[2025 Edition] Pickleball Major Brand Ranking | A Thorough Comparison by Sales, Units Sold, and Pro Usage Rate

“So, what’s the coolest pickleball brand right now?” — We get asked this question a lot at our shop.

I’m Yoshi Coach. I was a tennis coach for 15 years, then in 2026, I got completely hooked on pickleball. Since then, I’ve tried all sorts of paddles, both domestic and international. The truth is, there isn't one simple answer to that question. The brand with the highest revenue, the brand that sells the most units, and the brand most used by top pros are often all different.

So today, I’ve gathered overseas data for the 2025 calendar year and ranked the major brands from three perspectives: revenue, sales volume, and pro usage rate. I’ll also provide an overall ranking, some more niche insights, and answer questions like, “How many brands are there in the world?” and “What’s the deal with tennis brands in pickleball?”

To give you the conclusion upfront, in terms of overall performance, Selkirk and JOOLA are clearly the top two contenders. However, the paddle that’s right for *you* might not be among them — I’ll delve into the data to explain why.

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Introduction: Assumptions of this Ranking (I’ll be honest)

First, something important: There are no official, confirmed statistics showing brand-specific revenue or market share in the pickleball industry. This is because most brands do not disclose their pickleball-specific sales.

Therefore, the figures in this article are based on:

• Estimated reports from market research firms (multiple sources)
• Aggregated data from industry media (such as The Dink, The Kitchen)
• Estimated values from third-party analysis tools for Amazon
• Published tournament results from professional tours (PPA)

These are all cross-referenced to create my own estimated ranking. So, rather than taking "Xth place = confirmed," please interpret this as "multiple data points suggest this ranking." I’ve included the sources for the numbers and my confidence level (high, medium, low).

Precisely because there are no perfect statistics, cross-referencing multiple data sources is meaningful. So, let's dive in with confidence.

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Perspective 1: Ranking by Revenue and Market Share

Conclusion: Selkirk leads in business scale, followed by JOOLA. These top two are in a league of their own.

First, let's look at the classic question: "Which company is the biggest business-wise?" Multiple market research reports and industry articles almost consistently rank Selkirk in 1st place and JOOLA in 2nd place.

Rank	Brand	Origin	Position (Estimate)
1	Selkirk	USA・Founded 2014	Market share leader. Over 11% in North America, multiple surveys rank it highest globally
2	JOOLA	Established Table Tennis Brand → PB	Second place, backed by Ben Johns. Rapid expansion with high-priced items and pro popularity
3	Paddletek	Oldest in USA・2010	Over 1 million units sold cumulatively・All US-made veteran brand
4	Onix (Escalade Group)	Under listed company	Legacy brand with official DURA ball. Wide distribution
5	Engage	USA・2015	All products US-made. Ranks in top 5 in multiple surveys

Source: Global Market Insights, Deep Market Insights (2025・Top 10 estimate), The Dink. Absolute market share values (e.g., Selkirk 7–18%) vary significantly between research firms, so the ranking is more reliable (Confidence: Rank = High / Share % = Medium).

What's noteworthy is that these two powerhouses are contrasting in nature.

• Selkirk is a family-owned company founded in 2014 (Idaho, USA). In January 2026, it secured approximately ¥4.5 billion ($30M) in funding from investment fund Bluestone Equity, bringing its company valuation to around ¥30 billion ($200M). It has reported a sales increase of approximately +1,900% compared to 2019, making it an undisputed industry leader.
• JOOLA was originally an established table tennis brand. It rapidly rose to prominence after signing the world No. 1 ranked Ben Johns to an unprecedented "lifetime contract." In 2025, it also announced a partnership with Andre Agassi's brand. It might be the brand with the most "momentum."

Our brand, Engage (Japan's sole authorized dealer), is also a consistent top 5 performer in multiple market surveys. It's a brand known for its solid craftsmanship rather than flashiness, making all its models in the US. The data clearly shows its strong position among the top brands—I can proudly state this without any dealer bias. This is something to be proud of.

💡 Yoshi Coach’s Point "Higher sales" doesn't necessarily mean "the right paddle for you." Larger brands offer a wide range of products, from beginner-friendly to competitive models, so it's best to interpret it as them having something for everyone.

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Perspective 2: Ranking by Sales Volume (Number of Units Sold)

Conclusion: Brands that sell well by value and brands that sell well by volume are completely different.

Next, let's look at "units sold" instead of "value." This is where it gets interesting.

Relevant data comes from Amazon (US) paddle sales in 2025. Third-party estimates indicate that approximately 687,000 units, totaling about ¥6.6 billion ($44M), were sold annually. Unit sales increased by +38% year-on-year, while revenue increased by +55%. This means that "the average price per unit increased = more expensive paddles also sold well" that year.

