Board-Certified Podiatric Surgeon | Balance Foot & Ankle | Howell & Bloomfield Township, MI
Last reviewed: May 2026
Patients ask me about the Good Feet Store regularly — usually after they’ve already bought a system there and aren’t sure it was worth it, or they’re considering going and want a clinical opinion first. I’ll give you my honest assessment as a practicing podiatric surgeon: the Good Feet Store sells legitimate arch support products at unjustifiably high prices, through a sales model that lacks any clinical evaluation. Whether you’ve already bought their products or you’re considering it, here’s what you need to know.
What Is the Good Feet Store?
The Good Feet Store is a retail chain (roughly 300 locations nationwide) that sells prefabricated arch support systems. Their flagship product is the 3-Step System — three different arch support devices used at different times of day. Good Feet publishes a price of $399 to $599 per pair for its arch supports, but not a price for the full three-pair system, so what you are quoted in the store depends on which supports the fitter selects. Ask for the whole quote in writing, itemized by pair, before you agree to anything.
Their stores use a retail sales model, not a clinical model. The staff who fit customers are trained salespeople, not podiatrists, physical therapists, or orthotists. There’s no gait analysis, no biomechanical evaluation, and no diagnosis of why your feet hurt. You describe your symptoms, they recommend products from their inventory.
The company has significant marketing presence — celebrity endorsements, local advertising, and prominently placed storefronts in shopping malls. This creates an impression of clinical legitimacy that the business model doesn’t quite support.
How Their Arch Supports Work
Good Feet arch supports are prefabricated rigid arch supports made from polypropylene — the same material used in many podiatric custom orthotics. They come in a limited range of sizes (not individually cast or milled for your foot). The 3-Step System concept divides support into strengthening (the most aggressive arch support, worn for short periods), maintaining (moderate support for daily wear), and relaxing (flexible, for rest periods).
Is the underlying concept sound? Partially. Graduated arch support and the idea that different activities benefit from different levels of support is legitimate podiatric thinking. What’s not legitimate: applying it through a rigid prefabricated device selected without any clinical evaluation, at prices that far exceed clinically superior alternatives.
Are Good Feet Arch Supports Worth the Price?
The short answer: almost never, when you account for the alternatives.
At the published $399 to $599 per pair, a single pair of Good Feet supports already costs about what custom orthotics from a podiatrist cost — and the 3-Step System is three pairs. For the same money, you can get:
- A podiatry consultation + custom orthotics: If you have insurance (most PPO plans cover custom orthotics for medically necessary conditions), a consultation and custom orthotic prescription costs your copay. Even without insurance, custom orthotics from a podiatrist run $300–$500 — but they’re fabricated from a cast or scan of YOUR actual foot, not a generic size medium. They’re also prescription medical devices with a biomechanical rationale based on an actual examination.
- High-quality OTC insoles (×10): Powerstep Pinnacle, Superfeet Green, or Tread Labs Pace insoles cost $30–$60 each. Several of my plantar fasciitis patients see equivalent relief to Good Feet products with these options. At about $50 a pair, the price of one Good Feet pair buys eight to twelve pairs of quality insoles — years of replacements on a normal schedule.
The Good Feet Store’s value proposition breaks down when you realize their products are prefabricated polypropylene devices indistinguishable from many OTC rigid arch supports — marketed and priced as if they’re custom medical devices.
Good Feet Store vs. Podiatrist Custom Orthotics
| Factor | Good Feet Store | Podiatrist Custom Orthotics |
|---|---|---|
| Fabrication | Prefabricated (off-the-shelf) | Custom-cast/scanned to your foot |
| Clinical evaluation | None — retail sales consultation | Full biomechanical exam, gait analysis |
| Diagnosis | None — symptoms described to salesperson | Confirmed diagnosis before prescription |
| Insurance coverage | Not covered (retail product) | Often covered (prescription medical device) |
| Modifications | None available | Adjustable at follow-up appointments |
| Price | $399–$599 per pair (published); the 3-Step System is three pairs | Copay with insurance; $300–$500 without |
| Appropriate for | General arch fatigue, mild discomfort | Any foot condition requiring biomechanical correction |
Good Feet Store vs. Quality OTC Insoles
For mild arch discomfort and general foot fatigue without an underlying pathology, several OTC insoles provide comparable or superior relief to Good Feet products at a fraction of the cost:
- Powerstep Pinnacle: Semi-rigid polypropylene arch support with dual-layer EVA cushioning. Clinically proven for plantar fasciitis in peer-reviewed studies. $30–$40.
