The Best Budget Rangefinders Under $200

Can you remember what golf was like before rangefinders and GPS? The days of getting yardages from sprinkler heads or even the red, white and blue stakes on the sides of the fairways seem like a distant memory. It was simpler then, but not that accurate.

Today, of course, you simply look at a GPS or point a device at a target – usually the flagstick – click and read. The latter, of course, is a rangefinder, which uses a laser to accurately measure distances to objects. Rangefinders can be expensive – well over $600 for one with all the bells and whistles that can even include a GPS combination. Or they can be quite reasonable. Today, we’re checking out the best budget rangefinders, the ones you can get for $200 or less. 

We'll jump into the details shortly, but first here's a quick look at our favorite golf rangefinders under $200, and what you should expect to pay for each.

• Voice Caddie Laser Fit ($199)
• Shot Scope Pro L2 ($129)
• Cigman CT-1000 Rangefinder ($94-$129)
• GoGoGo Sport Vpro 2024 ($99)
• Golf Buddy Laser 2S ($109)
• Blue Tees 3 Max+ ($199)
• TecTecTec! VPR0 500 ($89)
• Nikon Coolshot 20 GIII ($179)
• Vice Horizon ($139)

As technology improves, budget rangefinders offer features more competitive with the premium models. They pretty much all come with a slope adjustment feature, which calculates the distance a shot plays once you factor in the elevation change. Most of them can lock into a target pretty quickly, and the optics on all of them are adequate at worst and usually include some sort of focusing ability.

So what do you really need in a rangefinder beyond a slope ability that you can turn on and off (most competitions require you to be able to turn that feature off)? It has to be easy to hold. Being able to mount it on a cart via a magnet is nice. And it needs to be quick and clear.

Can you find the above for $200 or less in a durable package that should last for years? You bet, and we found quite a few dependable rangefinders with some common features as well as a few bonuses. 

When you think about it, most golfers need not spend more. After all, if you’ve ever left a rangefinder behind in a cart and never recovered it, it’s a lot easier to lose and replace one that costs $99 than one that costs $500. My trick, by the way, to never forget a rangefinder in a cart is to put my car keys in the empty rangefinder case. 

One more thing: Rangefinders generally come with one of two battery options ways. They are either rechargeable via a USB connection or require a battery that needs to be replaced. I’ve listed the latter as a con with some of the rangefinders because I personally don’t want to have to buy batteries. But most caddies will tell you they prefer rangefinders that use replaceable batteries because they can’t recharge on the course, but they can bring an extra battery at all times. So it's just a personal preference really.

With that said, here are budget rangefinders under $200. Some are incredible values, but I believe you can’t go wrong with any of these selections.

Pros:

• Compact and light
• Can triangulate distance from ball to target when you’re not at  your ball
• Bright display in two colors

Cons:

• Not magnetic for cart mounting

Voice Caddie makes some of the finest GPS, portable launch monitors, and rangefinders in the business, so you know its products are going to be innovative. In this case, it includes the Voice Caddie Laser Fit rangefinder, small and light enough to fit into the palm of your hand and your pocket.

It also comes with lots of features, including one you don’t expect to see at the price point of $180 – the ability to triangulate. What that means is you don’t have to be at your ball to figure out how far you have to the target (really helpful for cart-path only rounds or blind shots). You simply shoot the ball, then shoot the pin, and it calculates the yardage. 

It can also measure targets up to 800 yards, is rechargeable, has 6X magnification, and dual display in either red or black depending on light conditions. There’s no magnetic strip to attach to a cart, but when it’s this small, there’s probably no need. 

Pros:

• Slope adjustment
• Vibrates when locked on target
• Accurate to within a yard

Cons:

• Not rechargeable

Shot Scope is certainly a trusted brand, and getting a quality rangefinder for just $150 or less, as is the case with the Pro L2, is a great value. 

The Pro L2 doesn’t have every feature you might find in some of the more expensive rangefinders, but it has all the important ones like slope adjustment, a vibration feature when it locks in a target, and is very accurate.

Another great feature that you’ll find in more expensive models is the built-in magnet for attaching it to a golf cart rail. It has 6X magnification and can shoot targets up to 700 yards. The Shot Scope Pro L2 also includes the Shot Scope app, which you can download to get free GPS maps to thousands of courses, which is a nice bonus. 

Pros:

• Very Accurate
• Slope adjustment feature
• Magnetic for mounting on cart

Cons: 

• None

This might be the best value in rangefinders. For a little over $100, the Cigman CT-1000 comes with a built-in magnetic mount, 7X magnification, slope capability and an LCD display. It seems impossible to do at this price, yet here it is.

