Ranking the Best Pickleball Paddles $50 and Under in 2024

So you’re falling in love with pickleball (who isn’t these days?). And you’re ready to pick up a decent paddle of your own.

In this post, I’ll be covering a number of paddles that are great buys in the $50 price range. I also mention some paddles that cost slightly over $50 but are well worth the $5-15 price bump.

Who should buy a $50 or less paddle?

The fifty-dollar price range is squarely in the “pickleball beginners” area of paddle budgets. The performance of these paddles won’t match any paddle that costs $100+. Right around $100, with a paddle like the Ronbus R1.16, you get a big jump up in performance.

A $50 paddle is perfect for someone who’s still learning the game, and more importantly, still deciding if they’ll want to stick to the game.

Is this something you’ll want to play a few times a month or year? If so, a $50 paddle might be perfect for you, even with its shortcomings.

After you play for a while, you’ll discover if you’re going to be a pickleball fanatic, like the rest of us. You could then consider investing in an intermediate player’s paddle.

Alright, onto the list!

1. Niupipo Explorer

• Paddle type: All-court
• Core thickness: 13mm
• Total Length: 16″
• Grip length: 5.24″
• Grip size: 4.5″
• Avg. Weight: 8.0 oz
• View on Amazon

Niupipo Explorer Features: Polymer honeycomb core, fiberglass face, wide body for enlarged sweet-spot

Where it excels: The 13mm core is good for a cheaper paddle, helping generate power while still maintaining some plushness. Lots of pop and power also enable an aggressive style of play. The face is well-textured and helps impart spin.

What it lacks: The grip size is large. Not ideal for smaller hands. A longer handle would also enable easier two-handed backhands. But, overall, this is a solid paddle for the price range. It’s a great step up from an intro beginner paddle.

2. Vulcan V330

• Paddle type: All-court
• Core thickness: 10mm
• Total Length: 16′
• Grip length:
• Grip size: 4.125″
• Avg. Weight: 7.8 oz
• View on Amazon

Vulcan V330 Features: Polypropylene core, carbon fiber/fiberglass blended face, Proprietary grip on handle

Where it excels: Better than entry level. Good blend of power and control. Definitely more control-oriented than power. Gives the balance and touch needed when learning. The textured graphite surface has good spin.

What it lacks: Not as powerful as some paddles on this list. Slightly on the lighter side.

3. The Bison

• Paddle type: All-court
• Core thickness: 10mm
• Total Length: 15.75″
• Grip length: 4.75″
• Grip size: 4.25″
• View on Amazon

Bison Features: Honeycomb polymer core, textured graphite face, comfortable ridged grip

Where it excels: It’s a great beginner/intermediate paddle with plenty of power, control, and durability for the price point. This paddle is great to hold with its ridged grip handle and lightweight form factor. It’s also very crisp and poppy. The graphics also stand out, in a good way.

What it lacks: The Bison’s thin 10mm doesn’t provide a ton of stability. I’ve seen some reports of paint chipping on the paddle surface after 6 months or so.

The Bison’s sibling, the Rampage, is one of the best paddles under $100 with its 16mm core and T700 carbon fiber surface. But it’s also twice the cost.

4. Gamma Fusion LE

• Paddle type: All-court
• Core thickness:  12.7mm
• Total Length: 15.75″
• Grip length: 5″
• Grip size: 4.125″
• Avg. Weight: 8.0 oz
• View on Amazon

Gamma Fusion Features: Polypropylene honeycomb core, fiberglass surface, tacky cushion grip,

Where it excels: Great paddle for a beginner. Good power and pop, and decent ball control. The feel of the grip is very good. The length of the grip is nice, too, especially with the neck being narrow. Can hit two-handed backhands comfortably. Weight is good.

What it lacks: Spin performance could be better. Bad vibration control. Not good for tennis elbow. Control not as good as paddle favors power and pop. Occasional dead spot/durability issues

5. Franklin Pilot

• Paddle type: All-court
• Core thickness: 10mm
• Total Length: 16″
• Grip length: 5″
• Grip size: 4.125″
• Avg. Weight: 7.9 oz
• View on Amazon

Franklin Pilot Features: 6mm polypropylene core, “MaxGrit” fiberglass surface to increase spin, non-slip comfort grip

Where it excels: Good sweet spot with a grip that’s tacky and comfortable. The grip size is on the smaller end but not too small. Great for smaller hands. Good grit and pop. The paddle is light but not flimsy feeling.

