Are you searching for the best ping pong balls? Choosing the right quality is crucial for a satisfying playing experience. Since table tennis balls are the lightest and smallest, even slight deviations in quality can heavily impact results.
Every 3-star ball doesn’t perform the same, they differ in consistency, feel, durability, spin, and bounce. You don’t always need the highest-quality balls. When practicing at your club, you can stick to standard $1 balls instead of costly $2 ones. For robot training, pick cheaper balls that offer good durability.
I have personally tested many brands at my club. With nearly 16 years of experience, I’m excited to share the top-rated balls that meet your needs, whether for competition, training, or casual play.
Best Table Tennis Balls: Top Recommendations
 Best Value DHS D40+ Best Budget Competition Ball
|  Nittaku Premium Best for Competition
Best Overall | Best for Training  JOOLA Advanced Best for Training
|
NITTAKU Premium (Best Competition Ball)
Summary: The Nittaku Premium excels in every aspect, from construction to performance. Crafted in Japan with meticulous precision, it offers outstanding bounce, excellent feel, and long-lasting durability. The 3-star ball generates spin effortlessly and produces a satisfying sound on impact. Despite its higher price, players worldwide consider it the top choice for quality, consistency, and reliability.
The Nittaku Premium is the gold standard in table tennis. It is the best-in-class and feels like a celluloid ball.
After getting out of the red-colored box, you will find the one-sided logo on each ball, which shows that these plastic balls are made in Japan and approved by the ITTF. The ball looks off-white and feels slightly heavier.
It’s a pleasure to play with these high-quality balls. The bounce is excellent. It feels nice when hitting the ball. The gripping is perfect for spin generation.
The longevity is high, except one of the many balls I played breaks early and splits into two halves across the seam. This may be an exceptional case, considering its quality and reliability.
After playing 10 – 15 hours, the ball looks shiny and is slightly less spinny than the new one.
The Nittaku Premium is the best ping pong ball I have ever played. Players across all levels trust it for competitive play because it feels reliable from the first serve to the final point.
It has been used numerous times as the official ball of the World Table Tennis Championships and ITTF World Tour events.
Pros
- Excellent playability
- Wonderful feeling
- High longevity
- Excellent Spin Response
Cons
- High Price (Average price is $2.7 per ball)
Butterfly R40+ (Alternate Option)
Summary: The Butterfly R40+ is a high-quality ball with excellent bounce and durability. The bright, well-printed logo makes it easier to read the incoming spin. Like most Butterfly products, it’s quite expensive. Beginners and intermediate players who often mishit may skip it because of its high price. It’s widely used in international tournaments, especially those sponsored by Butterfly.
Butterfly R40+ plastic balls are made in China and available in a nice 3-pack, 6-pack, or 12-pack box. These white balls have a nice one-sided logo. They look slightly brighter than Nittaku Premium balls, and the seam position is more evident. Also, R40+ feels slightly lighter than Nittaku Premium.
The flight trajectory is very predictable, and the bounce is excellent. The spin creation is great. Spin determination is easy due to the butterfly’s magenta color logo.
This high-standard 3-star ball has been used in many prestigious tournaments, including the recent ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals 2024, 2025, and 2026.
Pros
- Excellent bounce
- Perfect trajectory
- High durability
- Excellent for spin
Cons
- Costly (Average price is $3 per ball)
DHS DJ40+ Table Tennis Ball (Best for Price-Performance)
Summary: The DHS DJ40+ feels very close to the Nittaku Premium. The bounce is excellent, the trajectory is perfect, and each ball lasts long. The two-sided logo is good for easy spin determination. This is one of the best balls I often use due to its excellent price-performance ratio.
DJ40+ has a very similar appearance to the Butterfly R40+, but has logos on both sides. This works great to determine spin easily.
It is a 3-star seamed ball made with Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS). It is made in China and available in a 6-pack box.
The DJ40+ balls deliver stable flight, true bounce, and consistent spin response. DHS has designed these balls to meet the highest standards. The 3-star ball gives a slightly softer touch than its D40+ counterpart.
The DJ40+ delivers a satisfying feel that closely matches the Nittaku Premium.
Each ball offers excellent durability. It rarely cracks even after extended, intense play. However, the logo tends to fade quickly as the ball ages.
The DHS DJ40+ has been widely used as the official ball of the World Table Tennis Tours.
Pros
- Excellent bounce and flight
- Lasts longer than most standard 3-star balls
- Great spin performance
- Easy spin determination
- Soft and controlled feel
Cons
- The logos fade away quickly
- Pricey (Average price is $2.3 per ball)
Double Fish V40+ (Alternate Option)
Summary: The V40+ offers a true, consistent bounce and a crisp sound upon contact. Its slightly rougher surface is great for spin generation. The high durability ensures its value for money. It is a cost-effective alternative to premium balls like the Nittaku Premium and Butterfly R40+, with minimal compromise on quality.
Double Fish V40+ is made in China and comes in a 6-pack box. The off-white ABS balls have a grippy surface. It has a brand logo on one side and the WTT logo on the opposite side.
