Comparison · Updated
Sideout vs PickleQ: open play apps compared
Sideout and PickleQ both run pickleball open play in the browser: check players in, rotate them onto courts, and show everyone the queue. The biggest difference is what’s free. PickleQ’s free plan stops at 4 courts; Sideout is free for up to 100.
Sideout vs PickleQ at a glance
| Feature | Sideout | PickleQ |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, nothing to unlock | Free plan, plus paid Venue Pro |
| Courts on the free plan | Up to 100 | Up to 4 per club |
| 5 or more courts | Free | Venue Pro (up to 64 courts) |
| Players check themselves in with a QR code | Free | Venue Pro |
| Skill categories with their own courts | Free, up to 4 | Saved divisions are in Venue Pro |
| Teams balanced by skill | Yes | Yes |
| Players follow the queue on their phone | Yes | Yes |
| Live standings | Yes, with a TV view | Yes |
| Shared check-in kiosk | No | Venue Pro |
| DUPR match export | No | Venue Pro |
| Club against club events | No | Venue Pro (Club Wars) |
| Account needed to host | No (Google sign-in is optional) | No for casual play; clubs use a password |
PickleQ details are from PickleQ’s own guide, checked on November 10, 2026. Plans change, so confirm on their site before you decide.
Courts: 4 free on PickleQ, 100 on Sideout
PickleQ’s guide says it is “free for up to 4 courts per club”. It supports up to 64 courts, but a session with 5 or more needs Venue Pro, its paid plan.
Sideout has no paid plan. A session can have up to 100 courts, and you can add courts in the middle of a night.
If you run 4 courts or fewer, this won’t matter to you. If your open play fills 5, 6 or 8 courts, it decides whether you pay.
Check-in: who does the typing
On Sideout, the host shares one link or QR code and players check themselves in from their own phone, free. The host can also check people in, or paste a whole list from a group chat.
On PickleQ’s free plan, staff check players in. Letting players check themselves in, by phone QR or at a shared kiosk, is part of Venue Pro.
What PickleQ does that Sideout doesn’t
- DUPR reporting. PickleQ’s DUPR Mode saves players’ DUPR IDs and exports the night’s matches in DUPR’s format (DUPR’s article about it). Sideout exports results as a spreadsheet, but not to DUPR.
- A shared kiosk. One tablet at the entrance where players check in. Sideout uses each player’s own phone instead.
- Club Wars. Events where clubs play against each other.
- An all-time club leaderboard. PickleQ ranks a club’s players across sessions. Sideout keeps standings per session, plus each signed-in player’s own profile.
All of these except the club leaderboard are listed under Venue Pro.
Which one should you pick?
Pick Sideout if you run 5 or more courts, want players to check themselves in, or split the night into skill categories, and you want all of it free.
Pick PickleQ if your club reports matches to DUPR, wants a check-in kiosk, or runs club against club events, and is happy to pay for Venue Pro.
Still using a paddle rack? Read the paddle stacking guide first.
About this comparison
Sideout wrote this page, so read it knowing that. We’ve tried to describe PickleQ fairly and only from what it publishes. PickleQ is a separate product and isn’t connected to Sideout. If something here is out of date, email edwin@trysideout.com and we’ll fix it.
Common questions
Is PickleQ free?
PickleQ has a free plan for up to 4 courts per club. Its guide says 5 or more courts, player QR check-in, kiosk mode, DUPR Mode, saved divisions and Club Wars need its paid Venue Pro plan.
How many courts can I run for free?
On Sideout, up to 100 courts in one session, free. On PickleQ's free plan, up to 4 courts per club.
Is Sideout really free?
Yes. Hosting and joining an open play are both free, with nothing to buy or unlock.
Which app reports matches to DUPR?
PickleQ, through the DUPR Mode in its paid Venue Pro plan. Sideout doesn't export to DUPR.
Do players need to download an app?
No, for both. Sideout and PickleQ run in the phone's browser.