Here are the brand-specific estimates (Amazon internal, purely estimated values):

Perspective	Representative Brands	Comment
Wins by volume	Cheap 2-paddle sets, Selkirk, Niupipo	$20-50 sets form the bulk of the volume
Wins by price point	JOOLA	Driven by high-priced models like Ben Johns' signature paddle

Specifically, on Amazon, Selkirk sold approximately 87,000 units (among the top in volume), while JOOLA sold about 45,000 units. Selkirk sold almost twice as many units as JOOLA, yet their revenue was nearly equal. This clearly illustrates the dynamic of "Selkirk wins on volume, JOOLA wins on price point."

And it's important to note that if you only count "volume" on Amazon, the top spots are dominated by cheap 2-paddle sets from unknown brands. High-end paddles used by pros rarely appear in the volume rankings. Furthermore, these numbers don't include sales from Costco, Walmart, specialty stores, or direct-to-consumer brand sales, so the actual volume is likely even more skewed towards mass-market and beginner products.

💡 Yoshi Coach’s Point “Most sold” doesn’t mean “best.” The best-selling paddles by volume are inexpensive, entry-level sets. This isn’t a bad thing; it’s proof that the industry is thriving with more new players starting out.

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Perspective 3: Top Pro Usage Rate Ranking

Conclusion: JOOLA is the undisputed leader. The top 3 brands alone account for approximately 70% of all medals.

“Which brands do the pros use?” — This is the most exciting question. Here, the data on which brands of paddles won medals at the 2025 PPA Tour (all 17 tournaments) is incredibly insightful.

Rank	Brand	2025 Medals Won	Number of Contracted Pros
1	JOOLA	121	20
2	Paddletek	83	5
3	Franklin	76	5
4	Selkirk	32	4
5	Proton	29	9
6	PIKKL	28	2
7	ProXR	14	3
8th and below	Six Zero・CRBN・Engage・HEAD etc.	1–4 each	1–2 each

Source: The Kitchen (Total of approximately 408 medals from all 17 PPA Tournaments in 2025). Confidence: High.

Breaking it down:

• JOOLA alone dominated about 30% of all medals. With 20 contracted pros and 121 medals, it's the undisputed leader. Their strength lies in having both male and female stars.
• The top 3 brands (JOOLA, Paddletek, Franklin) alone account for approximately 70% of all medals. The professional world is highly concentrated among a select few brands.
• Paddletek achieved 83 medals with only 5 contracts. Their efficiency with a small, elite team is exceptionally high. However, their star player, women's No. 1 Anna Leigh Waters, moved to Franklin in 2026 (pro paddle contracts often shift annually).

As the 2026 season begins, the landscape of power is shifting slightly due to player transfers. Franklin has rapidly gained ground in women's pickleball by acquiring Anna Leigh Waters, and our brand, Engage, welcomed Eric Oncins (who uses the X2), a professional active in the PPA, in 2026. Six Zero (authorized dealer) is also increasing its roster of contracted players like Gabriel Joseph. Both Engage and Six Zero, while accounting for only a few medals, are considered "niche" brands, but their names are consistently appearing in the top professional scene.

💡 Yoshi Coach’s Point For pro paddles, there are cases where the "sponsorship" differs from the "actual product" (e.g., custom surfaces with more grit than retail versions). Instead of simply copying the model name, it's recommended to emulate the "thinking" behind why they choose it. For more details, see Trends in Paddles Used by Pros.

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Overall Ranking: Integrating the Three Metrics

Conclusion: Selkirk takes the top spot overall, followed by JOOLA in second. The third place and below feature a blend of established and new-generation brands.

So, what's the overall ranking when combining these three perspectives? This is entirely my own assessment. I weighted them as follows:

• Revenue & Market Share: 40% (business scale, breadth of lineup)
• Top Pro Usage: 35% (proof of performance, aspiration, buzz)
• Sales Volume & Penetration: 25% (reach among general players)

Based on these criteria, I evaluated each brand with ◎ (strong), ○ (medium), △ (weak/limited), and compiled the table below.

