Padel vs Pickleball: What’s the Difference and Which Should You Try First?
The Short Answer: Are Padel and Pickleball the Same?
No. They share some surface similarities - compact courts, no strings on the paddle, social doubles format - but the playing experience is completely different.
The simplest way to put it: padel is played inside a glass-walled enclosure and the walls are part of the game. Pickleball is played on an open court with no walls, and the game is built around soft, precise placement near the net.
If you've ever played squash, padel will feel vaguely familiar. If you've ever played ping-pong or badminton, pickleball will feel more intuitive.
What Is Padel?
Padel originated in Mexico in the 1960s and grew into a mainstream sport through Spain and Latin America before spreading across Europe. It's now one of the fastest-growing sports in the UK, with courts appearing at tennis clubs, leisure centres and standalone padel venues.
The court is roughly one-third the size of a tennis court, fully enclosed by glass and metal mesh walls. The ball is a low-compression tennis ball - not a wiffle ball - and it can be played off the walls after bouncing, which is where a lot of padel's strategy comes from.
The basics: - Almost always played as doubles (four players) - Scoring follows tennis (15, 30, 40, deuce, games, sets) - Serve is underarm, diagonal - Ball can rebound off walls after the first bounce - and wall play is central to rallies - Padel rackets are solid and perforated, no strings, smaller than a tennis racket
Padel rewards positioning and anticipation. Points often involve deliberate use of the back glass - lobbing the ball into the back corner, playing it off the wall at an angle. It's more physical than it looks, and the learning curve is real.
What Is Pickleball?
Pickleball was invented in the US in 1965 and has since become one of the fastest-growing sports in America. It's catching on in the UK too, though it's still behind padel in terms of court availability.
The court is smaller than a padel court, open on all sides, with a low net. The ball is a plastic wiffle-style ball - lighter and slower than anything used in padel or tennis. And the paddle, while solid like in padel, is larger and typically lighter.
The basics: - Can be singles or doubles; doubles is the standard - Scoring goes to 11 (win by 2), and only the serving side scores points - Serve is underhand, diagonal - The ball must bounce once on each side before volleys are allowed (the two-bounce rule) - There's a non-volley zone near the net (the "kitchen") where you can't volley the ball at all
The kitchen is what makes pickleball tactical. A lot of the game is played by approaching the net carefully, using soft "dink" shots to draw your opponent forward, then finishing with a faster shot. New players often try to play it like mini-tennis and lose to players who've mastered the soft game.
Padel vs Pickleball: The Key Differences
| Padel | Pickleball | |
|---|---|---|
| Court | 20m x 10m, glass walls, enclosed | 13.4m x 6.1m, open, no walls |
| Ball | Low-compression tennis ball | Plastic wiffle-style ball |
| Ball speed | Faster | Slower |
| Paddle | Smaller, heavier, perforated | Larger, lighter, sometimes textured |
| Scoring | Tennis scoring | Points to 11 (rally or side-out) |
| Walls in play? | Yes - central to strategy | No |
| Key skill | Wall play, positioning, anticipation | Soft game, placement, kitchen control |
| Format | Doubles almost always | Doubles most common, singles possible |
| Learning curve | Moderate | Lower |
Which One Should You Try First?
Honest answer: try whichever one has a court near you. Both sports are social, both are accessible, and neither requires prior racket sport experience to enjoy your first session.
If you want a more specific steer:
Try padel first if: - You've played tennis or squash before and want something familiar but social - You like the idea of a more dynamic, physical game - You're based in a city with good padel court availability (most tennis clubs now have them) - You prefer playing exclusively doubles
Try pickleball first if: - You're a complete beginner with no racket sport background - You want a sport that's immediately fun and easy to rally in from day one - You're playing with mixed ages or mixed fitness levels (pickleball is easier on joints) - You want something you can play indoors year-round with minimal equipment cost
One thing worth knowing: if you get into one, you'll probably want to try the other. Players who take up padel often discover pickleball for indoor days or vice versa. They complement each other.
Equipment: What Do You Need to Get Started?
Padel
You need a padel racket, balls, and court shoes with a grip suited to the artificial turf. Courts are usually hired per session. Most clubs have loaner rackets, but if you're playing regularly, it's worth having your own.
Pickleball
You need a pickleball paddle, balls, and court shoes. Equipment is generally cheaper than padel. Starter sets with two paddles and balls are common and work well for casual play.
At Vanta, we make equipment for both sports - built around comfort, arm-friendliness, and genuine playability rather than spec-sheet padding. If you're starting out, you don't need to spend a lot. What matters is getting on court.
→ Browse Vanta Padel Rackets → Browse Vanta Pickleball Paddles
FAQs
Is padel the same as pickleball? No. Both use solid paddles on compact courts, but they're different sports with different courts, balls, rules, and strategies. Padel uses glass walls and a tennis ball; pickleball uses an open court and a plastic wiffle ball.
Is padel or pickleball easier to learn? Pickleball generally has a lower learning curve. The slower ball and simpler rules make it easier for complete beginners to have fun from the first session. Padel takes slightly longer to click because of the wall play, but once it does, most players find it highly addictive.
Can I use a padel racket to play pickleball? No. The equipment is different - padel rackets are smaller and heavier, and pickleball paddles are larger with a different face. You need sport-specific equipment for each.
Which sport is more popular in the UK? Padel currently has more infrastructure in the UK - more courts, more clubs, and stronger backing from the Lawn Tennis Association. Pickleball is growing quickly, particularly in leisure centres and community sports settings.
Can I play both sports? Absolutely. Many players do. The skills aren't directly transferable, but the competitive and social appeal is the same, and playing both keeps your game varied.