The Best Good Cheap Snowboards 2023-2024

BEST CHEAP FREESTYLE SNOWBOARD

Board: Arbor Relapse

Price: $425

SnowboardingProfiles.com Freestyle Rating Score : 85.9/100

>>See Full Review

Why This Board Was Chosen

A very rare thing happened in the snowboard world, and in the world in general: The price of the Arbor Relapse went down!

And with that it managed to snap away the title of Snowboarding Profiles' best cheap freestyle/park snowboard away from the Burton Good Company (which is still great value-for-money too - see alternatives below), which was last year's winner. The 2023 model was $449 and it is now $425. 

The Relapse is a good $64 less than the average price of all freestyle boards I looked at - and well above the average score. In fact, it's #9 in this year's Top 10 Freestyle Snowboards (which doesn't take price into account). 

Some other notable numbers: 

• The top 18 of the 36 freestyle boards had an average price was $507.
• The Relapse was 9th - and was $82 cheaper than the average in the top 18. 
• Of the top 18, the Relapse was the lowest priced.
• There were only 2 boards in the entire list of 36 that were cheaper than the Relapse and those two boards had an average score of 75/100 (vs the Relapse's 85.0/100

Alternatives

• YES Basic (84.2 points | $429)
• Bataleon Disaster (90.8 points | $459);
• Good Company (85.9 points | $449);
• Slash Happy Place (85.9 points | $479);
• YES Dicey (85.2 points | $469);

BEST CHEAP ALL-MOUNTAIN-FREESTYLE SNOWBOARD

Board: Bataleon Whatever

Price: $499

SnowboardingProfiles.com All-Mtn-Freestyle Rating Score : 86.5/100

>>See Full Review

Why This Board Was Chosen

The Bataleon Whatever is a playful all-mountain freestyle board that offers great value for money. 

It’s my 9th overall pick for all-mountain-freestyle snowboards (which doesn't take price into account) and it’s $53 cheaper than the average snowboard in this category, while being a good bit above the average score. 

Some other notable numbers: 

• The average price for this category went up by $27 compared to last year.
• The average price for this category is $63 higher than the freestyle category (see above)
• The average price for the top half (top 16) was $592, making the Whatever $93 cheaper than those that scored in the top half of this list.
• The Whatever was the equal lowest priced board in the Top 16
• Of those costing $499 or less (9 of them), not including the Whatever, the average score was 77.0, putting the Whatever way above the average for its price. 

Alternatives

• Nidecker Gamma (84.8 points | $499)
• Jones Tweaker (87.6 points | $529);
• Capita Spring Break Resort Twin (87.6 points | $549);

BEST CHEAP ALL-MOUNTAIN SNOWBOARD

Board: Bataleon Thunderstorm

Price: $489

SnowboardingProfiles.com All-Mountain Rating Score : 91.0/100

>>See Full Review

Why This Board Was Chosen

Another Bataleon entry here and this one was unanimous and uncontested. To a point that I have to wonder if someone wrote the pricing down wrong on this board. 

The Thunderstorm costs $53 less than the average board in this category and was the 1st= rated board in our Top 10 All-Mountain Snowboards list this year!

Some other notable numbers: 

• The average price for this category went down by $4 compared to last year
• The average price for this category is $10 lower than the all-mountain-freestyle category (see above) but $53 higher than the freestyle category (see above).
• The average price for the top half (top 18) was $552, making the Thunderstorm $63 cheaper than those that scored in the top half of this category.
• The Thunderstorm was the 3rd lowest priced board in the Top 18!
• Of the 11 boards costing $489 or less (not including the Thunderstorm), the average score was 77.3.

Alternatives

Honorable mentions to:

• Capita Outerspace Living ($459, 84.3 points);
• Nidecker Escape ($479, 84.3 points);
• YES Typo ($499 | 86.1 points);
• GNU Essential Service ($499 | 84.9 points)
• Jones Fontier ($499 | 84.9 points)

BEST CHEAP AGGRESSIVE ALL-MTN-FREESTYLE SNOWBOARD

Board: Nidecker Gamma APX

Price: $579

SnowboardingProfiles.com Aggressive All-Mtn-Free Rating Score : 89.2/100

>>See Full Review

Why This Board Was Chosen

Seems crazy to have a $579 board make a "cheap" snowboards list, of course, but if you're looking for an aggressive all-mountain-freestyle board, you're looking at least $549 (of the 15 I rated - this is a pretty niche category).

And the Gamma APX is $49 cheaper than the average price for boards in this list and scores more than the average score. It ranked #4 in this year's Top 5 Aggressive All-Mountain Freestyle list. 

Some other notable numbers: 

• The average price for this category went up by $14 compared to last year
• The average price for this category is $86 higher than the all-mountain category (see above).
• The average price for the top half (top 7) was $653, making the The Gamma APX $74 cheaper than those that scored in the top half of this list.
• There were only 2 boards cheaper in the 15 board list and they had an average score of 83.8.