Overall	Brand	Revenue & Share	Pro Usage	Penetration & Volume	Comment
1	Selkirk	◎	○	◎	All-around strong leader. Well-funded and stable
2	JOOLA	◎	◎	○	Overwhelming pro popularity and momentum. Arguably #1
3	Paddletek	○	◎	○	Elite team with pro track record. One of the oldest US brands
4	Franklin	○	◎	◎	Official ball + mass market + acquired ALW in 2026
5	Engage	◎	△	○	US-made powerhouse. Consistently in top 5 surveys
6	Onix	○	△	○	Stability under a listed company. Official DURA ball
7	CRBN	△	○	○	Leading new entrant. Rapid growth with DTC
8	Six Zero	△	○	○	Australian-born new generation. Cost-performance and buzz
9	ProKennex	○	△	△	Established Taiwanese brand. Unique body-friendly design
10	Gearbox	○	△	△	Integrated molding specialist. Premium-oriented

Selkirk ranks 1st, and JOOLA 2nd. These top two are genuinely neck and neck; if you prioritize "scale and stability," Selkirk leads, but if it's "momentum and pro popularity," JOOLA has the edge. From 3rd place onwards, it's a battle between the established brands (Paddletek, Engage, Onix) and the rising new generation (CRBN, Six Zero).

By the way, Engage and Six Zero are brands we carry, but this ranking is based on third-party market research and publicly available PPA data. We haven't artificially boosted them because we're dealers (in fact, I honestly rated Engage's pro usage as △). They're in the top ranks simply because the data indicates they are. That's all.

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Niche Ranking Perspectives

From here, I’ll share some interesting, unconventional perspectives that caught my eye while reviewing the numbers. Feel free to use these as conversation starters at the shop.

1. Pro "Efficiency" Ranking (Medals per Contracted Player)

By dividing the number of medals won by the number of contracted pros, we can see how much they win with fewer players.

• Paddletek: 83 ÷ 5 = approx. 16.6 (Most efficient)
• Franklin: 76 ÷ 5 = approx. 15.2
• PIKKL: 28 ÷ 2 = 14.0
• JOOLA: 121 ÷ 20 = approx. 6.1 (Volume type, relying on numbers)

JOOLA is a "volume" player, while Paddletek is a "one-person army." This shows how even strong competitors can have different characteristics.

2. Made in USA Ranking (The Rarity of Domestic Production)

About 70% of paddles worldwide are said to be made in China (general industry perception, not exact statistics). In contrast, a survey (The Dink, 2025) suggests that only about 12 companies actually boast "Made in USA". Among them are Engage, Paddletek, and Selkirk. This commitment to domestic production and quality control makes them a clear minority—a rarity. I’ve written more about how the country of manufacture affects paddles in Made in USA vs. China-Made Paddles.

3. Giant Killer (Cost-Performance) Ranking

These are the "challengers" who offer serious specs like raw carbon, often at half the price of major brands, and are gaining recognition. Vatic Pro, Six Zero, and 11Six24 are prime examples. They mainly operate via direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales, growing through word-of-mouth rather than advertising. This price disruption is making the entire industry more exciting.

4. Surprisingly Different Origins Ranking

Learning about the "previous lives" of these brands can be amusing.

• JOOLA = Originally an established table tennis brand
• ProKennex = Established Taiwanese brand in tennis/racquetball
• Gearbox = Originated from racquetball
• Franklin = Surprisingly, a major baseball glove company (founded 1946)

Brands from different industries are bringing their unique technologies. This is what makes the pickleball industry so youthful and exciting.

5. Money-Moving Ranking

From 2025 to 2026, financial news was prominent. Selkirk raised funds with a valuation of approximately ¥30 billion, JOOLA partnered with Agassi's brand, and on the pro tour side, Apollo Sports Capital (part of Apollo) invested approximately ¥34 billion ($225M) into "Pickleball Inc.," the new parent company overseeing PPA and MLP. This influx of major capital into the entire industry, not just individual brands, might be the biggest seismic shift of recent times.

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Appendix 1: How Many Brands Are There in the World?

“How many pickleball paddle brands are there in the world?” — While there’s no precise count, we do have clues.

• The USA Pickleball’s official approved paddle list contains over 5,000 models (as of 2026).
• One survey suggests that the number of manufacturers registered for approval is about 900 companies (though over 80% are tiny manufacturers with only a few models).
• The industry generally feels that there are more than 150 "established brands" actually competing in the market.
• The momentum is extraordinary, with data showing that in 2024 alone, 1,225 new paddles and 476 new manufacturers were registered.

So, the reality is that "hundreds to nearly 1,000 brands are vying for market share, with hundreds more entering each year." Why such rapid growth? It's due to the explosive growth in the number of players. The US player population increased approximately fivefold from 2021 (around 4.8 million) to 2025 (24.3 million) (SFIA). SFIA has recognized it as the fastest-growing sport in the US for four consecutive years. The market is growing, so naturally, everyone wants in.

Data Sources: USA Pickleball Approved Paddle DB, The Dink, SFIA, Pickleheads. Confidence: Number of approved models = High / Total number of brands = Medium (no official count).

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Appendix 2: What about tennis brands, really?

