Whether you're shooting shotguns, rifles or bows, a good range finder is essential for calculating the distance to your target. I tested and ranked the best options for the money.
FYI, Prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
1. Vortex Optics Ranger - 1800 Yards Laser Rangefinder
Top-rated: 2,435 ratings | 150 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Easy to use; features a clean, illuminated display and highly intuitive menu.
Helpful review: "I searched all over the internet and could not find any reviews for the Vortex Ranger 1800 rangefinder. I was a little skeptical purchasing it, but reviews for the ranger 1000 were good, the product warranty was superb and the price was much lower than comparable products. So I took a chance on the Ranger 1800 and I am glad I did.
I haven't had an chance to take it hunting yet, but I began ranging everything I could see around my house as soon as the brown truck dropped off my Amazon package. The afternoon was very bright and the sun was approximately 35 degrees off the horizon directly behind a herd of cows. The furthest cow I could see was black and I was able to range it at 641 yards. I ranged it repeatedly with the same distance reading. The unit returned a reading 3 or 4 times out of 5 when ranging the cow. I was able to range a red barn at 1161 yards under the same conditions using my deck rail as a rest. Without the rest I couldn't hold it steady enough to get a return.
In the field of closely eaten grass in front of my house, I was able to get readings on the ground out to 450 yards.
As soon as the sun sank below the mountains, I took it out again. This time, the herd of cows had moved closer and I was able to repeatedly get readings on the furthest cow at 475 yards without using a rest. I was far from steady and didn't expect to get a return so I was happily surprised. I was also able to get a return of 1230 yards on white a building. For this reading I used a very steady rest.
I was surprised by the size. It literally fits in the palm of my hand. At 7.7 ounces it is much lighter than all the comparable products I considered purchasing. When I hunt, I walk long distances with a heavy pack, so the light weight is a big plus.
I hadn't given much thought to the quality of the optics, but if you have, you will be happy when you look through the Ranger. They are very clear.
As I use the Ranger under different conditions such as snow and cloudy skies, I will update this review. I will also give an update when I have opportunity to range smaller animals such as deer and coyote. But with the limited use I have given it, I am giving it two thumbs way up. It meets most of my expectations and exceeds the rest. For the price, I don't think you can beat the Ranger. And it has a lifetime, no questions asked, warranty thrown in for good measure.
UPDATE 1:
I have had the opportunity to use the Ranger some more and here is what I have found: With the sun almost directly overhead with a very thin overcast layer, I was able to range a deer at 561 yards in a snow covered field. I had to have a completely solid rest and the deer had to be standing broadside to get a reading, and I was only able to get a reading about 40 percent of the times I tried.
I have ranged black lava rocks at 550 yards approximately 15 minutes before sunrise on a clear morning. Sage brush in snow covered plains can be ranged just past 500 yards in the same pre-sunrise conditions. I was able to range my 80 pound German Shepherd at 350 yards in the snow at noon under clear skies. At that point he came back to the house, so I don't know how much further I could have obtained a reading on him. Under no conditions have I been able to range cows past 660 yards and I have tried repeatedly. With a solid rest, I was able to range a lone juniper tree at 1060 yards. I was surprised as the foliage was not thick." — Charles Collins
Get it from Amazon now: $499.00 & FREE Returns
2. Gogogo Sport Vpro - Laser Golf and Hunting Rangefinder
Top-rated: 6,690 ratings | 136 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Slope Switch and Internal Magnets.
