Every open match on Playtomic starts with a number. You see it next to every name, and each open match is set to a level range. Here's what each level actually means on court, what makes it move, how it compares with the LTA's own rating, and what to practise at each stage.
I've played at clubs in London, Essex and Manchester. Everything below about the scale comes from what Playtomic and the LTA publish. The practice tips are a suggested reading, not official advice, and they're marked as such.
The Playtomic level chart, band by band
Playtomic's scale runs from 0 to 7. Its own help centre publishes a chart describing each band. Here it is in plain English, with the label Playtomic gives each band and a suggested practice focus on the right. The practice column is a reading of the gap between one band and the next, not Playtomic's advice.
| Level | Playtomic label | What Playtomic says you can do | What to work on next |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Initiation | Never played a racket sport | Book a class and just get the ball back over the net |
| 0.5 | Initiation | Under 6 months, no classes, no technique or tactics yet | Keep the ball in play. Short swing, no power |
| 1.0 | Initiation | Under 12 months, few or no classes, no technique or tactics | Take a few classes. The next band assumes you have |
| 1.5 | Initiation Intermediate | A few classes, a couple of games a month, rallies and returns at low speed | Make slow rallies longer before trying to speed them up |
| 2.0 | Initiation Intermediate | As 1.5, with at least a year of play | Control where the ball goes at a normal pace |
| 2.5 | Intermediate | Has nearly mastered most strokes, controls direction at a normal pace | Start hitting through the ball with more intent |
| 3.0 | Intermediate | Dominates most strokes, plays flat and drives, but makes many unforced errors | Cut the errors and add slice |
| 3.5 | Intermediate | Can play slice and flat on both sides and direct the ball, still makes a lot of unforced errors | Same shots, fewer mistakes. Consistency is the whole jump |
| 4.0 | Intermediate High | Masters most strokes, controls direction, makes only a few unforced errors | Put the ball exactly where you want it, at speed |
| 4.5 | Intermediate High | Puts the ball at speed where it wants, but struggles to finish points | Learn to close points from the net and with overheads |
| 5.0 | Intermediate Advanced | Medium technique, high tactical mindset, ready for matches with good pace | Raise your technique to match your tactics |
| 5.5 | Advanced | Dominates technical and tactical skills, ready for high-pace matches | Coaching and regular competitive play against stronger pairs |
| 6.0 | Advanced | Hard, varied hitting with control, strong at the walls, reads opponents, less consistent than a pro | This is coach territory |
| 7.0 | Elite | Professional player |
Playtomic's chart describes 7.0 as a top 30 player on the World Padel Tour. The FIP lists that tour as running from 2013 to 2023, so the chart still uses the old name.
The pattern worth noticing: Playtomic lists the same shots at 3.5 and 4.0. Slice on both sides, flat, and directing the ball. The only change is the errors, "a lot of" unforced errors at 3.5 and "a few" at 4.0. If you're stuck around 3.5, consistency is the job. For the overheads that help at 4.5 and up, start with the bandeja. For the basics lower down, my beginner tips go session by session.
What moves your Playtomic level
Your starting level comes from a questionnaire you can only fill in once. After that, Playtomic says four things decide each change:
- The result. Win or lose.
- Your opponents' levels. Beating a stronger pair lifts you more. Losing to a weaker pair drops you more.
- Your partner's level. Playtomic works out each team's average and compares the expected result with what actually happened.
- Your reliability. Playtomic calls this the most important factor.
Reliability, the number under your level
Reliability shows how sure the system is about you. New players have low reliability, so their level swings a lot. Play more competitive matches and it climbs, and each change gets smaller. That's why you and your partner can win the same match and move by different amounts. Nobody can set reliability by hand, not even Playtomic's support team.
Matches that don't count
Your level only changes after a competitive match. It stays put if:
- the match was set as casual
- a player rejected the result
- the score was invalid. A set needs a winner on 6 or 7 games. At 6 it needs a two-game gap, so 6-4 counts and 6-5 doesn't. 7-6 counts
- someone in the match had no Playtomic level when it was played
Private bookings are competitive by default. The owner can switch one to casual before it starts, and anyone who joined can ask for the change in the booking chat. An open match's type can't be changed once it's chosen.
