Shoe Size Converter

Free Shoe Size Converter — US, UK, EU, CM and Asian Sizing Charts

Buying shoes internationally — whether through an online retailer based in a different country, a physical store while traveling, or a foreign brand sold locally — almost always requires navigating an incompatible sizing system. The United States uses one sizing convention. The United Kingdom uses a different one. Continental Europe uses a third. Japan measures in centimeters. Korea has its own millimeter-based system. And within each of these systems, men's and women's sizes follow different scales. Without a reliable shoe size converter, ordering the wrong size is almost guaranteed when crossing sizing system boundaries. Our free shoe size converter provides instant conversions across all major sizing standards for men, women, and children.

Understanding How Shoe Sizing Systems Work

Shoe sizing systems assign numbers to ranges of foot lengths, but the relationship between the number and the actual foot length measurement differs significantly between systems. None of the major sizing systems directly label shoes with the foot length in centimeters or inches, though the underlying calculations all start from foot length measurements.

The US and UK Brannock system (developed by Charles Brannock in 1927, still the reference standard for most English-language shoe fitting) assigns size numbers based on foot length measured in the Brannock device. Men's and women's sizes use the same scale but different starting points — a women's shoe size is approximately 1.5 to 2 sizes higher than the same foot length in men's sizing. This means a woman's US size 8 and a man's US size 6.5 fit approximately the same foot length, which is why women's shoe sizing in the US tends to run higher than men's for equivalent feet.

The European Mondopoint and Paris Point systems (collectively called "EU sizing") measure foot length in Paris points, where one Paris point equals 2/3 of a centimeter. EU sizes run from approximately 16 (infant) to 50+ (very large adult), with the sizing scale continuous across men's and women's categories — EU does not have separate numbering for men and women, which is one advantage of the system. A foot measuring 26 cm in length corresponds to EU size 39 (26 ÷ 0.667 ≈ 39).

US Shoe Sizes — Men's, Women's, and Children's

In the United States, adult men's shoe sizes typically range from about 6 to 16, with size 10 being approximately average for American men. Adult women's sizes typically range from about 4 to 12, with size 7-8 being approximately average. The US system uses half-size increments (6, 6.5, 7, 7.5...) and width designations (B for narrow women's, D for standard men's, E and EE for wide) that affect fit but are not captured in the size number alone.

Children's US shoe sizes operate on a separate scale from adult sizes, running from 0 (newborn) to 13, then continuing with size 1 adult at what would be size 14 in the children's scale. This numeric restart at size 1 for adults creates potential confusion — a children's size 13 is not even close to an adult size 13. The transition from children's to adult sizing typically occurs around age 12-13, though this varies significantly with the child's foot development.

Infant and toddler sizing within the children's category uses yet another scale: infant sizes 0-4 for babies, little kid sizes 4-7 (sometimes called "K" sizes), and big kid sizes 1-6. When ordering children's shoes online, specifying whether you need infant, toddler, little kid, or big kid sizing is essential for receiving the correct item.

UK Shoe Sizes — The British System

UK shoe sizes are closely related to US sizes but shifted by different amounts for men and women. For men, UK sizes are typically one size smaller than US sizes (US 10 = UK 9). For women, UK sizes are typically two sizes smaller than US women's sizes (US 8 = UK 6). This difference reflects the historical development of the two systems separately and their subsequent attempts at alignment that never fully converged.

The UK sizing system also uses whole and half sizes, and width fittings, similar to the US system. UK shoe sizes are important for purchasing from British brands (Clarks, Dr. Martens, Church's, etc.) and for shopping on British retail platforms. The UK has not adopted EU sizing as the national standard despite metrication in most other measurement contexts, so British shoe shops typically display both UK and EU sizes.

European Shoe Sizes — The Continental Standard

EU sizing is the most geographically widespread system, used throughout continental Europe, and increasingly adopted as an international standard for labeling. Most major athletic and fashion footwear brands worldwide now include EU sizes on their products alongside local market sizes. EU sizing has the significant advantage of not having separate men's and women's scales — a EU 42 is the same foot length whether labeled on a men's or women's shoe, though the width and last shape may differ.

EU sizes typically increase by 2/3 cm (one Paris point) per half size increment, or 1.33 cm per full size. Common adult EU sizes run from approximately 35 (women's small) to 47 (men's large), with sizes above 47 available for particularly large feet. EU children's sizes begin from approximately EU 16-17 for infants and run continuously to adult sizes, which is a more logically consistent approach than the multiple overlapping children's scales used in the US system.

Japanese CM Sizing and Asian Standards

Japan uses a direct centimeter measurement system called "mondopoint" (though the CM label is more commonly used). Japanese shoe sizes are the actual length of the foot in centimeters, typically listed to half centimeters (24.0, 24.5, 25.0, 25.5, etc.). This makes the Japanese system the most literal and intuitive — if you measure your foot and it is 25 cm, you wear a Japanese size 25. No conversion formula or table is needed if you know your foot length in centimeters.

South Korea similarly uses millimeter measurements for foot length in official standards, though actual retail labeling often uses a hybrid system with the mm value divided by 10 (so 255mm becomes size 255 or approximately 25.5 cm). China uses both EU sizing and its own numbered system depending on the brand and market segment. When purchasing from Asian online marketplaces like AliExpress, Rakuten, or Korean platforms, checking the foot length measurement in cm or mm — usually provided in the product's size chart — is the most reliable way to ensure accurate sizing regardless of which size numbering system the product uses.

Practical Tips for Accurate International Shoe Sizing

Even with accurate size conversion tables, shoe fit varies enough between brands that size alone does not guarantee a good fit. The last — the foot-shaped form around which the shoe is constructed — varies significantly between brands and even between different shoes from the same brand. A Nike size 10 and an ASICS size 10 may both convert accurately to EU 44, but the fit in width, arch length, and toe box shape can differ noticeably.

For online purchases from brands you have not worn before, prioritizing retailers with free return shipping is the most practical strategy. Measure your foot length carefully with a ruler or Brannock device (most shoe stores have one available), and use that measurement against the brand's specific size chart rather than relying solely on your size in another brand or system. When in doubt, if you are between sizes, sizing up is generally preferable for closed-toe shoes and boots, while sandals and open-toe styles are often more flexible about exact size fit.