If you are thinking of getting into soccer, you have likely started wondering how much does soccer cleats cost.
Especially if you have never played the sport before or have a worn pair and could do with a replacement.
Now when it comes to buying cleats, it isn’t the easiest decision to make.
That is because there are so many aspects to consider, and one of them is the cost of cleats at different price points.
In this post, I will be:
- Explaining the tiers
- The cheapest and the most expensive (Plus reasons why that is)
- As well as giving you overall advice on buying certain cleats
Table of Contents
The Reason For Different Priced Soccer Cleats
What is great about Soccer Cleats is that you can get them from a few dollars up no matter what budget you are rocking with.
You can get them quite cheap because, like most types of equipment, you have tiers.
You have the ones that are made with greater detail and therefore are made to be the best.
But you also have soccer cleats made by brands to cater for those on a budget.
However still to a good level where users will be able to get a great experience from wearing them.
Having these different price points allows your big brands, such as Nike and Adidas, to name a few, to sell to anybody.
If the only soccer cleats you could buy were $500, for example, of course, people would buy them but not everybody who wants to play the game would.
That is because it’s likely going to be out of a budget they are comfortable spending on footwear.
It can also work both ways with people with the freedom to spend a lot on soccer cleats, not wanting to buy cheaper pairs.
So very simply brands simply want to cater for everyone from both a business point of view but I’m sure also to make the sport accessible so that anyone can play it.
How Much Do Soccer Cleats Cost On Average?
If you are looking at the prices in the middle between the top and the lower end, the average cost of soccer cleats is $80-$150.
For brands, this would include Nike’s Pro and Academy ranges of cleats.
And for Adidas, you have their X.1 and X.2 range.
Which for each are both in the middle of what they offer.
You will also find that other brands have cleats within the same price regions.
Making that amount a good average no matter what type of brand you choose.
Now while that is an average cost, I have found that those who tend to pay certain amounts on cleats depends on the level of playing.
For instance, if you are playing kick about stuff, most of your mates will just have cleats within the average cost range.
However, if you are playing at a professional, you will find it uncommon to see players having any cleats that are somewhat not expensive.
What Are The Cheapest Cleats?
The cheapest football cleats you can buy is $45.
That is the price you will find for all the top soccer cleat brands, including Nike, Adidas and Puma.
While you will need that amount of money to get a nice pair of fresh cleats, you can get donated or second-hand cleats for less.
If you don’t mind them having previously been worn, it does offer a cheaper alternative.
You can also find some cheap knockoffs from places such as Amazon, where there are literally loads of boots for about $10 a pop.
However, while the aim for you is to find the cheapest soccer cleats on the market, you still want some that are going to at least last and not give you blisters.
So I would say for the $45-$75 mark, you can get some good quality cleats that will feel comfortable and prove good value for money.
If you are on a budget, these boots are the best ones on the market for you:
1. Nike Phantom GT ($55)
First, you have the club version of the Nike Phantoms, which offer a budget cleat that is some cool features to help you get the best out of your game.
These cleats have generative texture on the upper, which gives you an extra grip of the ball, making it easy for you to dribble with pace.
That isn’t the only aspect that will help you string quick tempo attacks, as you also have a hybrid stud configuration to give you optimum traction.
Even though this is technically the 4th and last tier Nike has, it is still a good quality soccer cleat to wear.
2. Adidas X Ghosted .3 ($56)
Another cheap alternative is Adidas’s X Ghosted cleats in the .3 version, which is the lowest tier they do. For $56, you get a pair of cleats that help you unleash speed on the football pitch.
This is because these are lightweight and have a speedskin upper, which is designed to feel close to your feet.
3. Puma Ultra 3.2 ($49.99)
The Puma Ultra also have a great option for a soccer cleat for those who are looking for a cheap pair.
These boots excel in the dribbling aspect, with a GripControl feature that gives you more grip and control of the ball.
