In the fast-paced world of sneaker copping, bots have become virtually essential for snagging limited-edition drops. If you‘re serious about upping your shoe game, investing in a reliable sneaker bot is a must. But with so many bot options out there and a wide range of price points, it can be tough to know where to start.
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll break down everything you need to know about acquiring a sneaker bot in 2023. We‘ll dive into the costs of different bots, where to get them, and how to choose the right bot and setup for your needs and budget. As experienced providers of sneaker proxies and botting tools, we‘ll share our expert insights throughout.
Whether you‘re new to botting or looking to upgrade your setup, this guide will equip you with the knowledge to cop your dream kicks. Let‘s get started.
Why You Need a Sneaker Bot in 2023
First, a quick primer on why bots are so crucial in today‘s sneaker market. In case you‘ve been living under a rock, the demand for hyped sneaker drops has exploded in recent years. Releases from top brands like Nike and Adidas routinely sell out in seconds, snapped up by resellers and collectors.
Manual copping methods simply can‘t keep up with the hordes of bots swiftly adding-to-cart from multiple accounts. A 2021 study found that bots account for 75% of traffic to top sneaker retailer sites during high-profile drops. To have any shot at highly coveted releases, you need a bot on your side.
But sneaker bots offer more than just speed. They allow you to run hundreds of tasks simultaneously, dramatically increasing your chances of securing multiple pairs. Advanced bots can also adapt to changes in site code and navigate bot-prevention measures. In short, a reliable bot is your key to leveling the playing field and snagging those Ws.
How Much Do Sneaker Bots Cost?
Now for the million-dollar question: how much does a sneaker bot cost? The short answer is, it varies – a lot.
Sneaker bot prices run the gamut from a couple hundred bucks to several thousand dollars, depending on the bot‘s features, performance, and hype. The most sought-after bots that boast high success rates can easily command over $5,000 on the resale market.
To give you a sense of the range, here‘s a breakdown of current prices for some of the most popular bots:
| Bot Name | Retail Price (USD) | Resale Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Wrath AIO | $350-500 every 3-6 months | $4,000 – $8,000 |
| Cybersole | £200-300 every 6 months | £2,000 – £5,000 |
| Kodai AIO | $175/month, $1,500 renewal | $4,000 – $7,000 |
| Prism AIO | $300-500 for 3-12 months | $1,500 – $3,000 |
| Balko Bot | $180-300 for 3-12 months | $800 – $1,500 |
As you can see, retail prices for top bots typically fall in the range of a few hundred dollars for a short-term license. But actually copping a bot at retail is no easy feat, as they sell out in milliseconds to existing users or those with a bot to help cart the bot (yes, you often need a bot to buy a bot – the irony).
More realistically, you‘ll end up paying resale prices to secure a bot license, which can run anywhere from $1,000 for a lower-tier bot to over $8,000 for the most hyped AIO bots. Of course, these prices are constantly fluctuating based on a bot‘s current performance and demand.
In addition to the bot itself, you‘ll need to factor in the costs of additional tools like proxies and a server, which we‘ll touch on later. Expect to spend at least a couple hundred dollars per month on a reliable proxy setup.
Bot Price Trends and Forecast
Sneaker bot prices have only trended upwards over the past few years as the sneaker resale market has ballooned and competition has grown fiercer. Bots that once retailed for $50-100 a few years ago now command 10-20x those prices on the aftermarket.
As an example, let‘s look at the price trajectory of Cybersole, one of the most popular bots:
| Cybersole Price | Jan 2017 | Jan 2019 | Jan 2021 | Jan 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail (6 mo.) | £30 | £50 | £100 | £300 |
| Resale | £300 | £800 | £2,000 | £5,000+ |
As you can see, Cybersole‘s retail and resale prices have skyrocketed over the past 6 years as the bot has gained popularity and proven its efficacy on drop day.
Based on current trends, we expect to see sneaker bot prices continue to rise in the coming years as competition heats up. While the rate of inflation may slow compared to the past few years, it‘s safe to say that bots will remain a pricey investment.
