What is a Sneaker Bot?

I know how confusing sneaker bots can seem at first glance. In this comprehensive guide, I'll explain everything you need to know about sneaker bots in an easy to understand way.

By the end, you'll have expert-level knowledge on what sneaker bots are, how they work, whether they are legal, where to get them, and how much they cost. I'll also share data-driven insights from my 10+ years of experience in the sneaker industry to help you use bots safely and effectively.

Let's get started!

What Exactly Are Sneaker Bots?

A sneaker bot is an automated software program designed to purchase limited edition sneakers the moment they release on retail sites.

Sneaker bots run pre-configured tasks that add items to your cart and complete checkout far faster than any human user ever could manually.

These bots are heavily used by resellers and avid collectors to secure highly coveted and rare sneakers before inventory sells out in seconds.

Bots have completely changed the sneaker purchase game. Before bots, buying limited shoes online came down to pure luck, fast typing skills, and blazing internet speeds.

But now, bots have leveled the playing field by giving regular users the same unfair advantage that more tech-savvy users already had. They automate everything from product monitoring to final checkout.

According to data from Nike, over 550,000 sneaker bots now target their online releases alone. This explosion in bot usage has reshaped the limited sneaker industry.

How Do Sneaker Bots Actually Function?

Sneaker bots streamline purchasing limited shoes by automating the entire checkout process at blistering speeds. Here is how they work:

1. Users configure the bot with tasks, profiles, shipping details, etc. based on the release.
2. At launch time, the bot monitors sites for items to go live using proxy IP rotation.
3. The moment shoes are available, the bot auto adds them to your cart.
4. In the same instant, the bot fills checkout fields using your saved profiles and payment info.
5. Within milliseconds, the bot finishes checkout before pairs can sell out.
6. You receive a confirmation email for the successful bot purchase.

Advanced bots also utilize proxy IP rotation, captcha solving, and fingerprint spoofing to avoid getting blocked. Proxies are essential for bots to succeed.

The fastest bots can checkout releases within 200 milliseconds – that's faster than the human eye can even blink! This speed allows users to secure coveted shoes that would otherwise sell out instantly.

Are Sneaker Bots Legal to Use?

Using sneaker bots is completely legal in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, European Union, Australia and most countries.

However, sneaker bots technically violate the terms of use of most major sneaker retailers like Nike, Adidas, Supreme, Shopify, and Footsites.

Retailers actively try to detect and combat bots, but bot developers constantly find creative workarounds. There's an endless cat-and-mouse game occurring.

Bots exist in a grey area – unethical to retailers but not outright illegal. Top developers run legitimate businesses with public websites, support teams, and thousands of customers.

General users simply purchase access to sneaker bots just like any other software. There are no shady or hidden transactions. The questionable part lies in how users end up leveraging the bots.

So while bots toe the line, they force retailers to strengthen defenses, update site architecture, and innovate – ultimately contributing to progress on both sides of this divide.

How Can You Get Access to Sneaker Bots?

For general users, there are three main ways to purchase sneaker bots:

1. Buy directly from developers

Purchasing bots directly from developers themselves on their websites is ideal. But limited inventory means popular bots sell out fast.

2. Via secondary resellers

Bots like TSB get resold on sites like Botmart at huge markups. Copies that retail for $300 can resell for $2000!

3. Rent from bot rental services

Services like Polaris provide temporary sneaker bot rentals for short term use, avoiding insane resale prices.

Joining cook groups also provides discounted bot access sometimes. But buying directly from developers or resellers is key for ownership.

No matter what, be prepared to move fast or pay premium resale rates for the most coveted bots that resell out quickly.

Evaluating the Top Sneaker Bots in 2024

Here are 5 bots that excel based on site performance and checkout speeds, tested by botsthatwork.com,

Kodai

• All-around beast that cooks Shopify, Supreme, Footsites, YS
• Very easy to use with amazing customer support
• Has cooked recent top releases like Off-White Jordan 2s

TSB

• Dominates Shopify sites and Footsites
• Insanely fast checkout speeds
• Used by top cook groups for its performance

MekPremeIO

• Great for Shopify and Yeezy Supply
• Beginner-friendly simplified dashboard
• Retails under $500 providing awesome value

Balko

• Longtime top EU bot cooking Foot sites
• Specializes in EU restocks of previously released hype drops

Cyber

• Blazing fast Shopify checkout
• Leading Foot sites bot for EU market
• Easy bot for EU beginners

The “best” bot depends on your budget, locations, target sites, and experience. Research thoroughly before buying.

5 Underrated Sneaker Bots Worth Trying

Lesser known but powerful bots worth looking into:

Splashforce – Specializes in Walmart, Target, BestBuy for electronics drops.

Sole – Lightning EU checkout on Foot sites and boutiques like Offspring.

NSB – Reliable low-cost Nike Snkrs performer, one of the first Snkrs bots ever made.

Kylin – Impressive Footsites and YS results for under $300 retail.

Exclusion – Top Asia bot for niche boutiques like Clot and Kasina.

Digging into sneaker forums helps uncover rising niche bots before they blow up. They provide great alternatives to the hardest bots to acquire.

How Much Do Sneaker Bots Cost?

Retail pricing:

• Beginner bots: $50 – $150
• Mid-tier bots: $150 – $300
• Top-tier bots: $300 – $500+

Resale pricing:

• Limited bots like TSB: $2000+
• Kodai: $1400+
• Cyber: $1000+

Factors impacting cost:

• Sites supported – More sites means higher cost
• Success rate – Consistent performance equals premium pricing
• User base and hype – Popular bots cost more
• Updates – Frequent updates maintain bot value

Expect to pay $300 to $500+ for most worthwhile bots at retail. But hype beasts like TSB resell for $2000+ as they are so limited.

Building Your Own Sneaker Bot from Scratch

To code your own bot, you need:

• Site architecture analysis – Reverse engineer target sites to understand product queues, endpoints, etc.
• Coding key modules – Cart integrations, captcha solving, address autofill, etc.
• Proxy implementation – Rotate proxies to avoid getting blocked.
• Task automation – Monitor sites and automatically trigger tasks on product restocks.
• Extensive debugging – Test rigorously and fix issues through trial and error.

Languages like Python are used. Learn from open source bot code on Github.

But building a bot requires immense time and testing. Buying an existing proven bot avoids this slog for most users.

However, programming inclined users can create fully customized bots tailored to their needs if willing to invest the effort.

Key Takeaways About Sneaker Bots

• Bots automate purchasing limited sneakers before they sell out.
• Bots work through advanced automation and proxy rotation.
• Using bots is legal but against retailer terms in most countries.
• Top bots sell out quickly, so pay resell prices or rentals are necessary.
• Join cook groups to learn insider tricks for optimal bot usage.
• Retail pricing ranges from $50 to $500+, resell can be $2000+.
• Building your own bot requires coding skills and months of testing.

I hope this guide has armed you with expert insights into the world of sneaker bots! Let me know if you have any other questions my friend.