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Best Running Shoes for Beginners 2026, Plus Picks Around $100
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items First running shoes picked from Runner's World's beginner testing and RunRepeat's 2026 budget lab tests. Start with comfort, then pick by what matters to you: support, bad knees, wide feet or price. I may earn a small commission if you buy through th...
Sections
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Safe first picks
If you're worried about your knees or need support
Wide feet or a natural feel
Around $100 or less
Popular all-rounders
Safe first picks
Comfortable, forgiving shoes that work for most new runners.
A soft, steady neutral trainer. Runner's World named it the best overall shoe for beginners.
Brooks Ghost 18
New Balance's new run-club shoe with a bouncy Fresh Foam X midsole. Runner's World named it the best value beginner shoe, and one tester said it felt like running with a strong wind at her back.
New Balance Ellipse
If you're worried about your knees or need support
Extra cushion or guidance for injury-cautious new runners.
A tall, cushioned Nike trainer with a wider base. Runner's World named it the best beginner shoe for bad knees.
Nike Vomero 18
Brooks's long-running stability shoe with GuideRails on both sides. Runner's World named it the best beginner shoe for stability, saying the rails help keep feet and knees aligned when form gets tired.
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25
Wide feet or a natural feel
Roomier fits and low-drop options.
Brooks's plush cushioned trainer. Runner's World named it the best beginner daily trainer for wide feet and says testers love its soft, comfy ride.
Brooks Glycerin 23
A zero-drop shoe with a 28 mm stack. Runner's World named it the best zero-drop trainer for beginners who want more ground feel without losing softness.
Altra Torin 9
A roomy trail shoe that feels like a road shoe. Runner's World named it the best trail shoe for beginners, citing Altra's wide toebox.
Altra Experience Wild 3
Around $100 or less
Lab-tested value picks that don't feel cheap.
An $80 ASICS trainer. RunRepeat named it the best budget ASICS shoe for its forgiving ride and durable outsole.
ASICS Versablast 4
A $100 Brooks trainer. RunRepeat named it the most durable cheap running shoe, with a grippy, long-lasting outsole.
Brooks Revel 9
A $110 stability shoe, just over the line. RunRepeat named it the best-value stability shoe among cheap running shoes for its steady arch support.
ASICS GT-1000 15
Popular all-rounders
The everyday trainers most running stores hand new runners first.
HOKA's light, soft everyday trainer. Fleet Feet calls it a reliable shoe from your first miles to your first race, and Wirecutter testers liked it for relaxed and recovery runs.
HOKA Clifton 10
A firmer, flexible Fresh Foam X daily trainer. Fleet Feet picks it for beginners for its reliable ride, and one Wirecutter tester recommended it for new runners doing short jogs.
New Balance 880v15
Saucony's balanced neutral trainer, available in standard and wide. Fleet Feet puts it first in its 2026 beginner picks, and RunRepeat's lab scored it 88 with high energy return.
Saucony Ride 19
Nike's long-running do-it-all trainer. Runner's World's editors list the Pegasus among the proven, widely stocked workhorses they suggest new runners try on.
Nike Pegasus 42
ASICS's mid-cushion neutral trainer. Runner's World editors name the Gel-Cumulus as a longtime beginner workhorse, and Fleet Feet includes the line in its beginner picks.
ASICS Gel-Cumulus 28