10 Best Cheap Running Shoes (Buyer's Guide)
Running can be cheap. Especially if you’re not chasing records or racing competitively. A cheap pair of running shoes might perfectly accompany you on your occasional runs. Here, running shoes are defined as cheap if they cost less than $100. This is an in-depth overview of cheap running shoes and how to find them.
How we review cheap running shoes
- We read reviews from 292 experts and 330,235 users on more than 400 cheap shoes.
- We used CoreScore (1-100) to rate each pair of shoes: the higher the number, the better the shoe based on the reviews.
- Got a list of over 400 cheap running shoes for you to browse through.
This approach allows you to filter and rank shoes based on your personal preferences, whether it’s to look for the
Ranking of the 10 best cheap running shoes
Based on 579,256 user ratings 79 expert reviews
- #1Nike Air Max Torch 4
5 colors
90Superb!1000+ reviews - #2Under Armour Charged Impulse
8 colors
88Great!1000+ reviews - #3Merrell Vapor Glove 4
8 colors
87Great!1000+ reviews - #4Nike Downshifter 10
9 colors
87Great!1000+ reviews - #5Adidas Puremotion
4 colors
87Great!1000+ reviews - #6Nike Revolution 5
10 colors
87Great!1000+ reviews - #7Asics Frequent Trail
4 colors
87Great!1000+ reviews - #8Under Armour Charged Bandit 5
5 colors
87Great!1000+ reviews - #9New Balance Fresh Foam Cruz
10 colors
86Great!1000+ reviews - #10Asics Gel Kahana 8
6 colors
86Great!1000+ reviews
Here is a list of all 427 cheap running shoes, where you can sort by “best rated” and apply filters.
Top 5 most popular running shoes
Popular running shoes aren't the better rated ones
Tips for finding shoes at cheap prices
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Here are some tips to help you find a good deal.
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What’s a good price for a running shoe?
$110-130 will probably get you the most value for money. The premium price of $150-350 simply isn’t always worth it. When looking for a cheap running shoe, people tend to stay in the $60-80 range.
Keep in mind that shoe prices are defined by:
- Shoe features - e.g. rock plate, GTX membrane, maximum cushioning, innovative technologies (might work wonders for specific conditions, but also might not be needed for your every day running);
- Marketing - the bigger the campaigns - the more expensive shoes get;
- Timing - do you want the new shoe as soon as it’s available? Or even pre-order? The more you wait, the greater the chances to find that certain model discounted.
Cheap vs. expensive running shoes
The line that separates inexpensive from expensive running shoes is the price: $100. It’s nothing official, but a wide-spread notion.
What might support your decision to buy a cheaper pair of running shoes is our study on shoe prices. According to RunRepeat’s research on expensive and affordable running shoes people are 8% less satisfied with expensive running shoes.
Are expensive shoes better?
They are not.
According to our study, the trendline on this graph surely backs this up. It shows that expensive running shoes get lower ratings:
Brands with the biggest % of cheap running shoes
To help your shoe hunt, this is the overview of the top 10 brands with the biggest % of cheap running shoes and their average MSRPs.
Here’s how those brands compare to each other when it comes to their average MSRPs.
To assist you with this search, we’ve created collections of cheap Reebok, Puma and Skechers running shoes separately. Keep in mind that the overview was based on the initial retail price. This in no way means you won’t be able to get a more expensive shoe at a great price. Keep looking for discounts!
When you’ve nailed a great deal, make sure you keep in mind:
- Shoes should be comfortable! (try them on before buying)
- Shoes should satisfy your intentions (check the performance details or use our guide to buying running shoes)
- Shoes should fit. If you’re having doubts about the size you need, use RunRepeat’s ultimate shoe size guide.
The best cheap running shoes in every category
- Best Nike cheap running shoe: Nike Air Max Torch 4 (#171 overall)
- Best Brooks cheap running shoe: Brooks Anthem 3 (#1444 overall)
- Best Adidas cheap running shoe: Adidas Puremotion (#558 overall)
- Best Asics cheap running shoe: Asics Frequent Trail (#564 overall)
- Best New Balance cheap running shoe: New Balance Fresh Foam Cruz (#618 overall)
- Best cheap minimalist running shoe: Merrell Vapor Glove 4 (#454 overall)
- Best cheap barefoot running shoe: Merrell Vapor Glove 4 (#454 overall)
Other buying guides
Now, are you ready to buy cheap running shoes?