Best Cheap Airsoft Guns: Reviews & Buyers Guide (2020 Edition)

If you’re looking for a rifle to screw around in the backyard or the woods with a few friends with cheap guns, this may be your rifle. The Kalashnikov AK47 AEG comes with a high capacity magazine and the fire rate is incredibly fast. The battery lasts for over 4 hours of continuous use and is pretty accurate for a rifle at its price. This rifle is a little on the fragile side, so don’t expect to be diving on the ground with the rifle grip first if you want it to last for a while.

The DE M4 CQC AEG is a step up from basic backyard airsoft rifles. While the red-dot scope and flashlight are a little flimsy and cheap, it is a large step up from cheap AK airsoft rifles and is ready out of the box. With an adjustable (and accurate) hop-up system, high-torque motor, and adjustable fire mode, retractable rear crane stock, and metallic inner barrel, this is a huge upgrade in recreational airsoft AEG rifles.

Double Eagle claims this rifle shoots up to 600 rounds per minute on the stock battery and over 750 rounds per minute on an upgraded 8.4v battery, and shoots 250 FPS with 0.20g BBs (the gun’s page may say it shoots 300 FPS with 0.12g BBs, but we don’t recommend using those). It comes with the scope, flashlight, 220-round high capacity magazine, and wall charger. In AGG’s opinion, this is probably the most powerful and best performing rifle on the market under $70. Some people have said that the rifle is flimsy and a little fragile, while others say it’s a tank. But one thing is for certain: at a weight of 5 pounds and solid retractable stock, this looks and feels like a real M4.

For just a few dollars more than the DE M4 CQC AEG, you can have the Umarex licensed H&K HK416 AEG rifle. This is probably one of the best AEG rifles under $100 other than the CYMA AK series, and is a great choice for budget buyers who don’t want an M4 or AK model. It shoots at about 300 FPS and has a range a little shorter than performance rifles twice its price but is extremely accurate for a budget rifle.

Looking almost identical to its real-life firearm counterpart with a 1:1 replica, the HK416 AEG has a seamless integrated rail system and upgradeable internals, making it one of the cheapest AEG rifles that can be upgraded and customized later on. This is a great budget rifle if you’re looking to get more serious later on and upgrade the internals and add accessories like scope, red dot laser, flashlight, grip, magazine, etc. The hop-up is fully adjustable, and the trigger has a very fast and satisfying response. These are phrases and features usually listed in rifles that are twice the price. It has fantastic reviews on both Amazon and Airsoft Megastore. If you’re looking to spend as little money as possible but get a rifle that can compete with performance airsoft rifles, this is one of your best bets.

This is one of the universally agreed upon best airsoft rifles at a (barely) double-digit price point, and has fantastic reviews everywhere it’s sold. This rifle has a metallic body, full metal gearbox, high performance internals, and is incredibly powerful at a whopping 350-400 feet per second.

It is Tokyo Marui compatible (meaning that you can find additional magazines easily, and in general, also means it is easy to swap out internal parts for upgrades), and has a 600-round high capacity magazine. The CYMA CM028 AK-47 is quite simply power and accuracy at double-digit prices that can compete competitively with performance airsoft rifles at double the price point.

The CM028 fires at semi- and full-auto. It looks and feels like a real AK. It can overpower your friends in backyard play or stand up to experienced airsoft players in indoor or MilSim play. We highly recommend it.

This is a fantastic, durable, and reliable shotgun for the price; some have called it the best shotshell shotgun on the market. It has a tri-shot barrel, high-quality polymer plastic, metal barrel, and feels fantastic in your hands. (It’s hard to describe. It’s not too light or too heavy, it just feels like a powerful shotgun. And yes, I own one.) The shell release flings out spent shell casings just like a real pump-action shotgun.

The only downside to this airsoft shotgun is that it’s stiff to pump, and may take longer than usual to break in, and you may need some strength to pump it even when it’s broken in. But for a shotgun of this price point, any pump-action shotgun is probably going to be a little harder to pump.

The next one is the KJW Full Metal M9A1 Gas Blowback Pistol. This is a replica of the Beretta M9, will run on either CO2 or green gas, and is made to last even with the gas blowback stress.

Without the orange outer barrel, you would swear this was the real thing. It shoots as 300-340 FPS, satisfying stopping power, a 25-round mag, and great aftermarket support.