- Superfeet Green: High-profile rigid arch support with deep heel cup. Exceptional for overpronation and plantar fasciitis. Used by many podiatrists as a bridge before custom orthotics. $50–$55 on Amazon.
- Tread Labs Pace: Medical-grade polypropylene orthotic with lifetime arch support guarantee. Available in four arch heights (low, medium, high, ultra-high) — closer to custom orthotics than any other OTC product. $75–$85 on Amazon.
Who Actually Benefits from Good Feet Products
Despite my reservations about the pricing model, some patients do experience genuine relief from Good Feet arch supports. The people most likely to benefit:
- People who’ve never used arch supports before and have mild, generalized arch fatigue. Any quality rigid arch support — including Good Feet — provides meaningful relief when the baseline is no support at all.
- Those who respond well to rigid arch control (neutral to moderately pronated feet) and don’t have underlying pathology requiring diagnosis.
- Patients who need the in-person fitting experience and don’t have access to or confidence in online purchasing. Good Feet’s staff, despite being salespeople, do provide a fitting and sizing consultation that OTC online purchases don’t.
The people least likely to get value from Good Feet products: those with diagnosed conditions (plantar fasciitis, flat feet requiring motion control, diabetic foot, neuropathy), those who need modifications, or anyone whose budget would benefit from OTC alternatives or podiatric evaluation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Good Feet arch supports the same as custom orthotics?
No. Custom orthotics are fabricated from a cast or 3D scan of your specific foot and prescribed after a clinical biomechanical examination. Good Feet arch supports are prefabricated devices selected from inventory based on your shoe size and described symptoms. Both use similar materials (polypropylene), but custom orthotics are designed for your specific foot geometry; Good Feet products are not. The distinction matters clinically when there’s a specific deformity or gait pattern requiring precise correction.
How much do Good Feet arch supports cost?
Good Feet publishes a price of $399 to $599 per pair for its arch supports. The 3-Step System is three pairs and the company does not publish a price for the full system, so the in-store quote depends on which supports the fitter selects — at the per-pair price, three pairs would come to roughly $1,200 to $1,800 before any package pricing. That is more than prescription custom orthotics usually cost, without the clinical evaluation, diagnosis or customization that justify paying that much. Ask for an itemized quote in writing before you agree to anything.
Does insurance cover Good Feet Store products?
No. Good Feet states that it is not a medical provider and does not process insurance claims, so there is nothing to bill to your health plan. Two things are worth separating from that. Good Feet arch supports are eligible for FSA and HSA funds, which lets you pay with pre-tax dollars. The company also offers CareCredit and Snap Finance payment plans — those spread the cost out, but they are not coverage and do not reduce what you pay. By contrast, custom orthotics prescribed by a podiatrist for a medically necessary condition (plantar fasciitis, flat feet, diabetic foot, etc.) are often covered by PPO insurance plans, reducing your out-of-pocket cost substantially.
What is the Good Feet Store 3-Step System?
The 3-Step System consists of three arch support devices used at different times: Step 1 (Strengthener) — a rigid, high-profile arch support worn for short periods to “strengthen” foot muscles; Step 2 (Maintainer) — a moderately rigid device for everyday use; Step 3 (Relaxer) — a flexible cushioned device for relaxation and rest. The concept has some clinical logic, but the implementation — generic sizes, no clinical evaluation, high price — is the limitation.
What do podiatrists think of the Good Feet Store?
My view as a podiatric surgeon: the idea behind the products is reasonable — a rigid arch support can take strain off the arch and the plantar fascia — but the price and the process are not. One pair costs about what prescription custom orthotics cost, and no one examines your foot or diagnoses why it hurts before you buy. Heel and arch pain can come from plantar fasciitis, a stress fracture, a pinched nerve or arthritis, and an arch support is the right answer for only some of those. If your pain started after an injury, you have numbness or tingling, you have diabetes, or the pain has not improved after several weeks, get a diagnosis before you buy anything.
Can you return Good Feet arch supports if they don’t work?
Usually, if you follow the process. Good Feet’s published 90-Day Customer Satisfaction Guarantee requires you to follow the wearing instructions, complete at least one in-person follow-up at the store, and wait out a 60-day adjustment period. Refund requests are accepted between day 60 and day 90, back to your original payment method, with no restocking fee. If you exchange or are refitted, the 90-day window starts over. The guarantee covers the arch supports themselves; other products are excluded. The day you buy, put the day-60 and day-90 dates and your follow-up appointment in your calendar and keep the paperwork — and confirm the current terms with your store, since policies can change.
How long do Good Feet arch supports last?
