Padel vs Squash — What's the Difference? The Honest UK Guide

Both sports use enclosed courts with walls in play. Both are doubles-friendly. Both are excellent exercise. But padel and squash are very different games — different equipment, different ball, different court orientation, different vibe entirely. Here's the honest comparison for UK players.

The key differences

• Court orientation — squash is played facing the wall, players take turns hitting. Padel is played across the court like tennis, both players on a side hit toward the opponents
• The ball — squash uses a soft hollow rubber ball that barely bounces until warm. Padel uses a pressurised ball similar to tennis — bouncy from the first rally
• Format — squash is primarily singles (one vs one). Padel is almost always doubles (two vs two)
• Walls — in squash, the front wall is essential to every shot. In padel, the walls are used defensively and are only in play at the back and sides
• Physical intensity — squash is one of the most physically demanding sports in the world. Padel is intense but significantly less so

Which is easier to learn?

Padel is considerably easier to learn than squash. The squash ball requires warming up before it bounces properly, the technique takes time to develop, and the physical demands are brutal for beginners. Padel beginners are rallying within their first session. Squash beginners often spend their first few sessions just trying to hit the ball at all.

Which burns more calories?

Squash wins decisively here — it's consistently ranked as one of the highest calorie-burning sports available, with serious players burning 700–900 calories per hour. Padel burns 350–500 calories per hour. If pure fitness is your goal, squash delivers more per session.

Factor	Padel	Squash
Learning curve	Gentle	Steep
Social format	Doubles — excellent	Singles — limited
Calorie burn/hr	350–500	700–900
Court availability UK	Growing fast	Well established
Equipment cost	from £60 racket	from £40 racket
Court cost UK	£12–£25pp	£5–£15pp

Can squash players pick up padel easily?

Yes — squash players adapt to padel faster than most. Your wall reading skills transfer directly, your fitness is more than sufficient, and the net game in padel will feel natural after years of angled squash shots. The main adjustment is the doubles format and the open court orientation.