Padel ratings: working out your real level
Padel level is measured on a scale usually running from one to seven and is defined by what a player controls consistently under pressure, not by the best shot they have ever produced.
gelisted editorial team · Updated 15 August 2026
The short version
- The most widespread scale runs 1 to 7 with half points.
- Most recreational players sit between 2 and 3,5.
- The criterion is consistency under pressure, not the occasional winner.
- A misstated level ruins the match for all four players.
Declaring a higher level than you have benefits nobody: not the person declaring it, who spends the match chasing, and not the other three.
What defines each band
At the lower levels the objective is keeping the ball in play and using the back wall. At intermediate levels the bandeja, the directed serve and reading the side wall appear. At advanced levels come the víbora, the smash out of the court, and above all point construction: knowing when to come in, when to wait and which opponent to attack.
| Level | What is controlled | Profile |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 1,5 | basic contact, short points | absolute beginner |
| 2 to 2,5 | back wall, simple volley | early recreational |
| 3 to 3,5 | bandeja, directed serve, side wall | regular recreational |
| 4 to 4,5 | víbora, smash, construction | amateur competition |
| 5 to 5,5 | advanced tactics, high consistency | competition |
| 6 to 7 | professional level | |
| Most common club band | 2 to 3,5 |
The honest test
A shot is controlled when it comes off in 7 out of 10 attempts in a match, not in the warm up and not when the ball arrives comfortably. On that measure, many players who declare a 4 are a 3, because their bandeja works during the knock up and fails at 30 all. Asking how many of the last 10 bandejas landed in with direction gives a reliable answer.
Why declaring it accurately matters
A match with more than half a point of difference between the pairs stops being competitive: the stronger side gets bored and the weaker side never touches the ball. Club matching applications run on these numbers, and an inflated rating produces poor matches that nobody repeats. Declaring a 3 and being a 3 produces better afternoons than declaring a 4 and playing 40 minutes of defence.
Within a pair, the maximum recommended gap between the two players is also half a point, so both stay involved in the game.
Moving up a band
Each half point takes 6 to 12 months of regular practice with correction, and the step from 3,5 to 4 is the slowest because it stops being technical and becomes tactical. What accelerates it most is playing once a week with slightly better players, filming yourself every 2 or 3 months, and working on a single objective per season rather than five at once.
Frequently asked
+How do I know my real level?
By what you execute successfully in 7 out of 10 attempts in a match, not by your best shot.
+What level do most players have?
The most common club band runs between 2 and 3,5 on the one to seven scale.
+Why does declaring it accurately matter?
Because a gap of more than half a point stops the match being competitive for all four players.
+How long to gain half a point?
Six to twelve months of regular practice with correction, and longer from 3,5 to 4.
+What accelerates progress?
Playing with slightly better players, filming yourself and working one objective per season.
Sources
- 1Govern de les Illes Balears, Govern de les Illes Balears (August 2026)
- 2Instituto Nacional de Estadística, INE (August 2026)