You might be wondering how it compares to rangefinders that cost hundreds more. Well, pretty good in terms of accuracy, how it feels, and how it looks. In fact, we tested this unit on a 275-yard shot side-by-side with a $300 rangefinder, and the two units gave distances within one yard of each other.

You can lock in targets more than a thousand yards away, so it’s good for other applications, too. The black and gunmetal finish certainly makes it look more expensive than it is. It displays distances quickly and even vibrates when locked in. What’s not to like?

Pros:

• Very accurate
• Slope feature
• Magnetic strip for mounting on cart

Cons:

• Not everyone wants extra features for hunting

The light, sleek GoGoGo Vpro is another great rangefinder for $100 or less. This budget buy is all anyone really needs in a rangefinder, unless you’re looking for every bell and whistle you can find. It has a magnetic mount, slope feature, different modes like pin seeking, and a flaglock feature that’s designed to get you the distance to the flagstick quickly and easily.

GoGoGo also revamped the LCD interface to make the Vpro easier to use. You can actually shoot targets up to 2,500 yards, which isn’t needed in golf, of course, but comes in handy if you’re a hunter. 

If you can find it, you can measure it. It’s also rechargeable. 

Pros:

• Accurate to within 1 yard
• Three different targeting modes
• Two-year warranty
• Magnetic strip for mounting on cart

Cons:

• Not rechargeable

Recently discounted to around $150, the Golf Buddy Laser 2S is another incredible value. 

Perhaps the most noteworthy feature is its three different targeting modes, which means you can simply use it in standard mode, scan mode, or pin seeker mode. 

Scan allows you to hit a lot of targets in one quick sweep, which is really helpful in determining how far away trouble might be, like a fairway bunker or penalty area. 

Pin seeker allows you to quickly lock into the flagstick.

As for the rest of the features, this is a compact rangefinder that feels good in the hand. The built-in magnet allows you to keep it on the frame of a golf cart. And of course, there’s also the slope feature, which is pretty much standard on any decent rangefinder. It also comes with a two-year warranty for peace of mind. 

Pros:

• Adaptable LCD display
• 1,000-yard range
• Advanced flag lock

Cons:

• Display doesn’t show battery life 

Blue Tees makes some really cool GPS speakers, like the Player +, and really excels in rangefinders too, like the Blue Tees Series 3 Max+. 

The 3 Max+ is a great value at just under $200. It offers pretty much every standard feature plus some other nice touches, such as a crystal clear LCD display that you can toggle to change colors depending on the light conditions.

In addition, this rechargeable rangefinder has a magnetic mount, easy on-off for slope adjustment, 1,000-yard range, active tracking (which means you can quickly scan different targets), and an advanced flag lock, which vibrates to let you know you’ve got your target. 

Pros:

• Very accurate and quick
• Scan and pin seeker mode

Cons:

• Not magnetic for mounting on cart

For around $100 or less the TecTecTec! VPRO 500 offers pretty much everything you need in a rangefinder except a magnetic mount, which really isn’t important to everyone, especially if you’re walking.

What it does offer is more than 500 yards of range, accuracy to within a yard, and a nice-looking display with both easy scan and pin seeker modes. It isn’t rechargeable, so you do have to replace the battery from time to time. Just keep an extra one in your bag.

Pros:

• Nikon optics
• Scan and pin seeker mode with vibration
• Compact
• Rainproof

Cons:

• No magnetic mount

I’ve owned a Nikon Coolshot rangefinder and can tell you this much: It was compact, reliable, and it has great optics. 

That’s what you’d expect from a company like Nikon, which is known for its cameras and binoculars, of course. So if you can get a Nikon golf rangefinder for less than $180, you can expect it to be a solid performer for a great price.

In this case, the Nikon Coolshot 20 GIII is a third-generation rangefinder that fits easily into your pocket (just 4.6oz), so it works great for walking and riding. 

It’s waterproof, has 6X magnification, and features First Target Priority, which assures that the first measurement you take is the flagstick, not something behind it. 

The Nikon Coolshot 20 GIII also features a scan mode up to eight seconds to quickly measure other obstacles and course features, too. 

Pros:

• Locks target with vibration
• Up to 900-yard range
• Magnetic for mounting on cart

Cons:

• Not rechargeable

From the company that brought you an affordable pro-level golf ball, Vice Golf has a rangefinder that’s also high quality for just $140. 

In fact, the bright green markings on this rangefinder match the popular green Vice golf balls many of its loyalists like to play. So if you play Vice balls, why not?

As for the features, the Vice Horizon has pretty much everything you need, including slope adjustment, a built-in magnet for attaching to a cart rail, and a target locking system that vibrates. It has a range up to 900 yards and you can lock in flags up to 250 yards away. 

It’s also compact and light, weighing just 5.8 oz.