Our top choices for the best cheap soccer cleats:
- Synthetic: Nike Mercurial Vapor 16 Pro, the first takedown model of the most popular speed cleat. It offers comparable features to the Elite model in terms of quality and performance.
- Leather: Nike Premier 3, the leather cleat that looks and feels like an Elite model, with only subtle differences in fit, support, and performance.
If you’re a beginner in soccer or just play for fun, you can opt for inexpensive soccer cleats and still enjoy your time on the field. Soccer cleat brands usually provide four different levels of footwear, each offering a cleat suitable for the game.
The highest-tier models excel in ball handling and field control, but come at a premium due to their top-notch materials and technologies. Conversely, the bottom-tier models offer affordability with their simpler materials and fewer technologies. Nonetheless, even the least expensive models can deliver satisfactory performance on the soccer field, especially if their top-tier models had significant upgrades for the latest iterations.
Table of Contents
- The Different Tiers of Soccer Cleats
- What are the best cheap soccer cleats?
- The Best Cheap Soccer Cleats from Nike
- The Best Cheap Adidas Soccer Cleats
- The Best Cheap Puma Soccer Cleats
- The Best Cheap Soccer Cleats from Other Brands
The Different Tiers of Soccer Cleats
Renowned companies use specific methods to categorize their ranges of soccer cleats. Adidas and Puma, for instance, differentiate the tier number from the version (generation) number using a decimal point. A lower tier number indicates a higher-quality shoe.
Nike and New Balance categorize their boots into tiers that are straightforward. Nike’s highest-tier boot is the Elite, then comes the Pro model, and lastly the Academy model. On the other hand, New Balance’s top-tier boot is the Pro, followed by the Destroy/Magia, and finally the Dispatch/Magique model.
What are the best cheap soccer cleats?
The most cost-effective soccer cleats offer great value by providing quality and performance that rival more expensive models. Upon closer inspection, some budget-friendly options can perform just as well as top-tier models due to significant upgrades from their premium counterparts.
Do soccer cleats truly have an impact? You might wonder. Well, if your abilities are advancing quickly, it’s advisable to purchase top-quality soccer cleats as they can enhance your performance. When competing at a higher level, increased precision in ball control and field play is essential.
The Best Cheap Soccer Cleats from Nike
Here’s a list of the best cheap soccer cleats from the Nike brand:
Nike Premier 3
Most effective position: Goalkeeper
The Nike Premier 3 ranks as a premium option, yet it comes at a lower price point than any other tier on this list. Offering unparalleled value, this soccer cleat is priced at just $125 while delivering top-notch performance. Crafted with quality materials throughout, the latest iteration also boasts a sleeker design than its forerunner.
If you’re a beginner in soccer, the Premier 3 is an excellent option. Constructed with a kangaroo leather upper, known for its durability in soccer footwear, it shields your foot from strong impacts. The contoured insole molds effortlessly to your foot’s shape, ensuring stability and security during multidirectional movements. Additionally, its conical studs enhance stability and foot performance.
Shop On NIkeNike Tiempo Legend 10 Pro
Most effective positions: Goalkeeper, Center Back, Sweeper, Defensive Midfielder, Central Midfielder, and Center Forward.
The Nike Tiempo Legend 10 Pro outperforms the Premier 3 and costs $25 more. It features the new FlyTouch Pro engineered leather upper, similar to its top-tier model’s design, with only minor distinctions.
The Tiempo Legend 10, the lightest of its kind, boasts significant enhancements in speed, fit, and ball touch. Originally featuring K-leather, it now utilizes engineered leather, a unique synthetic material. The Pro edition weighs just slightly more than the Elite model.
The fit is alike in both top-tier and next-tier models, but the Elite model offers enhanced padding along with superior heel and ankle support. Additionally, the Elite model features an improved soleplate and more prominent studs for increased traction, stability, and ground control.
Opt for the Tiempo Legend 10 Academy if your budget is under $100. Priced at just $85, this option features the FlyTouch Lite engineered leather upper for improved shot accuracy. Additionally, it boasts a redesigned plate to enhance your speed and striking ability.
Shop On NikeNike Phantom GX 2 Pro
Most effective positions: Center Forward, Second Striker, Attacking Midfielder, Central Midfielder, Defensive Midfielder, Center Back, Sweeper, and Goalkeeper.
The Nike Phantom GX 2 Pro is priced $110 lower than the Elite model, offering a familiar Flyknit upper sans the Gripknit feature found in the top-tier version. Additionally, the Pro model lacks the ACC technology for consistent ball touch in varying extreme conditions.