The Umarex Combat Zone Enforcer CO2 pistol is a surprisingly good field-quality pistol for an extremely low price, and makes a great sidearm option for someone that wants a backup or a pistol for maximum engagement distance for your primary, but want to spend as little as possible while knowing it will work when you need it to. It shoots at a whopping 400 FPS with 0.20 BBs, which is great for accuracy at close or mid-range, and it comes with a 15-round capacity magazine.

It isn’t the most accurate pistol for distances of 50 feet or longer, but the only situation you’re going to need a pistol for in that distance is if your primary is out of ammo, juice, or has jammed.

If you’re getting spare or additional mags, make sure you get the Combat Zone Enforcer magazines, as some players have reported jams with the 1911 magazines that are passed as compatible and interchangeable for this pistol.

The Elite Force H&K USP CO2 pistol is one of the best on the market for the price, hands down. It looks and feels real (and so does the packaging and box), and that is probably because it is licensed by H&K themselves (the pistol has full H&K branding and markings on it). It is a NBB (non-blowback, meaning you won’t feel the realistic recoil as the gun kicks from the CO2 in your hands), but this is also an advantage.

This is arguably the best pistol for the money, and is great for beginners. It’s durable, and doesn’t have recoil. It is a very affordable sidearm for beginners looking to get serious about airsoft. The magazine is full-metal and carries 16-rounds. This pistol carries AGG’s recommendations, and you won’t regret buying it.

WE (Wei-E Tech) just makes GBB (gas blowback, meaning it runs on CO2, and has a realistic recoil) great airsoft pistols, and the WE Full Metal 3.8 Baby Hi-Capa GBB Pistol is arguably the best sidearm just under the $100 range. Modeleted on the real 1911 handgun, the kick feels real, and the power in your hands makes you think you paid double the price.

It’s full-metal, well-threaded, has a muzzle velocity of about 340 FPS (that’s up there with AEG rifles, mind you), and is used by police and military to train soldiers and first-responders on the 1911 pistol where it’s used around the world. Everything about this gun screams “realism”, and WE has had 16 years to perfect it. If this pistol is in your budget, buy it, yesterday. You won’t regret it.

This is a spring-action (bolt-action) sniper rifle that is capable of shooting between 270-400 FPS depending on the size of the BBs used. The rifle comes with rails, electronic red dot scope, flashlight, magazine, and BB speedloader. It’s very capable of hitting targets at 120 feet away.

The gun product page says the AGM M14 SOCOM sniper rifle is sold more for “backyard play and props,” but even experienced airsoft players will tell you that this was one of their first airsoft rifles, and they are deadly accurate and very powerful. If you’re on a budget, and want a rifle that is powerful and accurate, and don’t mind taking a hit on fire rate, check out the AGM M14 SOCOM.

This sniper rifle defies the rules of airsoft sniper rifles and pricing. For as little as $79.95 at Airsoft Station, you can have the sniper rifle that is equally durable, accurate, and powerful. Reviewed by even some of the best airsoft snipers in the game, this DMR can hit targets accurately at 200 feet. It’s a polymer build so it’s light and agile. With a scope and bipod mounted on it, it’s both light, agile, and realistic feeling.

There are multiple versions of this rifle (some with and without scope, some with all-metal builds, a “USMC” replica version of it), but we do recommend getting the scope with it, at least eventually.

Even Novritsch, one of the most famous airsoft snipers in the game, has used and reviewed this rifle.

The Well MB4410 is an absolutely massive, fully metal sniper rifle that is fantastic for stock use. While it doesn’t come with the pictured scope and bipod, most good sniper rifles don’t so you can add your own scope and bipod of choice. The MB4410 has a unique, skeletonized look to it which keeps the weight down as the rifle is so large and long. It also comes with an adjustable cheek rest that raises and lowers vertically, which is great if you’re using a paintball-style mask. The stock is foldable, which makes the rifle much easier to carry for walking long distances or hiking to a good, elevated sniping spot. My favorite park about this sniper rifle is the realistic bolt-action track system that gives a very satisfying snap when you cock it.

This is a great sniper rifle to use stock. It’s fully metal aluminum makes it feel real, high-quality, and deceivingly expensive-looking. It shoots at around 380-400 FPS right out of the box. If you’re looking for an affordable sniper rifle that will perform out of the box, but still has the capacity for interior upgrades, this is the sniper rifle for you.