
If you're on a tight budget, but still want snowboard boots of decent quality, then check out our selection of what we consider to the best cheap snowboard boots for 2024-2025.
Everyone has a different style, physique and ability level - so this list has been broken up into 4 different boot categories and the best value-for-money boot from each category has been selected (plus several alternatives from each category):
- Best cheap freestyle (mid-soft to mid flexing) boots
- Best cheap all-mountain (medium to mid-stiff flexing) boots
- Best cheap freeride (mid-stiff to stiff flexing) boots
- Best cheap beginner boots
How Each Boot was Chosen
The boots chosen for each category aren’t necessarily the cheapest, but instead offer the best value-for-money. But to make the list, they have to be at least cheaper than the average price of boots from that particular category.
Under each category I will show:
- the average cost of boots in that category
- the cheapest boot I found in that category;
- the reasons why I chose the boot I chose; and
- Some alternatives that are also good value for money
All prices shown in USD.
BEST CHEAP FREESTYLE BOOTS

Boot: Thirty Two Light
Price: $249
Snowboarding Profiles' Freestyle Rating Score : 88.1/100
FREESTYLE BOOTS CATEGORY STATS |
# of freestyle boots rated: | 26 | |
Cheapest boots rated: | $199 | |
Average price of freestyle boots: | $288 | |
Average Rating Score: | 81.3/100 |
Why These Boots Were Chosen
Retaining it's place from last year, we have the ThirtyTwo Light.
The Light comes in at $39 cheaper than the average boot in this category and scores way above the average score. There are cheaper options (some you'll see in the alternatives below) but when it comes to value for money, the Light are top of the pile.
Part of the reason they are cheaper than others of a similar quality is because they use traditional lace. Traditional lace boots tend to be cheaper than speed lace or BOA boots. Personally I often prefer traditional lace boots, as I find they offer the best adjustability. If you're the same, then you luck out when it comes to snowboard boots as they tend to be cheaper.
If not, I will list the cheaper BOA options in the alternatives - but often cheap BOA means single BOA, which aren't very adjustable.
Some other notable numbers:
- The average price for this category went up by $18 compared to last year.
- The average price for the top half (top 13) was $317, making the Light $68 cheaper than those that scored in the top half of this list and was the #7 boot in the category.
- Of the 7 boots costing $249 or less, not named the Light, the average score was 77.3. This compares to the Light's score of 88.1.
Alternatives
Vans Hi-Standard OG (Traditional Lace) - $199 | 83.0 points
K2 Overdraft (Hybrid Trad Lace/BOA) - $279 | 91.5 points
Vans Invado OG (Hybrid Trad Lace/BOA) - $220 | 84.7 points
BEST CHEAP ALL-MOUNTAIN BOOTS

Boot: Nidecker Altai
Price: $299
Snowboarding Profiles' All-Mountain Rating Score : 84.2/100
ALL-MOUNTAIN BOOTS CATEGORY STATS |
# of all-mountain boots rated: | 31 | |
Cheapest boots rated: | $299 | |
Average price of all-mountain boots: | $400 | |
Average Rating Score: | 84.5/100 |
Why These Boots Were Chosen
The Nidecker Altai might only be around the average score, but being $101 cheaper than the average price but still ranking as high as they and scoring as well as they did, got them over the line as the best value-for-money option in the all-mountain boots category.
They are also the equal cheapest in this list. And they are Double BOA - which is typically the most expensive lacing system. If you're looking for something Double BOA, then this is a nice bonus.
Some other notable numbers:
- The average price for this category went down by $6 compared to last year.
- The average price for this category is $112 higher than the freestyle category (see above).
- The average price for the top half (top 14) was $434, making the Altai $135 cheaper than those that scored in the top half of this list!
- Of the 2 other boots costing $299 or less, not named the Altai, the average score was 81.0. This compares to the Altai's 84.2 score.
Alternatives
Vans Hi-Country & Hell-Bound (Traditional Lace) - $370 | 90.8 points
Salomon Dialogue Lace BOA (Hybrid Lace/BOA) - $379 | 89.7 points
DC Judge BOA (Double BOA) - $379 | 87.0 points
Ride Deadbolt Zonal (Double BOA) - $379 | 85.3 points
BEST CHEAP FREERIDE BOOTS

Boot: DC Phantom
Price: $399
Snowboarding Profiles' Freeride Rating Score : 89.9/100
>>See Full Review (review coming soon)
FREERIDE BOOTS CATEGORY STATS |
# of freeride boots rated: | 14 | |
Cheapest boots rated: | $379 | |
Average price of freeride boots: | $463 | |
Average Rating Score: | 86.7/100 |
Why These Boots Were Chosen
Whilst $399 may not sound like anyone's idea of a low price for snowboard boots, for this category it's $64 cheaper than the average price and only $20 more than the lowest priced option.
The fact that the Phantom is not only that well priced for the category, it defies its price-tag by ranking #2 in our Top 5 freeride boots list, which doesn't take price into account.
Some other notable numbers:
- The average price for this category went up by $6 compared to last year.
- The average price for this category is the highest of all the categories - $63 higher than the next highest category (all-mountain), and $175 higher than the freestyle category (see above)!
Alternatives
Nidecker Kita (Double Boa) - $399 | 88.8 points
Ride Insano (Double Boa) ($449 | 89.4 points)
BEST CHEAP BEGINNER BOOTS

Boot: Vans Hi-Standard OG
Price: $199
Snowboarding Profiles' Beginner Rating Score : 94.2/100
BEGINNER BOOTS CATEGORY STATS |
# of beginner boots rated: | 21 | |
Cheapest boots rated: | $189 | |
Average price of beginner boots: | $250 | |
Average Rating Score: | 88.3/100 |
Why These Boots Were Chosen
Note that the outcome here is somewhat skewed because price is taken into account for beginner boots scores - which it isn't in any of the other categories.
But that doesn't take away from the value-for-money of the Hi-Standard OG, if you're looking for an easy going beginner boot to start out your snowboarding journey. They also work well as freestyle boots.
The Hi-Standard OG are $51 cheaper than the average price in this list and got the #1 position in our top 10 beginner boots list. Part of what makes them cheaper is being traditional lace. If you're not big on the idea of traditional lace, check out some others in the alternatives below.
Some other notable numbers:
- The average price for this category went up by $7 compared to last year
- Price is taken into account for the scores for beginner boots – so this is somewhat skewed for this category.
- The average price for the top half (top 11) was $240, making the Hi-Standard OG $41 cheaper than those that scored in the top half of this list. The bottom half of the list had a an average price of $263 - larger than the top half - because price in this case influenced the scores.
- The Hi-Standard OG were the 2nd equal cheapest in the whole category - and only $10 more than the cheapest in the category
- The average price for this category is the lowest of all the categories, naturally being a beginner list - and with those that are suited to this category being softer flexing boots.
Alternatives
DC Phase (Traditional Lace) - $199 | 93.6 points
Burton Moto (Speed Lace) - $229 | 94.8 points
Ride Rook (Single BOA) - $229 | 89.5 points
Thirty Two STW Double BOA (Double BOA) ($279 | 90.1 points) - They are actually one of the more pricey options in this category, but the only double BOA option - and for double BOA is reasonably priced - and Double BOAs also often don't come in this soft a flexing boot)
Also check out our top 10 beginner boots list for some great alternatives as they're all reasonably priced.
Over to You
Thanks for reading and I hope this has helped you to find the right snowboard boots for you and your budget.
Check out the links under each category for more info.
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