Pickleball, padel and tennis are all racket sports played over a net, but they differ significantly. Pickleball uses a small open court, solid paddles and a plastic ball with holes. Padel uses an enclosed glass walled court, perforated rackets and a depressurised tennis ball. Tennis uses the largest court, strung rackets and a pressurised ball. Pickleball is the cheapest, easiest to learn and most accessible. Tennis is the most physically demanding. Padel sits between the two in cost, complexity and intensity.
If you have been thinking about picking up a racket sport in the UK, you have probably noticed that the landscape looks very different from even five years ago. Tennis is still the established choice, but padel and pickleball have arrived with serious momentum, and both are fighting for your time, your attention and your gym bag space.
The three sports share some DNA. They all involve hitting a ball over a net with some kind of paddle or racket. But the way they play, the way they feel, what they cost and who they suit are genuinely different. This guide compares them honestly so you can decide which one deserves your first session.
The Courts: Size, Surface and Setup
The most obvious difference between these three sports is the court.
A tennis court is the largest at 23.8 metres long and 10.97 metres wide for doubles. It is an open, outdoor surface in most UK settings, though indoor tennis courts exist at premium clubs. The sheer size of the court means you cover a lot of ground during a match.
A padel court is smaller at 20 metres long and 10 metres wide, but it is enclosed by glass walls and a metal mesh cage. The walls are not just boundaries. They are part of the game. The ball can rebound off the glass walls and remain in play, which creates a dynamic that does not exist in any other racket sport. Padel courts are purpose built and cannot be improvised from existing facilities.
A pickleball court is the smallest at 13.4 metres long and 6.1 metres wide, identical to a badminton doubles court. It is an open court with no walls. The net sits lower than in tennis. Because the dimensions match badminton courts, pickleball can be set up at any leisure centre or sports hall with existing badminton infrastructure. This is the main reason pickleball has spread so quickly in the UK. No new construction is needed. A portable net and some tape are enough.
Equipment and What It Costs
Tennis uses a strung racket, which is the most complex and expensive piece of equipment across the three sports. A decent beginner racket costs 40 to 80 pounds, and strings need replacing periodically. Tennis balls are pressurised and cost around 5 to 8 pounds for a tube of four. You also need proper tennis shoes with lateral support.
Padel uses a solid racket (called a pala) with a perforated surface and no strings. Padel rackets cost 50 to 250 pounds depending on quality. The ball is a depressurised version of a tennis ball, slightly softer and slower. Padel specific shoes are recommended because the court surface is different from tennis.
Pickleball uses a solid paddle with a flat face and a short handle. Paddles cost 30 to 250 pounds in the UK. The ball is a lightweight plastic sphere with holes punched through it. Indoor balls are softer with fewer, larger holes. Outdoor balls are harder with more, smaller holes. Balls cost 2 to 5 pounds each. Court shoes or any flat soled trainer works for indoor play. Most UK clubs lend paddles to beginners, so you can play your first few sessions without buying anything.
In total startup cost, pickleball is the cheapest. You can play your first session for 5 to 10 pounds with no equipment purchase. Tennis and padel both require a larger upfront investment.
The Real Cost of Playing Regularly
This is where the differences become very practical.
A pickleball session at a UK club costs 5 to 10 pounds. You turn up, play for 90 minutes to two hours, and go home. Equipment is often included. Annual club membership, if offered, is typically 20 to 60 pounds.
A padel court booking starts at around 20 to 30 pounds per hour for a shared court (split between four players, so roughly 5 to 8 pounds each). At premium London venues, court fees can reach 50 pounds per hour or more. Racket hire is often extra. The cost per session is comparable to pickleball when split four ways, but the court infrastructure makes padel venues less numerous and often more expensive.
Tennis court fees vary enormously. Public courts can be free or cost 5 to 15 pounds per hour. Private club membership ranges from 200 to over 1,000 pounds per year. Coaching, which many beginners need, adds 30 to 60 pounds per hour. Tennis is the most expensive option for regular play.
How Easy Is It to Pick Up?