A draw still moves levels. The team with the higher combined level loses points and the other team gains.
Moving it on purpose
- Lower it yourself. Padel only, in the app. Playtomic warns you can't switch it back afterwards.
- Self-upgrade. If enough opponents rate you highly, the app may offer a rise of up to 0.5. Play another match before accepting and the offer is gone for good.
- A leveling session. Certified coaches at Playtomic Leveling Clubs assess you. Find them under Learn in the app, and book and pay there, or your level won't update. Your reliability is then set to 50%.
- The 10-Match Challenge. Once your reliability (the challenge page calls it confidence) is 85% or higher, you can pick a 2x, 3x or 4x multiplier for your next 10 competitive matches. At 3x, a normal +0.04 becomes +0.12. Each match counts for more either way, and there's a three-month wait before you can do it again.
Playtomic level vs the LTA padel rating
The LTA has its own scale, the LTA Padel Rating System. It also runs from 1.0 to 7.0, but it works differently.
| Playtomic level | LTA padel rating | |
|---|---|---|
| Scale | 0 to 7 | 1.0 to 7.0, as a set of fixed statements |
| How you get it | One questionnaire, then match results | You pick the statement that describes you |
| Does it move? | After every valid competitive match | The LTA page doesn't describe it changing |
| What it's for | Open matches and competitive bookings at Playtomic clubs | A standard reference for amateur and pro play, in the LTA's words |
| Top end | Professional | Inside the top 150 men or top 50 women in the pro rankings |
Two LTA statements stand out. Competent tennis and squash players new to padel are placed at 3.5. And 5.0 is an experienced tournament player, with 5.5 for nationally ranked players. Don't assume the two 3.5s mean the same thing. They're written by different people, for different jobs.
Which number actually gets you into a game
Club games and open matches. This is Playtomic's territory at clubs that book through it. A competitive open match has a level range, while a casual one lets anyone join. How to get into a game outside your range is covered in my guide to finding padel partners. My guide to UK booking apps shows which clubs use Playtomic and which use something else.
LTA tournaments. Neither number. LTA competitions run from Grade 5 up to Grade 1. Grade 5, the beginner Local Tour, takes entries first come first served. From Grade 4 up, entry is based on your LTA Padel Ranking, which is built from tournament results, not from a rating you pick or an app level. My UK padel events calendar walks through entering your first one.
So the honest summary: Playtomic decides your Tuesday nights, rankings decide your tournaments, and the LTA rating is a useful self-check.
Kit for the climb
Climbing a level means more hours on court. More hours means your grip wears faster. A fresh overgrip is a cheap fix when the handle starts slipping. Our overgrips are £7 for three, and here's how to fit one.
For the drink after the match, our heavyweight tees (305 g/m2, 100% cotton, cut oversized) are £48 each. Two of them come to £90 with the 2 for £90 deal, handy if you and your partner want to turn up matching.
FAQ
What is a good Playtomic level?
It depends who you're playing. Playtomic labels 2.5 to 3.5 as intermediate, 4.0 and 4.5 as intermediate high, 5.0 as intermediate advanced, and 5.5 and up as advanced. The best level is an accurate one, because that's what gets you even games.
Is my LTA padel rating the same as my Playtomic level?
No. The LTA rating is a statement you pick that describes your game. The Playtomic level moves with your competitive results. Both use similar numbers, but neither organisation says they line up.
Why did my partner gain more than me after the same match?
Reliability. Players with lower reliability see bigger swings, and the system also looks at each player's own level against the opponents. Same result, different starting points, different change.
Can I lower my Playtomic level?
Yes, for padel, in the app. Playtomic says you can't undo it. To go back up, you need competitive wins, a leveling session at a certified club, or the self-upgrade offer if it appears.
