In this product guide:
- 1. Versatile daily trainer: adidas Duramo Speed
- 2. Affordable daily trainer: Brooks Anthem 6
- 3. Budget daily trainer: adidas RunFalcon 5
- 4. Affordable daily trainer: Asics Gel Excite 10
- 5. Affordable daily trainer: Nike Downshifter 13
- 6. Entry-level flexible trainer: Nike Flex Experience 12
- 7. Affordable daily trainer: Nike Interact Run
- 8. Minimal trainer with 4 mm drop: Saucony Convergence
- 9. Affordable road-trail hybrid: Saucony Aura TR
- How we selected
When seen from afar, the Duramo Speed could be mistaken for a Boston 12 – that’s how similar they look.
Once you take a closer look, it’s a different story altogether. The midsole doesn’t use Lightstrike Pro foam or Energy Rod tubes – it’s made of 100% EVA foam called Lightstrike.
The 29 mm (heel) and 23 mm (forefoot) stack heights provide versatile cushioning, but it isn’t as soft or bouncy as the Boston 12 or Adizero SL 2.
But then, this shoe retails at $90 and is usually cheaper when on sale. The Duramo Speed offers decent value for its price; the rocker profile of the stiff forefoot adds versatility to the cushioned ride.
The outsole isn’t made of Continental rubber, but of adiwear – a hard-wearing compound that has been in use (by adidas) for a long time. It adds grip and protection in the contact area.
The upper construction is simple, yet it works. The padded heel and tongue add interior comfort; the user-friendly speed lacing loops makes the fit secure.
The Brooks Anthem 6 is a basic running shoe that works best for mild-intensity runs.
Under the breathable and lightweight mesh upper is an EVA midsole made of DNA foam – a material that older versions of the Brooks Ghost (15 and earlier) used.
The foam insole and midsole make the ride comfortable enough for distances up to 10K.
The midsole isn’t very thick, so the cushioning is firm – don’t expect Ghost 16 levels of cushioning. The firm midsole also works for tempo runs at 4:00 min/km (6:30 min/mile) paces.
The Run Falcon 5 is inspired by the more expensive Ultraboost 5X, but minus all the tech.
The midsole isn’t made of Boost – it’s single-density EVA foam called Cloudfoam. An Ortholite footbed adds softness under the foot. This setup ensures basic levels of everyday comfort and stability, but very little else.
There’s a full rubber outsole (again, inspired by the Ultraboost) for durable traction. However, it’s not made of Continental rubber, but adiwear.
The upper design looks plain, yet is fundamentally sound. The padded heel grips the heel softly without slippage, and the breathable mesh upper creates a smooth interior.
From the outside, the Asics Excite 10 resembles the last year’s Cumulus 25.
However, the $85 price means that the Excite doesn’t share any performance parts with the more expensive Cumulus. What we have here is a basic running shoe with the ingredients to match.
For example, instead of Flytefoam Blast, the Excite 10 has an EVA foam (Amplifoam) midsole with a rearfoot Gel pad insert. Like the Excite 9, an Ortholite insole comes standard.
Overall, the Excite 10 isn’t particularly ‘exciting’, but works well as an everyday trainer for up to 10K runs.
The engineered mesh shell without any overlays offers contemporary styling with a smooth interior.
Its $85 retail price makes the Asics Gel Excite 10 excellent value.
The Downshifter is one of the many sub-$100 shoes in Nike’s catalog, and has been around for over a decade. It is one of Nike’s best value-for-money performance running shoes.
There are no fancy foam components or Zoom Air bags on the Downshifter; just a comfortable foam midsole that is paired with a near-seamless upper. The resulting product is a functional, everyday running shoe.
The rubber outsole and its waffle-shaped lugs make the Downshifter durable and traction-friendly.
The Downshifter 13 uses a brand-new midsole that is inspired by the InfinityRN and Pegasus 41 – like the latter, the sidewalls are scooped and raised. The scooped design benefits the cushioning, whereas the high sidewalls cup the foot in.
The no-sew upper has a sleek exterior with fused overlays for support. The vented midfoot panels keep the interiors cool during runs. The fit runs a bit narrow, but the Downshifter sells in a wide should you need it.
The Pegasus-style lacing system is simple yet effective. The laces pass through wide loops rather than eyelets, so cinching the Downshifter is a breeze.
Also see: Nike Revolution 7.
The Flex Experience Run 12 is heavily inspired by the Nike Free’s outsole and upper design. Most of the original Nike Free line no longer exists, so the Flex Experience is what you should buy if you want the flexible midsole experience.
This geometry delivers a unique quality of cushioning and transitions, as it’s very flexible in the front and supportive under the heel. The ride is also sufficiently cushioned, so these traits make the Flex Experience Run 12 an excellent trainer for everyday runs.
