector_Pro
Let me synthesize the decision clearly:
Budget $299+: DJI Mini 2 SE. No contest. Better drone in every practical way.
Budget $149-169: Potensic ATOM SE. Often overlooked in this DJI vs Holy Stone debate. Better GPS than Holy Stone, lighter weight (no registration), and competitive image quality at a lower price.
Budget $180-230: Holy Stone HS720E is fine here but the Potensic ATOM SE at $149-169 is worth a look at the lower end, and the DJI Mini 2 SE at $299 is worth considering with a slight budget stretch.
The HS720E is not a bad drone -- Holy Stone is a legitimate brand with millions of happy users. It just faces strong competition from both below (Potensic ATOM SE) and above (DJI Mini 2 SE) that makes it harder to recommend as the clear best choice at its price. See our full rundown in the best beginner drones in 2025 thread for a complete picture.