Swapping shoes in Germany

Germany is part of Step Swap. If your left and right feet take different sizes, you can match with a SoleMate in Berlin, Munich or anywhere in Germany and see how many people already fit your sizes before you sign in. Browsing and matching are free, and you pay only when a swap proceeds. Swaps within Germany and cross-border swaps with Austria and France are supported today; when you send from Germany you book and pay for the label yourself on our partner Packlink.

Getting a swap to and from Germany

How a German parcel is sent depends on the direction. When you send from Germany — to another German SoleMate or to Austria — you book and pay for the label on our partner Packlink’s own checkout, then drop the parcel off; there is no in-app label to print for that leg. A parcel coming into Germany from Austria is handled in-app like any other route.

Swaps within Germany work this way too: each sender books their own Packlink label, so two German SoleMates can complete a swap without leaving home.

Cross-border swaps with Austria and France

Austria and France are the live cross-border partners for Germany. Austria shares a language and a long border, so a German match is often with an Austrian SoleMate, and France is the newest route. The Austria-to-Germany parcel is booked in-app, the Germany-to-Austria parcel by the sender on Packlink, and each France leg is booked by its own sender on Packlink.

You still pay only for the shoe coming to you. Route prices are on the delivery fees page; the leg you send from Germany is paid directly on Packlink.

Shoe sizes and matching in Germany

Germany uses EU shoe sizing, so matching with the rest of the platform is direct. Step Swap pairs you with someone whose sizes mirror yours within about a one EU size tolerance.

Enter your left and right EU sizes once, and the search shows how many SoleMates already match before you sign in.

What it costs

There is no membership fee. Creating a profile, viewing matches and messaging are free, and you pay only when a swap completes: a small flat shop fee in-app, plus carrier shipping.

For a parcel you send from Germany, the shipping is paid directly on Packlink when you book the label, so the in-app total for that leg is just the shop fee. For a parcel coming to you from Austria, shipping is shown in-app; the delivery fees page lists the amounts.

Payments run through Stripe as a hold rather than an instant charge. If a swap is not completed within its window, the hold is released, so an unfinished swap costs you nothing.