Once upon a time on the day of a hyped sneaker release, we would stand outside whatever store was offering that specific drop, and wait in a ridiculously long line before finding out whether or not the shoe was still in stock upon getting in. Those lines were full of adventures, surprises, disappointments, and even. fights. While in-store drops are still very much a thing (the recent Carmine release for example), more and more of our sneaker transactions are being done not just online, but via the best sneaker apps on the market.
Most sneakerheads have a love/hate relationship when it comes to sneaker apps as a whole. The ability to purchase online is supposed to make the process smoother, but a legitimate argument could be made that you stood more of a chance waiting in line outside of Nike to get the latest Dunks, then you now do on SNKRS participating in ‘drawing.’ When you snag a W, it's the most amazing feeling in the world, and when you take an L, it stinks (especially knowing that you are going to have double or triple the price via resellers).
We aren’t here to turn this into a conversation about bots, resellers, and the general inconveniences of dealing with online drops, we are here to help you navigate the process better by giving you the pros and cons of ten different sneaker apps that can help you out with getting your most desired sneakers. While we can’t guarantee a win, it is our hope that this list can make your life slightly easier. Here we go.
StockX has a case for being the most reliable platform for buying sneakers. They offer some of the latest releases, as well as the rare older gems that may be harder to find on other websites. Just a general warning for sneaker apps on the secondary market: you probably aren’t going to find any sneaker for its original retail price. Once the drops make its way to resell, it is pretty much a guarantee that you will be spending a little extra. That said, the selections on StockX are worth checking out, the ask/bid prices are decent (though youth sizes can be a little harder), and everything is automatically authenticated so that you don’t have to worry about any fakes.
GOAT is another awesome sneaker marketplace with a vast selection. You can choose to buy for the seller’s asking price, or you could go the route of ‘haggling’ for a lower price. GOAT gives you the option to buy sneakers both used and new, and similar to StockX, all sneakers are authenticated, with everything going to GOAT first for verification. The GOAT inventory is sick with a great mixture of new and retro, and the consumer experience is very simple and easy.
We know that you are probably rolling your eyes at the mere mention of SNKRs, but for the time, SNKRS still remains our best chance at being able to snag any pair of Nike and Jordan brand sneakers at retail value. To give you an example; the Nike Dunk High ‘Syracuse’ sneakers were released this past March on the SNKRS app for a retail price of $110. As of this writing, the lowest asking price on StockX for those Dunks is $195 for a size 8 in mens, and the highest asking price is $490 for a 4.5 (which is considered a youth size).
Based on your size, you could be spending anywhere from $100 to $400 more than the original retail price. So while we understand how much of a frustrating experience SNKRS can be, it is still our recommendation to try buying through the app first, because if you do get a W, it will save you from paying ridiculous resell prices. Ok, rant over.
So since we covered SNKRS, we might as well work our way to the Confirmed App. Adidas is definitely better than Nike in the sense that their overall website catalogue is more diverse in terms of newer releases, but many of the exclusive sneaker releases (Yeezys for example) still drop via the Confirmed App. Confirmed offers a specially curated selection of exclusive sneakers and collaborations, that can be purchased only on the app.
The process of buying sneakers through Confirmed is pretty similar to SNKRS; you put your name in and hope for the best. Our sentiments for Confirmed are pretty much the same as SNKRs—it's better to try getting those select releases on the app first, before potentially spending hundreds of dollars more on the secondary market. It doesn’t hurt to try right?
Since we have covered so many apps dedicated solely to buying sneakers, we figured we would put an app on the list for sneaker release dates. While you can definitely use KicksonFire to shop, the app is globally recognized as being one of the best go-to places for upcoming sneaker releases. KicksonFire doesn’t just cover Jordan/Nike releases, they also give you the lesser covered sneakers that aren’t garnering as much attention.
Now as far as their shoe collection—they have a decent selection as well, but certain shoes are overpriced compared to other outlets. For example: KicksonFire offers the Nike Air Force 1 07s for around $140, whereas Nike is offering that exact same shoe for $90. That is where KicksonFire falls short from a retail standpoint in our opinion, however, they still remain among the best at giving you the most diverse sneaker calendar.
Similar to StockX and GOAT, Stadium Goods is a quality app that offers sneakers on the secondary market. The app is user friendly, with an assortment of many newer and older releases. Now as far as their overall prices, we have to be honest—Stadium Goods tends to be more expensive than other apps such as StockX.
