Our 10 Best Cheap Tennis Shoes – Play The Game On a Budget

Tennis is a fun game that is a little expensive in comparison with other sports. It requires you to spend significant money on playing gear like racquets, shoes, bags, clothes, coaching, and more.

Tennis shoes specifically designed for shock absorption, support and comfort, are necessary to play the game, and they have a short lifespan before you buy another pair. At best, they last 6 months and after that, you have to replace them.

However, not everyone can afford to buy premium tennis shoes every quarter or 6 months, but instead what you can do is look for some budget shoes with the best performance possible.

In this article, we tried to identify the best and cheapest tennis shoes under $100, which we consider the barrier between cheap and normal price.

Not all the chosen models are the latest, because some of the iterations were not necessarily an improvement. We believe that some of the previous models are still up there at the top.

Now, let’s take a look at the 10 best cheap tennis shoes you can buy for a relatively small budget.

NB: All currencies on this website are in US Dollars. We will earn a small commission from purchases through the links.

10 Best Tennis Shoes Under $100

Most new pairs of tennis shoes are priced between $120 and $200. This is what you need to pay to get a premium model with good materials and innovative technology.

Nevertheless, some brands like to provide a range of models with prices between $70 and $200. Good examples are Adidas, Nike, and Asics, which are known for the quality and the diversity of their tennis footwear.

We have done thorough research and tests to list the best budget tennis shoes for both men and women based on:

1. Price less than a 100 US Dollars
2. Many available sizes on different websites (not necessary the websites we are affiliate with)

Take a look.

Shoe	Rating	Starting Price	Size Availability
ASICS Men’s Gel-Dedicate 7	8.4/10	$60	*****
NIKE Women’s Court Lite 2	8.6/10	$65	****
Adidas Men’s Court Jam Bounce	8.9/10	$80	*****
Mizuno Women’s Wave Exceed Tour 3	8.3/10	$80	****
New Balance Men’s 696	8.6/10	$65	*****
Adidas Women’s Gamecourt 2	8.4/10	$70	****
ASICS Men’s Gel-Game 8	9.0/10	$80	*****
Asics Women’s Gel-Game 8	8.9/10	$70	*****
K Swiss Men’s Bigshot Light 4	8.4/10	$85	*****
Prince Women’s T22	9.5/10	$89	****

ASICS Men’s Gel-Dedicate 7

Asics is known for the quality and the support of their tennis shoes. They are validated with lots of professionals who are using their footwear, like Djokovic with his Court FF.

This one is an entry-level shoe destined for amateurs who want to save some money. However, the lower price doesn’t mean a lack of support or durability.

In fact, recreational players love the Gel Dedicate 7 for its comfort and support. An EVA midsole with Gel cushioning offers a good level of shock absorption.

The shoe feels heavy and grippy with good traction on clay and hard courts.

The shank in the middle prevents torsion of the feet.

The outsole is from rubber and has decent durability (around 4 months)

The upper is synthetic with mesh but not breathable enough like the Gel Resolution 8.

Nevertheless, it is adequate and flexible for recreational players who want to improve their game.

NIKE Women’s Court Lite 2

The Nike Court Lite 2 is a great shoe for the value. It gives good support to tennis players.

Women will not lack style thanks to a street lifestyle design that pleases the eye.

The shoe is a little heavy but provides awesome levels of traction and grip with a GDR rubber when you change directions and you speed up.

Probably, the best part of the Court Lite 2 is the quality of the materials especially in the upper with great synthetic leather and a breathable mesh.

IF you are looking for performance over comfort, this shoe is a great pick.

Comfort is not the best thing this shoe has to offer.

Adidas Men’s Court Jam Bounce

Adidas has a large panoply of tennis shoes for all kinds of players and budgets. The Courtjam Bounce sits in the middle of the models, to serve recreational and amateur players who want to take it to the next level, with an affordable budget.

The shoe comes with a TPU upper combined with mesh to provide good levels of breathability, flexibility, and protection.

The support of the shoe is correct with a midsole containing Adidas Bounce technology, great for comfort and responsiveness. Also, the shoe rebounds well but has a squeaky feeling.

An Adiwear outsole offers great traction and adds to the shoe’s durability. Expect no less than 4 months of play.

Finally, the shoe is lightweight making you fast on the courts.

This shoe would be a great pick for a budget.

Mizuno Men’s Wave Exceed Tour 3

The Japanese brand might not be as famous as Nike or Adidas, but they have produced good equipment for tennis players over the years.

The Exceed Tour 3 is an affordable shoe that provides good value for a female player.

