Stores Like Payless: 12 Budget Shoe Retailers That Actually Deliver
Text
About Payless
Founded
1956
USA
Ships to
US
Sizes
Kids and adult sizes
Editor-reviewed
Every recommendation read and refined by hand
Honest tradeoffs
Drawbacks listed, not hidden
No paid placements
Brands cannot pay to be ranked
The clearance wall — that back corner where a pile of $9.99 sandals and $14.99 sneakers spilled into bins, where a mom could shoe three kids for the price of one pair at the mall — that energy didn't die when Payless liquidated. It scattered. It landed in the Walmart shoe aisle, in the Target flats display, in the Amazon "add to cart" reflex for a pair of dupes that show up in two days.
Payless came back as a website and a thin ribbon of stores, and the price ambition is intact. The Airwalk skate shoes, the American Eagle-branded kids' pairs, the buy-one-get-one signage that trained a generation of shoppers — the DNA is still there.
What's missing is the network. There is no longer a Payless within a strip-mall drive of nearly everyone in America, which was the entire point. Order online, guess your kid's size, hope the glue holds past the first rainy recess.
The problem was never the low price. It was that the reasons to walk into a physical Payless — try them on, walk out with them today, replace them next month without thinking — moved to stores that still have that footprint. So where do you buy cheap, decent shoes for the whole family when the store around the corner is gone?
Payless came back as a website and a thin ribbon of stores, and the price ambition is intact. The Airwalk skate shoes, the American Eagle-branded kids' pairs, the buy-one-get-one signage that trained a generation of shoppers — the DNA is still there.
What's missing is the network. There is no longer a Payless within a strip-mall drive of nearly everyone in America, which was the entire point. Order online, guess your kid's size, hope the glue holds past the first rainy recess.
The problem was never the low price. It was that the reasons to walk into a physical Payless — try them on, walk out with them today, replace them next month without thinking — moved to stores that still have that footprint. So where do you buy cheap, decent shoes for the whole family when the store around the corner is gone?
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The 12 Best Alternatives to Payless
1
Famous Footwear
Est. 1960
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
$$$
pricier
Families who want name brands like Nike and Skechers on frequent BOGO deals
The most direct heir to Payless's family-shoe-store role, with actual mall and strip-mall locations plus brand-name kicks under one roof.
Pros
- Real store network for try-ons and same-day pickup
- BOGO 50% and rewards points make brand names affordable
- Wide kids' selection with actual Nike, Adidas, Skechers
Cons
- Not truly extreme-budget — starting prices well above Payless
- Best deals require the rewards membership
2
Shoe Carnival
Est. 1978
Evansville, Indiana, USA
$$$
pricier
Bargain hunters who like doorbuster deals and buy-one-get-one events
Value-driven shoe superstore with a family focus and constant promos, filling the physical-store gap Payless left.
Pros
- Circus-atmosphere in-store deals and spin-the-wheel discounts
- Strong athletic and kids' inventory
- Frequent BOGO events
Cons
- Locations concentrated in the South and Midwest
- Higher entry price than Payless
3
Walmart
Est. 1962
Bentonville, Arkansas, USA
≈
similar
Shoppers who want the absolute lowest price and one-stop convenience
Absorbed a huge share of former Payless shoppers with rock-bottom footwear prices and an everywhere store network.
Pros
- Genuinely matches Payless price points, often lower
- Stores within reach of nearly everyone
- Grab shoes with your groceries
Cons
- Quality is hit-or-miss at the cheapest tier
- Limited try-on help; shoe section is self-serve
4
Target
Est. 1962
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
≈
similar
Shoppers who want budget shoes that look more expensive than they are
Cheap, on-trend footwear with a nicer in-store experience, capturing style-conscious ex-Payless buyers.
Pros
- Trend-right women's flats and sandals under $30
- Universal Thread and other in-house lines feel elevated
- Easy returns and wide store network
Cons
- Weaker on men's and athletic performance shoes
- Styles sell out fast and rarely restock
Visit Target
Full guide: Stores Like Target
5
DSW
Est. 1991
Columbus, Ohio, USA
$$$
pricier
Shoppers trading up to real brands without paying full retail
Discount shoe warehouse with genuine brand names at markdowns, for those wanting a step up in quality from Payless.
Pros
- Huge selection of discounted brand-name shoes
- VIP rewards program returns real value
- Strong clearance section rivals Payless prices
Cons
- Base prices far above Payless
- Best deals require digging through clearance
Visit DSW
Full guide: Stores Like DSW
6
Amazon
Est. 1994
Seattle, Washington, USA
≈
similar
Shoppers who know their size and want it delivered in two days
The default replacement for the missing Payless store — cheap footwear, fast delivery, endless dupes.
Pros
- Enormous range from generic budget to name brands
- Prime delivery and easy returns
- Reviews help dodge the worst quality
Cons
- No try-on; sizing roulette on unknown brands
- Quality varies wildly seller to seller
7
Rack Room Shoes
Est. 1920
Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
$$$
pricier
Families in the South wanting brand names on buy-one-get-one
Family shoe chain with a Southern footprint and steady BOGO deals, a near clone of the old Payless mission.
Pros
- Reliable BOGO 50% on the second pair
- Broad kids' and athletic selection
- Helpful in-store service
Cons
- Mostly Southeast locations
- Entry prices above Payless
8
Shoebacca
Est. 2002
Dallas, Texas, USA
≈
similar
Online shoppers hunting closeout deals on athletic brands
Online-only discount footwear seller with deep markdowns on real brands, matching Payless's current web-first model.
