They get lumped together because both exploded at the same time, both are doubles-friendly, and both use a solid stringless bat. But they are not variations of the same game. One is played inside a glass box where the walls are part of the strategy; the other is played on an open court the size of a badminton doubles court, with a plastic ball and a rule that stops you camping at the net.
Want to be rallying within an hour, cheaply, on a court near you? Pickleball. Want longer, more athletic points with tennis-style scoring and don't mind booking a club court? Padel. Most people who try both keep playing both.
A padel court is an enclosed 20m x 10m box surrounded by glass and mesh. The walls are in play: the ball can bounce on your side, hit the glass, and you play it back. That single fact changes everything — points last longer, lobs become weapons, and a ball that looks like a winner comes rebounding back at you.
A pickleball court is 44ft x 20ft with no walls, the same footprint as a doubles badminton court. Out is out. The defining feature instead is the non-volley zone — the 7ft "kitchen" either side of the net that you cannot volley from. It forces the soft dinking exchanges that give the sport its rhythm.
Pickleball is one of the cheapest racquet sports to start. A solid beginner paddle, a tube of outdoor balls and a pair of court shoes will get you going, and a huge share of courts are free public or converted tennis courts. If you want help choosing, see our beginner paddle guide .
Padel is a club sport almost everywhere. The rackets are heavier and pricier, balls wear out, and because purpose-built glass courts are expensive to construct you will nearly always be paying an hourly booking fee split between four players.