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When it comes to makeup and nails, I’m super cheap. Getting a French dip or applying setting spray isn’t going to help me prepare for prairie dog season or my local .22LR match.
In some ways, I carry over my thrifty attitude into optics as well. But I don’t want a POS either. I still want to make the most of the slim budget I have.
If you can resonate to being a cost-conscious spender (not necessarily with makeup lol), here are my recs (recommendations that is).
Best Budget Red Dot Reviews in 2025
1. STNGR Axiom II Review – Range Tested!
- CONS
- Easy to disengage the illumination
Editor’s Pick: Best Red Dot Under $100! – STNGR Axiom II Review
I’ve had the STNGR red dot for a really long time, and it’s definitely grown on me as a super dependable RDS (red dot sight) suitable for some hunting, target shooting, and I’d even put it on my home defense AR.
The battery it came with has lasted me a lifetime and I’ve still yet to change it out. The dim illumination is excellent for low light, and at max brightness I’d consider it daylight bright as any other comparable red dot (like the Crossfire or the Romeo 5).
I really like how the illumination knob is easy to engage. It’s not super stiff and there’s actually plenty of room between the windage cap and the knob. My favorite thing about it is that you can rotate it past the 11 (max) setting and go straight to 0 – there’s no dialing all the way back down. Just make sure you go all the way to next setting. If you end up between them, the illumination disengages, and the dot disappears. Though it’s not designed as an intermittent off position, some may use it this way. I don’t.
Of course, the QD (quick detach) mount is a fantastic feature. With its T1/T2 footprint, I’ve taken it and put it on multiple other red dots just because. Its 50,000-hour battery life means it’s fantastic as a continuous-on red dot. It’s waterproof and fogproof.
If there’s only one red dot I could choose for this budget range, it’s this one. I will go on record to say that there isn’t another red dot that can beat the Axiom II for the money, quality, and performance.
2. Ozark Armament Rhino Review – Range Tested!
- CONS
- 3000-hr battery life
Best Red Dot Under $50 – Ozark Rhino Review
For the money, I’ll give the Ozark Rhino my backing. I’ve been out to range multiple times with this guy and I’ve been harsh with it. I’ve drop tested the crap out of this thing, and yes, my grouping shifted after I beat it and threw it all in the name of “quality testing.”
But to be fair (“to be fair”… Letterkenny fans!), most people aren’t going to treat their red dot like this. When I’m not abusing the Rhino, I’m putting it to work for target shooting and of course plinking – anything recreational. I wouldn’t use it on a big game hunt but for small game, please enjoy! My two cents is it’s best for inside 100 yards, but I’d definitely throw a magnifier on there and hit steel past that just for fun.
Its one-ring cantilever mount puts it at an absolute co-witness height with back-up sights. The Rhino is unmagnified and has a 4 MOA dot. It’s a great size especially for quick work or those who have a hard time seeing smaller dots like those with aging vision. If you have astigmatism, keep your contacts in or glasses on. You’ll probably see something other than a single dot.
It has dual illumination, red and green, though of course I’m only going to recommend zeroing in with one color. I have observed about an inch shift in groupings when moving between both colors, and damn if I can’t help it but I chase tight groups and repeatability, and you’re already dealing with a 4 MOA dot. So, my advice? Stick to one.
Mounting the Rhino is a non-issue. It’s less than 10 oz on the scale. Battery lasts to something like 3000 hours, so not great as a continuous-on device (don’t forget to turn it off).
But seriously though, for the money, I’d “forget” to buy a 1-month supply of my daughter’s favorite lip balm for this red dot. Heck, with how cheap the Rhino is, you could gift your friend or wife the red dot sight and the lip balm. Look at who’s making the most of the budget now?