The Phantom GX 2 Pro provides a comparable feel and performance to the Elite model but has a less structured upper, potentially impacting support and performance during multidirectional movements. Additionally, the Pro’s soleplate features a distinct material and less prominent studs compared to the Elite, which could influence traction, stability, and ground control.
Shop On NikeNike Mercurial Vapor 16 Pro
Most effective positions: Center Forward, Striker, Attacking Midfielder, Central Midfielder, Left/Right Midfielder, Defensive Midfielder, and Fullback.
Among professional players, the Nike Mercurial models are widely recognized as the top choice for soccer cleats. The Vapor 16, out of the two siblings (the Vapor 16 and Superfly 10), is the favored option. Its design and materials have earned praise from certain sports medicine physicians due to the excellent balance it provides in terms of comfort, flexibility, support, and shock absorption.
Arguably the top choice for speed, this cleat now features the Zoom Air unit for increased velocity. The Pro version offers comparable features to the Elite model in terms of quality and performance.
Shop On NikeThe Best Cheap Adidas Soccer Cleats
Adidas Copa Pure 3 Pro
Most effective positions: Goalkeeper, Center Back, Sweeper, Wingback, Defensive Midfielder, Central Midfielder, and Attacking Midfielder.
The Adidas Copa Pure 3 finally delivers what you’d expect from a Copa—comfort and that classic, effortless feel when controlling the ball. It’s a noticeable upgrade from its predecessor, offering a better overall fit and improved comfort. While the calfskin leather forefoot isn’t quite as plush as premium K-leather, it still gets the job done with a quality touch. The forefoot is roomy, the midfoot wraps snugly yet adaptively, and the heel counter provides a secure, cushioned lockdown for all-game comfort. Rounding it out, the updated outsole enhances traction and stability, moving naturally with the foot in every direction.
The Adidas Copa Pure 3 Pro may be a takedown model, but it comes impressively close to the top-tier version in both look and feel—so close, in fact, that some players might find its upper even more comfortable. It features many of the premium elements found in the Elite version, including the Fusionskin upper with a leather forefoot, a stretchy adidas PRIMEKNIT tongue, and a plush OrthoLite sockliner. For a next-tier cleat, it punches well above its weight.
Adidas X Crazyfast Pro
Most effective positions: Striker, Second Striker, Winger, Central Midfielder, Left/Right Midfielder, Defensive Midfielder, Fullback, Center Back, and Wingback.
Did you know the Adidas X Crazyfast has become the go-to cleat for professional midfielders? In the 2025–26 season, it even outpaced Adidas’ own control-focused Predator in popularity. Its success in the speed cleat category speaks for itself—and the good news is, many of its top-tier features have trickled down into the next-tier model. While it skips a few elite tech elements like SPEEDSKIN, the carbon heel lock, and molded stability fins, it still delivers impressive performance without the top-shelf price tag.
The X Crazyfast Pro features an engineered mesh upper that delivers a comfortable, adaptive fit with structure and stability in every direction. It offers a close-to-the-foot feel for precise ball control, though with such a thin build, don’t expect much protection against heavy tackles. The high-speed outsole, complete with an imitation carbon inlay of the pinnacle product, closely mirrors the sleek design of the top-tier model. It’s built for explosive takeoffs, capturing exactly what a true speed cleat should deliver.
Adidas Predator Pro
Most effective positions: Goalkeeper, Defensive Midfielder, Central Midfielder, and Attacking Midfielder.
For many players, the Adidas Predator Pro stands out as one of the most comfortable and refined control cleats in its price range. Its top-tier sibling, the Predator Elite, is a midfield icon, and this takedown model carries much of that legacy at a friendlier price point. As long as the Predator Pro sticks around, it’ll remain one of the top-performing and most reliable budget-friendly cleats for playmakers.
The Predator Pro brings the same fierce, aggressive look as its top-tier counterpart. Its HybridTouch 2.0 upper, combined with Strikeskin elements, delivers excellent control and added swerve on the ball, thanks to those extra-grippy rubber fins that give the Predator its signature edge. These features set it apart from most takedown control cleats. And just like the Elite version, it comes with a soleplate and stud configuration that closely mirrors the top-end model for a premium feel underfoot.
The Best Cheap Puma Soccer Cleats
Puma Ultra 5 Pro
Most effective positions: Striker, Winger, Central Midfielder, Left/Right Midfielder, Defensive Midfielder, Center Back, and Sweeper.