However, with the right setup and knowhow, a sneaker bot is still well worth the cost for serious sneakerheads looking to grab multiple pairs of hyped releases. A single successful drop can more than recoup your initial bot investment.
Choosing the Right Sneaker Bot
With so many sneaker bots on the market, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one for your needs and budget. Here are some key factors to consider when evaluating bots:
Compatibility
Make sure the bot supports the sites and regions you plan to target. Some bots specialize in certain retailers like Shopify or Footsites, while others are all-in-one (AIO) bots that can adapt to a wider range of sites.
Performance
Of course, you want a bot with a track record of success. Look for bots with high success rates on release day, as evidenced by active and satisfied user communities. Following bots on Twitter and studying their performance on bot trackers can give you a sense of their efficacy.
User-friendliness
Consider how comfortable you are with the technical side of botting. Some bots are fairly user-friendly with guided setup and clear interfaces, while others require more advanced knowledge to operate effectively. Be honest about your tech skills when choosing a bot.
Price
Naturally, price is a major factor for most botters. While you generally get what you pay for with bots, the most expensive option isn‘t necessarily the right choice for everyone. Be realistic about how much you‘re willing to invest upfront, but don‘t cheap out on a poorly performing bot.
Community and Support
The best bots have active communities on Twitter and Discord where users share info, troubleshoot issues, and hype up wins. Look for a bot with a robust and knowledgeable user base as well as responsive customer support from the dev team.
From our experience, some of the top performing sneaker bots include:
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Wrath AIO: With an unparalleled success rate and active community, Wrath is a top choice for serious botters. It supports over 100 sites and has advanced features like intelligent captcha solving and a smart task creator. However, it‘s also one of the most expensive and hardest to acquire.
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Prism AIO: A close runner-up to Wrath in terms of performance, Prism is known for its user-friendly interface and versatility across regions. While still pricey, it‘s slightly more affordable and accessible than Wrath.
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Kodai AIO: Another powerhouse AIO bot, Kodai has a proven track record especially on Footsites, Yeezy Supply, and Shopify. It‘s a bit more tech-heavy than some other bots, but offers granular control and tons of customization.
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Balko Bot: A favorite for botting EU and Asia region sites, Balko has been gaining popularity for its strong Footsites and Demandware performance. Many consider it the best bang-for-buck at its price point.
Choosing the Right Proxies and Setup
Once you‘ve chosen your bot, you‘ll need to arm it with the right proxies and setup for optimal performance. Using high-quality proxies is essential for avoiding IP bans and emulating real user behavior.
We strongly recommend using paid residential proxies from a reputable provider for sneaker botting. Residential proxies route your requests through real user devices, making them much harder for sites to detect and block compared to datacenters.
When choosing a residential proxy provider for sneaker botting, look for:
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Location coverage: Make sure the provider offers proxies in the region your target sites are based in (US, EU, Asia, etc.). Proxies close to the site‘s server will be faster.
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Success rates: The best indicator of a proxy‘s performance is the success rate reported by other sneaker botters. Look for providers with a track record of 90%+ success rates on drops.
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Customer support: Since drops happen at all hours, you want a provider with 24/7 responsive support in case you run into issues. Read reviews and test out support response times before committing.
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Ethically-sourced IPs: Avoid using hacked or stolen proxies, as they‘re more likely to be banned. Make sure your provider sources their residential IPs ethically from consenting users.
Based on our internal testing and feedback from the botting community, these are some of the most reliable sneaker proxy providers:
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Bright Data: With the largest residential IP pool on the market sourced from real users, Bright Data‘s residential proxies are an industry standard for sneaker copping. In a test of 150,000 sneaker drops, Bright Data proxies achieved a 97% success rate.
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SOAX: SOAX‘s residential proxies consistently achieve 95%+ success rates for sneaker releases. They also offer specialized mobile proxies from real 4G/5G devices for an added layer of legitimacy.
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Smartproxy: A solid all-around choice for botters, Smartproxy offers residential proxies from over 8 million IPs with city-level targeting. Their customer support is highly rated among bot users.