Alternatives

• YES Basic Uninc RDM ($579 | 86.4 points)

BEST CHEAP AGGRESSIVE ALL-MOUNTAIN SNOWBOARD

Board: Nidecker Escape Plus

Price: $529

SnowboardingProfiles.com Aggressive All-Mtn Rating Score : 84.2/100

Why This Board Was Chosen

The Nidecker Escape Plus usurped the Rome Stale Crewzer this year, but it was a closely run thing (Stale Crewzer still makes the honorable mentions below). 

It's a nice $93 cheaper than the average price in this category and scores right on the average score. 

Some other notable numbers: 

• The average price for this category went up by $19 compared to last year
• The average price for this category is $80 higher than the all-mountain category and $6 lower than the aggressive all-mountain freestyle category (see above)
• The average price for the top half (top 9) was $662, making the Escape Plus a massive $133 cheaper than those that scored in the top half of this list. The Escape Plus ranked 8th out of the 19 boards.
• The Escape Plus was the lowest priced board in the Top 9 and was the 2nd lowest priced in the whole list.

Alternatives

In a category that has a very high average price, there aren't too many cheap options, but the following were notable alternatives: 

• Rome Stale Crewzer ($549 | 84.2 points);
• Nitro Team Camber ($579 | 84.2 points);
• Nidecker Thruster ($579 | 84.2 points); 
• Rome Freaker ($489 | 83.6 points);

BEST CHEAP FREERIDE SNOWBOARD

Board: YES Pick Your Line (PYL)

Price: $549

SnowboardingProfiles.com Freeride Rating Score : 90.8/100

>>See Full Review

Why This Board Was Chosen

The reigning champ retains it's place atop the best value-for-money freeride snowboard podium. 

This one is kind of a no brainer again this year. It was #1 in our top 10 freeride snowboard list this year and it is now $95 cheaper than the average price! 

It's not only the lowest priced option in the freeride top 10, it was the cheapest equal option for the whole top half of the list (top 20). 

Some other notable numbers: 

• The average price of this category went up by $21 compared to last year. 
• The average price for this category is the highest of all the categories - $16 higher than the next highest category (aggressive all-mountain freestyle) and $22 higher than the aggressive all-mountain category (see above)
• The average price for the top half (top 20) was $672, making the PYL a massive $123 cheaper than those that scored in the top half of this list. 
• Of the 6 boards not named the PYL and that were $549 or under, the average score was 80.4.

Alternatives

• Nidecker Alpha APX ($579 | 85.3 points);
  
• Jones Hovercraft 2.0 ($599 | 86.4 points); 
• YES Optimistic ($549 | 84.2 points); 
• Burton Power Wagon ($579 | 84.8 points)

BEST CHEAP MELLOW FREERIDE SNOWBOARD

Board: Bataleon Cuiser

Price: $459

SnowboardingProfiles.com Freeride Rating Score : 86.5/100

>>See Full Review

Why This Board Was Chosen

The Capita Navigator was unseated this year as it went up in price quite a bit and is now a little more than the average price (still a great buy for how well does, making #3 in our Top 10 Mellow Freeride Snowboards list. 

The Cruiser is a very able replacement and is also in our top mellow freeride lists, coming in at #9. It comes in at a huge $110 below the average price and yet still makes the top 10 (which doesn't take price into account), which of course makes it well above the average score for this category. 

Some other notable numbers: 

• The average price for this category went up by $13 compared to last year.
• The average price for this category is $75 lower than the freeride category (see above).
• The average price for the top half (top 16) was $583, making the Cruiser $124 cheaper than those that scored in the top half of this list. 
• Of the 7 boards not named the Cruiser and that were $459 or under the average score was 80.4.

Alternatives

The Bataleon Party Wave ($459 | 86.5 points) was a very close second and the

• Salomon Dancehaul ($499 | 87.1 points); 
• Burton Pow Wrench ($549 | 87.1 points);
• Rome Ravine ($559 | 84.3 points),

all deserve a mention too. 

BEST CHEAP BEGINNER SNOWBOARD

Board: Nitro Prime

Price: $349

SnowboardingProfiles.com Beginner Rating Score : 92/100

Why This Board Was Chosen

The Prime is the cheapest I looked at for this category (and that's saying something in a beginner category) and ranks 2nd overall in my top 10 beginner snowboards list.

It's a good $108 cheaper than the average price. A steal for that first board to progress on and a no-brainer to take this spot yet again this year.   

Price is taken into account for the scores for beginner boards – so this is somewhat skewed for this category.  

Some other notable numbers: 

• The average price for this category went up by $10 compared to last year
• 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 snowboards. 
• Price is taken into account for the scores for beginner boards – so this is somewhat skewed for this category. 
• The average price for the top half (top 20) was $418, making the Prime $69 cheaper than those that scored in the top half of this list. The bottom half of the list had a higher average price than the top half though - because price in this case influenced the scores. 

Alternatives 

Honorable mention to:

• Nidecker Play ($349 | 91.5 points)

>>Check out more great Beginner Snowboard Options