The Puma Ultra 5 Pro is arguably the best bang-for-your-buck option among non-leather takedown models. It boasts high-quality materials that closely resemble those used in previous top-tier Ultra editions, both in look and feel. Priced similarly to entry-level takedown models from Nike and Adidas, the Ultra 5 Pro stands out by offering noticeably better construction and materials than most budget-tier cleats on the market.
The Ultra 5 Pro features a snug mesh upper that hugs the foot for a close, secure fit. PWRTAPE technology reinforces key areas, delivering impressive stability and support during quick sprints and sharp cuts. Adding to its performance edge, the GripControl Pro skin enhances touch and ball control for confident play. Unlike many takedown models, the Ultra 5 Pro doesn’t cut corners underneath—it sports a soleplate and stud pattern that closely mirrors its top-tier counterpart.
Puma Future 8 Pro
Most effective positions: Striker, Second Striker, Central Midfielder, Defensive Midfielder, Fullback, Wingback, and Goalkeeper.
Puma has enhanced the Future model, improving its fit and performance for this latest version. Neymar Jr quickly adopted the top-end model as his official soccer cleat upon its release. The updated version features a more sophisticated FUZIONFIT upper technology with a flexible LYCRA layer, 3D Fuzionpods, and PWRTAPE for an adaptable fit that offers improved compression and midfoot support. To maximize ball control and striking power, Puma incorporated a textured high-density mesh layer with a GripControl Pro finish.
The enhancements were passed on to the initial lower-tier version, the Puma Future 8 Pro. However, while it looks nearly the same, this model lacks certain technologies present in the top-tier model. Nevertheless, this soccer cleat is constructed with premium materials throughout. It has the following technologies:
- A highly elastic four-way stretch yarn upper and a stretchy knitted collar
- Raised mesh lines and GripControl technology to enhance ball grip and control
- PWRTAPE across the midfoot for lockdown and stability
- 360-degree agility in the outsole, designed to outmaneuver the opposition
The Best Cheap New Balance Soccer Cleats
New Balance 442 v2 Pro
Most effective position: Goalkeeper, Left/Right Full Back, Center Back, Sweeper, and Defensive Midfield
The New Balance 442 v2 Pro used to be a premium soccer cleat priced like a lower-tier model. It now has an Elite edition that is slightly superior and pricier. This New Balance soccer cleat has seen significant enhancements in fit, quality, and performance from its previous version and is increasingly popular among soccer players. Despite New Balance switching the upper material from leather to microfiber, it remains one of the rare soccer cleats that provides high-quality materials at an affordable price.
The NB 442 v2 Pro is a traditional soccer cleat that combines comfort with a contemporary style and materials. Featuring a high-quality microfiber upper and a performance nylon outsole with conical studs from rearfoot to forefoot, it enhances foot function, stability, and touch on the ball and field.
New Balance Furon V8 Pro
Most effective positions: Goalkeeper, Left/Right Winger, and Attacking Midfielder
New Balance’s well-known soccer cleat, the Furon V8, is highly acclaimed for its top-quality materials and advanced technology that offer comfort, support, and excellent ball and field control. Numerous professional soccer athletes rely on its premium model, particularly midfielders and forwards. Over 30 elite players, such as Bukayo Saka from Arsenal and Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer 04 Leverkusen, now utilize this cleat in top-tier competitions.
The enhanced upper design of the New Balance Furon v8 offers improved fit, comfort, and performance compared to the previous model, the v7, despite the v7’s popularity among professionals in elite competitions. The Furon v8 Pro includes advanced technologies such as an extended strike zone, a lightweight nylon plate with chevron studs, and a performance sock liner. This lower-tier model delivers a fast, agile, soft, and comfortable feel similar to the Elite version.
The Best Cheap Soccer Cleats from Other Brands
Here’s a list of the best cheap soccer cleats from other brands:
Mizuno Morelia Neo IV Pro KL
Most effective positions: Goalkeeper, Center Back, Sweeper, Fullback, Wingback, Defensive Midfielder, and Central Midfielder.
The Mizuno Morelia Neo IV Pro KL is a K-leather soccer cleat that provides great value due to its high-quality materials and contemporary design. Featuring supple kangaroo leather on the forefoot and synthetic materials on the midfoot and heel, it delivers exceptional fit and support.
This soccer cleat is 35% K-leather and 65% synthetic. Additionally, it has a sockliner that includes a textured coating to help keep the foot secure during quick movements. Its traditional molded outsole, equipped with conical studs, also ensures stability and comfort on the field.
Lotto Solista 200 IV
Most effective positions: Goalkeeper, Center Back, Sweeper, Fullback, Wingback, and Attacking Midfielder.