What it lacks: The 10mm core is a bit thin, which makes it harder to control and has more vibration. The handle length isn’t super short, but a longer handle would enable comfortable two-handed backhands.

6. Rally Tyro 2

• Paddle type: All-court
• Core thickness: 13mm
• Total Length: 15 3/4″
• Grip length: 5″
• Grip size: 3.875″
• Avg. Weight: 7.2 oz
• View on Amazon

Rally Tyro 2 Features: Polymer core, composite face, no-slip handle.

Where it excels: Great all-around paddle that plays better than many twice its cost. Light and comfortable. Very maneuverable. Ideal for children.

What it lacks: Grip is very small and will appeal mostly to those with small hands. Might be too light for many players. Not a power paddle. Appearance is pretty cheap.

7. Orca Strato

• Paddle type: All-court
• Core thickness:
• Total Length: 16.65″
• Grip length: 5″
• Grip size: 4.25″
• Avg. Weight: 7.5 oz
• View on Amazon

Strato Features: Nomex honeycomb core, textured fiberglass face, anti-slip rubber compound grip

Where it excels: Good texture for spin, great touch, and power. Easy on the wrists. Good aesthetics with its multicolored wood finish and black grip comes with a carrying bag.

What it lacks: It’s pretty lightweight, which can make it lack oomph for some. But for others, the lightweight size is easier to maneuver and handle. The handle might be too small for some players.

Honorable Mentions (slightly over budget)

There are some great paddles that cost just a bit more than $50. I’ve decided to list them here for you as an option if you decide to spend a little more than $50.

These paddles are definitely worth the marginal price increase over fifty dollars.

Joola Essentials

• Paddle type: All-court
• Core thickness: 12mm
• Total Length: 15.5″
• Grip length: 4.75″
• Grip size: 4″
• Avg. Weight: 8.2 oz
• View on Amazon

Joola Essentials Features: Responsive polymer honeycomb core, fiberglass surface, edge-shield edge-guard, anti-slip ridged handle.

Where it excels: Well constructed, lightweight, has plenty of power and pop and has a good ribbed paddle grip. Paddle face is quite grippy.

What it lacks: The Essentials has a small handle, both in length and grip size, which can make the paddle feel diminutive. It’s ideal for smaller-handed individuals, but not great for larger hands or those two like two-handed backhands. Not a ton of spin.

Hudef HB 2.0

• Paddle type: All-court
• Core thickness:
• Total Length: 16.3″
• Grip length: 5″
• Grip size: 4.125″
• Avg. Weight: 7.9 oz
• View on Amazon

Hudef HB 2.0 Features: Polypropylene honeycomb core, graphite face,

Where it excels: The extra bit of elongated handle really helps reach. Great for giving shorter players more confidence to make tough shots. The grip is comfortable and practical. The paddle is lightweight and easy to handle. Has a solid response.

What it lacks: The grip is a bit short at 5″, which limits the effectiveness of two-handed backhands. The paddle doesn’t give a ton of power and lacks pop. I’ve heard of the handle having some reliability issues.

Head Radical Elite

• Paddle type: All-court
• Core thickness: 13mm
• Total Length:
• Grip length: 5″
• Grip size: 4.25″
• Avg. Weight: 8.1 oz
• View on Amazon

Head Radical Elite Features: Polypropylene honeycomb core, fiberglass face,

Where it excels: The 13mm honeycomb core gives a large sweet spot and good playability for a budget paddle. Plenty of power for this caliber of paddle. It has a good feeling grip, not too tacky or too slippery. The grip size isn’t too small or too big.

What it lacks: Paddle face lacks texture and isn’t as grippy as their more premium paddles, so it doesn’t create a ton of spin. 5″ grip length is common but a bit short for some players. The length isn’t good for two-handed back hands.

Conclusion

There you have it, a lot of good fifty-dollar (ish) paddles to choose from.

Remember, if you’re really devoted to the game of pickleball, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to pick up a better intermediate-level paddle.

These $50 paddles are great to start with, but they’re a bit undersized and thin, which gives them a smaller sweet spot and makes them harder to play with. You can learn with them, but they will let you down if you want to really play good quickly.

My top recommendation for a budget beginner-friendly intermediate paddle is the Ronbus R1.16.

If you want to be savvy and still spend close to $50 for a higher-performance paddle, consider checking out some Buy, Sell, Trade groups on FB. Occasionally someone is selling $100+ paddles for $50.

Good luck!