Wilson, HEAD, Babolat, Yonex... major tennis brands are also releasing paddles one after another. "They have brand power, so shouldn't they be strong?" you might think. However—the data shows their presence in the pickleball industry is quite limited.

• 2025 PPA Tour medals: Among the major tennis brands, only HEAD appeared with a mere 2 medals. Wilson, Babolat, Yonex, Dunlop, and Prince don't even appear on the medal list. Top pros almost exclusively choose specialized pickleball brands.
• The "AI Visibility Index" announced in June 2026 (compiled by PR firm 5W, tracking brands recommended by generative AI to potential buyers) showed the top 10 as Selkirk, JOOLA, Paddletek, Engage, CRBN, Six Zero, ProKennex, Vatic, Gearbox, Diadem. Despite their strong retail presence, Wilson and Babolat were surprisingly outside the top 15.

Why are late-entering tennis giants struggling? Industry media suggests that while specialized brands invest 15-20% of their sales into R&D, tennis giants are only "dabbling" in pickleball. The idea is that simply repurposing tennis racquet technology and names isn't enough to match the performance of paddles designed specifically for pickleball.

So why do tennis giants still enter the market? The reason is clear. The youth demographic for tennis (6-17 years old) is declining (a 2025 USTA survey shows a 14% decrease over three years), and some tennis courts nationwide are even being converted for pickleball. Meanwhile, the pickleball market is growing at an annual rate of around 15% towards the 2030s. Furthermore, 68% of pickleball fans are also tennis fans (Nielsen, 2025), allowing them to sell to existing customers. It's a natural business decision to "supplement stagnating core business with pickleball."

However—entry and success are different things. At least as of 2025-2026, brand power alone has not been enough to overcome the specialized brands. The exception is Diadem, a brand with tennis roots that is seriously investing in pickleball, making it into the AI visibility top 10 and signing Japan's top player, Yuta Funayama. The "level of commitment" is the key differentiator.

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Summary

To summarize, since this got a bit long:

• Revenue & Share: Selkirk (1st) and JOOLA (2nd) are in a league of their own. Engage is also a consistent top 5 performer.
• Sales Volume: The volume king is cheap 2-paddle sets and Selkirk beginner sets. The revenue king is JOOLA’s high-priced models. "Volume" and "value" are distinct.
• Pro Usage Rate: JOOLA alone dominates about 30% of all medals, with the top 3 brands accounting for approximately 70%.
• Overall: Selkirk (1st) and JOOLA (2nd). From 3rd place onwards, it's a mix of established brands (Paddletek, Engage, Onix) and new generations (CRBN, Six Zero).
• Industry as a whole: Hundreds to nearly 1,000 brands globally, with hundreds entering annually. About 70% are made in China, making Made in USA rare.
• Tennis Brands: They have brand power, but their presence in pickleball is limited as late entrants. Diadem, which invests seriously, is an exception.

And the most important thing I want to convey is that "ranking high" doesn't necessarily mean "it's the right choice for you." What matters is choosing a paddle that suits your playing style and budget. Once you understand the overall brand landscape, the next step is to delve into the specifics. You can find a comprehensive guide to choosing a paddle in our Complete Guide to Choosing a Paddle, and a detailed comparison of two popular brands in Engage vs. Six Zero.

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• Trends in Paddles Used by Pros — What top pros look for
• Engage vs Six Zero | A Thorough Comparison of 2 Major Brands — Comparing popular brands
• Comprehensive Guide to All Engage Paddle Models — Guide from Japan's sole authorized dealer
• Comprehensive Guide to All Six Zero Paddle Models — The power of a new generation brand
• Complete Guide to Choosing a Paddle — 5 key axes to avoid mistakes
• Made in USA vs. China-Made Paddles — What changes with country of manufacture
• Differences Between USAP and UPA-A Certification — If you aim for tournaments
• What are the MLP and PPA Tours? — The structure of the professional scene

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References

1. SFIA｜U.S. Pickleball Participation (Player Population)
2. The Dink｜Amazon Pickleball Paddle Sales Up 55% in 2025
3. The Dink｜Selkirk Raises $30M at $200M Valuation
4. The Kitchen｜Which paddle brands won the most on the PPA Tour in 2025
5. The Kitchen｜What paddles are pro players using (2026)
6. Grand View Research｜Pickleball Apparel & Equipment Market
7. Global Market Insights｜Pickleball Equipment Market
8. PR Newswire｜5W Pickleball AI Visibility Index (2026)
9. USA Pickleball｜Equipment / Approved Paddles
10. USTA｜2025 Tennis Participation Report
11. Nielsen｜Serving success: tennis, padel and pickleball (2025)