Best Crossbows for the Money

Top 10 Buying Guide

Best Crossbows for the Money

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How to Choose Your Crossbow

Whether compound or recurve, a crossbow is one of the best archery tools for hunting and target practice. They are ridiculously fun to use, too! To help you find the very best crossbow for the money, we researched and reviewed a variety of the new and bestselling crossbows. The result is the real-world buying guide below. Before we get to the reviews, here’s what to look for when shopping to find a really good crossbow. Let’s do this!

Best Crossbows for the Money

Velocity: How quickly does that arrow fly? A combination of draw weight and power stroke result in the feet-per-second arrow speed.

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Draw Weight: Crossbows have a higher draw weight than most compound bows because the power stroke is so much shorter.

How to Choose Your Crossbow

System: Crossbows come in a few different types, but most of the ones on our list are compounds, with a few recurves too.

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Colors: Having color options lets you choose between solid or camo designs depending on your preferences.

Best Crossbows for the Money

Scope: Does it include a scope? A scope is a necessary piece of equipment for sighting targets from a distance.

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Warranty: A good crossbow warranty is usually around five years, but some high-quality crossbows have lifetime warranties!

Top 10 Products

Ready to check out some awesome crossbow brands and models? Our top pick and budget pick are the overall winners for the best crossbow and best budget crossbow. If you’re short on time, check them out. But there are eight very good runner-ups as well. Sounds good? Let’s get hunting!

CenterPoint Sniper 370

CenterPoint Sniper 370
Our pick for the best crossbow on the market overall? The CenterPoint Sniper 370! Choose from a black or camo stock design and take this baby hunting! It shoots at 370 FPS with an 185-pound draw weight - and 128 FPKE. That’s way more than you need to take down large prey as a skilled hunter. The ultra-fast FPS and overall shooting power result in a truly formidable crossbow! On top of that, it comes with a well-made illuminated 4x32 multi-reticle scope for all-day, any-day hunting. Plus, you get a four-arrow quiver, cocking rope, shoulder sling, and three 20’’ carbon bolts. The shoulder sling is an awesome addition for carrying the bow comfortably, especially since this crossbow weighs 7.9 pounds. Integrated string suppressors mean your shots are quiet and vibration-free. Combined with the speed, your target won’t even have time to react! We hope you can see why we chose this as the best crossbow during our review process. That level of power at this price is hard to beat!
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Barnett Compound Crossbow

Barnett Compound Crossbow
The Barnett Recruit Compound Crossbow is perfectly sized for smaller frames but is still quite powerful. The 130-pound draw weight and 300 FPS velocity produce about 85 FPKE. That’s good for hunting whitetail deer, elk, antelope, and even big game! You can also use it for target shooting. This is our pick for the best crossbow to buy on a budget and for beginners. The crossbow is accurate, lightweight at just 6.5 pounds, and comes with a red-dot scope to help you sight your targets. The 130-pound draw weight is lighter than the others on our list, making it noticeably easy to draw despite the power behind its shots! The adjustable butt stock and pistol grip make this crossbow ergonomic and comfortable to use even on long days in the outdoors. The crossbow comes with three 20’’ carbon arrows, a quiver, rope cocking device, and basic red-dot sight. All of this is impressive at such a low price!
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SA Sports Empire Beowulf

SA Sports Empire Beowulf
Besides a noticeably easy set-up process, the Beowulf compound crossbow combines power, stealth, and a light weight to be a truly formidable hunting crossbow! The 14’’ power stroke combined with a 175-pound draw weight results in 360 FPS and about 115 FPKE behind each shot. That’s enough to take down big game as well as whitetail deer and elk! It’s also incredibly quiet right out of the box, from re-cocking to taking the shot. The crossbow comes with three well-made 20’’ carbon arrows, a rope cocking device, and a 4x32 multi-reticle scope. The full-barrel integrated Picatinny rail to hold plenty of accessories. The compact size and 6.5-pound weight make it easy to carry with you through the woods and fields. Did we mention it’s ultra-quiet, too? If you want a powerful crossbow that needs little improvement out of the box, get ready to hunt with the SA Sports Empire Beowulf!
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Carbon Express X-Force