The V40+ is known for its true bounce, balanced weight, and stable flight path, even during fast rallies. Its hard outer shell generates a slightly sharper sound and feel. Due to the slightly rougher surface, the spin imparted on the ball is excellent. Spin determination is easy due to logos on both sides. The ball also holds up well under repeated smashes and looping rallies, showing minimal signs of cracking or warping.
The V40+ is slightly cheaper than the DJ40+. It has been used as the official ball at the 2023 World Championships in Durban and many WTT Tour events.
Pros
- True bounce and roundness consistency
- Great for spin creation
- Easy spin determination
- High durability
Cons
- Slightly harder feel
DHS D40+ 3-Star (Best Competition Balls on Budget)
Summary: This is my most preferred ball for practice. It’s very consistent in bounce but slightly less spinny than the DJ40+. Intermediate players won’t notice this minor difference. It’s extremely durable, same as the DJ40+, but comes at a much lower price. With outstanding value for money, I highly recommend the DHS D40+ for beginners, intermediates, and club players.
The DHS D40+ is made with the same material as the DJ40+, which offers improved roundness, durability, and consistency.
The ball looks premium and gives a nice sound when hitting. The bounce is perfect and uniform. Though the grip is slightly less than the DJ40+, it’s is way superior to most of the 3-star balls for spinning.
The best part is its longevity. The D40+ and the DJ40+ are the most durable balls I have experienced.
The D40+ 3-Star is very popular in professional and amateur play due to its excellent value for money. It is available in a 10-pack box, costing $1.1 (approx.). You can choose white or orange.
It was the official ball of the world competitions from 2017 to 2020.
Pros
- Great playability
- Excellent durability under intense play
- Performs well for spin and speed
- Excellent price-performance ratio
Cons
- Slightly less spinny after heavy use
JOOLA Advanced Table Tennis Ball (Best for Training/ Robot)
Summary: The JOOLA Advanced offers a budget-friendly option for recreational games, robot use, and multiball training. While it feels slightly lighter, it delivers predictable bounce and trajectory. It scores high on durability and comes in white and orange, available in packs of 12, 60, or 120 to suit different training needs.
For multiball training or robot use, where you need a large quantity of balls, top-tier quality isn’t essential, instead, you need a smart balance between playability, durability, and affordability. That’s exactly where the JOOLA Advanced excels.
It performs better than most low-cost training balls. The orange balls are bright, which is good against light colored backgrounds. The surface is slightly rough but hard enough to survive intense play. Though relatively lighter than the premium competition balls, these balls deliver predictable bounce and trajectory. With superior roundness and weight distribution, they closely mimic match conditions, helping players transition more easily from practice to competitive play.
Pros
- Durable ABS construction
- Consistent bounce
- Value for money
- Ideal for robots and multiball training
Cons
- Not suitable for competition
Best Table Tennis Balls for Casual Play
You don’t need expensive tournament-grade balls when you play for recreation or enjoy a friendly match at home. A $2 ball is too much for casual play. There would be too many mishits that break a ball within no time.
At the same time, avoid cheap balls that bounce poorly and break easily. Choose good balls that are durable and affordable.
Check out my recommended options below for casual play or training.
How to Select the Right Table Tennis Ball
The selection depends on your playing level, requirements, and budget. Fortunately, there is the Star Rating that easily groups balls to differentiate their quality..
Star Rating
It is a symbolic way to represent the quality of balls.
1 Star: It belongs to the lowest quality. If you are a beginner, you may use it for practice, but these balls are more prone to damage.
2 Star: These balls are better than 1-star in quality and durability. Two-star balls are not common.
3 Star: It denotes the highest level of quality and conforms to the specifications set by the International Table Tennis Federation. 3-star balls are the most common.
Apart from these, there are training balls. They are mainly used for multiball training or robots. Training balls are cheaper and available in bulk, like a 50-ball or a 100-ball pack.
Brand Reputation
Star ratings can be misleading when comparing balls of different manufacturers. For instance, DHS’s 1-star ball often outperforms many 3-star balls from lesser-known brands for playability and durability.
Choose competition balls from reputable brands like Nittaku, Butterfly, or DHS to ensure quality. These manufacturers are renowned for producing table tennis balls that meet international standards and offer reliable performance.
Color
The color of every ball is either white or orange. If the background color is light, orange balls are better for visibility. For dark-colored backgrounds, white balls are more suitable. Orange balls are more popular for recreational play.
How To Care for Table Tennis Balls
- Clean with a wet, clean cloth. Don’t use air dryers.
- Don’t keep balls under direct sunlight.
- Don’t store in bathrooms.
- Keep the ball away from the heat.
- Don’t leave balls on the floor to avoid stepping on them.
- Don’t press the ball hard to identify any presence of cracks; rather, follow the undermentioned procedures.
How to Confirm if a Table Tennis Ball is Cracked
The doubt comes from the sound during play. To be sure, you may follow two things.
- Drop the ball a couple of times on the table. If you hear a different-pitched sound on the impact, there is a crack on the surface.
- Rub the ball gently with your palm against the table surface. If there is a creak, it will be evident quickly.
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