Helpful review: "Have used this rangefinder for golf, hunting, and practice at the shooting range. Appears to be fairly accurate. Handheld, so it's a bit wobbly when ranging a target. But with practice you can hold on to target mark for an accurate reading. Lightweight and easy to stick in my golf bag, range bag, or afield while hunting. Now, listen, I've used a Garmin Golf Watch for years. Getting the distance from my watch always seemed "close enough." Then, I played a course and overshot two holes by at least 10 yards. The distance logged on the watch was the distance I chose to hit, but once I ended in a sandtrap over the green, the next time--in the woods. I bought this range finder the next day, and it was delivered that afternoon. On Sunday I played the same course, and Garmin did indeed have the distances wrong. If you're good enough to want to know distances down to the yard, this cheap rangefinder does the trick. I can't imagine why you'd pay more. This one works. So far, so great. I shot an 89 without the range finder and an 81 with it. That's all the proof I needed." — Christopher Klein
Trending review: "Better than expected! Really happy with this . Bought it for hunting and target practice beforehand. Couldn’t be happier. Light, easy to use, and so far I’m still on the first battery. I’ve been playing with it everywhere for a couple weeks now. It’s not indestructible, though. But if you’re easy on things, this is right up your alley. I have not tested it in wet conditions and will update if any problems arise." — Jason Hall
Reassuring review: "What I like about this product is the accuracy. It's also very easy to use and, yes, very light. But I have to say something about the cap to the battery - make sure you don't bump it around and that it's always on correctly because it's sensitive for falling off. But overall it works perfectly. I highly recommend this rangefinder." — Joel Cruz
Get it from Amazon now: $129.89 & FREE Returns
3. AOFAR HX-700N - 700 Yards Hunting Range Finder
Top-rated: 8,270 ratings | 83 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Easily identifies target with continuous scan.
Helpful review: "I had a very expensive ($400+) rangefinder from a major brand for several years. I used it infrequently for hunting and setting fence lines. Last time I used it, it listed every new battery I installed as 'half or less' charged and would not range at all. I wrote the manufacturer. It only had a 2 year warranty. They offered reduced price 'replacements' that were 50% or more than this unit I am rating now, and with less ranging capability than this AOFAR. No more expensive rangefinders for me. This unit does what I need. I can replace it in a few years if I don't drop it or wreck it. Good to go!" — Josiah Ulman.
Trending review: "This HX-700N is the best value in a rangefinder that I have found. It is everything it is advertised to be. It is easy to use, accurate and versatile. The multiple modes, which includes a speed mode, allow it to even be used on a golf course. I have only ranged to 400yds, and that was a leafy tree, but anything beyond that is beyond my ethical hunting yardage." — Judy Milliman
Reassuring review: "I have been searching for a new range finder for my hunting and golf. A friend told me about AOFAR range finder which he is using. Glad I tried it. The instructions included all the details you need to know how to use it. And it is pretty simple to figure out how to use it by myself. With 6x magnification, it is very easy to lock the target and read the distance." — Irise Davison
Most-discussed review: "I was on the fence about this product only because my son hunts a lot and his range finder was older but a brand I knew. This is just as good of a quality piece as the other. Price is a good point for the quality." — Tracy Duncan
Get it from Amazon now: $89.99 & FREE Returns
4. TideWe - 1,000 Yards Hunting Rangefinder with a Rechargeable Battery
Top-rated: 5,853 ratings | 63 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Displays a straight-line vertical distance, horizontal distance, and speed to your target.
Helpful review: "I like high-quality brand-name products. I like Leupold scopes and Nikon binoculars. I figure buy cheap get cheap! This is not the case with this product. I had no problem spending $200. more for a range finder if I got more for my money. This rangefinder does everything right with all the features you want. Compact size, lightweight, ease of use. and a great case. It uses a magnet for closure instead of velcro for quiet opening. I generally do not take the time to write reviews. With this product, I felt compelled and I'm happy to do it! I did buy the "WOSPORTS Hunting Range Finder" and sent it back and bought this one. I could not be any happier!" — Harry McKenney
Trending review: "Very easy to use and works flawlessly. I bought this before deer season and used it almost every hunt plus when I practiced with my bow or sighting in my rifles. It is now Turkey season and I haven’t had to charge it once! Long battery life. The holster it comes in can be a little loud if you are careless, but overall I have no complaints! A good friend of mine has an expensive range finder from Leupold, and his buttons are way louder than the ones on this one. And we get the same ranges. So you do the math;)" — HuntingNH
Reassuring Review: "So far I'm very happy with this purchase. Tested it against another range finder and it’s been dialed in. It’s very easy to use and I was happily surprised with how lightweight and compact it is. Makes it very easy to connect it your bino harness for bow hunting, etc. After a few weeks I still haven’t had to charge it. The case it comes with is magnetic closure, and it’s good, but I still upgraded to a Multicam Marsupial Rangefinder Holder and it fits perfectly. Overall very happy with this purchase!" — Dalton Stawicki
Get it from Amazon now: $99.99 & FREE Returns
5. Bushnell 4x21 - 600 Yards Hunting Laser Rangefinder
Top-rated: 2,213 ratings | 101 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Realtree Xtra camo pattern.
