Best Insoles for Plantar Fasciitis: OTC and Custom Picks

What the research rewards, and what it does not

Most “best insoles” lists are written backwards, starting from what sells and working toward a reason. We started from the trials. A 2018 meta-analysis pooled the randomized studies of foot orthoses for plantar heel pain and found that orthoses reduced pain more than sham inserts in the medium term, roughly seven to twelve weeks, while doing little in the first few weeks, and it found no clear advantage for custom devices over prefabricated ones [1].

A large randomized trial had already pointed the same way. It compared custom orthoses, prefabricated orthoses and sham inserts and found that both real devices improved function modestly at three months compared with sham, with the groups looking much the same by twelve months [2]. An older trial went further and found that a prefabricated insole combined with stretching beat a custom device in the first months of care [4]. The current physical-therapy guideline therefore recommends orthoses, prefabricated or custom, as part of a plan that includes stretching and load management [3].

Three design features run through the devices that did well in those studies: firm contact under the arch so the fascia is not doing all the work, a cushioned heel cup that keeps the heel centered, and enough stiffness to hold its shape inside the shoe. Softness alone is not on the list, which explains why the plush drugstore insole feels wonderful on day one and does nothing by week three.

How we chose

We shortlisted widely available insoles whose published construction matches those three features, then sorted them by who they fit rather than by a star rating. The construction details below come from each manufacturer’s own product page, read and archived on the date in the disclosure above; the fit judgements are ours. We did not bench-test them, we did not accept samples, and we link to nothing but the manufacturer’s page. EvenStep makes a custom orthotic for plantar fasciitis and it appears here with the same scrutiny, in the section where a custom device actually makes sense.

The picks

PowerStep Pinnacle

PowerStep describes the Pinnacle as a firm but flexible polypropylene support shell under premium dual-layer cushioning, with a contoured neutral arch and a deep heel cradle. That is the combination the trials reward, without the plank-like feel of a rigid device, and on our reading it suits a medium arch in standard-width sneakers and most work shoes. If you have never worn a supportive insole, this is the sensible first purchase.

Tread Labs Pace

Tread Labs sells the Pace’s extra-firm molded arch in four heights, low to extra high, so you choose the one that matches your foot instead of hoping the average fits. It is a two-part design, an arch support and a replaceable top cover, which matters because the cover is the part that wears through on a twelve-hour shift long before the arch does. It is on this list because you choose the arch height yourself.

Superfeet All-Purpose Support High Arch (formerly Green)

Superfeet has renamed the Green; the product page now calls it the All-Purpose Support High Arch. Its spec lists a high arch, maximum thickness and firm cushioning, with a sculpted heel cup that encapsulates the heel and a stabilizer cap for structure, and it says the insole fits best in roomy to moderate-fitting footwear with removable insoles. Read that last line twice: on our reading, that points away from flatter feet and low-volume dress shoes, where a thick insole lifts the heel out of the shoe, and toward the higher-arched foot in a roomy shoe.

Spenco Total Support Original

Spenco describes a medium arch height, a multi-density design that uses a firmer pod to help control excess inward roll and softer pods to cushion landing, a deep heel cup, and metatarsal arch support under the ball of the foot. It also lists prolonged standing among the activities the insole is made for. A metatarsal dome is a distinct feel under the forefoot, so give it a few days; the deep heel cup is the part that matters for heel pain.

Dr. Scholl’s Plantar Fasciitis Pain Relief Orthotics

Dr. Scholl’s describes full-length foam cushioning, a cushioning heel cup and a supportive arch in an insole that trims to your shoe size. On our reading of that construction it is a cushion-led design rather than a shell-based one, so we would reach for it for a mild case in a soft shoe, where comfort on day one matters most, and start with one of the shell-based picks for long hours on hard floors.

When custom makes sense

The trials say a good prefabricated insole is where most people should start, and we agree. A custom device earns its place in four situations: shelf shapes dig into the arch or float below it, one foot is noticeably different from the other, you need a specific heel-cup depth or arch height, or you want a single device that fits the shoes you actually live in rather than the sneakers you wear on Saturdays.

EvenStep Plantar Fasciitis custom orthotic

Our design gives the arch full contact and cradles the heel in a cushioned cup, shaped from the impression you make with our at-home foam impression kit. Your pair is at your door in under 10 business days from the day your impression arrives — or a full refund. The first pair is $189 and each additional pair is $139, with free shipping both ways and our guarantee: 180-day 100% money-back guarantee — no deductions, free return shipping. It may relieve symptoms associated with plantar fasciitis when used with stretching and better shoes; it does not replace an examination.

Custom orthotic through a podiatrist

When the story does not fit plantar fasciitis, when a stress fracture or nerve problem is possible, or when you want a broader plan, see a podiatrist or sports physician first. Their custom devices are the most involved route on this list, and sometimes the right one.

Which insole for which foot

• Medium arch, standard shoes, first insole ever: PowerStep Pinnacle.
• Want a fitted feel and a cover you can replace: Tread Labs Pace.
• High arch and roomy shoes: Superfeet High Arch (formerly Green).
• Long days standing, pressure under the ball of the foot too: Spenco Total Support.
• Mild case, soft shoes, want comfort today: the Dr. Scholl’s option.
• Nothing on a shelf fits, or you need one pair for your work shoes: EvenStep.
• Red flags or an unclear story: a clinician before any insole.

How to use an insole for plantar fasciitis

Take the factory liner out of the shoe first, because stacking insoles lifts the heel and defeats the heel cup [5]. Wear the new insole for an hour or two on the first day and add time daily, since a firm arch feels strange before it feels good. Pair it with a shoe that has a firm heel counter and a sole that does not fold in half, and keep it in every pair you wear for hours at a time.

Then do the things the guidelines actually lead with: stretch the calf and the fascia twice daily, avoid barefoot time on hard floors during a flare, and trade some standing or running for cycling or swimming for a few weeks [3] [6]. Judge progress monthly. Most of the benefit in the trials showed up around the three-month mark, not the third day.

When to skip the insole and see a clinician

Pain that began with an injury or a pop, swelling, redness or fever, numbness or tingling, pain at night, or no change after two months of steady care are all reasons to be examined rather than to try another insole. People with diabetes, poor circulation or a known nerve condition should be seen sooner. EvenStep does not examine you, and this guide cannot confirm what is causing any individual heel.