Short answer on PPA vs APP: they are two separate professional pickleball tours. The PPA Tour is the bigger one, with most of the sport’s biggest names. It belongs to the same company as Major League Pickleball and DUPR. The APP Tour is an independent circuit with a smaller purse, big amateur and senior-pro draws, and a close relationship with USA Pickleball.
The 30-second version
- Same birth year, different paths: both tours started in 2019. The PPA grew into the dominant tour. The APP stayed independent.
- Who owns them: the PPA is part of Pickleball Inc., which also owns MLP and DUPR, after a $225 million investment in May 2026. The APP is led by its founder, Ken Herrmann.
- Money: the APP says it paid $1.5 million in pro prize money in 2026 and plans $3 million for 2027. The PPA and MLP committed more than $15 million a year from 2026.
- Players: PPA-contracted pros need written approval to play outside events, so the two fields barely overlap.
- For club players: both tours run amateur divisions next to their pro draws, so you can play either one.
I am Jason Regan, a USA Pickleball Ambassador here in New England. The question I hear most from players getting into the pro game is some version of wait, how many tours are there? We covered the PPA and MLP relationship separately. This guide covers the other comparison that confuses people: the PPA vs the APP. I have tried to use only what each organisation has said publicly, and to flag where the sources disagree.
What is the PPA Tour?
The Professional Pickleball Association was founded in 2019, and Connor Pardoe is its founder and CEO, according to the PPA’s own merger announcement. Its title sponsor is Carvana, so you will see it billed as the Carvana PPA Tour.
Three steps turned it into the tour that dominates the sport:
- February 2024: the merger with MLP closed. A $75 million investment led by SC Holdings put the PPA and Major League Pickleball under one roof. More than 150 pros signed multi-year contracts.
- May 2026: Pickleball Inc. A $225 million investment led by Apollo Sports Capital created a new parent company. It owns the PPA, MLP, DUPR, Pickleball.com, PickleballTournaments.com and several other businesses. Tom Dundon and the Pardoe family remain majority shareholders.
- A global calendar. The 2026-27 schedule has 20 tournaments worth 1,000 points or more, about 20 Challenger events, and more than 25 international events. The World Championships are in Dallas in November.
PPA events are tiered by ranking points, per the tour’s how-it-works page: Worlds 3,000, Majors 2,000, Cups 1,500, Opens 1,000, and Challengers and some international events 125 to 500. Those points feed the World Pickleball Rankings.
What is the APP Tour?
The APP, now the Association of Pickleball Players, was founded in 2019 by Ken Herrmann, who still leads it. The APP itself describes 2026 as its eighth season, in its schedule announcement.
- The 2026 schedule included Daytona Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Sacramento, Southern California, Virginia Beach, Cincinnati, Chicago, Detroit, Overland Park, Louisville and Arizona. Tour Championships are in Fort Lauderdale in December. Coverage is on CBS Sports and ESPN.
- Prize money: the APP’s own August 2026 announcement says it paid $1.5 million in pro prize money in 2026 and will double that to $3 million in 2027.
- Players: the same release says nearly 70 pros have signed with the APP Tour since the start of 2026. It also runs a Touring Pro development roster for players aged 19 to 24.
- Senior pros: the APP runs AARP-branded pro divisions for 50-plus and 60-plus players. That is a real point of difference from the PPA.
A note on the numbers: the announcement headline counted 13 televised events, the article listed 12 stops, and the APP’s own August 2026 release says 10 U.S. stops in 2026. I cannot reconcile those counts, so I am giving you all three.
PPA vs APP: how do they compare side by side?
| PPA Tour | APP Tour | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2019 | 2019 |
| Owner / leader | Pickleball Inc. (CEO Connor Pardoe) | Founder Ken Herrmann |
| Sister properties | MLP, DUPR, Pickleball.com | Global alliance of national tours |
| Pro prize money | $15M+ a year with MLP, from 2026 | $1.5M (2026), $3M planned (2027) |
| Players | 150+ pros on multi-year contracts at the 2024 merger, including stars like Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters | Nearly 70 pros signed since the start of 2026, plus a development roster |
| Amateur divisions | Yes | Yes, plus senior pro divisions |
For the PPA and MLP money, and how pro contracts work, see how much pro pickleball players make.
Can PPA pros play APP events?
Not freely. Under the contracts reported by The Dink in June 2025, contracted players must play exclusively within the PPA/MLP system. Any outside tournament, exhibition or fundraiser needs written approval requested 60 days in advance.
The tour enforces that. In December 2025, pickleball.com reported that James Ignatowich, Jack Fu and Julian Glozman had their contracts terminated for playing unsanctioned events in Tokyo. Those were not APP events, but the case shows how seriously exclusivity is taken. That is the main reason you rarely see Ben Johns or Anna Leigh Waters in an APP draw.
Is there a PPA vs APP rivalry over who runs the sport?
There has been a real split over governance. In May 2024, The Dink reported that the PPA/MLP parent would replace USA Pickleball as its governing body with a new organisation, UPA-A. The APP responded with a statement backing USA Pickleball as an independent governing body.
That difference still shows. APP events are sanctioned by USA Pickleball. The APP has also built a global alliance with national tours in Canada, Europe, India, Australia, England and Vietnam, which promised a shared ranking table from 2026. I found no reporting of any lawsuit between the two tours. The competition has played out through contracts, not in court.
One thing ties them together: DUPR. DUPR is now USA Pickleball’s official ratings partner and is owned by Pickleball Inc. The APP confirmed DUPR ratings would be available at its 2026 events. For how ratings and rankings differ, read pickleball ratings explained.
Which tour should a New England player care about?
Honestly, both, for different reasons.
- To watch the best players in the world, follow the PPA and MLP. That is where the top of the sport plays.
- To play in a pro-tour event yourself, both tours run amateur divisions for all ages and levels. The APP’s senior pro divisions make it especially interesting for strong 50-plus players.
- Travel is the catch. I could not find a PPA or APP pro event in New England on either 2026 calendar. The nearest recent APP pro event was the 2025 APP NYC Open in Queens. For local play, start with our tournament hub.
More pro-tour explainers are in The Pro Corner, including what Major League Pickleball is and how the MLP draft works.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the PPA and the APP?
They are separate pro tours. The PPA is the larger tour, owned by Pickleball Inc. alongside MLP and DUPR, with most of the top players under contract. The APP is independent, led by founder Ken Herrmann, and sanctioned by USA Pickleball.
Is the APP part of the PPA?
No. The APP is not owned by Pickleball Inc. and is not part of the PPA or MLP.
Which tour pays more prize money?
The PPA and MLP committed more than 15 million dollars a year in prize money from 2026. The APP says it paid 1.5 million dollars in pro prize money in 2026 and plans 3 million dollars in 2027.
Can top PPA players compete on the APP Tour?
Only with approval. PPA/MLP contracts require written approval, requested 60 days in advance, for outside events. In practice the two pro fields rarely overlap.
Can amateurs play in PPA and APP events?
Yes. Both tours run amateur divisions alongside their pro draws, and the APP also has senior pro divisions for players 50 and older.
Sources: the PPA Tour’s merger announcement, Pickleball Inc. announcement, 2026-27 schedule and how-it-works page; the APP’s August 2026 prize-money announcement; and reporting by The Dink and pickleball.com, dated as linked.