Helpful review: "Great little range finder and a real bargain. But, before you buy be sure you understand what it's intended for. I see where some reviewers complain that it didn't work at 350 yards on a Antelope or a bull elk 850 yards away. This is a 200 yard max range finder for deer and larger game animals. You can certainly range on other objects (trees, large rocks, buildings, signs, etc.) to get a good idea how far out your target is, but you're still looking at 600 yards max. I hunt Whitetail with archery and a 30-30 in Northeastern Oklahoma where most deer are taken between 50 and 150 yards. I believe that's the sweet spot for this product. If you need more, if you expect more, plan to pay more." — Ken Andrews
Trending review: "This is a great tool for hunting. Clean harvest of my Louisiana Whitetail because I knew exactly how far she was (87 yards) before I took the shot. Keeps me from guessing and possibly missing, or making a bad shot and having to track a wounded animal. Bushnell continues to impress. I highly recommend this toy. I don't go hunting without it." — G. Russell
Reassuring Review: "This is a great item! Got it to give as a Christmas present for my 16 year-old son. He and my husband both love it. It seems very accurate and functions very well. On an interesting note, the battery listed here in the item description is not the battery it needed. I bought a CR 2 battery as the item description stated. To my surprise, it needed a 9 volt battery. Luckily, we had one on hand. Although the clock by my bed is temporarily out of commission, at least we were able to fiddle with the Christmas gift on Christmas morning. We were able to measure the distance from the window to the door in the living room as 12 yards. That was correct! Measured it myself. My son measured the distance from the porch to the cedar tree by our barn as 236 yards. My husband says that sounds about right. My two mighty hunters are out even now measuring stuff and making plans for how they will use the range finder in their future hunting adventures. I myself am adding a 9 volt battery to my shopping list so I can reload the alarm clock by my bed. Thanks for a great product and fast, efficient delivery!" — Jill Fisher
Get it from Amazon now: $179.99 & FREE Returns
6. AOFAR HX-1200T - 1200 Yards Hunting Rangefinder
Top-rated: 2,547 ratings
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Adopts the latest Al technology to supports bow and range two modes.
Helpful review: "This thing is awesome! Got it to help with hunting. A little scan of the instructions and a little common sense and bam! It works great. My daughter throws a javelin and I made a stake to place at the landing and it is extremely accurate! No more pulling a tape out for it. Friends have a digital laser that cost nearly $2,000 and this thing was right on the same measurement. Of course, I had it on a tripod and a camera holder. Very well worth it, not sure how the other guys are breaking theirs cause mine is constantly being moved around in my hunting bag but never broke. Yes, it is easy to use. Self explanation and a little common sense goes a long way. This thing is awesome!" — Flash 41
Trending review: "It’s a great range finder for the price. I’ve been using a few times a week for the last 8 months and it’s been perfect. 2 weeks before my hunting trip, I noticed a black dot in the lens and it’s not on the outside. I emailed the company thinking they probably wouldn’t do anything because it had been so long. Just the opposite. From the Moment I sent the email to when the new one was in my hand, 5 days had passed. Great company! Great product! Great customer service!" — Jane Coday
Get it from Amazon now: $169.66 & FREE Returns
7. Gogogo Sport Vpro - 1,000 Yards Laser Rangefinder
Top-rated: 8,499 ratings | 127 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Continuous range readings, ARC (angle range compensation), and Speed Measuring.
