5 Best Cheap Walking Shoes (2024)

They say you can’t put a price on happiness. It turns out, that with Skechers GO WALK 6, you can, and for only $85! Even though this is 4% cheaper than the average walking shoe, GO WALK 6 doesn’t feel second-rate, especially by the way it pampers our feet with overwhelming comfort.

For an affordable walking shoe, GO WALK 6 surprisingly didn’t cut back on cushioning. As a matter of fact, we measured it to be 35.3 mm in the heel and 22 mm in the forefoot, which both exceeded the averages by 12.8% and 4.8%. This kept the comfort going on beneath our feet even for whole-day trips.

Moreover, strolling using GO WALK 6 is as flawless and as unhindered as it could be. We realized that the root of this is its flexible construction. Our attempt to bend it using our digital force gauge is effortless, as it only resisted with a low force of 12.9N, which is much lower than the average. This made the shoe 28.3% more flexible than most.

When it comes to airflow, this shoe could be better. This manifested in our lab when we discharged smoke inside the shoe and only a small volume came out, deserving a 2/5 breathability score. If excellent ventilation is a must for you, we recommend picking up shoes with permeable uppers.

Out of all the budget-friendly slip-on walking shoes we’ve tried and tested, the one that is a revelation to us is the Skechers Summits. The main reason is that it’s cheap but definitely not trashy! Also, every time we put Summits on and off our feet, our experience couldn’t be further from any hassle or trouble.

It’s such a shocker that at $65, 27% lower than the average cost of walking shoes, Summits is very generous in cushioning. In fact, with our caliper, we established that the heel and forefoot stack heights are 36.4 mm and 20.6 mm, yielding a huge drop of 15.8 mm. The heel was beyond the average by 16.7% while the forefoot was only 0.2 mm shorter than the mean. Simply said, we were able to indulge in ultra-packed cushioning!

The amazing thing about wearing or taking off the Summits is that we could do it hands-free. Its integrated tongue is stretchy enough for easy slip-on but it's tight enough to contain our feet inside. While heel slippage is not an issue, we think unstable ankles might be because per our judgment, the heel counter of the Summits is wobbly, scoring only 1/5 on our stiffness assessment. With that, we cannot recommend this pair to overpronators and other people with foot issues.

Skechers GO WALK Joy takes the lead in being the greatest lightweight walking shoe that doesn’t burn holes in our pockets. It’s the ultimate representation of walking on air, not only because of its incredible lightness but also of its exquisite cushioning that’s like a dream.

At $60, which is 32.2% cheaper than most walking shoes, we couldn’t believe that GO WALK Joy is lavishly cushioned. We measured its heel and forefoot stack heights to be 32.7 mm and 23.2 mm, which are 4.5% and 10.5% denser than the averages. This equated to boundless joy during our long-distance saunters.

What’s wonderful is the thick midsole didn’t take a toll on the weight of the shoe. We recorded a 6.17 oz (175g) weight, which is much lighter than the average – by 31.7%! The sad news is the durability of the shoe suffered. For one, we found that its outsole is 51.4 HA soft. This is 28.9% softer than the average, which is why our Dremel easily caused a 3.7 mm depletion to the outsole. For the record, this is a 131.3% deeper dent made on average walking shoes. Therefore, if you seek durability, we suggest checking out other shoes.

Wearing Skechers GOwalk Joy - Ecstatic is like peeking through heaven; we can do it forever! At $65, which is 26.6% cheaper than most walking shoes, this is really the best savvy purchase we’ve made, especially with its special attributes that turn our walks into a marvelous experience for hours on end.

The amount of cushioning we felt on our trips with GOwalk Joy - Ecstatic is mindblowing given its affordability. In our lab, we confirmed this with our caliper, which showed a heel and forefoot thickness of 32.7 mm and 24.4 mm. Aside from being 4.5% and 16.2% greater than the averages, ultimately, it relieved our legs and feet from long walk exhaustion.

Underfoot, this shoe also felt magnificently plush. With a durometer measurement of 22.1 HA, we found that the midsole is 12.3% softer than most. Due to this, our rides are even more pleasurable.

While most of us reveled in the shoe’s incredibleness for extended hours, some testers among us who require foot support couldn’t last as long. We gauged the heel counter’s rigidity, which is essential for bolstering the ankles and keeping the feet aligned, and it is so pliable that we rated it a 1/5 stiffness. Due to this, we suggest searching for stability walking shoes if you need superb support.

After conducting lab and wear tests, Arch Fit 2.0 is our top cheap walking shoe with the best arch support. The average walking shoe in our database is $117, while this pair only costs $90. For such an affordable price, it offers high value through its stable and comfortable platform. It’s even ideal for those with overpronation and lower-leg issues.

Rising to a 39.2/24.0 mm stack, there's tons of cushioning for repetitive landing and arch support. AF2 delivers premium comfort and impact protection, with a 15.2 mm drop that saves our ankles and Achilles from strain.

Despite its monstrous foam, the ride feels extremely stable due to the firm and vast platform. Our caliper shows a wide 114.5/90.0 mm space to securely find our footing. Upon landing, we don’t experience any ankle rolls because the foam doesn’t compress easily — perfect for those who need heavy support. Our durometer confirms it’s a balanced 30.4 HA, 21.1% harder than average.

Establishing its stability further is the rigid platform, which our bend test shows is 18.6% more resilient than average. To balance this, AF2 makes use of flex grooves so that it bends in the right places.

While this pair aced our stability tests, it failed our Dremel tests and scored lower than average. We recommend exploring other pairs if durability is a priority.