Carbon Express X-Force
Choose from stocks in Mossy Oak Treestand, tan, gray, Mossy Oak Break-Up Country, or Sportchief camo with the X-Force Advantex crossbow! The adjustable forearm and rifle-like stock make this crossbow customizable for comfort and ease of use while on the hunt. The bow shoots at 315 FPS with a 165-pound draw weight for over 91 FPKE! It’s a great hunting crossbow for deer and larger game as a result. The Advantex Ready-to-Hunt kit comes with three bolts, a quiver, rope cocker, 4x32 scope, rail lube and three field points. A Silencer coating on the stock helps improve your stealth, while an anti dry-fire mechanism keeps you from, you know… messing up terribly, because that happens sometimes. There’s plenty of force behind the X-Force Advantex, all with a light weight of 6.9 pounds. It’s also relatively easy to cock despite all of that power! Use it for target shooting, hunting, or the inevitable zombie apocalypse.
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Wicked Ridge Invader G3

Wicked Ridge Invader G3
The Wicked Ridge Invader G3 packs a lot of power into a 6.6-pound body and 13.5’’ power stroke! It has a draw weight of 165 pounds and 330 FPS shooting speed. But what’s really impressive is the resulting FP KE: 96 FPKE at the initial release for 85-90 FPKE across the average arrow flight length. That allows you to shoot large game like wild boar and elk as well as medium-sized game like the whitetail deer. This compound crossbow comes with a camo stock, plus a TenPoint 3X Multi-Line scope, Wicked Ridge instant-release quiver, three Wicked Ridge 20’’ carbon arrows, and an ACU-52 self-retracting rope cocking system. Looking for the best crossbow for hunting with a mid-range price? The Invader G3 uses a T2 trigger, which is usually reserved for higher-priced crossbows, and the semi-skeletal cutouts in the bow design make it super lightweight. You can get a lot of the features of high-end crossbows at a medium-end price!
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Southern Crossbow Revolt 370

Southern Crossbow Revolt 370
The Southern Crossbow Revolt 370 has an impressive 185-pound draw weight and 370 FPS arrow velocity. It includes a 4x32 scope, three field tip 20’’ carbon arrows, a three-arrow quiver, rail lube, safety glasses, and cocking rope. It’s an accurate and powerful device that hunters will appreciate! It’s a little on the heavy side despite its size, but overall a great choice for tree stand and blind hunting. It has a camo and black paint design. The included non-illuminated scope is very basic, so serious hunters may prefer to upgrade. It works well with longer 20-22’’ arrows and can take down deer and other medium-sized game with ease. It also has an adjustable foregrip (because hunters aren’t all the same shape and size!) and finger-saver integrated handguard. Our overall impression was of a powerful and sturdy crossbow that is ideal for hunting but also good for target shooting.
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Barnett Outdoors Ghost

Barnett Outdoors Ghost
The Barnett Outdoors Ghost 360 compound crossbow has a black and camo design perfect for hunting. The crossbow comes with a 3x32 illuminated scope, three-arrow quiver, three 20’’ Headhunter arrows, and a rope cocking device. It can shoot arrows with over 100 FPKE, which is enough force to take down big game like bears and moose as well as deer and elk. If you’re looking for a lightweight, powerful hunting crossbow for medium and large game, this is it! The length and width of this crossbow have been made more compact with a shoot-through riser and integrated foot stirrup. It uses Carbon Riser technology as well to greatly decrease the weight of the crossbow overall and frontal heaviness specifically. This high-quality crossbow has a mid-range price that makes it even more desirable to the dedicated hunter! Overall, it’s a strong contender for the best crossbow for deer hunting!
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SA Sports Fever Crossbow

