When searching for an entry RC boat to buy, spending up to $100 can really get you one awesome boat.
I have owned over 50 boats and know many like the backside of my hand. The boats below are really good boats. They are not cheap toys, but they are the best of the best for the price range specified.
Take a peak or try one out and you will have a grin ear to ear.
Anyways, enough with the intro, lets get to business.
Top 7 RC Boats Under $100
| Photo | Model | Speed | Length | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
  | Joysway Offshorre Lite Sea Rider | 15 mph | 17" Long | 2.4GHz radio, water-cooled 390 motor, comes RTR, water-cooled ESC, 7.4v Li-Ion 800 mAh battery, 2s balance charger |
  | Joysway Offshore Lite Warrior | 15 mph | 17" Long | water-cooled 390 motor, turn fins, water-cooled ESC, 2s balance charger 7.4v Li-Ion 800 mAh battery |
  | Pro Boat Jet Jam | No official data, but looks to go 10-12mph | 12" Long | Jet drive for safe operation, self righting, 2.4GHz radio, Dynamite 7.4v 1500 mAh 2s battery, USB charger |
  | Pro Boat React | 19+ mph | 17" Long | 390 water cooled motor, trim tabs, turn fins, 2.4GHz radio, Dynamite 1500 mAh 2s Li-Ion battery, self righting, USB charger |
  | Pro Boat Sprintjet 9" | No official data, but looks to go about 10 mph | 9" Long | Jet drive, self righting, 2.4GHz radio, waterproof steering servo, Dynamite 600 mAh 7.4v battery, USB smart charger, 390 motor, |
  | FT012 Brushless | 25+ mph | 18" Long | 3500 KV water cooled brushless motor, water cooled speed controller, ABS hull, self righting, 1800 mah 25c LiPo battery, turn fins and trim tabs, 2.4GHz radio |
  | WL915 Brushless | 28 mph | 17" Long | 1900Kv Brushless water cooled motor, 3s 1200mah Li Ion Battery, self righting, abs hull |
What to look for in a RC boat under $100?
A remote control boat under $100 will get you into a hobby grade boat that will truly be fun to run. You should find one that comes ready to run with everything including battery and charger.
We have some great boats on this list that really rip around the lake. Whatever the reason you want a boat, you will find a great one to meet your needs.
Joysway Offshore Lite Sea Rider
Joysway has put together quite the package with the Joysway Offshore Rider Lite. This boat is a catamaran hull style that can really get up and go. Joysway made it simple to start boating by offering this in a ready to run (RTR) package.
To keep the boat cool, Joysway has included watercooling on both the motor as well as ESC so you don’t have any overheating mishaps. This will increase the life of the boat.
The included 800 mah battery will give you about 5-6 minutes of runtime depending on your speeds. Speaking of speeds, this boat will go up to 15mph stock!
The inline rudder keeps this boat going in a straight line. This boat is fast with the stock powerplant, but if you ever get bored, brushless is a lot of fun on this boat.
I have upgraded mine to a brushless motor and ESC and it zips around at around 25-30 mph. This boat handles the extra power great.
Overall, you get a lot in this small package and this is a good buy for a boat in this category.
Pros
- RTR out of the box
- Quick little boat
- Catamaran Hull
Cons
- Smaller battery than some of the rest
Who is it for?
The Joysway Offshore Lite Sea Rider is for someone who is looking for a catamaran hull that wants to have fun on a smaller body of water. This boat is perfect for a spare boat or for a first timer. As everything is included with this boat, you can get out and have lots of fun.
Joysway Offshore Warrior Lite
I have owned a few versions of the Offshore Warrior and let me tell you it really rips. The hull is designed to take tight corners and handle whatever the lake can throw at it. Even stock this boat is a blast, I have upgraded mine to brushless as I have done with my Rider, and it really zips around.
Joysway used to offer these boats in brushless versions, but they have discontinued them. This boat is the next best thing.
The best part is that you can get into boating and still have a boat that will go 15mph and have a great hull if you want to upgrade down the road.
With the included turn fins and trim tabs you can set your boat up to run on any kind of water, this boat is even fun on small lakes.
The boat is self righting, features a water cooled ESC and motor, as well as comes in an easy to set up RTR package. Simply charge your battery and you are off to the lake.
Overall, this boat is a great buy for the price. This is a must buy in our book.
Pros
- Good starter boat
- Packs easially
- Comes RTR
Cons
- Not brushless
- Smaller battery than some of the rest
Who is it for?
This boat is for any body of water. A smaller pool may be too small as this boat can really get up and go. The Offshore Warrior Lite is great for kids as well as adults. When this boat is going its top speed of 15 mph, it is really cooking!
Pro Boat Jet Jam
The Pro Boat Jet Jam is a fun little pool racer. At only 12″ long, this boat zips around the pool or pond with ease.
The jet drive system makes it safer for pool driving as there will be no propeller to hit kids that are swimming, or hit your finger if you accidentally hit the throttle out of the water.
