If you are shopping by the fps number on the box, here is every crossbow we have tested, ranked fastest to slowest. The gap between the quickest and slowest bow here is 85 fps - enough to matter on a long shot, but not enough to make the slower bows unsafe or weak for deer-sized game. Before you pay extra for speed alone, it is worth knowing what that fps number actually buys you.
What extra fps actually changes
Speed buys two concrete things: a flatter trajectory, which forgives a misjudged range estimate, and more retained energy at longer distances. Both matter more as the shot gets longer. Inside 30 yards, a 350 fps bow and a 415 fps bow put a broadhead through the same target the same way - the difference shows up past 35-40 yards, where the faster bow's arc has dropped less. We cover the kinetic-energy math behind this in how far a crossbow can shoot and in the energy threshold explained in our best crossbow for deer hunting guide.
| # | Crossbow | Advertised speed | Score | Price tier | Full review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Killer Instinct Burner 415 | 415 fps | 8.0 | $$ | Read review |
| 2 | Barnett Hyper Whitetail 410 | 410 fps | 7.6 | $$$ | Read review |
| 3 | Killer Instinct Lethal 405HD | 405 fps | 8.3 | $$ | Read review |
| 4 | CenterPoint Dagger 405 | 405 fps | 8.1 | $ | Read review |
| 5 | Killer Instinct BOSS 405 | 405 fps | 7.9 | $$ | Read review |
| 6 | Xpedition Archery Xtraction 400X | 400 fps | 7.7 | $$$ | Read review |
| 7 | Xpedition Archery Scrapeline 390X | 390 fps | 7.4 | $$ | Read review |
| 8 | Barnett Whitetail Hunter | 375 fps | 7.8 | $$ | Read review |
| 9 | Barnett Whitetail Hunter II | 350 fps | 8.6 | $$ | Read review |
| 10 | Barnett Recruit XP | 330 fps | 8.4 | $$ | Read review |
The three fastest bows on the list
Killer Instinct Burner 415 - the outright fastest
At 415 fps the Burner 415 is the quickest bow we have tested, and it is also one of the more affordable ways to get there. The trade-off is the one you would expect from pushing a compact bow this hard: it runs louder and with more hand shock than the quieter bows below it on this list. If the fps number is your main shopping criterion, this is the bow, but read the full Killer Instinct Burner 415 review for the noise and shock trade-off before you commit.
Barnett Hyper Whitetail 410 - fast with a flatter arc past 40 yards
The Hyper Whitetail 410 is Barnett's speed-focused deer bow, and the 410 fps rating comes from a slimmer, proprietary bolt rather than a standard shaft. That bolt is pricier and harder to find locally than the 20-inch carbon arrows most of this list uses, which is the real cost of the extra speed here. See the full review for the rail and bolt details.
The 405 fps three-way tie
Three bows on this list are all advertised at exactly 405 fps, which means the tiebreaker is everything other than speed. The Killer Instinct Lethal 405HD is the best-balanced of the three and our highest-scored 405 fps bow. The CenterPoint Dagger 405 is the cheapest complete setup here that still hits 405 fps, at the cost of bundled arrows worth replacing first. The Killer Instinct BOSS 405 is the safe-default option in the trio - nothing it does is outstanding, but nothing is a problem either, which is why we point to it when the other two are out of stock. Our side-by-side comparison of the Lethal 405HD and the Dagger 405 breaks down exactly where the extra score on the Lethal comes from.
Is the fastest bow the right bow for you?
Not automatically. Our top overall pick in the full ranking is the 350 fps Barnett Whitetail Hunter II - the slowest bow on this page outside the Recruit XP - because it ships ready to hunt and is easier to shoot well for a first-time owner. Chasing fps mostly pays off in two situations: you regularly take shots past 35-40 yards, or you specifically want the flattest trajectory the market offers and are willing to trade some noise, hand shock, or bolt cost for it. If neither applies, our best crossbow for deer hunting guide and best under $500 guide sort this same ten-bow field by criteria that matter more for most beginners.
A faster bow still needs a matched bolt and broadhead
Every bow on this page shoots a standard 400-grain-class bolt except the Hyper Whitetail 410, which uses its own slimmer shaft. Our best crossbow bolts guide covers length, spine and weight matching. On any of the 400-plus fps bows here, the broadhead choice matters more than usual - a basic mechanical can fail under crossbow-level energy, so we break down the fixed-versus-mechanical trade-off in the best crossbow broadheads guide.