You do not need to spend $250 to get a genuinely great paddle. Thanks to brands like Vatic Pro and 11six24, the budget tier has exploded — several sub-$100 paddles now out-score paddles costing twice as much. Every pick below is under $100 and independently rated 6.0 or higher. With a community discount code, a couple of these get even cheaper.
At a glance
Scored 0–10 by our two independent sources and averaged. Spin, power, and control are measured 0–10. Tap any paddle for the full review.
| Paddle | Score | Spin | Power | Control | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vatic Pro Bloom Prism | 6.4 | 7 | 5.5 | 5.3 | $89.99 |
| Onix Z5 | 6.2 | — | 3.3 | 7.7 | $89.99 |
| Friday Fever Widebody | 6.2 | 6.8 | 5.8 | 5 | $89.1 |
| 11six24 Power Pegasus 16mm | 6.2 | 6.6 | 4.4 | 6.2 | $99.99 |
| Vatic Pro Prism v7 | 6.1 | 5.9 | 8 | 4.2 | $99.99 |
| 11six24 Jelly Bean Pegasus 16mm | 6.1 | 5.8 | 5.4 | 5.5 | $99.99 |
| 11six24 Power Vapor 16mm | 6.1 | 6.8 | 5.6 | 5.4 | $99.99 |
| Vatic Pro Saga Bloom 16mm | 6 | 6.4 | 5.2 | 5.5 | $99.99 |
Our top picks, reviewed
Vatic Pro Bloom Prism
Widebody · 227g · Toray Carbon Fiber · $89.99
John Kew’s 6.4 at under $90 — a Toray-carbon widebody with a 7.0 spin and balanced feel. The clear best-value paddle on our entire board, full stop.
Best for: Anyone who wants the most paddle for under $90.
Reviewed by: John Kew
11six24 Power Pegasus 16mm
Widebody · 230g · Fiberglass, Raw carbon fiber · $99.99
A 6.2 score and 6.6 spin at $99.99 — and with the 11six24 community code, an absolute steal. Big sweet spot, raw-carbon face, all-court ready.
Best for: Value hunters who want an all-court paddle plus a discount.
💰 Save 10% at 11six24 — code JASONREGAN →
Reviewed by: Pickleball Studio
Friday Fever Widebody
Widebody · 233g · T700 Carbon Fiber · $89.1
A 6.8 spin and 6.2 score at $89 — a foam-and-poly widebody that grabs the ball like paddles twice its price. Tremendous value for spin.
Best for: Topspin players who do not want to overspend.
Reviewed by: John Kew
Vatic Pro Prism v7
Elongated · 233g · Raw carbon fiber · $99.99
Dual-reviewed 6.1 with a big 8.0 power at $99.99. The elongated raw-carbon build gives genuine put-away pop without breaking $100.
Best for: Drivers on a budget.
Reviewed by: Pickleball Studio · John Kew
Onix Z5
Widebody · Graphite · $89.99
A classic: 7.7 control, 6.2 score, around $90. Wide, soft graphite that is easy to play and a perfect first “real” paddle.
Best for: Beginners and touch players who want soft, forgiving feel.
Reviewed by: Pickleball Studio
Vatic Pro Saga Bloom 16mm
Widebody · 228g · Raw carbon fiber · $99.99
A 6.0 score with balanced 6.4 spin / 5.2 power / 5.5 control at $99.99. A versatile widebody that is hard to beat at the price.
Best for: Players who want a do-everything paddle under $100.
Reviewed by: Pickleball Studio
🎾 Not sure which is right for you?
Your perfect paddle depends on your style, level, and budget. Answer a few quick questions and we will point you to your best matches.
How we rank paddles
We do not test in-house or take a cut to move paddles up the list. We aggregate the published scores of two respected independent reviewers — Pickleball Studio and John Kew — who run every paddle through consistent spin, power, and control testing. Each paddle gets a 0–10 score from each source; we average the available scores and surface the specs so you can match a paddle to your game. When a paddle is available with one of our community discount codes, we say so.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best budget pickleball paddle?
The Vatic Pro Bloom Prism is our top value pick, a Toray-carbon widebody under $90 that scores 6.4 from John Kew, beating many paddles that cost twice as much.
Are cheap pickleball paddles any good?
The good ones are excellent now. Every pick on this list is under $100 and independently rated 6.0 or higher, performance that rivaled premium paddles just a couple of years ago.
What is the best budget paddle with a discount code?
The 11six24 Power Pegasus 16mm is $99.99 and drops further with our community code, making it one of the best values on the board.