SA Sports Fever Crossbow
The SA Sports Fever Recurve Crossbow has a fully dipped camouflage design to help you blend in whether you’re in the trees or in a blind. This entry-level recurve crossbow weighs under five pounds and comes with four 16’’ aluminum arrows, a 4x32 multi-range scope, padded shoulder sling, a rope cocking device, and hex keys. It can produce around 50 FPKE to take down whitetail deer, but is better suited for smaller game. The package includes everything you need to get started, plus its low weight makes it easy to take hunting. For a first-timer, this crossbow is a great starter pick that will get you out in the woods and fields in no time! Investing in carbon arrows with a longer length will also improve your kinetic energy compared to the included arrows. This would make the Fever Recurve better at taking down deer and similar-sized game!
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Killer Instinct KI350 Crossbow

The KI350 compound crossbow comes with a 4x32 illuminated glass reticle scope, side mount quiver, rope cocking device, three 20’’ carbon arrows, and a starter pack of rail lube. Take your body shape and clothing into account with the adjustable fore grip. This crossbow can produce over 100 foot-pounds of kinetic energy, so you can use it to hunt big game like moose as well as whitetail deer! Hunters may prefer the KI350 for its power and the blackout design that helps it blend in. It’s a great combination of high-quality at a low price, especially considering that lifetime warranty! The bow also has anti-dry fire and a safety, and it’s also super accurate! It has deadening string suppressors as well to help you avoid startling prey. A folding foot stirrup can act as a convenient stand while making the crossbow more compact. Did we mention that hunters will love this crossbow?
The KI350 compound crossbow comes with a 4x32 illuminated glass reticle scope, side mount quiver, rope cocking device, three 20’’ carbon arrows, and a starter pack of rail lube. Take your body shape and clothing into account with the adjustable fore grip. This crossbow can produce over 100 foot-pounds of kinetic energy, so you can use it to hunt big game like moose as well as whitetail deer! Hunters may prefer the KI350 for its power and the blackout design that helps it blend in. It’s a great combination of high-quality at a low price, especially considering that lifetime warranty! The bow also has anti-dry fire and a safety, and it’s also super accurate! It has deadening string suppressors as well to help you avoid startling prey. A folding foot stirrup can act as a convenient stand while making the crossbow more compact. Did we mention that hunters will love this crossbow?
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SA Sports Empire Terminator

The SA Sports Empire Terminator Recon is a recurve crossbow with a 175-pound draw weight. The 11-inch power stroke and draw weight combine for an initial release speed of 260 FPS. Although a beginner-level recurve crossbow, the Terminator Recon should give you enough foot-pounds of kinetic energy to hunt small game and whitetail deer. The light weight makes it easier to carry on your trek through the woods, but give it a more intense recoil that total beginners may be surprised by. The crossbow also comes with a 4x32 reticule scope, instant-release quiver, two 16’’ aluminum arrows, a rope-cocking device, and vertical fore grip. It’s a great starter recurve crossbow that you can upgrade as you go along with an improved scope, sound dampener, and so on. Another reason why this crossbow is great for beginners: the adjustable rear stock. It will help you improve your accuracy! The vertical fore grip makes it easy to fire the crossbow off hand as well as rest it comfortably for an accurate shot.
The SA Sports Empire Terminator Recon is a recurve crossbow with a 175-pound draw weight. The 11-inch power stroke and draw weight combine for an initial release speed of 260 FPS. Although a beginner-level recurve crossbow, the Terminator Recon should give you enough foot-pounds of kinetic energy to hunt small game and whitetail deer. The light weight makes it easier to carry on your trek through the woods, but give it a more intense recoil that total beginners may be surprised by. The crossbow also comes with a 4x32 reticule scope, instant-release quiver, two 16’’ aluminum arrows, a rope-cocking device, and vertical fore grip. It’s a great starter recurve crossbow that you can upgrade as you go along with an improved scope, sound dampener, and so on. Another reason why this crossbow is great for beginners: the adjustable rear stock. It will help you improve your accuracy! The vertical fore grip makes it easy to fire the crossbow off hand as well as rest it comfortably for an accurate shot.
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About the Author

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Jennifer Trimbee

Expert Researcher and Writer

Jennifer Trimbee, a lead researcher and writer at GeekWrapped, is an expert writer with many years of experience. Jennifer writes about technology, sports, outdoor, and gear products.

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Article last updated on:

September 30, 2019

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TOP PICK

CenterPoint Sniper 370

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