Padel vs Pickleball: What's the Difference (and Which Should You Play)?
Padel and pickleball are the two fastest-growing racket sports. Compare courts, equipment, rules, scoring and feel — and find out which one suits you best.
Walk into many sports clubs today and you will find two sports drawing the biggest crowds: padel and pickleball. Both are social, easy to start and addictive — and both are usually played as doubles. But they are very different games.
Here is how they compare, side by side.
The short answer
- Pickleball is a paddle sport played on a small open court with a plastic ball, an underhand serve and a "kitchen" zone near the net. Rallies reward touch, patience and placement.
- Padel is a racket sport played inside a glass-and-mesh enclosure, where the ball can be played off the walls. Rallies are long and tactical, with a mix of power, lobs and angles.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | Pickleball | Padel |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Bainbridge Island, Washington, USA (1965) | Acapulco, Mexico (1969) |
| Court size | 20 × 44 ft (about 6.1 × 13.4 m) | 20 × 10 m |
| Walls | None — open court | Glass back walls and glass/mesh side walls, in play |
| Net height | 36 in at sidelines, 34 in at center | 92 cm at posts, 88 cm at center |
| Equipment | Solid paddle, plastic ball with holes | Solid perforated racket (no strings), pressurized felt ball |
| Format | Singles or doubles (doubles most common) | Almost always doubles |
| Serve | Underhand, below the waist; volley or drop serve | Underhand, after bouncing the ball, hit at or below waist height |
| Special rules | Two-bounce rule; no volleying in the kitchen | Ball must bounce on the floor before hitting the walls on your opponents' side |
| Scoring | Games usually to 11, win by 2 (traditional or rally scoring) | Tennis scoring: 15–30–40, games and sets |
| Typical match | 15–25 minutes per game | 60–90 minutes for a best-of-three match |
The court: open vs enclosed
The biggest visible difference is the court. A pickleball court is open, compact and can be painted onto existing tennis or badminton courts — which is why you will find it in parks, gyms and community centres.
A padel court is a purpose-built enclosed court. The back walls are glass, the side walls are part glass, part mesh, and the ball stays in play after it bounces off them. Learning to use the walls — letting the ball come off the back glass instead of rushing it — is the key padel skill.
Equipment
- Pickleball paddles are solid, flat and lightweight; the plastic ball is slow and does not bounce very high, which keeps rallies close to the net.
- Padel rackets are thicker, stringless and perforated with holes, with a short handle and a wrist strap. The pressurized ball is similar to a tennis ball with a little less pressure, so it bounces lower.
Rules that change how you play
Pickleball: the kitchen and the two-bounce rule
Pickleball's two-bounce rule means the serve and the return must each bounce before anyone can volley. And the kitchen — the 7-foot non-volley zone on each side of the net — stops players from smashing everything at the net. The result is the famous "dink" game: soft, controlled shots that land in the kitchen. New to the rules? Read our pickleball rules for beginners.
Padel: the walls
In padel, the ball must bounce on the floor on your opponents' side before it hits a wall. After that, anything goes: players can let the ball rebound off their own glass and still return it. Lobs over the net players are a core tactic, and the smash that bounces out of the court is one of the most spectacular shots in racket sports.
Scoring
Pickleball games are usually played to 11, won by 2. Traditional scoring only awards points to the serving side, while some leagues use rally scoring, where every rally counts.
Padel uses tennis scoring — 15, 30, 40, game — with matches usually best of three sets. Many clubs and events use a golden point at 40–40: the next point wins the game.
Socially, both sports have popular round-robin formats. In padel, the favourites are the Americano and Mexicano; in pickleball, it is the classic round robin.
Which one is easier to learn?
Both are among the most beginner-friendly racket sports.
- Pickleball usually wins for the very first hour: small court, slow ball, simple serve. People with no racket-sport background are often rallying within minutes.
- Padel takes slightly longer because of the walls, but it is very forgiving — the enclosure keeps the ball in play, so rallies are long even between beginners. Tennis and squash players tend to feel at home quickly.
Which one should you play?
Choose pickleball if you want:
- A sport you can play at local public courts and community centres
- Quick games and easy drop-in open play
- A touch-and-strategy game that is gentle on the body
Choose padel if you want:
- Long, dynamic rallies and a bit more athletic movement
- A game where power and positioning both matter
- The fun of using the walls — and booking a court with three friends
Or, like a lot of players, play both. The skills overlap more than you would think: footwork, soft hands, patience, and communication with your partner.
Find games for both on Piklepad
Piklepad is built for Pickleball and Padel. Set your sports and level, and find open games, clubs and tournaments near you for either one — or both.
Explore Piklepad for Pickleball or Piklepad for Padel.
