Quick answer: Borescope, endoscope and inspection camera describe similar tools: a camera on a cable for viewing enclosed spaces. Endoscope leans medical, borescope leans industrial and automotive, and inspection camera is the everyday consumer term. For buying purposes they are essentially the same category.
These three words cause a lot of confusion. Here is the plain-English difference so you search for the right thing.
Borescope
An industrial or automotive inspection camera, often with a semi-rigid probe and features like articulation. This is the term professionals and tool brands use.
Endoscope
Technically a medical instrument for looking inside the body, but the word is widely borrowed for cheap phone-connected inspection cameras online.
Inspection Camera
The general consumer term for any camera-on-a-cable used to see into tight or hidden spaces. It covers both of the above.
Which Should You Buy?
For automotive, plumbing, HVAC and home DIY, search borescope or inspection camera. A standalone unit like the ROVE RS2, with a 4.3 inch screen and no app required, is built for exactly those jobs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an Endoscope Cheaper Than a Borescope?
Often the phone-only endoscopes sold online are cheaper, but they rely on your phone and app, and image quality varies. A dedicated borescope with its own screen is more reliable for real work.
Can I Use a Borescope for Medical Purposes?
No. Industrial and automotive borescopes are not medical devices and should never be used on people or animals.
