Many people who are new to archery are often wondering just how expensive it is to get started…And if it is expensive, just how expensive is it? As you can imagine, the answer varies from person to person.

There are many different styles of archery, each with different types of gear at many different price points. How much archery is going to cost will depend on which style, equipment, and dedication level you’re shooting for.

For example, equipment is going to be much more expensive for someone who is interested in tournament archery compared to someone who is only interested in shooting for fun on the occasional weekend. This doesn’t even include expenses such as travel, entry fees, and the high-quality shooting gear that you need to compete…all of which start to add up.

So how much does archery cost? The simple answer is that it’s going to be just as expensive as you make it. With that said, let’s go over a few basic costs you can expect when getting started.

Archery Expenses to Expect When Getting Started

When starting out, many beginners believe that spending more money is going to make them a better archer, which is just not the case. Becoming a great archer comes from hours of practice and dedication, not simply buying premium equipment.

Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Pricing

Brand new, top of the line tournament and hunting bows will easily cost around $1200 to $2000+, just for the bow itself. All of the other necessary equipment can add another $800 to $1500 depending on what you need.

However, if you are just starting out, there are plenty of great beginner/intermediate level bows that are more reasonably priced. Starter bows can be found anywhere from $100 to $300, while some excellent intermediate bows can go from $400 to $750.

As I mentioned before, you still need to factor in all of your other equipment (which we will touch on in a moment) but many starter bows and even some intermediate bows already come with some of the necessary equipment. You may even find a complete package with literally everything you need to get started!

Buying Used Archery Equipment

Another cheaper option is to find a quality used bow to get you started. The benefit of a used bow is that people generally sell them with much of the equipment already installed at a much better price.

For someone who is just getting started, this can be a great way to get your feet wet. To find quality used gear, you can talk with archers at your local archery range or eBay Archery Equipment is a great way to find a larger selection.

Archery Range Pricing

Lastly, you may want to consider the costs associated with shooting at an archery range. If you own some property that you can safely shoot at or live near a free archery range, then you don’t need to worry about this. However, if you plan on shooting competitions or at established archery ranges, then you will need to consider possible range fees.

Depending on if the range is outdoors or indoors, you can expect to pay different prices in order to shoot. Outdoor ranges typically range from completely free in some cases to around $10 a day in order to shoot. In other cases, a range may require a yearly membership fee to use their range. You’ll have to research what’s offered in your area and choose what works best for you.

Indoor ranges will usually cost a bit more and range from $10 to $20 per hour. Many of these ranges also allow equipment rental so you can try out a basic archery setup without actually owning one. This typically costs around $10 to $40 extra depending on the archery range and area you live.

Archery Equipment You Will Need

Unless you’re buying a used bow or a bow package that comes with some of the necessary equipment, you’ll need to purchase some additional gear along with your bow. Archery is a unique sport in that there are many different pieces of gear and most of them function independently of each other.

The good news is that an archer can mix and match individual pieces of gear or even buy them at different times. You can always upgrade equipment later on, one at a time if need be. It’s natural for archers to try new equipment and upgrade their setup as they progress, so don’t burden yourself with trying to make the “perfect” decision. You can always buy and sell equipment until you find what works best for you.

So what equipment do you need to get started? To summarize, the bare minimum you’ll need is:

• A bow (most likely recurve or longbow)
• Arrows (with feathers, tips, & nocks)
• An arrow rest if your bow does not have an arrow shelf
• Finger Tab or Shooting glove (I prefer a tab)
• Armguard
• Target with backstop

I don’t have specific recommendations at the moment, but I will be providing my recommendations soon. For now, the Bass Pro Shop Archery section has a decent selection of archery gear to get you started.

Beginner Archery & Inexpensive Gear

Once you purchase a bow (recurve or longbow), you’ll need to get arrows, an arrow rest (for recurve), a shooting tab, an armguard, and a target. This is the absolute bare minimum that you need in order to shoot your bow. However, this is not a complete list of options.

You obviously need arrows to shoot, but these can be found very inexpensively… sometimes even around a few dollars apiece. The same could be said with finger tabs and armguards, each only costing around $5 to $10. Obviously more expensive and higher quality ones can be had, but for beginners or someone who is on a budget, these will do just fine.

The last expense is the arrow rest and a target, each one being anywhere from $25 to $40. Longbows don’t even need an arrow rest and many people can easily construct an archery target at home from scratch. It all depends on your budget and how serious you are about the sport.

Advanced Archery & More Expensive Gear

More advanced archers need additional equipment like archery sights, quivers, releases, stabilizers, and other gear that allow more accuracy and stability throughout the shot. Each piece of gear will cover all different price-points and styles. Besides the bow itself, arrows, sights, and rests will be the most expensive purchases.

Again, these don’t have to be expensive though. Sights can range from as little as $30 all the way up to $1000. The same can be said for the stabilizers and quivers, with drastically different price points depending on style, quality, and brand. You may also consider other products like a bow-press, chronograph, shooting machine, and other luxury products.

Archery can really be just as expensive as you make it.

Archery is Within Your Budget

Archery can easily become very expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. An aspiring archer should evaluate their goals, desires, and budget in order to make an educated decision on what equipment works best for them.

If your budget and dedication is unlimited, feel free to buy the most expensive and quality gear that you can find. If your budget is more limited (like most of ours) do a little research and find the gear that best suits your shooting goals. You’ll save money and can always upgrade down the road as you progress as an archer.