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 get your own quality paddle.

In this post, I’ll cover several paddles that are in the Best Pickleball Paddles $50 and Under price range. I’ll also mention a few paddles that cost slightly more—about $5 to $15 extra—but are well worth the investment.

Who should buy a $50 or less paddle?

The fifty-dollar price range is ideal for beginner pickleball players. While these paddles won’t match the performance of those costing $100 or more, like the Ronbus R1.16, which offers a significant performance boost, they are perfect for someone who is still learning the game and deciding if they want to stick with it.

If you plan to play only a few times a month or year, a $50 paddle might be perfect for you despite its limitations.

After some time, you’ll know if you’re going to become a pickleball enthusiast like many others. At that point, you might consider investing in a paddle designed for intermediate players.

Alright, let’s get to the list!

Pickleball Paddles $50 and Under

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 impressive for a budget paddle, providing power while maintaining some plushness. It offers lots of pop and power, enabling an aggressive style of play. The well-textured face also helps impart spin.

What it lacks: The grip size is large, which might not be ideal for smaller hands. A longer handle would also make two-handed backhands easier. However, overall, this is a solid paddle for its price range. It’s a great step up from an introductory 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, this paddle offers a good blend of power and control. It is definitely more control-oriented than power-focused, providing the balance and touch needed for learning. The textured graphite surface also enhances 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: This paddle is excellent for beginners and intermediate players, offering plenty of power, control, and durability at its price point. Its ridged grip handle and lightweight design make it comfortable to hold. Additionally, it feels very crisp and responsive, with a noticeable pop. The graphics also stand out in a positive way.

The Bison’s thin 10mm core doesn’t offer a lot of stability, and there have been reports of paint chipping on the paddle surface after around six months of use.

On the other hand, the Bison’s sibling, the Rampage, is considered one of the best paddles under $100. It features a 16mm core and a T700 carbon fiber surface. However, it also comes at twice the cost of the Bison.

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: This paddle is excellent for beginners, offering good power, pop, and decent ball control. The grip feels very comfortable, and the length of the grip is nice, especially with the narrow neck, allowing for comfortable two-handed backhands. The weight is also just right.

What it lacks: Spin performance could be better, and it lacks adequate vibration control, making it unsuitable for those with tennis elbow. The control is not as strong as the paddle’s emphasis on power and pop. Additionally, there may be occasional dead spots and 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: The paddle boasts a good sweet spot with a grip that’s both tacky and comfortable. While the grip size leans towards the smaller end, it’s not excessively so, making it ideal for players with smaller hands. It offers good grit and pop, and despite being light, it doesn’t feel flimsy.

What it lacks: The 10mm core is somewhat thin, resulting in decreased control and increased vibration. While the handle length isn’t exceptionally short, a longer handle would allow for more 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: This paddle excels in all aspects, performing better than many paddles priced twice as high. It’s lightweight and comfortable, offering excellent maneuverability. It’s particularly well-suited for children.

What it lacks:The grip is very small, catering mostly to individuals with small hands. It might feel too light for many players and is not designed as a power paddle. Additionally, its appearance may come across as 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. Its 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. It is 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. There is plenty of power for this caliber of paddle. It has a good grip, not too tacky or too slippery. The grip size isn’t too small or too big.

What it lacks: The 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

So, there you have it—a variety of good paddles in the fifty-dollar range to choose from.

Keep in mind, if you’re truly committed to pickleball, it might be worth investing in a better intermediate-level paddle.

While these $50 paddles are great for starters, they tend to be undersized and thin, resulting in a smaller sweet spot and making gameplay more challenging. They’re suitable for learning but may limit your progress if you aim to excel quickly.

For a budget-friendly intermediate paddle, my top recommendation is the Ronbus R1.16.

If you’re savvy and still want to stick close to the $50 mark for a higher-performance paddle, consider checking out Buy, Sell, Trade groups on Facebook. Sometimes, you can find paddles worth over $100 being sold for $50.

Best of luck!

FAQs about Pickleball Paddles $50 and Under