The shoe fits perfectly players with narrow feet, not wide. Once you put them on, they are comfortable and supportive.

On the court, Mizuno’s Wave Cushioning in the heels and PowNce in the midfoot help with shock absorption and responsiveness. The shoes are great for accelerations and sliding thanks to a balanced and perfect outsole.

The toe box provides loads of room to secure your toes efficiently.

This is not the most durable tennis shoe, but for the value, it does the job quite well.

New Balance Men’s 696 V4

New Balance is famous for its quality and customer care. They strive to make amazing tennis shoes for all kinds of players.

The 696V4 is designed to suit recreational players who ought to buy an affordable pair of shoes.

The upper is made from solid materials with breathable mesh. It gives the player decent flexibility and fit.

A lightweight cushioning in the REVlite midsole helps you feel supported and fast on the court.

The NDurance rubber compound offers great levels of traction.

However, some players have seen their shoes wear off after a while.

Overall, it is a great option for everyday recreational tennis players.

Adidas Women’s GameCourt

This is an update of the Barricade Court, which was one of the best budget tennis shoes.

The new Adidas GameCourt offers Cloudfoam cushioning that absorbs shocks efficiently. Even the collar is padded with the cloudfoam making it comfortable for the heels.

A wide toe box splits people into two categories. Some love the fact that their toes are free from rubbing and they love the comfort. The others complain about not having a good fit in the toes area, which I think is necessary for a tennis shoe, especially for vertical movements like accelerations towards the net.

The upper is breathable and so flexible. And with its lightweight, the shoe provides an amazing experience on all courts.

Finally, the Adiwear outsole makes the shoe versatile, grippy, and durable.

Asics Mens’ & Women’s Gel Game 8

What makes the Gel Game 8 stand out is the fact that is lightweight and quick on the court. In addition, it comes with plenty of cushioning.

They fit well but are slightly narrow. It is not recommended for men and women with wide feet.

The upper is made from plastic and breathable mesh giving flexibility and upper protection.

The midsole is filled with Asics famous GEL, which is shock absorbent and supportive.

A rubber outsole offers good levels of traction and stability while being durable.

This is a solid and recommended choice for recreational players.

K Swiss Men’s Bigshot Light 4

K Swiss is a rising brand in the tennis industry. They have been producing quality shoes over the last few years. The Bigshot Light 4 is not a flagship model like The Hypercourt, but for the value, it is a good pick to save a few bucks.

The shoe upper is made from breathable and flexible mesh for a smooth experience. People love how great their feet fit inside the pair.

People also love the support and absorption under the heels thanks to a good K-EVA midsole enhanced with loads of cushioning.

A rubber outsole gives decent traction and stability on all courts. However, it is not the most durable one out there.

Prince Women’s T22

This shoe needs no introduction. It is one of the bestselling pairs of all time.

They fit great and require no break-in at all. In addition, they are a little on the heavier side for women but they feel stable and secure.

The toe box and the forefoot zone are wide and provide enough room for comfort.

The EVA midsole with ShockEraser heel insert absorbs the shocks and gives you responsiveness and support for lateral and vertical movements.

The support and comfort in this shoe are outstanding considering the price. It is great for people suffering from foot pain, like plantar fasciitis, bunions toe jams thanks to the support in the arch.

By the way, we have a complete guide on the best tennis shoes for plantar fasciitis.

The outsole is made from a resistant compound and offers a 6-month guarantee.

Best Tennis Shoes Under $50

We tried to find good pairs to buy for less than $50 and we couldn’t. It is simply because tennis shoes involve much more cushioning and support than a normal running or lifestyle sneaker, which brings the cost up and never below 70 or 60 dollars.

To buy tennis shoes for less than $50, you have to wait for special discounts like Black Friday or Christmas to get a good deal on a budget shoe.

Alternatively, some websites make great deals on refurbished tennis shoes restored to an almost-like-new condition.

This is what we found after hours of research.

Shoe	Rating	Starting Price	Size Availability
New Balance Women’s 696 V3 Hard Court	8.2/10	$42	***
ASICS Women’s Gel-Resolution 6	7.9/10	$50	**
Reebok Men’s Work N Cushion 4.0	8.7/10	$48	****

We highly recommend NOT buying a tennis shoe under $60, as they do not have enough lateral support and cushioning, so they might hurt your feet or worse, cause fatal injuries.

Final Words

We hope that we gave a valuable resource to quickly identify the best affordable tennis shoe according to your own factors and expectations. Personally, I would always consider support and comfort to be the most important factor in a tennis shoe.

If you want to spend a couple of dollars more on a premium tennis shoe, take a look at this guide.