The rigid polypropylene shell is durable, and Good Feet covers cracking or breaking of the shell under normal use with a limited lifetime warranty. That warranty covers manufacturing defects, not whether the support still suits your foot. Top covers and cushioning wear with use, and feet change with weight, age, pregnancy and injury, so a support that helped years ago may no longer be the right one. The same is true of custom orthotics, which is why we recheck them at follow-up visits.
What is a cheaper alternative to the Good Feet Store?
For mild arch fatigue with no underlying diagnosis, a quality over-the-counter arch support is the cheapest reasonable place to start — the options in the OTC comparison above cost $30 to $85. If you have a diagnosed condition, or OTC supports have not helped after a few weeks, a podiatry visit is often the better value: custom orthotics prescribed for a medically necessary condition are frequently covered in part by insurance, and the exam may show that you need something other than an arch support.
Do Good Feet arch supports actually work?
For some people, yes — in the sense that any well-made rigid arch support can relieve arch and heel strain. The trial evidence is more modest than any marketing suggests: in the Landorf randomized trial listed in the sources below, prefabricated and custom orthoses gave a small improvement in function over a sham insert at three months, with no clear difference in pain, and by twelve months the three groups were no different. Prefabricated and custom devices performed similarly. What that evidence does not support is paying custom-orthotic prices for a prefabricated device chosen without an examination. If a support has not clearly helped by the end of the adjustment period, return it within the guarantee window and get the pain diagnosed.
The Bottom Line
The Good Feet Store sells functional arch support products at premium prices without the clinical evaluation that justifies those prices. For many people, the same mechanical benefit is available from quality OTC insoles at $30–$55, or — for any diagnosed foot condition — from custom orthotics covered by insurance after a podiatric evaluation. If you’ve already purchased Good Feet products and they’re helping, that’s genuinely great. But if you’re still shopping, I’d recommend starting with a podiatry evaluation: we can diagnose why your feet hurt, determine whether custom orthotics, OTC insoles, physical therapy, or something else is the right intervention — and help you avoid spending hundreds of dollars or more on a product that may not address your actual problem.
Wondering If You Need Custom Orthotics?
Our board-certified podiatric surgeons provide full biomechanical evaluations and orthotic prescriptions at both Howell and Bloomfield Township, MI locations. Many insurance plans cover custom orthotics.
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Sources
- Landorf KB, Keenan AM, Herbert RD. “Effectiveness of foot orthoses to treat plantar fasciitis: a randomized trial.” Archives of Internal Medicine. 2006;166(12):1305-1310.
- Hawke F, Burns J, Radford JA, du Toit V. “Custom-made foot orthoses for the treatment of foot pain.” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2008;(3):CD006801.
- Roos E, Engström M, Söderberg B. “Foot orthoses for the treatment of plantar fasciitis.” Foot and Ankle International. 2006;27(8):606-611.
For the head-to-head on cost and construction, our review site puts the two side by side in PowerStep vs the Good Feet Store — what each one is actually made of, and what the trial evidence says about paying more.
In-Office Treatment at Balance Foot & Ankle
Dr. Tom Biernacki DPM provides expert in-office care at Balance Foot & Ankle, serving Howell and Bloomfield Township, Michigan. Learn more about scheduling your appointment at Balance Foot & Ankle. Appointments: (810) 206-1402 | New Patient Information
Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM is a board-certified foot & ankle surgeon (ABFAS & ABPM) at Balance Foot & Ankle Specialists in Southeast Michigan. With over a decade of clinical experience, he specializes in heel pain, bunions, diabetic foot care, sports injuries, and minimally invasive surgery. Dr. Biernacki is a member of the APMA and ACFAS, and his patient education content on MichiganFootDoctors.com and YouTube has made him one of the most-followed foot & ankle educators on YouTube.
More questions patients ask
Are Good Feet Store arch supports worth the price?
See our full guide from Dr. Tom Biernacki DPM at Balance Foot & Ankle, Howell & Bloomfield Township, MI.
How do Good Feet Store insoles compare to custom orthotics?
See our full guide from Dr. Tom Biernacki DPM at Balance Foot & Ankle, Howell & Bloomfield Township, MI.
When should I see a podiatrist instead of using Good Feet Store?
See Dr. Tom Biernacki at Balance Foot & Ankle — book online 24/7. Call (810) 206-1402. Howell & Bloomfield Township, MI.
Does insurance cover custom orthotics vs. Good Feet Store products?
Most PPO and Medicare plans cover medically necessary foot care. We accept BCBS and most Michigan insurers. Call (810) 206-1402.
Still have a question about coverage or cost? Book online and we will check your benefits before your visit: Book in Howell · Book in Bloomfield Township. Prefer to talk it through first? Call (810) 206-1402.