Get a few of these boats and use the included front bumper to play soccer with a ping pong ball by pushing it around in the water. This adds another dimension to your game.
The included 1500 mah 2s battery will give you loads of runtime to keep you having fun and not stuck on the charger.
If you ever have a chance to bring this boat to a small creek, this is where the real fun is. You can drive this jet drive over rocks and obstacles giving you the most fun you have had in such a small package.
This boat is a great boat for kids with the jet drive and a fun one to play with while your other boats are charging.
Pros
- Jet drive is safer to run around kids
- Jet drive can be ran very shallow or even up a small creek
- Comes RTR
- Good starter boat
Cons
- Can be a bit slow
Who is it for?
The Jet Jam is for smaller bodies of water as it is a bit slower than the rest of the boats. This is also fun to run up a small creek or river as the jet works great on rocks.
Pro Boat React
The Pro Boat React is a fun little 17″ racer that will race around the pond at around 19 mph.
The installed trim tabs and turn fins give you plenty of adjustment for any type of water.
This boat is fun to jump behind a boat wake, or speed around on glass.
The React is self righting so no need to fear it it takes an upside down tumble on the lake.
This boat is a perfect boat to get multiples to race around with your friends or family.
As Pro Boat made this RTR, this can get out on the water in no time. The included 1500 mah battery gives you plenty of runtime at high speeds.
Pros
- Quick boat at 19mph top speed
- Good starter boat
- Comes RTR
Cons
- Charging can be a bit slow with the included charger
Who is it for?
The React is a perfect boat for a small pond or lake. It is quick for its size and you will be surprised the first time you gun it.
Pro Boat Sprintjet
The looks of the Pro Boat Sprintjet are just mean. This is a boat styled after the super fast jet boats which go through a small closed windy course.
This boat is a jet drive and can go in very shallow water, as with the Jet Jam above, try it out on a small creek and you will have a blast.
This boat is 9″, but don’t let the small size make you think it is boring. This boat has a large 390 motor to push it to fun speeds.
The boat can spin out with the jet drive and do fun circles as well as jump waves and speed through straightaways.
The battery is a bit small at 600 mah, but the small size makes it have a good runtime.
If you are looking for a spare battery, you can fit something with a larger size if you would like to get more runtime.
This boat is a blast and fun to keep in the car for small outings.
Pros
- Jet drive is safer to run around kids
- Jet drive can be ran very shallow or even up a small creek
- Comes RTR
Cons
- Can be a bit slow
Who is it for?
The Sprintjet is for newer boaters or young ones. It does go somewhat fast, but you may get bored quickly. You can also run this up a small creek as it has a jet drive for some rock crawling fun with no prop to worry about.
FT012 Brushless
The FT012 brushless RC boat is one of the fastest boats under $100 coming in at about 25+ mph.
This boat comes with a 1800 mah 3s battery to let the watercooled brushless system rip through the water.
Keep your eye on this one as with its small size, it really goes fast. The turn fins and trim tabs allow you to adjust the boat for any condition and this boat handles very well. It will dig in a corner and hook around as it is on rails.
The self righting feature is nice to have so you don’t become stranded on the lake.
For extra protection, this boat has a dual seal which has a separate cover to seal prior to the hatch to keep as much water out as possible.
The only downside with this boat is you will have to buy a separate charger due to the non US plug, but if you are into remote control, you likely have another charger anyways.
This boat is a must buy as it rips through rough or calm water.
Pros
- Fast
- Self righting
- RTR
- Comes with battery
- Fastest mono hull under $100
Cons
- Charger is not a US style plug.
Who is it for?
The FT012 is for any boater as it is a very quick boat. The brushless system in this boat goes over 25 mph and it is a good spare boat to run as well as a good main boat. The self righting feature makes it easy for beginners.
WL915 Brushless Hydroplane
The WL915 Brushless RC Boat is truly one of the most fun boats you can get for under $100. The unique hull allows air to enter at high speeds making it the fastest boat on our list. This boat is capable stock of speeds of 28+ mph.
This is the only boat that is truly self righting not reliing on the torque of the motor to right it.
There is a hole in one of the sponsons to allow water in when it is tipped to flip it right side and the water exits when you start to move.
The 1200 mah 3s battery will give you a good amount of runtime before you need a charge. Like the FT012 above, you will need a separate charger that is not included due to the plug style not being american.
This boat can turn so sharp it is hard to keep track of, the scale outboard turns as well for enhanced realism.
Warning: Give this boat a try and you will be hooked on speed and will find yourself buying more and more RC boats.
Pros
- Fastest boat under 100
- Self righting
- RTR
- Comes with Battery
Cons
- Charger is not a US style plug
Who is it for?
If you want to get the fastest boat under $100, this is it. The brushless system pushes this boat over 28mph. The self righting feature will be appreciated when you flip it over. This boat handles as it is on rails and is tons of fun.
Conclusion
To sum it up, all of the boats on this list are great boats and you cannot go wrong with any of them.
Stay away from toy boats as they will give you less performance, will be harder to mod, and will not make you as happy in the long run.
Happy Boating!