Padel vs pickleball: what's the difference?

Both are fast-growing racket sports with short learning curves, but they're played on very different courts. Here's how they compare.

Side by side

	Pickleball	Padel
Court	6.1 x 13.4 m (20 x 44 ft), open	10 x 20 m, enclosed
Walls	None	Glass or solid walls plus mesh. The ball can be played off them
Racket	Solid paddle, no holes	Stringless perforated racket, max 45.5 cm long, with a wrist cord
Ball	Light plastic ball with holes	Pressurised rubber ball, similar to a tennis ball
Serve	Underarm, one attempt	Bounce then hit at or below the waist, two attempts
Scoring	Games to 11, win by 2. Only the serving side scores	Tennis scoring: 15, 30, 40, game, in sets
Players	Singles or doubles	Doubles

The court

A pickleball court is small and open, the size of a doubles badminton court. A padel court is twice as wide and enclosed by walls, so rallies can carry on after the ball bounces off the glass. That's the biggest difference in how the two sports feel to play.

Equipment

Pickleball paddles are solid and the ball is a light plastic one with holes, so it moves slowly through the air. Padel uses a thicker, perforated racket (up to 38 mm deep) and a pressurised ball that's a little smaller than a tennis ball.

Serving and scoring

Both sports serve underarm and diagonally. In pickleball you get one go and only the serving side can win points. Padel is scored like tennis. At 40-40, padel can use the classic advantage system, a single "golden point", or the new "Star Point" introduced in 2026, where advantage is played until the third deuce and then one point decides the game.

Which is easier to start?

Both are known for being beginner-friendly. Pickleball needs less running and has a lower net, so many people rally in their first session. Padel feels closer to tennis, and the walls take some getting used to, but the enclosed court keeps the ball in play.

How popular are they in Britain?

• Padel: the LTA says 1.5 million adults and juniors now play in Britain, on 2,445 courts at 682 venues (October 2026).
• Pickleball: Pickleball England passed 20,000 members in August 2026. Survey estimates put the number of players in England at around 75,000 to 80,000.

Comparing padel with tennis instead? See padel vs tennis.

Last checked: 31 October 2026