3. Monstrum Ghost Review
- CONS
- Quality control issues
Best Red Dot for AR-15 – Monstrum Ghost G3 Review
With just one look at the Monstrum Ghost red dot, you can immediately tell it’s not unlike the big brand red dots of the day like the Vortex Crossfire II or the Sig Sauer Romeo 5. The difference? The Monstrum doesn’t cost what the Vortex or Sig does.
Impressively, the Ghost G3 red dot sight has motion sensor tech like the Sig Romeo 5, but Monstrum calls it Shake Awake. The timer is set for 10 minutes to stand-by mode. I can see why the single CR2032 battery will last a hell of a long time. They say 50,000 hours – maybe it will, maybe it won’t. I’d still say it’s a fantastic battery conservation feature.
It has a 2 MOA dot, is IPX7-rated, so yep, waterproof it is. It comes with the riser mount that puts it at an absolute co-witness, but you can also use the low-profile mount too.
Monstrum advertises “ten times the intensity of budget LED red dots” but I’d assume it’s bright enough to use in almost all conditions with its 10 brightness settings. I doubt that it’s nuclear bright (as in visible against white or highly reflective surfaces), but I’m sure it’ll be just fine for your target shooting, close-range work.
As one of the less gimmicky seeming red dots in this price range, I’d give the Monstrum a try.
4. Crimson Trace CTS-25 Review
- CONS
- Brightness
- Battery life
Best Compact Red Dot – Crimson Trace CTS-25 Review
The CTS-25 is Crimson Trace’s bottom dollar red dot sight. I’m assuming it’s specifically designed to be an affordable option while providing simplicity and fast target acquisition benefits.
You have a 4 MOA dot with 8 brightness settings. Most people say that they’re fine with the illumination quality and that it’s excellent for indoor use. From my experience with similarly described illumination, it’s good for lowlight, in the woods, and for bench/target shooting. Though I can’t confirm, it doesn’t sound like it’s nuclear bright for work in sunny conditions or urban environments.
I like the big hex nuts that clamp the mount to the rail. The battery is side accessible, and everything about it looks to be designed for easy use in a compact package. I’m not sure on what the actual battery life would look like with the CTS-25, so my conservative gut says to manually turn this thing off after every use.
5. CVLIFE 1x22x33 Review – Range Tested!
- CONS
- Battery life
- Sighting-in is tedious
Best Cheap Red Dot – CVLIFE 1x22x33 Review
The CVLIFE red dot is cheap. It works, but it’s more of a fun red dot to hit red solo cups with more than anything else.
Though the multiple reticles are gimmicky, they do provide a refreshing contrast to the simple dot reticle. Both green and red illumination work brightly. The battery has died on me after about 3 months at a time.
The turrets are mushy, and you do need to use the included tool to make the adjustments. It’s why sighting-in is borderline frustrating. But this isn’t really a sight to do big things with like dangerous game hunting or competition. I’d recommend it for recreational use only.
All in all, the CVLIFE sight is well suited to pellet guns and even 22 rifles. That’s what I’ve mostly used it on is my M&P 15-22.
As a pretty much identical alternative, there’s the extremely highly rated Feyachi RS-28. It’s competitive in price to the CVLIFE one and shares dual illumination, multiple reticles, and integrated mount features. I really don’t see a difference between them, so I’m of the opinion that they will perform identically.
Better Red Dot Considerations
The Sig, Vortex, and Bushnell red dots have been around forever and every now and then they dip below the $100 price mark. For example, I snagged the Bushnell TRS-25 for like 50 bucks back in the day when it was on clearance (Yay! I scored!).
Back to present day, though these considerations are barely out of this price range, they’re still some of the best red dots under $150 if you wanted to splurge a little. A bonus for you is that I own every one of them and therefore have time and empty casings under my belt with them.
Sig Sauer Romeo 5 Review – Range Tested!
The Romeo 5 is awesome with its 2 MOA dot, long-lasting battery life, and its simple operation. Instead of a rotary dial for the illumination and its 8 settings, it has push buttons.
