About Archery Calculators

Our mission

Archery setup is precise. Choose the wrong arrow spine and you'll never shoot accurately. Set up a bow with incorrect draw length and you'll develop bad form. Buy arrows without knowing your specifications and you'll waste hundreds of dollars on equipment that doesn't work.

We built Archery Calculators to solve this problem. Every calculator uses industry-standard formulas from manufacturers' spine charts, AMO standards, and physics-based calculations. You enter your measurements, we provide exact specifications. No guesswork. No expensive mistakes.

Whether you shoot recurve, compound, longbow, crossbow, or traditional, our calculators work for your bow type. Whether you're a beginner setting up your first bow or an experienced archer fine-tuning for competition, our tools provide the numbers you need.

Our calculators and guides

We've built 20 calculators covering every aspect of archery setup:

Essential Setup Tools

• Draw Length Calculator – Measure your draw length accurately using wingspan, wall method, or arrow measurement
• Arrow Spine Calculator – Calculate correct arrow stiffness for your bow type, draw weight, and arrow length
• Draw Weight Calculator – Determine actual draw weight at your specific draw length
• Arrow Length Calculator – Find safe arrow length with proper clearance for your bow

Arrow Optimization

• FOC Calculator – Calculate Front of Center balance for accuracy and penetration
• Arrow Weight Calculator – Determine total arrow weight from components or GPI
• Kinetic Energy Calculator – Calculate arrow penetration power for hunting
• Arrow Speed Calculator – Estimate arrow velocity from your bow
• Arrow Momentum Calculator – Calculate momentum, sectional density, and penetration index; compare two setups side-by-side

Bow Selection & Setup

• Bow Poundage Calculator – Choose appropriate draw weight for your strength and experience
• Bow Size Calculator – Select correct bow length (AMO/ATA) for your draw
• String Length Calculator – Calculate bowstring length for recurve and longbows
• Youth Bow Calculator – Proper bow specifications for young archers
• Peep Sight Calculator – Find your ideal peep sight height based on draw length, axle-to-axle, anchor point, and release type

Hunting & Advanced Tools

• Broadhead Weight Calculator – Choose optimal broadhead weight for your target game
• Arrow Drop Calculator – Calculate arrow trajectory at different distances
• Sight Mark Calculator – Generate sight tape for various yardages
• Shot Angle Calculator – True horizontal distance for treestand and uphill/downhill shots, with angle reference table
• Archery Cost Calculator – Estimate total equipment costs and annual expenses

Crossbow Tools

• Crossbow Bolt Calculator – Real-world bolt speed, kinetic energy, momentum, and full drop table at 20–60 yards; includes scope calibration check

Reference Charts & Buying Guides

• Compound Bow Specs Chart – Compare specifications for Mathews, Hoyt, Bowtech, Elite, PSE, and Bear
• Arrow Selection Guide – Complete guide to choosing arrows for hunting and target
• Broadhead Chart – Fixed vs mechanical broadheads for deer, elk, and big game
• Arrow Spine Chart – Quick reference spine selection by draw weight
• Draw Length Chart – Reference chart by height and wingspan

How accurate are these calculators?

Our calculators use the same formulas that professional archery shops and manufacturers use. Arrow spine calculations are based on manufacturers' published spine charts. Draw weight adjustments follow AMO (Archery Manufacturers Organization) standards of approximately 2-3 pounds per inch of draw length change for recurve bows and 1.5-2 pounds per inch for compound bows.

Kinetic energy and momentum calculations use standard physics formulas (KE = mv²/450,800 for grains and feet per second). FOC calculations follow the AMO formula: FOC% = [(Balance Point - Arrow Length/2) ÷ Arrow Length] × 100. Shot angle compensation uses the cosine rule: true distance = ranged distance × cos(angle).

Important limitation: These calculators provide accurate starting points, but archery is a precision sport with many variables. Your shooting style, bow tuning, arrow components, and even small variations in form can affect ideal specifications. Our calculators get you 90% of the way there. The final 10% comes from testing and personal preference.

Always test arrows before buying in bulk. Calculate your spine, buy 3-6 arrows in that range, and verify they fly well from your specific setup. If needed, adjust one spine group up or down. For critical decisions (choosing a new bow, switching arrow types for hunting), consult with a certified archery pro shop for personalized recommendations and hands-on testing.

Privacy and data

We do not store your data. All calculations happen locally in your browser using JavaScript. When you enter your draw length, draw weight, or arrow specifications, that information never leaves your device. We don't have servers recording your inputs. We can't see what you calculate.

No accounts required. You don't need to sign up, log in, or provide an email address. The calculators work completely anonymously. We don't know who you are and we don't want to know.

Privacy-friendly analytics. We use Google Analytics to understand which calculators are most useful and where we should focus improvements. However, we've configured it in the most privacy-friendly way possible: IP addresses are anonymized, no cookies are stored, no cross-site tracking, no personalized advertising. We see aggregate numbers (e.g., "1,000 people used the arrow spine calculator today") but nothing about individual users.

For complete details, read our Privacy Policy.

Affiliate disclosure

Archery Calculators is supported through affiliate partnerships with archery retailers. When you click a link to Lancaster Archery, 3Rivers Archery, Bass Pro Shops, Amazon, or other retailers and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

This does not influence our calculations. Arrow spine recommendations come from manufacturers' spine charts, not what products earn commissions. We recommend the correct specifications for your setup, period. Where you buy those arrows is up to you.

We link to multiple retailers. Check our Archery Supplies page and you'll see we provide links to 3Rivers Archery, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's and Amazon. We're not pushing one retailer over another. Different stores specialize in different areas (Lancaster for compound target, 3Rivers for traditional, Bass Pro for hunting). We help you find the right equipment at the retailer that best serves your needs.

Free calculators, supported by shopping. Building and maintaining these calculators, writing detailed guides, and keeping information up-to-date takes significant time. Affiliate commissions let us keep these tools completely free. No paywalls, no premium tiers, no subscriptions. You calculate for free. We earn a small commission if you shop. Everyone wins.

Affiliate links are clearly marked with "→" arrows and "Shop at [Retailer]" language. When you click an affiliate link, you leave our site and are subject to that retailer's privacy policy and terms. We have no access to your purchase information or personal data from affiliate transactions.

Contact

Have questions? Found an error in a calculation? Want to suggest a new calculator?

Contact us: [email protected]

We read every email but may not be able to respond to all messages individually. For technical archery questions, we recommend consulting with a certified archery pro shop or coach who can see your setup in person.