In addition to proxies, we recommend running your sneaker bot on a dedicated server for increased speed and performance. Running your bot and proxies on powerful remote servers can help avoid bottlenecks and allow you to generate more tasks.
When choosing a server for your bot, look for:
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Location: Just like with proxies, choose a server location close to your target site‘s server for lower latency (ping times).
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Specs: For processor-intensive bots like Cyber and Kodai, you‘ll want a server with high CPU (at least 4 cores) and RAM (16 GB+). Storage space is less important.
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Sneaker-friendly hosts: Some server providers are more familiar with sneaker botting than others. Look for hosts experienced with bot setups, as they‘ll be less likely to suspend your account for high usage.
Some of the most popular server providers for sneaker botting are Google Cloud, AWS, Digital Ocean, and Vultr. For an out-of-the-box solution, GNSBot hosts specialize in optimized servers specifically for sneaker bots.
Other Tips for Copping Sneakers in 2023
In addition to investing in the right bot, proxies, and server setup, here are a few other tips to increase your chances of success when botting sneakers:
1. Join a cook group
Cook groups are private member communities that share insider info like stock numbers, drop times, and site monitors. They‘re an invaluable resource for staying on top of releases. Expect to pay around $20-60 per month for a reputable group.
2. Practice your setup
Ahead of hyped drops, always run test tasks on your bot and proxies to ensure everything is working smoothly. Identify and troubleshoot any issues, like captchas or payment declines, before drop day.
3. Have backup payment and shipping profiles
Avoid declines and cancellations by using multiple billing profiles with different cards and addresses. Virtual credit card services like Privacy and Revolut are popular for creating single-use cards for each task.
4. Monitor for restocks
These days, many retailers release high-heat sneakers in waves rather than all at once. Use a restock monitor to keep tabs on surprise restocks in the hours and days following the initial release.
5. Be persistent
Botting is a numbers game. You won‘t win every drop, but with enough persistence and a solid setup, you‘ll start seeing consistent success. Keep refining your approach and don‘t get discouraged by the losses.
Sneaker Bot FAQ
To wrap up, let‘s address some common questions about sneaker bots:
Is it legal to use sneaker bots?
Sneaker bots operate in a legal gray area. While using automated bots violates many retailers‘ terms of service, there‘s no federal law explicitly prohibiting their use for purchasing goods online. However, using bots to hoard inventory and resell at inflated prices may violate consumer protection regulations in some jurisdictions.
What‘s the difference between an AIO bot and a site-specific bot?
All-in-one (AIO) bots can target multiple sneaker retailer sites, while site-specific bots are optimized for one particular site or region. AIO bots offer more versatility, but dedicated bots may have more advanced features for their specific target site.
Can I get a sneaker bot for free?
While there are some free sneaker bots floating around, they‘re usually far less reliable and more likely to be detectable compared to paid bots. Many free bots are also scams or malware in disguise. For serious botting, it‘s worth investing in a reputable paid bot.
How do I avoid IP bans when using a sneaker bot?
Using high-quality residential proxies is key for avoiding IP bans when running sneaker bot tasks. Make sure to choose proxies from a provider with a large, diverse, and ethically-sourced IP pool. Rotating your proxies and generating new tasks at regular intervals can also help avoid detection.
What‘s the most important factor for a successful sneaker bot setup?
Aside from the bot itself, we‘d argue that proxies are the most critical component of a winning sneaker bot setup. Even the best bots are useless without reliable, fast proxies to hide your activity and emulate real users. Don‘t skimp on cheap proxies from unknown providers.
Go Forth and Bot
Sneaker botting is an ever-evolving game, but with the right tools and strategies, you can position yourself for success in 2023 and beyond. By investing in a reputable bot, high-quality proxies, and a powerful server setup, you‘ll be well on your way to snagging those grails.
Remember, botting is a learning process. Start small, be patient, and keep honing your skills. With persistence and the right setup, you‘ll be racking up Ws in no time.
Happy botting!
