Beach Tennisvs Padel.
Both are booming paddle sports, but they could not be more different. Here is how they actually compare.
Two Different Games.
Beach tennis is played on sand with a net at 1.70 m, solid stringless paddles, a depressurized ball, and no bounce. it is a fast volley game, usually doubles. Padel is played on an enclosed court with walls and an artificial-turf or hard surface, where the ball does bounce and can be played off the glass. like a blend of tennis and squash.
Key differences
- Surface: sand (beach tennis) vs turf/hard with walls (padel)
- Bounce: no bounce in beach tennis; the ball bounces in padel
- Walls: none in beach tennis; padel uses the walls in play
- Net height: 1.70 m beach tennis vs ~0.88 m padel
- Paddle: both use solid perforated paddles, but shapes/specs differ
Scoring
Both use tennis-style scoring (15/30/40), and both commonly use no-advantage points. The serve and tie-break rules differ. beach tennis uses ITF Rule 8b for the tie-break serve (see the tie-break guide).
Which should you try?
If you love the beach, fast hands, and a low cost of entry, beach tennis wins. If you want longer rallies and tactical wall play on a fixed court, padel is your game.
How BeachTennisRef.App Handles It.
- Playing beach tennis? The app keeps score with ITF rules. serve rotation, tie-break, ends changes. on any device.
- Offline support and a live spectator link make it ideal for the beach.
Common Questions.
No. Beach tennis is played on sand with no bounce and no walls; padel is played on an enclosed court with walls where the ball bounces. They share tennis-style scoring but play completely differently.
Beach tennis is often quicker to pick up. rallies are short and there are no walls to read. Padel has a gentler ball (it bounces) but adds wall tactics to learn.
Both use solid perforated stringless paddles, but the shapes and specifications differ between the sports, so paddles are not interchangeable for competition.
Just Play. We'll Keep Score.
Beach tennis scoring with ITF rules built in. serve rotation, the tie-break, ends changes, and a live shareable scoreboard.
First matches free. Any device. No install.