Its biggest advantage though is its MOTAC technology – the motion activated illumination. So, there’s about a 2-minute delay before it goes into stand-by mode after it senses the last motion.
One bad thing about it? It has stupid star T10 Torx screws. I’ve stripped it out before while it was still on the rail of one of my ARs. That really sucked. User error or whatever, I don’t care. Just be careful there.
Vortex Crossfire II Red Dot Review– Range Tested!
The Crossfire II is so basic but well-built and dependable. It’s a red dot that I can count on for repeatable performance and accuracy. Unlike the Romeo 5 with its motion sensor, the Crossfire II goes the continuous-on route. With a battery runtime of like 50,000 hours, it’s perfectly suited to the job.
It has your standard rifle red dot sight specs like a 2 MOA dot, compact size with a 2.5” length and 5 oz (approx.) weight, and adjustments are in 1 MOA. There’s really nothing more to expect but solid performance, and I’d even say it’s a good red dot for a hunt if that’s what you’re after.
Bushnell TRS-25 Review – Range Tested!
Honestly, my TRS-25 isn’t working anymore through no fault of its own. I did go a little crazy on it one day and water tested it (more like drowned it) with its caps off. I was testing its waterproofness, and the O-ring is clearly on the turret base and not in or on the cap. Well, it failed this test. Internal fogging and busted electronics were the results.
However! Before I abused the shit out of the Bushnell sight, it worked just fine. It was great with its low-profile mount on my Ruger 10/22. I bought a riser mount for it to get it on my AR-15 rifles, and of course, it did fantastic. What it’s really valued for is its use on a turkey gun.
It has a 3 MOA dot, so it’s big, highly visible, and fast to use. There is a blue tint to the sight picture but that’s due to the lens coating. Apparently, it’s a juice sucker, so I’d recommend manually shutting it down after use.
It’s not a bad, little sight. If I saw it go on sale at a steep price like before, I’d pick it up again no regrets.
How to Choose the Right Red Dot Sight on a Budget?
Cost – Is there a difference between budget red dot sights?
Believe it or not but there is a difference between a $20 red dot sight and an $80 red dot sight even though they’re both considered cheap at under 100 bucks. Though a sight that costs less than your designer boots will work, you can generally find better build quality and repeatability from one that leans on the more expensive end of the budget.
You’ll see improved battery life, motion activated illumination, and better build durability between red dots closer hovering around $100.
If you can flip it, do your due diligence on the more expensive ones and you may find every dollar spent was well worth it.
Application – What are cheap red dots used for?
Generally, for the money we’re talking about in this price range (under 100), you’re not going to want to depend on it for ethical big game hunting, serious competition, or for life-threatening engagements like self-defense or duty use.
However, you’ll find plenty of use for a budget red dot at the range, plinking, and even for small game hunting.
Multiple Features – Are excess red dot features worth it?
What I’m talking about here is dual illumination and multiple reticles. You’ll see these features a lot in the cheap market, and I don’t want you to be fooled. While having “more” features seems like a good thing, it’s not actually useful to you.
You see, you’re only going to sight in with one color and with one reticle. Moving between them after sighting in with only one can mean inconsistent results.
Though it’s tempting to have every additional feature you can get, you’re really utilizing one at a time. If you decide you want to switch reticles, you’ll very likely need to re-zero your red dot again.
Battery Life – How long do budget red dot sights last?
It’s a fair assumption that cheap red dots aren’t going to have the most impressive battery performance. You’ll see improved battery life with red dots above $50. There’s a big difference between a few thousand hours and industry-best battery performance of 50,000 hours.
Keep in mind how often you’ll need to change the battery especially if you’re one to forget to turn it off. You’ll also need to consider if you’ll be intentionally leaving it on as a continuous-on red dot sight.
Warranty – Do cheap red dot sights come with a warranty?
