Best pickleball paddles under $100

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You don't need to spend $150+ to get a genuinely competitive pickleball paddle. The best pickleball paddles under $100 today include real carbon fiber faces, thermoformed edges, and honeycomb cores — specs that used to be exclusive to premium paddles. This guide rounds up seven budget picks worth considering, broken down by real construction specs rather than price alone.

Best Pickleball Paddles Under $100: Quick Comparison

Here's the full lineup of the best pickleball paddles under $100 we're covering in this guide, at a glance:

• JOJOLEMON Shark T700SC — Core: 16mm polymer honeycomb — Face: T700 carbon fiber — Best for: spin-focused players on a tight budget
• TENVINA Thermoformed T700SC — Core: multi-layer honeycomb — Face: thermoformed textured carbon fiber — Best for: players wanting a thermoformed edge at a budget price
• Selkirk SLK Atlas — Core: honeycomb — Face: carbon fiber — Best for: beginners wanting a forgiving, midweight entry into a premium brand
• Onix Lucent (Raw Carbon) — Core: Hexcell honeycomb — Face: raw carbon fiber — Best for: players who want an elongated shape and extra reach
• JOOLA Seneca Onset — Core: honeycomb — Face: textured, sand-blasted composite — Best for: players prioritizing spin from a lightweight paddle
• Franklin Signature Carbon 13mm Elongated — Core: 13mm polypropylene — Face: T700 carbon fiber — Best for: competitive/tournament players wanting an elongated control paddle
• Professor PhD Raw Carbon Fiber — Core: precision honeycomb — Face: raw T700 carbon fiber — Best for: budget-conscious players who still want a raw carbon feel

JOJOLEMON Shark T700SC — Best Budget Spin Paddle

Built around a 16mm polymer honeycomb core and a textured T700 carbon fiber face, the Shark T700SC targets players chasing spin without paying premium-brand prices. The thicker 16mm core leans toward control over raw power, which pairs naturally with a spin-oriented carbon surface.

Who it's for: Budget-conscious players who want a genuine carbon fiber spin paddle rather than a fiberglass starter paddle.

Pros	Cons
✓ Real carbon fiber face at an entry-level price	✗ Lesser-known brand with a shorter track record than Selkirk/Franklin/Onix
✓ 16mm core gives a controlled, forgiving feel	✗ Less power than thinner 13mm carbon paddles

TENVINA Thermoformed T700SC — Best Thermoformed Budget Paddle

TENVINA brings a thermoformed edge construction — normally a premium-paddle feature — down to a budget price point. Its textured T700SC carbon fiber face is designed for spin and is USAPA-approved, built over a multi-layer honeycomb core.

Who it's for: Players who specifically want a thermoformed edge (typically a more durable, seamless construction) without paying premium-brand prices for it.

Pros	Cons
✓ Thermoformed construction at a budget price	✗ Newer, lesser-known brand
✓ USAPA-approved for league/tournament play	✗ Multiple shape/thickness variants can make choosing the right SKU confusing

Selkirk SLK Atlas — Best Budget Pick from a Premium Brand

Selkirk is one of the most recognized names in pickleball, and the SLK Atlas is proof the brand can still deliver one of the best pickleball paddles under $100 without cutting corners on build quality.

The SLK Atlas is Selkirk's entry into the sub-$100 category, giving beginners access to a recognized premium paddle brand without the premium price. It pairs a carbon fiber face with a honeycomb core in a midweight build designed specifically to be forgiving for newer players, per Selkirk's own listing.

Who it's for: Beginners who want a trusted, established brand name without paying Selkirk's flagship prices.

Pros	Cons
✓ Established, trusted brand at a budget price	✗ Not as high-performance as Selkirk's flagship carbon paddles
✓ Midweight, forgiving build designed for beginners	✗ Advanced players will likely outgrow it

Onix Lucent (Raw Carbon) — Best Elongated Shape Under $100

The Lucent Raw Carbon pairs a Hexcell honeycomb core with a raw carbon fiber face in an elongated shape, plus a tennis-style grip — a combination usually reserved for paddles well above $100.

