I tried over 30 different types of New Balance shoes, including both the New Balance 574 and the New Balance 993. When I compared the New Balance 574 vs 993, I found significant differences. This is where you can read a quick summary about the most important differences between these two shoes.
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New Balance 574 vs 993 Explained
Both the New Balance 574 and the New Balance 993 are retro athletic “lifestyle” shoes. Although these are athletic shoes, they are most commonly worn as casual shoes. However, they’re both flexible and comfortable enough to be used for occasional exercise.
In my opinion, the 993 is the more comfortable shoe. I think it offers more cushioning than the 574 under both the toe pad and the heel. But the 574 is much more lightweight than the 993, and more flexible.
The New Balance 993 is part of New Balance’s Made in USA collection (the 574 is not made in the USA). I thought the New Balance 993 was the most comfortable shoe out of all the shoes in New Balance’s Made in USA collection.
There is a difference in sizing. The 993 fits longer than the 574, but the 574 fits wider than the 993. This is where you can see a comparison sizing photo for the New Balance 574 vs 993.
Comfort
Both shoes are comfortable, but I think the New Balance 993 provides more cushioning under both the toe pad and the heel. The 993 is made with New Balance’s ABZORB midsole, which helps reduce impact shock under the heel.
When I transfer weight onto the toe pad, I can feel the 993 compress under my foot.
Although the 574 is comfortable, it doesn’t have as thick of a midsole as the 993. But this does help keep the weight down for the 574 (more on weight later).
In the videos below, I tried to capture how much compression these shoes have under my feet.
Flexibility
When I tested the flexibility and “twistability” of these shoes, I was a bit surprised at what I found. Despite being the bulkier, heavier shoe, the 993 is surprisingly flexible, and was almost as flexible as the New Balance 574. Still, if you prefer flexibility, the 574 will be the better option.
Here I am testing the flexibility of these shoes:
Insoles
Yes, both the New Balance 993 and the New Balance 574 have removable insoles. When I compared the thickness of these insoles, I found them to be very similar. The New Balance 993 insole is contoured and fits the shape of the foot better than the 574 insole.
Here is the insole of my 993:
And here is the insole of my New Balance 574:
The thickness of these insoles is very comparable to most other types of New Balance shoes that I tried.
Material
Both the New Balance 993 and the New Balance 574 use a suede/mesh upper that creates a casual, but breathable, design. Here is a look at the material on my shoes (993 first):
New Balance 574 vs 993 Design
Height
As I have mentioned throughout, when I tried these shoes I found the 993 to be bigger than the 574. It was a little bit taller (it has a thicker midsole) and a little bit longer.
Here is a look at the height of my shoes (993 first):
Weight
Because the New Balance 993 is the bulkier shoe, I found it to weigh more than the 574. The 993 provides a sturdier, more casual design with thicker materials. Although this can be a good thing, it does add weight to the shoe.
My size 12 New Balance 993 weighs 1.06 pounds per shoe and my size 12 New Balance 574 weighs 0.78 pounds per shoe. Here is a look at mine:
New Balance 574 vs 993 Sizing
After trying both of these shoes, I found the 993 to fit just a little bit longer than the 574. If you made me choose, I would say the 993 was the one that was true to size, and the 574 ran just a little bit shorter in length than my normal shoe sizing.
In the photo below I tried to capture the sizing difference in the New Balance 574 vs 993 (574 on left):
The 993 may run a bit longer than the 574, but it is the 574 that has a wider design. The 574 is built using the SL-2 last, which is designed to create a little extra room in the forefoot and toe box area of the shoe. The 993 has more of a regular width design.
Here’s a look at these shoes on my foot (993 on right):
If you look closely above, you can see how the 574 has a rounder toe box and forefoot area (the white midsole flares out on the 993 to make it appear a bit wider than it really is).
So expect the 993 to fit a little bit longer than the 574, but expect the 574 to fit a little bit wider than the 993 (width of New Balance shoes explained).
I would suggest you visit my sizing guides linked below, where I use side-by-side comparison photos to compare the sizing of these shoes to other popular brands:
The main takeaway is both of these shoes are built to be worn as casual athletic “lifestyle” shoes, but can be worn for occasional exercise. In my opinion, the 993 provides more comfort under the foot, but the 574 has a much more lightweight design and is also a bit more flexible.