The best Doc Martens mary jane alternatives under $100 come in six shapes: a chunky platform sole, a buckle-strap flat, a soft ruched ballet flat, a heeled mary jane pump, a mary jane sneaker and a split-toe tabi mary jane, all vegan and priced from $48.99 to $84.99. To be clear about what these are: our own shoes, sold under the Lil Cacti label, in the same style family as the mary jane. They share a shape, not a sole or a logo, and none carries Dr. Martens branding.
A Dr. Martens mary jane costs about $125 to $170 at full price in the retailer listings we checked in October 2026, and most pairs are leather. Search for alternatives and you mostly find boot roundups with a mary jane or two tucked in among the boots. This guide covers mary janes only, sorted by shape, with dated prices (all in US dollars) and a straight answer on where Dr. Martens is still the better buy.
Quick look: Doc Martens mary jane alternatives at a glance
| Shape | Ours | Price (USD) | What it looks like | EU sizes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chunky sole | Velvet Barre | $84.99 | Crossed buckle straps, lugged sole | 35 to 40 |
| Platform sole (loafer) | Talia | $68.99 | Plain round toe on a slab sole | 34 to 40 |
| Buckle-strap flat | Buckled Mary Jane Flats | $48.99 | Pointed toe, one buckle strap | 35 to 42 |
| Buckle-strap flat | Demi | $62.99 | Rounded toe, double buckle straps | 35 to 40 |
| Buckle-strap flat | Joan | $65.99 | Square toe, double straps, grommets | 35 to 40 |
| Soft ballet flat | Iselle | $68.99 | Ruched upper, cord lace bow | 35 to 40 |
| Heeled pump | Thorne | $69.99 | Two straps, eyelets, chunky heel | 35 to 39 |
| Heeled pump | Margot | $78.00 | Elastic strap, cord bow, cut-out heel | 35 to 40 |
| Mary jane sneaker | Aria | $74.99 | Hook-and-loop strap, lugged rubber sole | 35 to 40 |
| Split-toe tabi | Lena | $64.99 | One slim strap, flat sole | 35 to 40 |
| Split-toe tabi | Double Strap Tabi Mary Jane | $68.99 | Two straps, silver pin buckle | 35 to 40 |
| Split-toe tabi | Tabi Mary Jane | $78.99 | Crinkled upper, buckle strap | 35 to 40 |
Chunky platform soles under $100
The thick sole is a big part of the Doc Martens mary jane look, and it is the one thing we only partly match. We do not make a lug-sole platform mary jane flat with a buckle strap. What we do make is two shoes with a sole you notice: crossed buckle straps on a chunky sole, and a plain platform loafer for days when you want the sole without the strap.
Velvet Barre Ballet Sneakers
Two crossed beaded straps with slim silver buckles on a chunky lugged sole. $84.99.
Talia Platform Loafers
Not a mary jane: a plain rounded loafer on a slab sole, cut to be worn with a visible sock. $68.99.
Buckle-strap mary jane flats
A buckle across the instep is the mary jane at its simplest, and this is where our prices are lowest. Choose by toe shape: pointed, rounded or square.
Buckled Mary Jane Flats
Pointed toe and one adjustable buckle strap in black, wine red or leopard print. The $48.99 entry point, up to EU 42.
Demi buckle mary jane ballet flats
Rounded toe with double buckle straps and metal eyelets. $62.99.
Joan Biker Ballet Flats
Square toe, double buckle straps and grommet hardware: a biker edge on a flat sole. $65.99.
Soft ruched mary jane ballet flats
This is the softer reading of the mary jane: a gathered upper and a bow instead of buckles. If you like the mary jane idea but not the hardware, start here.
Iselle Lace-Up Mary Jane Ballet Flats
A ruched vegan leather upper with a cord lace bow, sold as a lace-up mary jane ballet flat, in black or red. $68.99.
Heeled mary jane pumps
Dr. Martens also makes a slingback mary jane, the Madaline, at about $125 to $130 (checked October 2026). Ours are two heeled pumps with very different moods.
Thorne Buckle Mary Jane Pumps
Two straps, a double row of eyelets and a chunky heel: a hardware-forward heel. $69.99, up to EU 39.
Margot Mary Jane Slingback Pumps
A ruched elastic strap instead of a buckle, a cord bow and a cut-out heel. Slips on. $78.00.
Mary jane sneakers
If the lugged tread is what you want, this is the closest we come to a thick-soled mary jane. It is a sneaker body, so the feel is sportier than a Doc.
Aria Mary Jane Sneaker
A hook-and-loop strap over bungee lacing on a thick lugged rubber sole, in beige, black or dark gray. $74.99.
Split-toe tabi mary janes
None of the Dr. Martens mary janes in the listings we checked has a split toe, so this is the shape where you leave the Doc template entirely. Split-toe shoes can fit differently; see our tabi sizing guide.
Lena Tabi Mary Jane Ballet Flats
One slim strap and a flat sole, the most minimal split-toe mary jane in this guide. $64.99.
Double Strap Tabi Mary Jane
Two instep straps, one with a silver pin buckle, on a thin flat sole. $68.99.
Tabi Mary Jane
A single buckle strap over a crinkled black vegan finish. $78.99.