Helpful review: "Better than expected! Really happy with this . Bought it for hunting and target practice beforehand. Couldn’t be happier. Light, easy to use, and so far I’m still on the first battery. I’ve been playing with it everywhere for a couple weeks now. It’s not indestructible, though. But if you’re easy on things, this is right up your alley. I have not tested it in wet conditions and will update if any problems arise." — Jason Hall
Trending review: "My brother has a high dollar range finder that we compared this one to. The distances were within 1-2 yards of every mark. The pin lock works great while on the golf course. I also use it to mark distances while bow hunting, and it hasn’t let me down yet." — Joseph Gaither
Reassuring review: "Have used this rangefinder for golf, hunting, and practice at the shooting range. Appears to be fairly accurate. Handheld, so it's a bit wobbly when ranging a target. But with practice you can hold on to target mark for an accurate reading. Lightweight and easy to stick in my golf bag, range bag, or afield while hunting. Now, listen, I've used a Garmin Golf Watch for years. Getting the distance from my watch always seemed "close enough." Then, I played a course and overshot two holes by at least 10 yards. The distance logged on the watch was the distance I chose to hit, but once I ended in a sandtrap over the green, the next time--in the woods. I bought this range finder the next day, and it was delivered that afternoon. On Sunday I played the same course, and Garmin did indeed have the distances wrong. If you're good enough to want to know distances down to the yard, this cheap rangefinder does the trick. I can't imagine why you'd pay more. This one works. So far, so great. I shot an 89 without the range finder and an 81 with it. That's all the proof I needed." — Christopher Klein
Get it from Amazon now: $129.99 & FREE Returns
8. TecTecTec ProWild - 540 Yards Hunting Rangefinder
Top-rated: 2,460 ratings | 100 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Complete hunting package for a quick setup.
Helpful review: "This rangefinder works exactly as advertised. I use it for shooting, to determine range to target, and it appears to be right on. The display is easy to read and use, and Tec Tec Tec sent me two separate e-mails before the unit even arrived to let me know it was shipped and how to use some common functions as well as FAQ. Awesome customer service, I have to say. My son uses this thing for air-soft when he plays sniper to determine when his opponents are in range and what mill dot to use. Of course, his ranges for Airsoft only go to about 120 yards max, and this is perfect for him because of the great changes in aim point at closer distances seen in air-soft. Only con, if you can call it that - no illumination for readout. The advantage of that would be early morning or late evening hunting. But for regular use, no problem. Not sure if more expensive units offer that feature. One reviewer suggested using a cell phone to illume the reading, but have not tried that yet. Overall, unit and service exceeds expectations. Would highly recommend." — David Babington
Trending review: "I researched and researched range finder products for weeks. Not wanting to spend much over $100, I arrived at the TecTecTec Prowild Hunting range finder. After receiving this product, I immediately began testing and using this product out to about 100 yards. So far, I am very pleased. It took me a minute or two to figure out the distance measurement modes, thus the 4 rating on the "Ease to use", but after that, I was up and running. This range finder reports that it's good out to over 500 yards, but since I mostly only hunt Central Texas whitetail, I probably won't use it to measure distances much beyond 150 yards. In the meantime, I think this is money well spent considering so many so-called high end range finders are are well in excess of $300. If you're wanting to dip your toe into using a range finder without using it in extreme conditions, I recommend this range finder." — Trevor Green
Reassuring review: "The TecTecTec ProWild Hunting Rangefinder has performed very well so far, at least as far as the range-finding function. It provides accurate readouts very quickly. Also, it is lightweight and very easy to take along for whatever my ranging needs are. It has really tightened up my hunting and shooting activities by providing accurate ranges. I have yet to try the speed measurement function." — Jonathan G. Smith
Most-discussed review: "I bought one and it just didn’t work all the time. I was afraid I had bought a piece of junk and considering the time that had passed from the time I bought it to when I reached out to customer service at TecTecTec. I was pleasantly shocked and impressed by the customer service I received. They had no issues on exchanging my rangefinder for a new one. They even sent me a new battery. I’ve taken it on several hunts and it’s easy to use, it fits in my pocket, and, most importantly, it's accurate. Buy one. Trust me, if you have issues they will take care of you." — Nathan Haze
Get it from Amazon now: $129.99 & FREE Returns
9. TecTecTec VPRO500 - High Precision Golf Rangefinder
Top-rated: 7,903 ratings
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Easy-Read, Through-The-Lens display.
Helpful review: "I've only had a chance to use this a few times at the range, but so far I'm pretty pleased. I think it's easy to use the different modes. It's true that for longer distances it's harder to hold it steady to get a good reading, but that's true for anything magnified that needs to be held steady. Pin seeking mode helps with this and you just need to start to the left or right of the pin and point at something behind (i.e. further downrange than) the flag. Then sweep across the flag and it will read the distance. Otherwise, if I need to point and hold steady at something really far away, I might have to brace against the golf cart or something or else just learn to hold it steady. So far I've been able to read the distances I need.
