How the scales line up
| Band | Playtomic | Padel Mates | MATCHi | LTA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complete beginner | 0 to 1 | 0 to 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Beginner | 1 to 2 | 1 to 2 | 2 to 3 | 1.5 to 2.0 |
| Improver | 2 to 3 | 2 to 3 | 4 | 2.5 to 3.0 |
| Intermediate | 3 to 4 | 3 to 4 | 5 to 6 | 3.5 to 4.0 |
| Advanced | 4 to 5 | 4 to 5 | 7 | 4.5 to 5.0 |
| Competitive | 5 to 6 | 5 to 6 | 8 | 5.5 to 6.0 |
| National | 6 to 6.5 | 6 to 6.5 | 9 | 6.5 |
| Professional | 6.5 to 7 | 6.5 to 7 | 10 | 7.0 |
Three honest caveats
- None of this is official. No app publishes a conversion; these bands come from where the same players sit on each scale, and they hold to about half a point.
- The LTA scale describes a higher standard at the same number. A confident UK club regular is usually Playtomic 3.5 and LTA 3.0, not LTA 3.5. If you are in the UK, read the LTA figure as a ceiling.
- MATCHi is self-declared. There is no algorithm behind it, so it is as accurate as the honesty of the person typing it. Playtomic and Padel Mates both run an Elo that settles after twenty or so competitive matches; until then the number moves a lot, and that is normal.
How the Playtomic number itself moves, and why it drops after a good week, is in padel levels explained. Want a number that is about decisions rather than results? The Level Test scores twelve real positions and gives you a band on this same scale, with the one thing that would move you up.