Indoor vs. Outdoor Pickleballs: What's the Difference?

Pickleballs come in two kinds, and using the wrong one is the #1 reason new players think "this ball is dead."

Outdoor balls (40 holes)

Made of harder plastic with 40 small holes. Heavier, faster, and less affected by wind. They play well on concrete and asphalt courts but crack after a few weeks of hard play. If you play outside, buy these — and buy them in 6-packs, because you'll go through them.

Indoor balls (26 holes)

Softer plastic with 26 larger holes. Lighter and slower, with a longer rally. They're designed for gym floors; outdoors they get pushed around by wind and wear out fast on rough surfaces.

How to tell them apart

Count the holes — or just look: outdoor balls have many small holes, indoor balls have fewer, larger holes. Outdoor balls also sound sharper when bounced.

How many do you need?

For casual play, a 6-pack lasts a month or two. For weekly rec play outdoors, expect to replace balls every 2–4 weeks. Keep a couple in your bag at all times — nothing ends a session faster than a cracked last ball.

Our outdoor and indoor 6-packs are USAPA approved and color-matched to our paddles, because why not.