Hi,
What are the best PFD'S for the money?
The one a person will wear.
Near shore jackets
You can get the cheap type II for little money but know one wants to wear them. They are great to keep on board for boats which are large and folks don't normally wear them (cruisers, house boat, pontoon). This meets the CG requirements of one per person aboard
The type III (nylon, foam) jackets are comfortable and most like/use these for the younger kids and for water sports. Many variations in fit to make them even better to wear.
The type IV are the strap type which must be worn to count as a flotation device. They are filled with air when needed and can be activated automatically or manual
So if you can further explain more about your prospective in asking the question, we could get a bit closer
Assuming your not talking about offshore types