I won't give it 5 stars just yet, because one time I tried reading the distance of a very close flag (roughly 50 yards). It came back as 75 yards. I measured that several times and always got that distance. This was in pin seeking mode. I am not sure why it was off and I should have tried the other modes to see if I could have gotten a more accurate reading. To be fair, I didn't have another way to verify the true distance, but I have my doubts about that one reading. That being said, I did check distances at multiple flags against the ranges posted at the sign and it was within 1-2 yards in each case. So my only concern is if pin seeking mode doesn't read very close flags accurately.
UPDATE:
I'm bumping this to 5 stars. I am very happy with it. It is easy to use and I've had no issues getting true distances from it. It helps to understand how it works, especially when in pin-seeking mode. In that mode, it takes a reading at whatever you are pointing at, then you pan left or right to pass over the flag and it will see the change in distance and identify the flag and distance. I suspect it considers a flag found if a closer object than the initial reading is some threshold closer (say, 20 yards).
Anyhow, with the problem I reported earlier, I suspect I got an initial reading of distant trees (>300 yds), then inadvertently panned over a pin 75 yds away before panning past my intended flag. So, I just have to be aware of what I am panning past when trying to get a reading. I also don't mind not having elevation calculations. They aren't allowed by the USGA anyhow and it is simple enough to add/subtract a club based on my own perception that the target is above or below me. So I think this is a great device for the price." — Richard S. James Jr.
Get it from Amazon now: $146.64 & FREE Returns
10. WOSPORTS H111 - 800 Yards Bow Hunting Rangefinder
Top-rated: 2,084 ratings | 51 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Upgraded bow hunting mode M2.
Helpful review: "I have ranged it out to 900 yards. We checked it against my hunting buddy's 1200 dollar range finder (that uses a tripod) and it range perfectly to 900 yards (metal targets). For game animals (wild hogs mainly) was good to 800 yards with good morning and evening light. When the light was low, it only read out to about 50 to 150yards. All in all, I'm impressed and have had zero issues, have used it in a light rain, light snow, and light fog. Will see how long it lasts." — Tasia Rains
Trending review: "I use this for golf and my husband uses it to hunt. We are both happy. Great price! We have used this at the golf course many times and we love it. We are very average golfers and have no interest in slop - we just need distance. If you are a serious golfer and care about things beyond distance, you will not be happy. However, every golf range finder we could find was 2-4X the price. My high school golfer takes this when she golfs and I never worry about her losing or breaking it because it is inexpensive enough to replace. Sometimes, it does give distance for the trees behind the pin but just move around till the flag is in the middle and you will get an updated distance. We buy way too much on Amazon, and this is one thing we have been the most happy about purchasing." — Tina Yeager
Reassuring review: "I wanted to grab a rangefinder for a while. I picked this one up mainly for the price and reviews. I'm very pleased with it. Super lightweight but doesn't feel like it is going to fall apart. Reads distance instantly and it cuts off after about 20 seconds, so I don't have to worry about killing the battery if I forget to turn it off. I'm horrible at golf, so I likely won't use it on the golf course, but it does have some type of flag pin mode." — Joel Hall
Most-discussed review: "I got my range finder the other day. It is very easy to use and very accurate. I can definitely see it helping with my golf game this summer. It came with everything I need such as a battery, wristband, cleaning cloth and case for the finder. The zoom is great and makes it easy to find my ball. The other functions such as speed mode and distance measure are very nice as well. Overall, it is a high quality product that I would definitely recommend for any of its functions whether you hunt, gold or any other use of it." — David Stolz
Favorite review: "Perfect product. My husband is the avid hunter, I just tag along, so going in I had no idea what to look for because I was getting this as a gift. This thing was PERFECT! He loves it so much and it is accurate. We have a hunting partner that has one he bought for much more and it is dead on the money with the more expensive one. We haven't experienced any issues thus far and are very pleased with the purchase." — Crystal Miller
Get it from Amazon now: $99.99 & FREE Returns