The Best Remote Control Trucks for Kids of All Ages (2024)

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Updated Nov. 1, 2022: This piece was updated to reflect current pricing, including sales, and details specific to each remote control truck.

You probably have a remote control car or two (and you may even have a remote control plane), but for a next-level off-road experience, pony up for a remote control truck. Monster trucks are badass and will give your hours pleasure speeding on sand and scaling rocks, whether you’re a newbie or an experienced master of the road. And luckily, you don’t have to drop a ton of cash to get a piece of the action (though if you're in the market for splurge, we have you covered).

If this is your first lap in the RC world—that's remote control, in pro lingo—it's easy to get lost in technical specs when you're comparing models, even for kids’ toys. There are remote control trucks for beginners, and more advanced hobby-grade options if this isn't your first rodeo. That's why we rounded up a selection of our fave remote control trucks for your consideration, no matter what your skill level and budget may be. Read on for our recommendations, plus some things to consider before buying.

Best Remote Control Trucks

What to Consider

There are a few acronyms to know before you shop. RC is (you guessed it!) “remote control” and “RTR” stands for “ready to race,” which means you don’t need additional parts to start your engine. There’s also “scale” listed in the description, such as 1:10 or 1:12, a ratio that represents the RC truck’s scale in relation to the actual full-size vehicle. Most RC trucks have pistol-style remote control, as opposed to a two-button remote that comes with some remote control cars.

In terms of style, there's everything from high-speed all-terrain buggies that go 38 mph to a Land Rover Defender “scale and trail crawler” with tons of muscle but top out at 10 mph. As mentioned above, there are remote control trucks for different skill levels, from beginner to advanced hobby-grade options. If you’re buying a high-end model, you’ll definitely want to make sure replacement parts and upgrades are easy to get.

How We Selected

All of the remote control trucks in our selection have an average customer rating of at least 4 stars, and the majority are given ratings of 4.5 stars and up. We cover a variety of different vehicle types from top brands including Traxxas, Laegendary, Bezgar, and Axial, with prices starting at $50 or less and capping off at about $400.

Looking for more fun toys for gifts? Check out or stories on the best robot toys, the best science toys, and the best drones.