The newer releases aren’t too far off from other outlets, but the retros (especially Jordans) can be a lot pricer on Stadium Goods. While not at the top of our list, they are still a good place for sneaker shopping.
In our experience, eBay has been one of the best places to cop sneakers. Now there are some pros and cons to buying sneakers through eBay, so let's get into them. Here are pros: you can find loads of rare sneakers on eBay, and it is a lot easier to get your hands on youth sizes. Youth sizes can be a hit or miss on other sneaker apps, and many times it is borderline impossible to find certain sneakers in kids sizes (some of us adults have smaller feet too.)
Now as far as the cons: you could potentially run into an authentication issue. Some sneakers do come with an authenticity guarantee, but that isn’t the case with every pair being sold on eBay. If you aren’t careful, you could end up with a fake from somebody who is trying to recoup money from being duped themselves, or just simply unaware of the fact that they had a fake in their possession.
Here is our tip: As with every seller on eBay, make sure whoever you are buying from has a good rating, an authenticity guarantee for certain sneakers you know could have an issue with fakes, and a 30-day return policy so that you can return if need be.
Finish Line is another go-to for sneakers. While they may not have all of the latest releases, they do offer some new drops from time to time. However, like many other sneaker apps, those new releases can be extremely limited as well, and you can’t even begin to access the app or website on drop days (JD Sports doesn’t work either—trust us we’ve tried). That said, Finish Line has a good mix if you are just looking for ‘regular’ sneakers. You can find an assortment of sneakers from Nike, Adidas, Puma, athlete collabs etc., and they also do a solid job at keeping youth sizes in stock.
Buying through Laced is almost comparable to playing a video game, and it is probably your best shot at being able to get new releases at retail value (or anything close to it). If Laced isn’t anything else, it’s super fun. Each individual auction has a countdown in which users bid each other until the end of the auction. The winner is able to purchase the shoes at the final bidding price, while the other participants are awarded store credit. While it’s not likely that you’ll snag a pair of AJ1s for $2, there is technically a possibility that you could, and that in itself makes Laced worth the download.
Next, we have Suplexed, a price comparison app that displays all prices for certain sneakers amongst competitors. It can get a bit confusing and time consuming going back forth between all the different sneaker websites to compare prices, so Suplexed saves you the hassle. The app is easy to use, and gives users the option to purchase through each sneaker app by taking them directly to the listing of whatever platform they choose from. Straightforward and simple.
Grailed is another good place for both buying and reselling sneakers as it is a peer-to-peer company. A simple browse through their website shows quite literally hundred of thousands of sneaker listings ranging in brands, condition, and price. On Grailed you can get new, next to new, or even stumble upon a rare goodie that you've been looking for forever. Give them a try if you haven't already.
If you aren't having luck snagging new releases on other apps, Sole Retriever is here to help as the company has every single hyped release, and helps you out by providing quick and easy access to sneaker information at a reasonable price. By joining Sole Retriever you'll be able to get the latest news on sneaker drops, access to sneaker raffles, and even sneaker leaks on when potential shoes may come out.
Buying a fake sneaker is a pain we hope you never experience. Luckily with apps such as LEGIT APP, the possibility of that happening gets taken out the equation completely. How does it work? Simple. All you have to do is download the app and upload pictures of the sneaker you wish to buy. LEGIT has a trained team of experts who will then authenticate or detect fakes by reviewing your photos. See? Easy enough!
Sometimes people sleep on stores like Foot Locker because they don't have most of the exclusive releases that SNKRS and Confirmed offers, and that's a shame because you can really find some solid sneakers for equally solid prices. Foot locker offers a variety of 1s, 4s, 5s, Forces, Dunks, etc., that are solid additions to any closet. If you don't particular care about the hyped releases and just want a great pair of sneakers, then Foot Locker is the place to go.
If you can't get the full in-person shopping experience at CoolKicks (which appears to be very dope if you watch their videos), then the next best option is to visit their app. The CoolKicks app allows you to buy exclusive sneakers below market value. It's still on our bucket list to visit CoolKicks though.
While there are other sneaker apps that you can use for buying, exploring, researching, etc., these were a few that we felt were the best. Whether you choose to use the apps listed in this article or not, we hope our roundup was helpful.
