What Type of Ball Is Used in Pickleball? Indoor vs. Outdoor

Pickleball uses a lightweight plastic ball with circular holes, not a felt-covered tennis ball. The holes are why it is called perforated. Standard balls have 26–40 holes, with different designs commonly sold for indoor and outdoor play. USA Pickleball’s equipment overview confirms the basic construction.

For your first game, the useful question is not which brand is best. It is which ball suits the court where you will play.

Indoor vs. outdoor pickleballs

These are the usual differences—not specifications that every model must follow:

Feature	Indoor ball	Outdoor ball
Holes	Usually 26–30 larger holes	Usually more, commonly 40 smaller holes
Construction	Generally softer and lighter	Generally harder and heavier
Playing feel	Usually slower and easier to control	Usually faster off the paddle
Intended conditions	Indoor play, commonly on gym floors	Wind and rougher outdoor surfaces

Selkirk’s comparison of indoor and outdoor balls describes these design tendencies. The number of holes is a useful clue, but it is not a complete buying guide: check the manufacturer’s intended surface, too.

“Indoor” and “outdoor” are not separate legality categories under USA Pickleball rules. Rule 3.C.1 of the 2026 USA Pickleball rulebook says all approved balls are acceptable for either setting. Its illustrations identify larger-hole balls as customarily used indoors and smaller-hole balls as customarily used outdoors.

What size and weight is a pickleball?

USA Pickleball’s posted Equipment Standards Manual, January 2025 revision, specifies:

• Diameter: 2.87–2.97 inches (7.29–7.54 cm).
• Weight: 0.78–0.935 ounces (22.1–26.5 grams).
• Holes: 26–40 circular holes.
• Surface: Smooth and untextured, with one uniform color except for identification markings.

Which type should you bring?

Ask the facility or regular group which ball they use before buying a large pack. For a gym-floor session, start with the recommended indoor model. For outdoor play, start with an outdoor model.

Do not choose solely by whether there is a roof. Outdoor-style balls can also suit indoor hard courts: for example, PACE specifies its P-FORTY for outdoor and indoor hard-surface courts, but not wood gym floors.

For a USA Pickleball-sanctioned tournament, check the event’s designated ball. Under Rule 16.G, the tournament director chooses it from the official approved list.

Before your first game with a different ball, spend a couple of minutes with your partner hitting soft dinks, then serves and returns. Watch the rebound height and whether your normal swing sends the ball too far. Use that checkpoint to adjust your touch before keeping score.