The Lotto Solista 200 IV soccer cleat provides great value and is possibly the top-performing option listed here. It’s a premium cleat made from high-quality materials but available at a budget-friendly cost. At least one professional soccer player utilizes the Solista 200 IV in defensive roles.
The speed cleat features a supple, seamless 3D knit upper for a snug sock-like feel, embossed for better ball control. It includes gentle padding and an inner lining for enduring comfort and support, with Punto Flex Technology at the front to boost agility and responsiveness. Strategically positioned EVO and conical studs enhance stability, speed, flexibility, and grip during multi-directional maneuvers.
Final Thoughts on the Best Cheap Soccer Cleats
If you’re looking for a great deal on soccer cleats, keep an eye out for significant upgrades in the newest high-end models. Lower-end, cheap soccer cleats often benefit from these improvements, aiming to emulate the quality of their pricier counterparts. As your skills advance, consider investing in high-end cleats for their superior materials and technologies.
Best Cheap Soccer Cleats FAQs
What’s the difference between expensive and cheap cleats?
The differences between expensive and cheap cleats are the quality of materials and technology. The top-end, most expensive models have the most premium materials and the best technologies that make them very effective on the ball and field. They are also the lightest shoes. On the other hand, cheaper soccer cleats are heavier than expensive cleats because they have lower-quality materials. They also miss out on technologies that the expensive models have.
How long should a pair of cleats last?
A good soccer cleat may last up to 10 months without any issue with its effectiveness on the ball and field. If you are new to soccer, it may even last longer. But as you regularly, you will also develop strength and power, which could shorten the lifespan of your footwear.
Why are Nike football boots so expensive?
Nike football boots are the most famous footwear among professional players who don’t settle for second-best shoes. This brand has 49.7% of elite players using its boots in high-level competitions. Four of Nike’s shoes are in the top 10 most famous boots: Mercurial, Phantom GX, and Tiempo. These shoes tell a lot about how effective they are on the ball and field. So the things that make Nike football boots so expensive are the premium materials that keep them super light and the technologies that make them ultra-effective on the football field.
Are soccer cleats important?
Yes. Wearing soccer cleats is the only way you can have success on the soccer field. If you play soccer and wear shoes other than soccer cleats, you won’t stand a chance against an opponent who has the proper gear. Soccer cleats give you total control of the ball and the field.
Do you need special shoes for soccer?
If you are new to soccer, you can wear low-end shoes to save cash. Each model, even the cheapest soccer cleats, has the design to function as a complete gear. But as you grow and improve your skills, you will need more special shoes that can match your movements and encourage a better version of yourself.
Are laceless soccer cleats better?
Laceless soccer cleats may be better than lace-up shoes if you want a distraction-free touch on the ball. The laceless models also have reinforced support on the upper to help secure the foot and add more stability for multidirectional movements. But unlike lace-up shoes, you cannot have a custom fit in laceless soccer cleats. So once they overstretch, there’s no way of tightening them up.
Is Adidas or Nike better for soccer?
You can never go wrong choosing Adidas or Nike for any of your soccer gear. These are two of the most famous brands in soccer. And even though sometimes you’ll feel the prices of the top-end models are too much, they offer the most premium materials and the best technologies that make life and performance on the soccer field easy and more efficient.
How much do cleats help?
Good soccer cleats can give you better touch and control of the ball. They have upper materials that hug the foot and provide stable support for multidirectional movements. They have a stiffer soleplate that protects the foot from the ground. And studs that provide traction and stability in all directions.
Do soccer cleats really make a difference?
Yes. Good soccer cleats can provide complete functionality on the soccer field. They provide superb support for quick cuts, lateral movements, and straight-line acceleration. They offer stiffer soleplates that help prevent injury to the foot. And studs that offer sure traction and stable support in all directions.
What are good brands for soccer cleats?
The best brands for soccer cleats are Nike, Adidas, Puma, and Mizuno. These are the most famous brands trusted by professional soccer players because of their quality of materials and technologies that help bring out the best in a soccer player.
Why do soccer cleats cost so much?
Soccer cleats cost so much because they have premium materials that make them super lightweight, even lighter than running shoes. They also have state-of-the-art technologies that help enhance your touch and control of the ball, support/stability in all directions, and speed and traction for quick cuts, lateral movements, and explosive acceleration.
What are the best cheap laceless soccer cleats?
The best cheap laceless soccer cleats are Lotto Solista 100 IV and New Balance Tekela V4+ Magique because they offer low prices and a comfortable and secure lockdown.
You may also like: