What is a Shoe Size Converter?
A shoe size converter helps you translate shoe sizes between different international sizing systems. Since countries use different standards for measuring shoe sizes, this tool is essential for shopping for footwear from international brands or when traveling abroad.
The main sizing systems include US (United States), UK (United Kingdom), EU (European), and CM (centimeters, commonly used in Asian countries like Japan and Korea).
Size System Differences
- US Sizing: Used in the United States and Canada. Men's and women's sizes differ, with women's typically 1.5 sizes larger for the same foot length.
- UK Sizing: Used in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Generally about 0.5 smaller than US sizes for men.
- EU Sizing: Used across Europe. Based on the Paris Point system where each size represents 6.67mm.
- CM Sizing: Based on foot length in centimeters. Common in Japan, Korea, and other Asian countries.
How to Measure Your Foot
- Stand on a piece of paper with your heel against a wall
- Mark the longest point of your foot (usually the big toe)
- Measure the distance from the wall to the mark in centimeters
- Use this measurement to find your size in any system
Tips for Finding the Right Fit
- Measure your feet at the end of the day when they're slightly larger
- If one foot is larger, size for the larger foot
- Consider the type of sock you'll wear with the shoes
- Different brands may fit differently even in the same size
Shoe Size Conversion Charts (US / UK / EU / CM)
These charts hold the same size pairings the converter above uses. The CM column is the foot length each row is built around, so read the chart by finding your measured foot length and moving across to the system a retailer lists.
Men's Sizes
| US | UK | EU | Foot (CM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 5.5 | 39 | 24 |
| 6.5 | 6 | 39.5 | 24.5 |
| 7 | 6.5 | 40 | 25 |
| 7.5 | 7 | 40.5 | 25.5 |
| 8 | 7.5 | 41 | 26 |
| 8.5 | 8 | 42 | 26.5 |
| 9 | 8.5 | 42.5 | 27 |
| 9.5 | 9 | 43 | 27.5 |
| 10 | 9.5 | 44 | 28 |
| 10.5 | 10 | 44.5 | 28.5 |
| 11 | 10.5 | 45 | 29 |
| 11.5 | 11 | 45.5 | 29.5 |
| 12 | 11.5 | 46 | 30 |
| 13 | 12.5 | 47 | 31 |
| 14 | 13.5 | 48 | 32 |
| 15 | 14.5 | 49 | 33 |
Women's Sizes
| US | UK | EU | Foot (CM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 2.5 | 35 | 22 |
| 5.5 | 3 | 35.5 | 22.5 |
| 6 | 3.5 | 36 | 23 |
| 6.5 | 4 | 37 | 23.5 |
| 7 | 4.5 | 37.5 | 24 |
| 7.5 | 5 | 38 | 24.5 |
| 8 | 5.5 | 38.5 | 25 |
| 8.5 | 6 | 39 | 25.5 |
| 9 | 6.5 | 40 | 26 |
| 9.5 | 7 | 40.5 | 26.5 |
| 10 | 7.5 | 41 | 27 |
| 10.5 | 8 | 42 | 27.5 |
| 11 | 8.5 | 42.5 | 28 |
| 12 | 9.5 | 44 | 29 |
Kids' Sizes with Approximate Age
| Age | US | UK | EU | Foot (CM) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toddler | 1 | 0.5 | 16 | 8.3 |
| Toddler | 2 | 1 | 17 | 9.1 |
| Toddler | 3 | 2 | 19 | 10 |
| 1-2 | 4 | 3 | 20 | 10.8 |
| 2-3 | 5 | 4 | 21 | 11.6 |
| 3-4 | 6 | 5 | 22 | 12.5 |
| 4-5 | 7 | 6 | 23 | 13.3 |
| 5-6 | 8 | 7 | 25 | 14.2 |
| 6-7 | 9 | 8 | 26 | 15 |
| 7-8 | 10 | 9 | 27 | 15.9 |
| 8-9 | 11 | 10 | 28 | 16.7 |
| 9-10 | 12 | 11 | 30 | 17.5 |
| 10-12 | 13 | 12 | 31 | 18.4 |
Age ranges are a rough guide only. Feet grow unevenly, so measure every couple of months during growth spurts and leave 1 to 1.5 cm of room past the longest toe rather than buying to an exact fit.
Worked Example: A 26.5 cm Foot
Suppose you trace your foot and it measures 26.5 cm heel to toe. On the men's chart that lands on US 8.5, UK 8, and EU 42. For everyday shoes that size is fine. For running shoes you want the foot to slide forward on impact without hitting the front, so add a 0.5 to 1 cm toe allowance. That pushes you toward a 27 to 27.5 cm last, which is a US 9 to 9.5. The half size between them (about 4 mm of length) is usually enough for a thicker running sock.
Why UK and US Conversions Are Only Approximate
The three systems count in different units, which is why a clean formula rarely lands on a whole number:
- EU (Paris Point): one full size equals 6.67 mm (two thirds of a centimetre), so EU is roughly (foot length in cm + allowance) divided by 0.667. A 26.5 cm foot with about 1.5 cm allowance gives 28 / 0.667, close to EU 42.
- UK and US (Barleycorn): both step in barleycorns of 1/3 inch (about 8.47 mm), and each half size is roughly 4.23 mm. US sizes sit about half a size above the matching UK number, which is why the two columns never line up exactly.
- CM (Mondopoint): used in Japan and much of Asia, this states the foot length in centimetres directly, so it maps cleanly to the measurement but not to whole US or UK sizes.
Width and Brand Fit the Converter Ignores
Length is only half the fit. US widths run from B (narrow for men, standard for women) through D (standard men's) to 2E (wide) and 4E (extra wide); UK charts use letter fittings such as F and G instead. If two shoes share your length but one feels tight across the ball of the foot, you likely need a wider fitting rather than a longer size. Brand cut matters too: Nike models tend to run about half a size small, Adidas is generally close to true to size, and New Balance publishes 2E and 4E options for people whose feet the standard width pinches.