Pickleball paddle vs padel racket
Updated October 20, 2026. Paddle lists on this page update daily from our database.
Both are solid, stringless, and shorter than a tennis racquet, so they get mixed up. They are not interchangeable: each is built for its own ball, and each sport's rules set its own limits.
| Pickleball paddle | Padel racket | |
|---|---|---|
| Face | Solid, no holes | Drilled with holes |
| Thickness | About 11 to 20 mm | Up to 38 mm |
| Weight | About 7 to 8.5 oz | About 12 to 13 oz (340 to 380 g) |
| Core | Polymer honeycomb or foam | EVA or foam rubber |
| Wrist cord | No | Yes, required |
| Ball | Plastic, with holes | Pressurized, like a tennis ball |
If you play padel, our sister site PadelPriceGuide tracks US padel racket prices the same way we track paddles.