The 5 Best Nike Alternatives for Kids
As our kids’ fashion preferences grow, our budgets don’t always keep up. Here are the 5 best budget-friendly alternatives to Nike kids’ shoes.
When you have growing kids, you may be replacing kicks a little more often than your wallet would like. While we are always curating the best deals from Nike, we have found over the past few years that they don’t always have the best prices for kids’ shoes. So if you aren’t ready or willing to invest in Nikes, we have put together a list of our favorite alternatives to Nike.
But before we get started, check out these tips for buying kids’ shoes online:
If you are unsure of your child’s shoe size, many brands offer printable size charts.
Look for stores that offer free returns and buy multiple pairs of shoes to ensure the correct fit. Return what you don’t like.
While we don’t have them separately on our list, Amazon sells many of the brands below, and Prime members can use their “try before you buy” program to ensure proper fit.
Reebok
Reebok.com often offers extra discounts on sale items or sitewide discounts. The sales usually range from 20-35% off, and we often see an additional 50% off coupon around Black Friday. Sign up for their newsletter to get 15% off, and members of their loyalty program get free shipping on all orders. Returns are free within 30 days, and Reebok offers discounts for students and military families.
New Balance
Joe’s New Balance Outlet is a great resource for deals on New Balance for kids. They’re an authorized seller of New Balance shoes and gear, offering deep discounts every day. Sale prices for kids' New Balance shoes are pretty consistently around $30. They also offer discounts for military families and students.
Joe’s does not offer free returns, so if you’re unsure of a size, you may have better luck with Macy’s. They also offer New Balance deals for kids and have a free return policy.
Under Armour
Under Armour is another shoe brand that offers a variety of styles for kids. While UnderArmour.com does offer some sales of up to 50% off select styles, we see better deals at other retailers pretty frequently.
Kohl’s is a good spot to look for Under Armour deals. Though excluded from coupons, Under Armour purchases are eligible to earn and redeem Kohl’s Cash. We also see great discounts at DSW, Proozy, Eastbay, and Field Supply.
Vans
A little more casual, Vans are an affordable option for kids' shoes. We consistently see deals at the Vans.com website for kids' shoes priced at $30 and under. Vans offers free shipping and free returns which is very convenient if you aren’t sure which size or style your child will need.
Another great spot to find deals on Vans is RackRoomShoes. They have been known to offer buy one, get one 50% off on Vans shoes for kids. Plus, they often offer coupons for minimum price thresholds (think 15% off $100) that stack with that promotion. Shipping is free at $65 and returns are free.
Adidas
Shop Adidas.com for some of the best deals on Adidas kids' shoes. We see up to 50% off during their end-of-season sales. They also offer back-to-school sales and coupons in late summer, and their Black Friday sales are up to 50% off. Cyber Monday is one of their biggest sales of the year, usually offering an additional discount sitewide. In 2021, we saw 30% off their entire site.
Kohl’s is another great resource for deals on Adidas. While they are often excluded from online coupons, you can earn and spend Kohl’s Cash on Adidas to still get a great deal.