Pros
- Deep clearance on brand-name athletic shoes
- Free shipping and returns
- Strong for hard-to-find sizes
Cons
- Online only — no try-ons
- Inventory is closeout, so styles rotate out fast
9
Shoe Show / Shoe Dept
Est. 1960
Concord, North Carolina, USA
≈
similar
Small-town shoppers who lost their local Payless
Wide network of value shoe stores in smaller towns and malls, exactly the strip-mall presence Payless abandoned.
Pros
- Hundreds of stores in smaller markets
- Genuinely budget price points
- Family selection under one roof
Cons
- Store-brand quality is inconsistent
- Limited big-name athletic inventory
10
Kohl's
Est. 1962
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, USA
$$$
pricier
Coupon-and-Kohl's-Cash shoppers buying for kids and adults
Department store with a deep, frequently discounted shoe floor and everyday-value pricing for the whole family.
Pros
- Kohl's Cash and stacked coupons drop prices sharply
- Strong Sonoma and in-house budget lines
- Wide store network with easy returns
Cons
- Full price is not budget-level
- Style skews suburban and safe
Visit Kohl's
Full guide: Stores Like Kohl's
11
Old Navy
Est. 1994
San Francisco, California, USA
≈
similar
Warm-weather and casual shoes for the whole family on a budget
Cheap, cheerful footwear — flip-flops, canvas sneakers, kids' shoes — at Payless-level prices with better trend sense.
Pros
- $5 flip-flop events and cheap canvas sneakers
- Kids' shoes at true budget prices
- Frequent sitewide sales
Cons
- Limited to casual and seasonal footwear
- No athletic or dress performance options
Visit Old Navy
Full guide: Stores Like Old Navy
12
Temu
Est. 2022
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
$
cheaper
Extreme-budget shoppers willing to wait for shipping
Rock-bottom online prices that undercut even Payless, for shoppers chasing the absolute cheapest pair.
Pros
- Prices lower than anything Payless offers
- Huge variety of trendy styles
- Frequent coupons and free-shipping deals
Cons
- Quality is unpredictable and often poor
- Long shipping times and inconsistent sizing
Visit Temu
Full guide: Sites Like Temu
Cheapest replacements for the $9.99 pair
If it was purely about price, Temu undercuts everyone but makes you wait weeks and gamble on quality. Walmart and Target match Payless price points with the huge advantage of a store you can walk into today, and Old Navy's $5 flip-flop and cheap-canvas-sneaker events are the closest thing to the old clearance bin. These are the picks for shoeing a family without flinching.
Stores you can actually walk into
The real loss with Payless was the store around the corner. Famous Footwear, Shoe Carnival, Rack Room Shoes, and Shoe Show all kept the physical family-shoe-store format alive — try them on, walk out with them, replace them next month. Kohl's adds department-store convenience with coupons that make the shoe floor genuinely cheap.
Trading up in quality without full retail
If your gripe with the reborn Payless is glue that gives out after one rainy recess, DSW and Shoebacca sell real brand names at markdown — Skechers, Nike, Clarks — that outlast the cheapest tier. You pay more up front, but the shoes survive the season. Both have clearance sections that dip back toward Payless territory if you dig.Which Alternative Is Right for You?
Buying for kids and want to try before you buy? Famous Footwear, Shoe Carnival, or Rack Room Shoes give you the store network Payless lost, with BOGO deals that keep costs down. Chasing the absolute lowest price? Walmart and Target match Payless in-store, Temu undercuts everyone online if you can wait. Want shoes that outlast one season? DSW and Shoebacca put real brand names on discount. Prefer style over pure savings? Target and Old Navy make budget footwear look like more than you paid. Frequently Asked Questions
QWhy did all the Payless stores close and is it still open?
Payless liquidated its US stores in 2019 after bankruptcy, shutting the strip-mall network it was known for. It relaunched as a primarily online retailer with a small physical footprint, so most former shoppers have no nearby location and now buy budget shoes at Walmart, Target, or Famous Footwear instead.
QWhere can I buy cheap kids' shoes now that Payless stores are gone?
Walmart, Target, and Old Navy all sell kids' shoes at Payless-level prices with real store networks. For brand names on kids' shoes, Famous Footwear, Shoe Carnival, and Rack Room Shoes run frequent buy-one-get-one deals that keep costs low while letting you fit growing feet in person.
QIs Payless quality worse than it used to be?
Many returning shoppers report the reborn Payless feels thinner on quality at the price point. If durability matters, DSW and Shoebacca sell discounted brand-name shoes that last longer, while Walmart and Target offer comparable prices with the option to inspect and return in store.
QWhat store is most like the old Payless ShoeSource?
Shoe Show and Shoe Dept come closest in spirit — value shoe stores in smaller towns and malls covering the whole family. Famous Footwear and Rack Room Shoes recreate the physical family-shoe-store experience, though at slightly higher prices with brand-name inventory.
QAre there cheaper shoe options than Payless online?
Temu regularly undercuts Payless on price, though quality is unpredictable and shipping is slow. Amazon offers a wider quality range with two-day delivery, and Shoebacca specializes in closeout brand-name deals that can beat Payless while giving you a recognizable label.
Our Verdict
The Best Payless Alternative For You
Buying for kids and want to try before you buy? Famous Footwear, Shoe Carnival, or Rack Room Shoes give you the store network Payless lost, with BOGO deals that keep costs down. Chasing the absolute lowest price? Walmart and Target match Payless in-store, Temu undercuts everyone online if you can wait. Want shoes that outlast one season? DSW and Shoebacca put real brand names on discount. Prefer style over pure savings? Target and Old Navy make budget footwear look like more than you paid.