Pickleball is the easiest sport to learn of the three. The court is small, the ball moves slowly, the serve is underhand, and the rules actively prevent powerful players from dominating. Most people can rally within five minutes of picking up a paddle. The double bounce rule and the kitchen zone create a framework that makes the game immediately playable for complete beginners.
Padel has a slightly steeper initial learning curve. The walls add a layer of complexity because you need to read the angle and speed of rebounds, which is a skill that takes several sessions to develop. However, the underhand serve makes starting easier than tennis, and the doubles format means your partner can cover for your mistakes. Most people become comfortable within three to five sessions.
Tennis is the hardest to pick up. The overhead serve alone takes significant practice to execute consistently. Groundstrokes require proper swing technique. The large court demands fitness and footwork. Many beginners find the first few sessions frustrating because rallies are short and the ball goes everywhere. Coaching is almost essential for tennis beginners who want to enjoy the sport.
That said, all three sports have deep strategic layers once you move beyond the basics. Pickleball at a competitive level is extremely tactical. Padel rewards court craft and patience. Tennis at its best is a complete athletic challenge. The question is not which sport is harder overall but which sport lets you have fun fastest.
Fitness and Physical Demands
Tennis is the most physically demanding. Singles tennis on a full court involves sustained running, explosive sprinting, overhead serving and long rallies. A typical singles match burns 500 to 700 calories per hour. It is excellent cardiovascular exercise but hard on joints, especially knees, ankles and shoulders.
Padel sits in the middle. The enclosed court is smaller than tennis, but wall play keeps rallies going for longer, which means sustained movement. The underhand serve reduces shoulder strain. A typical padel session burns 400 to 600 calories per hour. It provides a genuine workout without the extreme physical demands of tennis.
Pickleball is the least physically demanding, which is one of its greatest strengths. The small court limits running distance. The light ball and underhand serve reduce joint stress. A recreational doubles session burns 350 to 500 calories per hour. It still qualifies as moderate to vigorous exercise and meets NHS physical activity guidelines, but it is accessible to people who find tennis too intense. For more on how pickleball affects your body, read our guide to the health benefits of pickleball.
The Social Experience
This is the factor that people underestimate when choosing a sport, but it is often the reason they stick with it.
Pickleball is the most social of the three. The small court means four players in a doubles game are always within easy conversation distance. Games are short, so you rotate partners frequently and meet everyone in the session. UK clubs consistently describe pickleball as the fastest way to build genuine friendships through sport. The self officiated nature of the game also builds trust and camaraderie between players.
Padel has a strong social element too. It is always played as doubles, and the fast rallies create a natural team dynamic. Many padel clubs have a cafe or bar culture that encourages players to stay after their session. The sport has a slightly more premium feel, which appeals to players who enjoy the club atmosphere.
Tennis can be social, but it depends on the format. Singles tennis is inherently solitary. Doubles tennis is social but involves less interaction than pickleball or padel because the court is larger and points are faster. Tennis clubs have strong traditions of community, but the sport itself is less naturally sociable during play.
Where Can You Play Each Sport in the UK?
Pickleball has the widest availability. There are nearly 1,000 venues across the UK, with the majority at leisure centres and sports halls that use existing badminton courts. Sessions are available in every region of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. You can find a session using the Pickleball England club locator or by contacting your local leisure centre. For a full breakdown, see our guide to where to play pickleball in the UK.
Padel has around 760 courts in the UK, concentrated in and around major cities. London, Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh have the strongest coverage. Padel courts require specialist construction, so availability is more limited in rural areas and smaller towns. The LTA is investing heavily in new padel facilities, and the number of courts is growing rapidly.
Tennis has the deepest infrastructure, with thousands of courts across the UK at public parks, private clubs and leisure centres. The LTA lists venues across the country. Court availability is rarely a problem, though quality and cost vary enormously.
If You Already Play One Sport, How Easily Can You Switch?
