Best under $500
The best crossbows under $500
Under five hundred dollars you can have speed, or a narrow cocked width, or an adjustable fit. You cannot have an integrated crank. Here is how to choose.
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Ranked
Quick picks
| # | Product | Speed | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank 1 | Killer Instinct Burner 415 | 415 fps | 8.2 | $299.99Amazon |
| Rank 2 |  CenterPoint Hellion 400 | 400 fps | 8.3 | $339.95Amazon |
| Rank 3 |  Bear X Intense | 400 fps | 8.2 | $405.40Amazon |
| Rank 4 |  CenterPoint Dagger 405 | 405 fps | 8.0 | $249.99Amazon |
| Rank 5 |  Barnett Explorer XP370 | 370 fps | 7.6 | $349.99Amazon |
Prices move, so treat the bracket as a guide and the live price in each row as the fact. What does not move is the shape of this price point: under five hundred dollars you get real speed and sometimes a genuinely narrow cocked width, and you do not get an integrated crank. Every bow here ships with a rope, a sled, or nothing.
In detail
Five bows under five hundred
Killer Instinct Burner 415
415 fps, a 3.5-pound KillerTech trigger, a 6-position stock, and explicit compatibility with Killer Instinct's DSC Dead Silent Crank. That last point is the reason to pick it over a cheaper bow: the crank is a documented upgrade, not a gamble.
| Published spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Speed | 415 fps |
| Trigger pull | 3.5 lb |
| Stock | 6-position with adjustable X-Lok foregrip |
| Cocking aid | Rope cocker included; accepts DSC Dead Silent Crank |
| Scope | Lumix 4x32 IR-W |
| Included | String suppressors, 3-bolt quiver, three HYPR Lite bolts, rail lube |
| Cocked width |
What it does well
- 415 fps for under three hundred dollars
- Documented crank compatibility, so the effort problem has a known fix
- Micro-Lite barrel and a 3.5 lb trigger
Where it falls short
Our rubric
- 6.6
- 9.0
- 7.8
- 7.2
- 8.2
- 9.2
CenterPoint Hellion 400
8 inches cocked, 12 uncocked, 400 fps off a 185-pound draw, for the price of a mid-range scope. It is the narrowest bow on this site under five hundred dollars, which makes it the budget answer to the blind-window problem. Note that it requires CP400 lighted nocks.
| Published spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Speed | 400 fps |
| Draw weight | 185 lb |
| Cocked width | 8 in |
| Uncocked width | 12 in |
| Limbs | Compression fiberglass quad |
| Arrows | Three 20 in .003 straightness arrows |
| Nocks | Requires CP400 lighted nocks |
What it does well
- An 8-inch cocked width is the narrowest here outside the Ravin line
- A 185-pound draw is lower than its rivals at the same speed
- Roller retention spring and CNC aluminum rails at a budget price
Where it falls short
Our rubric
- 6.6
- 8.4
- 7.8
- 9.6
- 8.0
- 9.0
Bear X Intense
400 fps from a 12.7-inch power stroke, 10 inches cocked and 14 uncocked, with an illuminated scope, a 4-arrow quiver and a cocking rope. The cheapest way on this site to get a published 10-inch cocked width.
| Published spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Speed | 400 fps |
| Cocked width | 10 in |
| Uncocked width | 14 in |
| Power stroke | 12.7 in |
| Cocking aid | Cocking rope, included |
| Safety | Anti-dry-fire mechanism |
| Included | Three Bear X TrueX arrows, illuminated scope, 4-arrow quiver, lube and wax |
What it does well
- A 10-inch cocked width at a sub-five-hundred price
- 400 fps from a long 12.7-inch power stroke
- Complete ready-to-shoot package
Where it falls short
Our rubric
- 6.2
- 8.4
- 7.8
- 9.0
- 8.0
- 9.0
CenterPoint Dagger 405
405 fps off a 220-pound draw for around the price of a good scope, with the Whisper silencing package, a rope cocker and arrows included. The 220-pound draw is the catch: that is the heaviest figure on this site, and the included rope cocker still leaves you pulling about 110 pounds.
| Published spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Speed | 405 fps |
| Draw weight | 220 lb |
| Cocked width | 15 in |
| Cocking aid | Rope cocker, included |
| Noise control | Whisper: string stops, limb dampeners, string silencers |
| Scope | 4x32 illuminated |
| Included | Parallel quiver, rail lube, three 20 in arrows |
What it does well
- 405 fps at the lowest price per foot-per-second here
- The Whisper silencing package is standard, not an upgrade
- Complete kit: scope, quiver, rope cocker, lube, arrows
Where it falls short
Our rubric
- 5.4
- 8.6
- 8.4
- 6.6
- 7.6
- 9.4
Barnett Explorer XP370
370 fps, an adjustable buttstock and a red dot, for well under four hundred dollars. The adjustable stock matters more than the price tag suggests: a bow that fits a short-armed or heavily-layered shooter is a bow that shoots where you look.
| Published spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Speed | 370 fps |
| Stock | Adjustable buttstock |
| Sight | Illuminated red dot |
| Arrows | Headhunter bolts included |
| Quiver | Side-mount |
| Cocking aid | |
| Cocked width |
What it does well
- An adjustable buttstock at an entry price
- 370 fps is enough for deer inside 40 yards
- Compact and light for a full-size package
Where it falls short
Our rubric
- 6.0
- 7.6
- 7.2
- 7.8
- 8.2
- 9.0
How we picked
Ranked on our standard rubric. Because none of these bows has a crank, the cocking-effort scores cluster low and the ranking is driven by speed, cocked width and what the package includes. Full rubric on our methodology page.
The trade each one makes
| Model | Speed | Cocked width | Cocking aid | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Killer Instinct Burner 415 | 415 fps | Rope cocker | No width published; crank sold separately | |
| CenterPoint Hellion 400 | 400 fps | 8 in | None listed | Requires CP400 lighted nocks |
| Bear X Intense | 400 fps | 10 in | Cocking rope | No weight or draw weight published |
| CenterPoint Dagger 405 | 405 fps | 15 in | Rope cocker | 220 lb draw, widest here |
| Barnett Explorer XP370 | 370 fps | None specified | Red dot, not a ranging scope |
How to choose inside this bracket
If you hunt from a ground blind
The Hellion's published 8 in cocked width is the narrowest figure under five hundred dollars anywhere on this site, and it is 12 in uncocked, which matters for the blind door and the case. The Bear X Intense at 10 in cocked and 14 in uncocked is the runner-up and publishes both figures. The Dagger at 15 in is the one to avoid for blind work.
If you want an upgrade path to a crank
The Burner 415 documents compatibility with Killer Instinct's DSC Dead Silent Crank. That is worth more than it sounds: buying a budget bow and then discovering no crank fits it is the most common regret in this bracket. See universal crank compatibility.
If the bundled scope is the weak point
It usually is. The Explorer's red dot gives you no holdover marks at all. A sub-hundred-dollar replacement with a speed dial — the Killer Instinct Lumix covers 270-450 fps — is the single most effective upgrade to a budget bow. Scopes under $200 covers the options.
If the draw weight is the weak point
The Dagger's 220 lb draw is how it gets 405 fps at this price. With the included rope cocker that is still roughly 110 lb to pull. If that is a problem, it is a disqualifying problem, not an inconvenience — move up to a bow with a crank or read cocking aids for a bad shoulder.
What we would buy
The Hellion 400 if the blind window is your constraint — 8 in cocked at this price has no competition, and you can add a cocking aid of your choice. The Burner 415 if you want headroom, because of the documented crank path. The Dagger only if you are confident about a 110 lb pull and shoot from open ground.