Other features include a speed unit outsole made of track spikes to improve players traction and speed, along with a knitted collar and a lightweight upper to give you comfortability.
4. Nike Tiempo Legend VIII Club ($45)
The second Nike soccer cleat, which I have used a cheaper version of in previous years, is the Nike Tiempo’s.
You have a proven sturdy cleat with these, but with the unstitched synthetic material, you get a comfortable and light experience when playing.
When growing up, these were the cleats I turned to frequently, and that is because you simply can’t go wrong with them.
5. Adidas Predator Freak .3
Adidas Predator Freaks offer something different to your standard set of cleats while still coming with a very cheap price tag.
While these may be again the .3 tier, they still have a resemblance to the expensive boots.
First, you have the cool design with the demonscale, where the elements have been placed all over the upper.
For the low price shown above, though, you get cleats made of good quality materials and has been put together to give you a nice experience on the field.
What Are The Most Expensive Soccer Cleats?
Now that we have the cheapest soccer cleats out of the way, let’s move on to some on the other end of the scale.
The most expensive soccer cleats are priced between $140 and $300.
Of which covers Nike’s Pro and Elite plus Adidas x and .1 ranges of cleats.
You are truly getting the best that brands have to offer for these prices, from the technology to the materials used to make them; it is all of the highest quality.
They also tend to last longer, meaning you don’t have to change them often.
These are all the reasons why I have slowly made a transition from cheaper cleats to expensive cleats.
As I see it, if you play a lot of soccer, it only makes sense to invest in your footwear.
If you’re going to be playing a few times a week, whether casual or serious, it can be worth buying an expensive pair.
While some people would call me silly for spending $300 on a pair of cleats, and trust me, that does happen.
The experience you have with them are unmatched, in my opinion.
I am not talking about them making you as quick as Usain Bolt or as clinical as Aguero, but the overall feel is on another level.
Like the cheapest cleats, I will share some of the most expensive soccer cleats you can buy with you.
1. Nike Mercurial Superfly 8 Elite ($275)
When we’re talking about popular soccer cleats that come with a hefty price tag, the Mercurial Superfly’s, which are the version with the collar, enter the frame.
Having worn many pairs of this silo, I have concluded that these are just fantastic cleats for the soccer game.
They excel in the comfort area, with a brand new upper that has been improved for the latest eighth generation of the silo.
The upper offers breathability and feel too. You also have an internal chassis that helps players get off the mark faster along with ACC to give you the same experience in different conditions.
Another addition that you can see from the picture is that these cleats have a dynamic collar.
Now, if you are not a fan of it, you can go for the vapors, which is essentially the same cleat but without the sock.
2. Neymar Jr Future Z 1.1 ($200)
Made with inspiration to the Brazilian star Neymar, these are the joint-most expensive soccer cleats that Puma offers.
There was a lot of excitement when these were first released at the end of last year, and you can see why because these cleats really do look the part.
To go with a Brazilian infused design, these boots are made to be dynamic with a FUZIONFIT+ midfoot.
A Dynamic Motion System and a flexible upper are also other notable features that all together put these cleats on an elite level.
Now, these are a lot cheaper than the Mercurials, but for $200, you will still need to fork out a fair bit to get your hands on these in-demand cleats.
3. Predator Freak+ ($275)
Revisiting the predators from earlier, Adidas have a tier for those who have a bit more leeway with their budget.
If you have $275 spare, you can get yourself a pair of the Adidas Predator Freak+ cleats, which, while they will cost you an extra $200 on the .3 version, are made to a higher quality.
This includes the key feature of demonskin on the upper, which the cheapest version doesn’t have.
Now while the look of the cleats is the same, up close and from the image above, you can see the spikes of the demonskin.
This is a really cool addition since these have been put on the boot to give you more dictation of the ball.
To round other sweet features of these cleats, you have a two-piece Primeknit upper and a split tooled soleplate.