Tennis players trying pickleball
Tennis players pick up pickleball very quickly. Hand eye coordination, shot placement and net awareness all transfer directly. The main adjustments are learning the underhand serve, developing a compact swing instead of a full tennis stroke, and building the soft touch needed for dinking at the kitchen line. Most tennis players are competitive in pickleball within a few sessions. For a deeper look at the transition, read our guide on switching from tennis to pickleball.
Tennis players trying padel
Tennis players also adapt well to padel. The racket handling and court positioning translate, though the wall rebounds require a completely new skill set. The underhand serve is easier than in tennis. The biggest adjustment is learning to use the glass walls offensively and defensively, which takes practice.
Badminton players
Badminton players have a natural advantage in pickleball because the court dimensions are identical. Wrist control, net play and reaction speed all transfer. Badminton to pickleball is one of the smoothest transitions in racket sports.
Complete beginners
If you have no racket sport experience at all, pickleball is the gentlest entry point. The rules are simple, the ball is slow, and the community is welcoming. Padel is the next step up. Tennis requires the most commitment to reach a point where the game feels enjoyable.
So Which Sport Should You Choose?
There is no single right answer, but there are honest recommendations based on what you are looking for.
Choose pickleball if you want the lowest barrier to entry, the cheapest cost, the fastest path to having fun, and the strongest social community. Pickleball is especially well suited for people over 40, families, and anyone who wants regular exercise without high physical intensity.
Choose padel if you want a dynamic, fast paced game with a premium club atmosphere. Padel is excellent for groups of four friends who want to book a court together regularly. It offers more physical intensity than pickleball while still being more accessible than tennis.
Choose tennis if you want the ultimate athletic challenge, enjoy individual competition, and are willing to invest in coaching and practice to develop your game. Tennis rewards long term commitment more than any other racket sport.
And honestly, you do not have to choose just one. Many UK players now play pickleball and padel at different times of the week, or use pickleball as a year round indoor option alongside summer tennis. The skills overlap enough that playing one sport improves your performance in the others.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the difference between pickleball and padel?
Pickleball is played on an open court with solid paddles and a plastic ball with holes. Padel is played on an enclosed court with glass walls, using perforated rackets and a depressurised tennis ball. Pickleball courts are smaller. Pickleball can be singles or doubles, while padel is almost always doubles.
Q: Is pickleball easier than tennis?
Yes, for most people. Pickleball has a smaller court, a slower ball, an underhand serve and rules that prevent net domination. Most beginners can rally within five minutes. Tennis requires an overhead serve and years of practice to develop consistent groundstrokes.
Q: Which is cheaper to play in the UK, pickleball or padel?
Pickleball is significantly cheaper. Sessions cost five to ten pounds. Padel court bookings start at around 25 pounds per hour. Pickleball equipment is also cheaper, with starter paddles from 30 pounds compared to 50 plus for padel rackets.
Q: Can I play pickleball on a tennis court?
Yes. Pickleball courts can be taped out on tennis courts. One tennis court can accommodate up to four pickleball courts. Indoor badminton courts are the most common pickleball venue in the UK as the dimensions are identical.
Q: Which sport burns more calories, pickleball or tennis?
Tennis burns more calories per hour due to the larger court and more intense movement. Singles tennis burns 500 to 700 calories per hour. Pickleball burns 350 to 600 depending on intensity. Both are effective forms of exercise.
Q: Is padel or pickleball growing faster in the UK?
Both are growing rapidly. Padel has around 760 courts with significant LTA investment. Pickleball has nearly 1,000 venues, 45,000 regular players, and membership grew 79 per cent in the past year. Pickleball is expanding faster in community growth and accessibility.
Q: Do tennis skills transfer to pickleball?
Many tennis skills transfer directly, including hand eye coordination, shot placement and net awareness. The main adjustments are a compact swing, underhand serve and developing touch for the soft game near the kitchen.
Q: Can I play all three sports at the same venue?
Some UK venues now offer all three. David Lloyd Clubs and certain LTA tennis clubs have added padel and pickleball. However, most venues specialise in one or two. Pickleball is the easiest to add because it uses existing courts with portable nets.
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