Best 8 Bow Sights Under 100$: Types of Bow Sights & Review

Trying to find the best hunting bow sights for less than $100 is not nearly as hard as it used to be. In fact, our team found about 45 different bow sights that were remarkably affordable, and now we’re presenting our readers with the full run-down on the Top 8.

Bow hunting is a unique sport that requires a lot of patience and a lot of practice, which is perhaps why many hunters see it as the ultimate challenge. Increasing your shot’s accuracy and distance is most certainly a matter of dedication, but having a nice single or multi-pin bow sight certainly isn’t going to hurt. In fact, for anyone who already knows how to use a bow, a multi-pin sight can be the key to an immediate increase in yardage … something every hunter should be on the lookout for.

Without further fuss or ado, we present you with our Top 8 Bow Sights Under $100:

Editor’s Choice – Trophy Ridge Fixed Pin

When it comes to visibility, you aren’t likely going to get anything better than the Trophy Ridge Fixed Pin bow scope. Both windage and elevation can be adjusted on-the-fly with an included tool. And the aluminum construction means that you aren’t going to experience this thing breaking down before its prime. The Trophy Ridge scope offers great accuracy over long distances, and a dependable precision adjustment system that performs like it belongs on a $300 scope, not a ~$60 scope.

In fact, this alone makes the Trophy Ridge one of the best deals on the page. The battery-powered fiber optics are great during the day and at sunset, but it can be hard to work with later at night. The twisting motion has to be just perfect in order to get the light to stay on … as opposed to the kind of haptic feedback clicking that we prefer with our scope lights.

Budget Pick – Trophy Ridge Joker

The Joker is different from the Fixed pin in a couple of ways, the first being overall price. The Joker is one of the most affordable scopes in the Trophy Ridge line, and as such it is also one of their most popular. The reduced price is almost certainly the result of the plastic construction (versus the all-aluminum construction of Trophy Ridge’s fixed pin model that we reviewed above).

All in all, this scope is really easy to set up and mount, which makes it a great choice for beginners. The individual pins cannot be adjusted for windage, which is another significant drawback over a more advanced mode, but the beginner user is probably not even going to notice. A reversible mount design means that you can flip the scope around based on whether the user is right-handed or left-handed. Some user reviews have mentioned that the pins come a bit loose and have to be tightened down before use … though we cannot confirm this specifically as the model we looked at was quite solid.

Best Pendulum Sight Under 100$ – Truglo Ultimate Treestand

Trying to decide which bow sights made the Top 8 was an endeavor that meant including all different kinds of sights, even the ones that we were not as personally familiar with. The TRUGLO Pendulum Ultimate Treestand Bow Sight works in both pendulum and “standard” settings, offering skilled bow hunters the choice between two very effective aiming styles. This one is well build from adjustable plastic and metal components … a good blend of lightness and durability. The TRUGLO is sold for just under one hundred bucks, which puts it on the more expensive side of things, especially for pendulum-style bow sights. We did notice a little bit of vibration on the pendulum when firing … something that we did not notice when firing from the standard setting. We tried to confirm this by cross referencing it with other user reviews to see if it was a common error, but we found nothing that suggested that this has happened to anyone else. Most likely it was just a one-time manufacturer’s issue. Fortunately, the TRUGLO customer service team is pretty on top of their game, and we don’t doubt that they would take care of any such inconsistencies with their bow sights.

Best A-Shaped Pin Bow Sight – Trophy Ridge Alpha Slide

The Alpha Slide represents the newest innovation in Trophy Ridge’s award winning line of bow sights. With a new triangular shaped pin, the Alpha Slide can significantly increase shooting accuracy by giving a better sense of distance gauging while setting up your shot. It takes a few shots to get used to this pin formation, but once you do, the results are nothing short of agreeable.

The Alpha Slide is one of the only model on our list that does not offer the option of ambidextrous mounting; this is exclusively for right-handed bow hunters. However the detailed mounting system makes it possible to slap the Alpha Slide on even the most difficult bows… in fact, we don’t know of a single bow out there that wouldn’t work with the Alpha Slide. Our favorite part: a full-on aluminum frame that is guaranteed to stand up to years of abuse, in tandem with the V-shaped sight that might instantly increase your accuracy.

Best Target Visibility on a Bow Sight Under 100$ – Truglo Carbon Hybrid

By now, perhaps we have made it clear that the TRUGLO series of bow sights tend to offer some of the best brightness in the industry, and there seem to be only a few exceptions to this rule. The Carbon Hybrid model actually has all the features and qualities that we love about Truglo sights, including aluminum construction, easy set up and break down, and an on-board adjustment tool for windage and elevation. The one thing that the Carbon Hybrid does differently is all about vibrational transfer.

The hybrid carbon construction allows the vibrations from the bow to be expertly dispersed back through the bow and not into the sight pin. This makes for a steady and reliable aiming process that is actually quite noticeable. But with all the things that make the Carbon Hybrid sight great, it doesn’t quite reach the level of performance needed for advance use. For this reason we can only recommend this sight to beginning users who will benefit from its steadiness but who don’t yet need accuracy past about 40 yards.

Best of the Rest – Truglo Carbon XS

The Carbon XS can be thought of as the little brother to the Carbon Hybrid model that we looked at above. Not only is the XS also made by Truglo, but is has a lot of the same features and performance attributes as the Hybrid … it’s just a bit smaller. This also means that it is not going to have the same overall durability as larger, heavier sights … but users will appreciate the low-weight functionality as well as how stunningly easy it is go get this thing hooked up to your bow and ready for action. The micro adjustment knobs that we loved in the Hybrid model are not present here … which is another indicator that the XS is not the best option for serious bowhunters who need top-of-the-line equipment, but for the rest of us, the XS is the perfect affordable option that offers way more accuracy than it has any business offering. Multiple sizes and pin configurations are available, but the one we looked at was the smallest one: 3-pin, left-handed.

Best Bow Sight for Training – IQ Ultralite 5 Pin Bow Sight

This is a pretty awesome sight for the money. The construction is hard plastic, but you would think that there was some aluminum in there. Either way, it’s very sturdy. The adjustment knobs are simple to use, though you do need your own set of miniature wrenches, and there is no place for on-board storage. All in all this is a pretty conventional sight from IQ, with the primary selling point being its overall weight. For a 3 pin bow sight this is pretty light at 5.6 ounces … which means that it isn’t going to throw the accuracy for anyone who is used to firing without a sight. The lack of a built-in lighting system puts the IQ Ultralite at a bit of a disadvantage over all the TRUGLO models that we looked at, but the innovative “IQ” system is why this managed to earn a spot at the top. It is very easy to tell if you are over-torqueing the bow, which in turn helps develop form and muscle memory. A great pick for anyone looking to improve their physical technique.

Best Bow Sight for All Skill Levels – IQ Bowsight Micro 3 or 5 Pin

The IQ Bowsight Micro is a bit smaller than the ultralite, but of course, not quite as light. Still, it manages to be one of the most advanced multi-pin sights that is just as appropriate for the novice as it is for the expert. What we really like about the IQ Bowsight is that once you lock in with the retina, you are absolutely good to go. At this point, all you need to do is focus on lining up your pins and you are pretty much guaranteed a great shot every time. We admit that beginners might have to put in a bit more attention and effort to get the most out of the Bowsight, but it will be more than worth the effort as it brings poor technique quickly to the forefront.