They are both small courts, solid-faced bats, and no strings attached. They are both the fastest-growing racket sports in the world right now. And if you have spent any time around a leisure centre or sports club in the UK recently, chances are someone has tried to get you into one or both of them.
Padel and pickleball are not the same sport. Not even close, really. But to the uninitiated, they can look similar enough to cause confusion. This guide cuts through it — and helps you decide which one deserves your time and money.
Origins: Where Did They Come From?
Padel was invented in Mexico in 1969 by Enrique Corcuera, who enclosed a tennis court with walls on his estate in Acapulco. Adi Latapi refined the rules and brought the sport to Spain, where it exploded in popularity and is now the national sport — ahead of football by some participation metrics. Today there are an estimated 30 million padel players globally.
Pickleball is American, born in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Three dads — Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum — invented it to entertain their bored children during the summer holidays, using ping-pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball on a badminton court. It has since become a phenomenon in the United States, with approximately 36 million American players as of 2024.
Both sports have arrived in the UK within the last few years. Padel is further ahead — with over 860,000 annual players and 1,553 courts by end of 2025 — but pickleball is growing rapidly, and several new padel venues are now incorporating pickleball courts alongside their padel offerings.
The Court: Same Concept, Different Execution
| Feature | Padel | Pickleball |
|---|---|---|
| Court size | 20m × 10m | 13.4m × 6.1m |
| Surface | Artificial grass or sand | Hard court (acrylic/concrete) |
| Walls | Glass/mesh walls — in play | No walls |
| Net height | 0.88m (centre), 0.92m (sides) | 0.86m (centre), 0.91m (sides) |
| Enclosure | Fully enclosed | Open |
The padel court is notably larger, fully enclosed in glass and metal mesh, and features walls that are an active part of the game — much like squash. Pickleball's court is considerably smaller (closer to a badminton court), open, and without walls.
Gameplay: Wall Play vs The Kitchen
In padel, you play doubles by default (4 players). The underarm serve must bounce before hitting the back wall. After the serve, the ball can be played off the glass walls, which turns defensive situations into offensive opportunities and makes rally length considerably longer than tennis. The bandeja and víbora are padel-specific overhead shots designed to keep the ball in play off the back wall rather than hammering it out.
In pickleball, you can play singles or doubles. The most distinctive feature is the "kitchen" — a non-volley zone 2.1 metres either side of the net where you cannot volley the ball. The "dink" — a soft shot played just over the net into the kitchen — is the sport's defining technique.
Fitness: How Hard Will You Actually Work?
Both sports will get you moving, but padel is the more physically demanding of the two for most players. A padel session burns approximately 400–600 calories per hour depending on intensity, with significant cardiovascular and agility demands driven by the larger court, longer rallies, and the constant reactive footwork required to cover wall rebounds.
Pickleball is lower impact by design, given the smaller court. Average calorie burn is approximately 250–350 calories per hour in recreational play — excellent for older players, those returning from injury, or anyone seeking an active social sport without punishing their knees.
The Social Dimension
Both sports are extraordinarily social. Padel's doubles-only format means you always need at least three others, which creates natural community. Most padel venues offer open matches — organised sessions where you are randomly paired with other players. The UK is now the world's most socially active padel nation per Playtomic data, with open match bookings exceeding 90,000 per month.
Accessibility in the UK
This is currently padel's strongest advantage in the UK. With 1,553 courts across 559 venues — including David Lloyd (84 courts), Game4Padel (26+ venues), and Rocket Padel — finding a padel court is increasingly straightforward in any major British city. Court fees average around £7 per person per hour off-peak. Pickleball is growing but remains more fragmented.
The Verdict
Choose padel if: you want a sport with genuine tactical depth, a physically demanding workout, a thriving community scene, and easy access to courts across the UK.
Choose pickleball if: you want something easy to pick up in an afternoon, lower impact on your joints, and a casual, fun social sport without a steep learning curve.
Honest answer? Try both. Most players who do end up making padel their primary sport — but there is room for both on the British sporting landscape, and venues are increasingly offering them under the same roof.
Ready to find your nearest padel court? Use the PadelStop court finder to discover venues in your city.