Best running shoes for flat feet
Flat feet and overpronation get talked about as if they are the same thing. They are related but they are not identical. A flat foot describes the shape of your arch when you are stood still. Overpronation describes what your ankle does when you run. Plenty of people have low arches and perfectly ordinary running mechanics, and plenty of people with high arches roll inwards a lot.
This matters because the old advice was to put every flat footed runner in a heavily corrective shoe, and the research has not been kind to that idea. Studies matching shoes to arch height have repeatedly failed to show fewer injuries. What does help is comfort, and comfort tends to come from a shoe with a stable, wide base that does not let your foot collapse inwards at the moment your weight lands on it.
So the list below leans towards support and towards genuinely wide fittings, because a foot that spreads needs room to spread into. If a neutral shoe already feels good on your feet, there is no reason to switch. Comfortable and boring beats corrective and awkward.
The shortlist
These are the shoes the Shoe Finder quiz returns when you answer it as someone in this situation. Same database, same scoring, nothing added by hand. Answer it yourself and you will get a list shaped around your own feet, weight and budget rather than an average.
Brooks Ghost Max 4
£145 · Max cushion · 292g · 6mm drop · 39mm stack · wide fitting
A big, wide, forgiving platform. Very stable underfoot and kind to sore joints.
- Available in a wide fitting
- Some built in support
- Picked for comfortable everyday running
New Balance Fresh Foam X 860v15
£150 · Stability · 344g · 6mm drop · 40mm stack · 4E available
Solid, supportive and heavy. Best if you want obvious control and a roomy fit.
- Available in a wide fitting
- Proper support to stop your foot rolling inwards
- Matches the balanced feel you asked for
- Picked for comfortable everyday running
Hoka Gaviota 6
£160 · Stability · 283g · 6mm drop · 39mm stack · wide fitting
Maximum support and cushioning together. Built for feet that roll inwards a lot.
- Available in a wide fitting
- Proper support to stop your foot rolling inwards
- Picked for comfortable everyday running
Asics Gel-Kayano 33
£179.99 · Stability · 298g · 8mm drop · 40mm stack · 4E available
The classic support shoe. Plush, stable and very hard to fall out with.
- Available in a wide fitting
- Proper support to stop your foot rolling inwards
- Picked for comfortable everyday running
Saucony Hurricane 26
£170 · Stability · 262g · 6mm drop · 41mm stack · wide fitting
Loads of soft foam with support built in. Light for how much shoe it is.
- Available in a wide fitting
- Proper support to stop your foot rolling inwards
- Picked for comfortable everyday running
Adidas Supernova Solution 3
£129.99 · Stability · 281g · 8mm drop · 35mm stack
Cushioned support with a generous fit. Quietly keeps your foot tracking straight.
- Naturally roomy up front, even in the standard fit
- Proper support to stop your foot rolling inwards
- Picked for comfortable everyday running
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25
£145 · Stability · 295g · 10mm drop · 36mm stack · 4E available
The classic support shoe. Sold in more widths than almost anything else out there.
- Available in a wide fitting
- Proper support to stop your foot rolling inwards
- Matches the balanced feel you asked for
Nike Structure 26
£134.99 · Stability · 296g · 10mm drop · 37mm stack · 4E available
Steady and supportive if your ankles roll inwards. Built to last a lot of miles.
- Available in a wide fitting
- Proper support to stop your foot rolling inwards
- Matches the balanced feel you asked for
How this list was put together
Every shoe in our database is scored against a set of rules, and this page shows the top eight for this particular need. The rules are written down in full on the how it works page, including which ones rule a shoe out completely. Nothing on this page is ordered by commission, and the prices are RRP, so shop around because they are very often discounted.
This is a starting point rather than a fitting. Where you can, try shoes on, and if you are running through pain see a physio rather than buying your way out of it.
Common questions
Do flat feet mean I need stability shoes?
Not necessarily. Arch height on its own is a poor predictor of what shoe suits you. If you get no aches and your current shoes feel fine, you do not need to change anything. Support is worth trying if your ankles visibly roll inwards or if you get inner shin or arch soreness.
Are wide fittings important for flat feet?
Often yes, and it is underrated. A low arch usually goes with a foot that spreads out under load. A shoe in a genuine 2E or 4E fitting gives that spread somewhere to go, which does more for comfort than most support features.
Do I need custom orthotics?
Most people do not. If a podiatrist has prescribed them for a specific reason, use them, and pick a shoe with a removable insole and a bit of depth so they fit properly. Buying orthotics off the shelf because you have flat feet is treating a shape rather than a symptom.
Get a list for your feet, not an average one
The shortlist above assumes a fairly typical runner. The shoe finder asks about your width, how your ankles roll, your weight, where you run, your budget and any recurring niggles, then gives you three shoes and tells you why each one made it. It takes about a minute and there is no email or sign up.