Local Pickle Courts

Pickleball court fees: what are you paying for?

By Anders MyrmelUpdated

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A pickleball price only helps if you know what it covers. Check whether it is per person, per court, per session or for a membership. Then check the day, time and guest rules.

Open-play fees cover a session

Open play means joining a scheduled group and rotating onto courts. It does not mean you have a private court for the whole session.

Chicken N Pickle San Antonio lists $5 weekday morning open play, with shorter Friday hours, and $10 weekend morning sessions. Those rates belong to the listed programs. They do not establish prices for private bookings or evening events.

The separate indoor/outdoor court-booking table varies by day and time. It does not state a duration on that page, so our comparison does not turn those amounts into hourly rates. Check the location and source for the current terms.

Free accounts can still have court fees

Dill Dinkers Blanco Market offers a free visitor account, but its operator says higher court fees apply to visitors. Its $400 annual individual membership is a different purchase, with discounts and a longer booking window.

Do not treat the annual membership as the full cost of playing. Add any court and event fees to your estimate. Review the Blanco Market profile before signing up.

Public centers can have access fees

North Domingo Baca lists a $20 annual center membership and a $30 surcharge for people living outside Albuquerque. Separate out-of-state visitor fees apply. These are center access charges, not a quoted pickleball session price.

Compare the cost for your group

Ask the venue:

  1. Is the price per player or for the whole court?
  2. How long is the session or reservation?
  3. Does a membership include court time or only discount it?
  4. Are guests, equipment rental or payment surcharges extra?
  5. Does this rate apply on your chosen day and time?

Use our San Antonio and Albuquerque comparisons to shortlist venues. Confirm the final price with the operator. See open play vs. private bookings if you are deciding which session to book.