The Best Budget Rangefinders Under $200 (2025)

To rank the best budget rangefinders, we sorted every rangefinder we tested and scored by the highest value scores, and removed the units that don’t meet the $200 price threshold.

Our Value Score is simply a computation of each rangefinder’s total performance score from our testing and its price.

Based on our testing and first-hand feedback, ranking the list by value score instead of performance score results in a list that better serves users seeking the best bang for their buck.

Beyond the list of best value rangefinders based on our first-hand testing, we also recommend these rangefinders that we have either not tested or have used first hand but have yet to put through our standardized testing process yet.

Though we haven’t put the Shot Scope Pro L2 through our standardized testing and scoring process just yet, we have tested it on the golf course. It’s accurate and packed with convenient, easy-to-use features, and sets you back just $129.

Key Features:

• Magnetic cart mount
• Very accurate
• Target lock vibration

The GoGoGo Sport Vpro covers all the necessities in a light, sleek package. It offers a magnetic mount, slope-adjusted distances, and flaglock mode. 

Key Features:

• Magnetic cart mount
• Slope-adjusted distances and solid accuracy
• Shoots targets up to 2,500 yards

The Golf Buddy Laser 2S is another budget option that offers triangulation mode, allowing you to measure the distance between two points from a third point. It also has a foolproof slope on/off switch and magnetic cart mount.

Key Features:

• Three targeting modes: scan mode, standard mode, and pin-seeker mode
• Triangulation
• Magnetic mount
• Easy-to-use slope switch

Blue Tees is one of the most respected names in the value-rangefinder space. The popular 3 Max+ recently dropped to $199 on Amazon, which makes it a “must-look” value pick to consider before you buy.

Key Features:

• Adjustable LCD display
• Rechargeable battery
• Scan mode + advanced flag lock

The Nikon Coolshot 20 GIII is lightweight (4.6 oz) and easily fits into a pocket. Paired with the fact that there’s no magnetic mount, this is a great budget rangefinder for walking golfers.

• High quality optics that Nikon is known for
• Waterproof
• Scan mode

The debut rangefinder from one of golf’s Direct-to-Consumer darlings, the Vice Horizon offers slope-adjusted distances, magnetic cart mount, and a target-lock vibration, all in the price bracket Vice Golf fans have come to expect.

• 900-yard range
• Target lock vibration
• Replaceable batter (not rechargeable)

How do you choose the best budget rangefinder for your game? First consider what features you must have, which ones are nice, and which you can do without. 

Then decide how much you actually want to spend, since even the “budget” rangefinder category includes units well under $100 and those all the way up to $200.

• Accuracy: The difference between the most accurate and least accurate rangefinders, in our testing, is about one yard from a presmeasured target over 100 yards away. If one yard isn’t going to cause you to pull the wrong club on an approach shot, it’s worth asking yourself if paying extra for precision accuracy is worth it for your budget.
• Speed: In our testing, most rangefinders return distances at virtually indistinguishable speeds. Some may lag from time to time while the best are consistently quick, most units usually return a measurement within a half-second.
• Optics: Optics is one area where premium rangefinders create separation from their “budget” counterparts. While we haven’t tested or seen any sub-$200 rangefinders with OLED display (the best we’ve tested), some budget rangefinders have dual red/black display modes, which makes correcting for changing light conditions much easier.
• Ease of Use: A strong magnet, external slope on/off switch, and clear optics all make a rangefinder easy to use. When the magnet is weak, you have to scroll through a digital menu to disable slope mode, or struggle to read distances in the viewfinder, your user experience suffers noticeably.
• Quality & Durability: When comparing rangefinders, check the warranty information, and whether or not it’s waterproof, water-resistant, dustproof or shockproof. This information can usually be found in the specs or user manual, and will paint a clear picture at how the manufacturer expects it to perform over the life of the product. That, ultimately, dictates the value you get from your purchase.

We draw the line for “Budget” rangefinders at $200. That’s easily less than half the price of today’s premium-priced top-end units, while still allowing for both high-quality products inside that threshold and a relatively large spectrum of products within our Budget category.

Are cheap golf rangefinders accurate?

Our testing shows that the difference between the most accurate and least accurate rangefinders is about one yard from a premeasured target over 100 yards away. We also found that in general, budget rangefinders are just as accurate as more expensive alternatives. However, the least accurate rangefinder we’ve tested, the Cigman CT-1200 Pro, does fall into the budget category.

Do budget rangefinders have slope?

Slope should be considered an essential feature on any modern rangefinder, and most budget rangefinders include the option for slope-adjusted distances. However, not every model does. The Vortex Blade, for example, is on this list and does not have slope functionality. Unless you are a competitive tournament player and specifically want a unit that doesn’t offer slope capabilities to avoid a possible rules violation, confirm the unit you’re considering offers slope-adjusted distances.

How long do inexpensive rangefinders last?

The best way to gauge how long a rangefinder will last is to check the manufacturer’s warranty. While the duration of the warranty doesn’t tell you exactly how long the rangefinder will last, comparing the warranty duration between various models will give you a good idea of which unit has superior durability.

What’s the difference between a $100 and $300 rangefinder?

While we’ve found that in most cases accuracy is comparable between budget and premium rangefinders, other elements like magnet strength and the quality of the optics tend to separate the two. More expensive rangefinders are also more likely to incorporate addition features, like triangulation, for example.

Our comprehensive rangefinder testing includes evaluating for accuracy, optics, ease of use, speed, and evaluating ease of use and value.

We test accuracy in a premeasured environment to score each unit on a 1-10 scale for accuracy. Accuracy within one foot yields a perfect 10. Meanwhile, units that are accurate within 1-1.5 yards earn a 7 for accuracy.

To rate optics, we evaluate brightness, clarity, and readability to score each rangefinder we test. Ease of use considers how smooth or interruptive you can expect each unit to be on the golf course by evaluating how easy the key functions are to utilize and any quirks or frustrations a rangefinder may have.

Once we’ve scored each unit in our field test, the 1-10 scores are weighted to prioritize the most important elements (accuracy is the most heavily-weighted category, for example), which gives each rangefinder a Performance Score. The Performance Score is then coupled with the rangefinder’s cost to compute each unit’s Value Score, which is factored in to determine the Total Score.

If you’re blindly searching for budget rangefinders on Amazon, you’ll quickly become overwhelmed. Our testing process helps you figure out which rangefinders actually deliver the performance and price you’re looking for. That makes your shopping easy.