Who it's for: Players who specifically want extra paddle length/reach and are comfortable with a smaller sweet spot in exchange for it.

Pros	Cons
✓ Raw carbon fiber face is rare at this price point	✗ Elongated shape means a smaller sweet spot
✓ Tennis-style grip feels familiar to crossover players	✗ Not ideal as a true first paddle for beginners

JOOLA Seneca Onset — Best Lightweight Spin Pick

The Seneca Onset uses a textured, sand-blasted composite surface over a honeycomb core, designed specifically to boost spin on a lightweight frame — a solid budget entry from one of the more recognizable names in pickleball.

Who it's for: Players who want spin and a lighter swing weight over raw power.

Pros	Cons
✓ Recognized JOOLA brand name at a budget price	✗ Sits right at the $100 ceiling — less margin than other picks here
✓ Textured surface boosts spin on a lightweight frame	✗ Lighter swing weight means less built-in power

Franklin Signature Carbon 13mm Elongated — Best for Competitive Play Under $100

If you want the most tournament-ready feel among the best pickleball paddles under $100, the Franklin Signature Carbon is built for players who already compete regularly.

Franklin's Signature Carbon line pairs a T700 carbon fiber surface with a 13mm polypropylene core in an elongated, tournament-oriented shape — aimed squarely at competitive players rather than casual/recreational ones.

Who it's for: Intermediate-to-competitive players who want a control-first, elongated carbon paddle without spending premium-brand money.

Pros	Cons
✓ USAPA tournament-approved T700 carbon face	✗ Also sits right at the $100 ceiling
✓ Recognized Franklin brand with a long track record	✗ Elongated shape less forgiving for beginners

Professor PhD Raw Carbon Fiber — Best Raw Carbon Feel on a Budget

Rounding out our list of the best pickleball paddles under $100, the Professor PhD brings a raw, unsealed carbon surface usually reserved for pricier paddles.

This paddle pairs a raw (unpainted) T700 carbon fiber face with a precision honeycomb core — raw carbon typically adds extra grit and spin potential over a painted/gel-coated carbon face, and it's USAPA-approved.

Who it's for: Spin-focused players specifically chasing the grittier feel of a raw (unfinished) carbon surface at a lower price than most raw-carbon paddles.

Pros	Cons
✓ Raw carbon face at a genuinely low price for the category	✗ Lesser-known brand vs. Selkirk/Franklin/JOOLA/Onix
✓ USAPA-approved	✗ Raw carbon surfaces can feel rougher/less refined than name-brand finishes

Which One Should You Actually Buy?

With so many of the best pickleball paddles under $100 covering different needs, here's how to match one to your game:

• Want the safest, most trusted brand under $100 → Selkirk SLK Atlas or Franklin Signature Carbon
• Want the best spin-to-price ratio → JOJOLEMON Shark T700SC, TENVINA Thermoformed, or Professor PhD Raw Carbon
• Want extra reach/elongated shape → Onix Lucent (Raw Carbon) or Franklin Signature Carbon Elongated
• Want the lightest swing weight → JOOLA Seneca Onset

Bottom Line

These seven picks prove you don't need a premium budget to get a genuinely competitive paddle — the best pickleball paddles under $100 today can go toe-to-toe with paddles twice their price on core construction alone.

Under $100 no longer means settling for a basic fiberglass paddle — real carbon fiber faces, thermoformed edges, and honeycomb cores are now common at this price. Match your pick to whether you value brand trust (Selkirk, Franklin, JOOLA), pure spin-per-dollar (JOJOLEMON, TENVINA, Professor PhD), or shape/reach (Onix Lucent) — and check our Carbon Fiber vs Fiberglass guide if you're still deciding which face material fits your game.

Related reading: Paddle Material Guide: Carbon vs Fiberglass, Selkirk Pickleball Paddles, Franklin Pickleball Paddles, Onix Pickleball Paddles, JOOLA Pickleball Paddles

We have not personally play-tested every paddle in this lineup; specs are sourced from official listings and cross-checked against independent review sites.