Brands like Dr. Martens mary janes: an honest comparison
| Brand | Mary jane shapes | Price in USD (checked Oct 2026) | Material | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Martens | Double-strap, floral, T-bar, slingback, platform | About $125 to $170 at full price | Mostly leather; a vegan 8065 is listed, stock unconfirmed | Welted 8065 sole, long heritage, a reported break-in period |
| Steve Madden | Lug-sole platform, flats, pumps | About $30 to $130, with big sale swings | Mixed; the platform pair we checked is leather | A mainstream lug-sole platform option; check each pair |
| Vagabond | Slim flats, a platform style | About $120 to $190, sometimes about $72 to $108 on sale | Mostly leather and suede | Quiet Scandinavian lines |
| Lil Cacti | Flats, pumps, sneaker, tabi | $48.99 to $84.99 | All vegan | Every style in this guide is under $100; free shipping on orders over $90 |
Dr. Martens wins on heritage and sole construction. The 8065 is the classic double-strap Doc Martens mary jane, and if you will wear one pair most weeks for years, the full price is a fair trade. Steve Madden has a mainstream lug-sole platform mary jane, though pricing is heavily discounted and moves weekly. Vagabond makes the slimmer, quieter version.
Our case is full-price affordability, vegan materials and range, including shapes we did not find in the Doc listings we checked, such as a split-toe mary jane. We are not claiming Doc-level sole durability from a $49 to $85 shoe. If you want a vegan platform or creeper sole specifically, T.U.K. and Koi Footwear sell those according to their listings, though we did not check their current prices or stock.
Do Doc Martens mary janes run big? Sizing and fit compared
Nordstrom lists the brand's own advice as whole sizes only, with the next size down if you are between sizes. Buyer reviews are mixed: true to size to slightly large is the common report, some go down a size, and reviewers describe stiff buckles and a break-in of several days to about a week. Because there are no half sizes, do not convert a Doc size directly; measure your foot in centimeters instead.
Ours are also whole EU sizes, but our product-page advice runs the other way: where a page gives a note, it says to size up if you are between sizes or have a wider foot. US conversions differ by style, so use the size selector on each product page.
| Style | EU sizes | Size note on the product page |
|---|---|---|
| Velvet Barre, Margot, Double Strap Tabi Mary Jane, Tabi Mary Jane | 35 to 40 | True to size; size up if between sizes or wider foot |
| Buckled Mary Jane Flats | 35 to 42 (US 5 to 10) | No size note on the page |
| Talia | 34 to 40 | No size note on the page |
| Demi, Joan, Iselle, Lena, Aria | 35 to 40 | No size note on the page |
| Thorne | 35 to 39 | No size note on the page |
Are Doc Martens mary janes real leather?
Mostly, yes. The 8065, the Flower and the Mariel II have leather uppers in the retailer listings we checked in October 2026. Dr. Martens also lists a vegan version of the 8065, called the Felix, in a synthetic upper. We could not confirm current US stock or its list price, so check the brand's site before counting on it. Everything we make is vegan, in vegan leather and other animal-free materials.
To keep ours looking good, wipe them with a damp cloth and a drop of mild soap, and skip oil and leather conditioner, which sit on the surface of vegan materials. Our guide to cleaning vegan leather shoes has the steps.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Dr. Martens dupe?
No, and we do not sell one. The sole and signature details are part of Dr. Martens' identity, and our shoes do not use them. What you can buy is the same style family: a buckle-strap flat, a platform sole, a heeled pump or a strap sneaker, in our own range and vegan materials.
What is the best Dr. Martens alternative under $100?
It depends on what you like in the Doc. For the strap, the Buckled Mary Jane Flats at $48.99. For a thick sole, the Aria Mary Jane Sneaker at $74.99. For a heel with hardware, Thorne at $69.99.
What do cheap Doc Martens mary janes cost?
Full-price pairs ran about $125 to $170 in the listings we checked in October 2026. Pairs under $100 are usually markdowns that come and go. The styles in this guide run $48.99 to $84.99, with free shipping on orders over $90.
Do Doc Martens mary janes run big?
Reports differ. The brand advises whole sizes only and the next size down if you are between sizes, while reviews mostly say true to size to slightly large. Read reviews for the exact model.
Are there vegan Doc Martens mary janes?
Dr. Martens lists a vegan 8065 called the Felix in a synthetic upper, but we could not confirm current US stock or price. Every Lil Cacti shoe is vegan.
Which alternative has the chunkiest sole?
Aria and Velvet Barre both sit on lugged soles, and Talia is a platform loafer. None is built like a Dr. Martens sole, and none is a lug-sole platform mary jane flat.
Read next
- Doc Martens Dupe: Vegan Combat, Chelsea and Lace-Up Boot Alternatives, by Style
- Miu Miu Ballet Flats Dupe: Vegan Alternatives Under $90, Style by Style
- Sandy Liang Mary Jane Flats Dupe? Vegan Alternatives to the Pointe, Pumps and Toe Ballerina (2026)
Browse the full range of mary jane flats.
Shop the pieces in this post
- Velvet Barre Ballet Sneakers
- Talia Platform Loafers
- Buckled Mary Jane Flats
- Demi buckle mary jane ballet flats
- Joan Biker Ballet Flats
- Iselle Lace-Up Mary Jane Ballet Flats
- Thorne Buckle Mary Jane Pumps
- Margot Mary Jane Slingback Pumps
- Aria Mary Jane Sneaker
- Lena Tabi Mary Jane Ballet Flats
- Double Strap Tabi Mary Jane
- Tabi Mary Jane