There is no beating around the bush on this one. The big brands have the wherewithal to provide better warranty support on repairs, claims, and replacements. Vortex has an unlimited, unconditional warranty which has been hard to beat in the past. More recently, other big-name manufacturers have stepped up to compete like Sig Sauer and Bushnell.
However, brands like CVLIFE and Monstrum might have more stipulations with their warranties. Check out the warranty before you buy with the hopes that you won’t ever have to use it but if you do…
Red Dot Spec Comparisons
| Product | Cost | Use | Main Features | Battery Life | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STNGR Axiom II | Under $100 | Hunting, target shooting, home defense | QD mount, ultra-long battery life | 50,000 hours | Swarm lifetime warranty |
| Ozark Armament Rhino | Under $40 | Small game hunting, target shooting, recreation | Dual LEDs, flip-up caps, good durability | ~ 3,000 hours | No B.S. lifetime warranty |
| Monstrum Ghost | Under $80 | Some hunting, target shooting, home defense | Shake awake, ultra-long battery life, flip-up caps | 50,000 hours | Lifetime guarantee |
| Crimson Trace CTS-25 | Under $60 | Target shooting, recreation | Compact size, large dot | ~1 year | Limited lifetime warranty |
| CVLIFE | Under $30 | Recreation | Dual LEDs, multiple reticles | <3 months | Return & refund policy |
| Sig Sauer Romeo 5 | Under $150 | Hunting, target shooting, home defense | MOTAC | 40,000 hours | Infinite guarantee |
| Vortex Crossfire II | Under $150 | Hunting, target shooting, home defense | Multi-height mounts, ultra-long battery life, continuous-on RDS | 50,000 hours | VIP warranty |
| Bushnell TRS-25 | Under $130 | Small game hunting, recreation | Ultra compact, 11 brightness settings | ~5,000 hours | 1-yr limited warranty |
Got Questions?
STNGR Axiom II – Best RDS Under 100 (Editor’s Pick!)
Ozark Armament Rhino – Best RDS Under 50
Monstrum Ghost – Best RDS for AR-15
Crimson Trace CTS-25 – Best Compact RDS
CVLIFE 1x22x33 – Best Cheap Red Dot
Sig Sauer Romeo 5 – Best Motion Activated Red Dot
Vortex Crossfire II – Best Red Dot Sight for Hunting
Bushnell TRS-25 – Best Red Dot for Turkey Hunting
In general, a 2 MOA dot is better suited to accuracy, longer distances, and is often seen in red dot sights intended for rifles. The larger 4 MOA dot is great for fast and close engagement where a highly visible dot is very desirable.
Common zero distances for red dot sights are 25 yards, 36 yards, 50 yards, and 100 yards. Pistol red dots are zeroed for a much a closer distance between 7-25 yards.
Not all cheap red dot sights are worth the money regardless of how much you can get it for. Frequent issues with cheap red dots include accuracy problems, inability to retain zero, and poor build quality. However, there are a few gems in the cheap market that will work for recreational applications and are worth the 50 bucks or so.
The cheapest red dot sight brands that are worth considering would be Ozark Armament and Monstrum. Though CVLIFE and Feyachi are very popular budget brands, I couldn’t recommend them as serious contenders for anything more than pellet gun use.
Sig Sauer has offered consistent budget red dots over the last 10 years with one of my favorites (but now discontinued) Romeo MSR and Romeo 5 which is still going strong.
Best Budget Red Dots You Can Count On!
The STNGR Axiom II has my full backing. I even like it over the Vortex red dot – yep I said that and I’m not afraid to stand behind it. It fits the budget and you won’t find anything better than it for the money.
I love my Sig Sauer Romeos too. If you could add a little more to your 100-dollar budget, I’d recommend going that route and you’d love them too.
But I also relate to not having those few extra bucks. If that’s the case, this is my short-list on what I’d actually recommend. They’re better than junk. They’re budget red dots you can count on.
Get grace. Get grit. Now get the goods.
Tina x
