Official ball supplier to the USA Pickleball National Championships, with an entry-level paddle range built for volume. Every Franklin paddle in our database, ranked by IQ score.
The 3 paddles below were selected from 3 qualifying models. By shape the shortlist is 2 standard and 1 elongated. Face construction is 1 raw carbon, 1 textured fiberglass and 1 composite/fiberglass. Static weight runs 7.7–8.1 oz and prices run $60 to $110, with a shortlist average of $80. All of them are Franklin models.
Criteria · Franklin paddles only, ranked by IQ score.
Ranking rule: Franklin paddles only, ranked by IQ score. Every paddle in the database is rated on the same 15 Paddle DNA traits — power, control, spin, forgiveness, sweet spot, stability, manoeuvrability, pop, touch, consistency, swing weight, twist weight, launch angle, plow-through and softness — and each trait is normalized 0-100 so scores are comparable across brands and price brackets. This page orders by overall IQ score, a weighted composite of all 15 traits. No paddle pays to appear, positions are recomputed whenever a model is added or retested, and retailer links are affiliate links that do not affect the ordering.
Franklin Signature Carbon STR carries an IQ score of 79.8, 3.8 above the shortlist average, built on 76 power, 83 control and 80 spin. A 110 swing weight puts it mid-pack for hand speed, and the 6 twist weight sets how much the face holds its line on off-centre contact (forgiveness 85, stability 78). Physically it is a 16 mm standard paddle at 8 oz with a Raw carbon face and a 5" handle. Club players wanting a reliable all-rounder At $110 it sits $30 above the shortlist average.
Franklin Ben Johns Signature Pro carries an IQ score of 74.7, 1.3 below the shortlist average, built on 70 power, 78 control and 66 spin. Its 104 swing weight is the light end of this group, so hands stay quick at the kitchen line, and the 5.6 twist weight sets how much the face holds its line on off-centre contact (forgiveness 84, stability 72). Physically it is a 13 mm standard paddle at 7.7 oz with a Textured fiberglass face and a 4.9" handle. Absolute first-timers At $60 it sits $20 below the shortlist average.
Franklin Signature 16 Composite carries an IQ score of 73.5, 2.5 below the shortlist average, built on 81 power, 83 control and 68 spin. A 110 swing weight puts it mid-pack for hand speed, and the 5.6 twist weight sets how much the face holds its line on off-centre contact (forgiveness 72, stability 67). Physically it is a 16 mm elongated paddle at 8.1 oz with a Composite/Fiberglass face and a 5.6" handle, long enough for a two-handed backhand. Beginners and rec players buying their first real paddle At $70 it sits right on the shortlist's average price.
Trade-off:Composite face wears out faster than carbon
IQ blends all 15 Paddle DNA traits into one number, which makes it useful for ordering a list and useless for choosing between two paddles a point apart. In this shortlist the IQ range is 73.5–79.8 while swing weight ranges 104–110. The swing weight difference will change your game far more than the IQ difference.
Twist weight decides how often mishits stay in play
Twist weight measures resistance to the face rotating when you contact off-centre — the single most common source of lost points below 4.0. This shortlist spans 5.6–6. Anything at or above 6 here is the forgiving half of the group; below that you are asking for cleaner contact in exchange for something else, usually hand speed or price.
Swing weight is the number your elbow feels
The paddles here run 104 to 110 in swing weight. Every point up adds plow-through on drives and takes away speed in hands battles. If you play mostly doubles at the line, bias low; if you drive from the baseline or play singles, bias high. Static weight in ounces is a much weaker predictor of either.
Core thickness splits this list
2 of the 3 picks use a 16 mm core, 1 of the 3 picks use a 13 mm core. Thicker cores hold the ball marginally longer, which shows up as control and touch; thinner cores return it faster, which shows up as pop. Compare the same brand's two thicknesses directly before assuming one is better.
What you get for the money
The cheapest paddle here is the Franklin Ben Johns Signature Pro at $60 (IQ 74.7); the most expensive is the Franklin Signature Carbon STR at $110 (IQ 79.8). That is a $50 spread for 5.099999999999994 points of IQ. On score-per-dollar the Franklin Ben Johns Signature Pro at $60 is the strongest buy in the group, which is worth knowing before you assume the top of the list is the paddle to order.
Which one should you buy?
If you want the highest overall rating and price is secondary, take the Franklin Signature Carbon STR. If you are getting beaten in hands battles, take the Franklin Ben Johns Signature Pro — its 104 swing weight is the lowest here. If your contact still drifts off centre, take the Franklin Signature Carbon STR (forgiveness 85, twist weight 6). If you want the most performance per dollar, take the Franklin Ben Johns Signature Pro at $60. Those four cover the overwhelming majority of buyers on this page.
What is the best Franklin pickleball paddles right now?
The Franklin Signature Carbon STR tops this list with an IQ score of 79.8. It is a 16 mm standard paddle at 8 oz and $110. Club players wanting a reliable all-rounder
How were these 3 paddles chosen?
Franklin paddles only, ranked by IQ score. 3 paddles in our database met the filter and the top 3 by that ranking are shown. The ordering is computed from Paddle DNA values, not editor preference, so it updates automatically when a new paddle is added.
What is the cheapest good option on this list?
The Franklin Ben Johns Signature Pro at $60 has the best score-per-dollar of the group (IQ 74.7). Prices across the shortlist run $60 to $110.
Does a more expensive paddle in this category actually play better?
Not consistently. Across this shortlist the price spread is $50 while the IQ spread is only 6.299999999999997 points. Price tracks build consistency and twist weight more closely than it tracks raw performance, which is why the value pick above is often the smarter order.
Head-to-head comparisons from this list
Crawlable links between the picks above, so each matchup is discoverable without the sitemap.
#1Franklin Signature Carbon STR16 mm · standard · 8 oz · SW 110$11080