The soft and breathable upper is a perfect match for the flexible midsole. The minimal midsole allows for a full range of motion, and the interiors fit smoothly while locking the foot in.
There are many sub-$100 shoes on this list, so why add another $85 product here?
The Nike Interact Run is the only running shoe on this guide with a Flyknit-inspired upper. With this design, the Interact Run punches above its price segment.
The upper has other useful features like a reflective heel strip and pull tab that are usually unavailable in this price band. The QR code on the tongue is an overkill, though.
Like many affordable trainers, the Interact Run is ideal for low-intensity runs and athletic activity. The true-to-size upper keeps the foot locked down, and the EVA foam midsole has enough cushioning for short runs. You get a full outsole as well, with rubber covering the entire contact area.
The midsole borrows its deep scoops from the InfinityRN 4, but the foam is neither React nor ZoomX, so it’s missing the bouncy softness found in more expensive shoes.
If the softer-than-before Kinvara 14 and 15 aren’t to your liking, consider the Saucony Convergence.
It uses the same midsole as the Kinvara 12 and 13, so you get the familiar firmness from the 4 mm drop midsole. While it’s missing Kinvara trims like the Pwrrun+ (expanded PU) foam footbed, it retains the tempo-friendly ride of the past Kinvaras.
The firm EVA foam midsole is good for runs of up to 10K, and is exceedingly versatile. It’s easy to pick up speeds, so the Convergence is an affordable interval trainer as well as a daily trainer.
The Convergence is a $70 product, so the upper is built to a cost. Specific examples of cost-cutting would be the use of basic upper materials and plain (non-printed) insole. The finer details aside, the upper does its job well – which is to keep the feet from sliding. The interior, while basic, is smooth and breathable.
The Saucony Aura TR is an off-road $75 shoe that offers more than the basic road-trail form factor.
For starters, the Aura doesn’t share the outsole design with an existing road running shoe. The thick rubber outsole has a trail-oriented lug design that works well on off-road terrain.
The Aura isn’t the trail shoe for technical terrain, but will do perfectly fine on unpaved flats, gravel or chip trails, and gentle slopes. The EVA foam midsole has adequate cushioning for general off-road use.
The layered upper is protective with a snug fit. The ripstop-like mesh and stitched overlays shield the foot while keeping the debris out. And if you want a waterproof version, there’s a Gore-Tex variant available as well.
HOW WE SELECTED
There’s never been a better time to buy a running shoe.
For a very long time, entry-level models were a reluctant afterthought for running shoe brands. Except for shoes like the adidas Duramo, Saucony Cohesion, and Nike Downshifter, there weren’t many popular go-to products below $100.
In the past, budget prices also meant an entry-level material and technology package. The midsole was always a standard EVA foam block, and the upper designs were basic. 10 years ago, the situation was so dire that even a $100 shoe stank badly.
Things have changed for the better.
At the time of writing this guide, many brands offer a slew of affordable products. adidas had a credible under-$100 assortment to begin with, and there are now many new models to choose from.
The new adidas Duramo Speed (our top pick) borrows its modern aesthetics from the more expensive Boston 12.
The technology ‘trickle-down’ is a strategy that Nike has honed into an art form – something that adidas has picked up recently.
Nike products like the Downshifter lean heavily on the more expensive Pegasus for inspiration. Similarly, the Flex Experience 12’s design is based on the Nike Free.
So while running shoe prices can be downright ridiculous, there are plenty of competent models under $100.
And yet, most of the running shoes we hear about are expensive models. Brands spend their hype dollars on premium products, so the value assortment rarely receives marketing attention.
It’s important to talk about lower-priced running footwear because not all countries sell shoes at the same (US) retail prices.
A shoe priced at $100 stateside could cost $130-160 in international locations depending on the import duties and taxes – and that’s before taking the potential difference in purchasing power parity into account.
In other words, the same money that gets US-based consumers a brand-new Asics Nimbus or the Brooks Glycerin will only fetch a ‘budget’ running shoe in many countries.
The search for a sub-$100 shoe can get confusing, so we’ve curated a selection of 10 running shoes that retail for under $100. However, the final selling price will depend on the retailer and your location.
We also recommend searching for deals on the older versions of popular trainers.
In most cases, the previous model is available for less than $100. It’s worth keeping track of when new models are introduced, because the previous versions usually go on markdown sales around that time. Our release date tracking calendar is a helpful resource.
So what we’re saying is – instead of buying shoes from this guide, it’s a better idea to get a higher-tier shoe (like the Asics Cumulus, Nike Pegasus, or Saucony Ride) for a cheaper price. The older models can be often had for less than $100.