The Best Value Running Shoes at Every Price Point
Below we are breaking down the 12 best running shoes at different price points. We’ve got the best daily trainers, max cushion recovery shoes, speed training shoes, and race day shoes at various prices. We’ll let you know where the Adidas EVO SL, Nike Vomero Plus, Brooks Hyperion Max 3, ASICS Metaspeed Sky Tokyo, and the New Balance SC Elite v5 fall on the list.
If you need a running shoe and you have a certain budget, we’ve got you covered. We broke it down from $120 daily trainers to $295 super shoes, picking the best value at every price point. At the low end, models like the ASICS Dynablast 5 give you bounce and versatility without breaking the bank. And at the top, the Nike Alphafly 3 still delivers the best all-around package before you cross into $500 racer territory. Whether you’re hunting for a reliable trainer or a marathon-ready weapon, this lineup shows the best bang for your buck at every step.
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$120 - ASICS Dynablast 5
Asics Dynablast 5
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$120 is generally the cheapest MSRP you’ll find for a performance running shoe. A standout in this price range is the ASICS Dynablast 5, which is essentially a Novablast 3 retro. The Dynablast 5 is a versatile, bouncy, traditional-feeling shoe with a ride that’s reminiscent of much more expensive daily trainers. Picture a baby Superblast.
Other Shoes Retailing for $120: New Balance Propel v5, Brooks Launch 11, Skechers Aero Spark
$130 - Adidas Adizero SL2
Adidas Adizero SL2
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At the $130 price point, there’s no competing with the Adidas Adizero SL2. Punching well above its class, the SL2 offers a versatile midsole with a substantial amount of Lightstrike Pro race foam and a fantastic outsole (as is customary with Adidas shoes).
Other Shoes Retailing for $130: Saucony Kinvara 16
$140 - Puma Velocity Nitro 4
Puma Velocity Nitro 4
$140 has been the most common price point for daily trainers in recent years (although $150+ is slowly becoming the norm). Our favorite in this camp is the Puma Velocity Nitro 4, a flexible & bouncy shoe that’s surprisingly fun and protective given its lower-than-average stack height.
Other Shoes Retailing for $140: New Balance Rebel v5, Adidas Adistar 4, ASICS Gel Cumulus 27
$150 - Adidas Adizero EVO SL
Adidas Evo SL
The EVO SL is arguably the best value shoe on the market. For the price of a standard daily trainer, the EVO SL offers a fun, bouncy and durable midsole made up of 100% Lighstrike Pro race foam, a lightweight, accommodating upper, a Continental rubber outsole, and an aggressive geometry inspired by Adidas’ $500 pinnacle racer, the Pro EVO.
Other Shoes Retailing for $150: Brooks Ghost 17, ASICS Novablast 5, Hoka Clifton 10 (now $155), Nike Vomero 18 (now $155)
$160 - Salomon Aero Glide 3
Salomon Aero Glide 3
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The Aero Glide 3 has gained a cult following in the shoe sicko community for its bouncy, durable, and fun beaded TPU midsole, which outperforms every other daily trainer in its class. If you’re looking for exceptional speed capability on a budget, however, The Boston 13 is the move.
Other Shoes Retailing for $160: On Cloudsurfer 2, Brooks Glycerin 22 (now $165), Adidas Boston 13
$175 - Saucony Endorphin Speed 5
Saucony Endorphin Speed 5
$170-175 is the price point of most “tempo” shoes—models designed to blend race day and daily trainer elements. Saucony’s Speed 5 is our top pick in the category, offering the best combination of comfort, speed assistance, durability and bounce. We feel its worth the $5 price premium over the Zoom Fly 6 and the Magic Speed 4.
Other Shoes Retailing for $170-175: Nike Zoom Fly 6 ($170), ASICS Magic Speed 4 ($170)
$180 - Nike Vomero Plus
Nike Vomero Plus
This price point is a toss up between the Vomero Plus and the Mag Max, but we’ve gone with Nike’s max cushion offering because of its surprisingly fair price. $180 for a versatile, bouncy and cushioned ZoomX midsole that chews through high mileage training? SIgn us up.
Other Shoes Retailing for $180: Puma MagMax, New Balance SC Trainer v3, Nike Pegasus Plus
$200 - Brooks Hyperion Max 3
Brooks Hyperion Max 3
$200 is the territory of max stack, high mileage champions, ranging in use case from relaxed cruisers (Glycerin Max), to uptempo long run shoes (Superblast 2). We’ve chosen the Hyperion Max 3 because it’s the shoe that most closely resembles a rotation killer—a workhorse with enough speed, protection and fun to handle just about anything.
Other Shoes Retailing at $200: Brooks Glycerin Max, Mizuno Neo Vista 2, ASICS Superblast 2
$230 - Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3
Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3
The affordable race day shoe is a dying breed, but Puma is still holding it down with the Deviate Nitro Elite 3 at $230. Not only affordable, but designed to work for a wide variety of pace ranges and foot strikes, this is truly the people’s race day shoe. At the same $230 price point, the On Cloudbrick Mid doesn’t hold a candle to the Deviate Elite 3. We just recently tested the Megablast, a new offering by ASICS, that may bump the Deviate Nitro Elite 3 from the top spot. It is a light-weight, elevated daily trainer with carbon-plated speed capabilities like nothing we have ever experienced.
Other Shoes Retailing at $230: Saucony Endorphin Pro 4 (formerly $225, now $240), On Cloudboom Max
Check out Yowana's first-run review of the new ASICS Megablast here on the YouTube channel:
$250 - New Balance SC Elite v5
New Balance SC Elite v5
At $250, there are plenty of competitive marathon racers, including the wild and bouncy Wave Rebellion Pro 3, and the soft, springy Adios Pro 4. Our top pick, however, is the New Balance SC Elite v5. Delivering just the right amounts of comfort, speed and protection, New Balance’s top carbon racer is a strike straight down the middle of the plate.
Other Shoes Retailing at $250: Adidas Adios Pro 4, Hoka Rocket X 3, Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro 3
$270 - ASICS Metaspeed Sky Tokyo
ASICS Metaspeed Sky Tokyo
$270 is steep, but the ASICS Sky Tokyo best justifies its price at this tier thanks to its perfectly cohesive and ultra fast ride. The Endorphin Elite 2 is solid, but too soft and unstable for many runners, the Cielo X1 2.0 is a confusing shoe with an aggressive geometry and a comfort-oriented foam, and the Hyperion Elite 5 is great albeit more akin to a $250 shoe.
Other Shoes Retailing at $270: Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 ($275), Brooks Hyperion Elite 5 ($275), Hoka Cielo X1 2.0
$295 - Nike Alphafly 3
$300 is the ceiling for mainstream racing shoes before you enter the realm of $500 specialized racers like the Adidas Evo Pro 2. There might be lighter (Metaspeed Ray), more aggressive (Fast-R 3), and more premium-feeling (Gara 2) options, but the Alphafly 3 is still the best overall package in this category.
Other Shoes Retailing for $295-300: Puma Fast-R 3 ($300), Diadora Gara Carbon 2 ($300), ASICS Metaspeed Ray ($300)
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