Pickleball with no download
Poddle is a pickleball game that runs in a browser tab. Your phone is the paddle, and the paddle is a web page too. There is no app store and nothing to install on the computer or the phone.
One exception. To use an AirPod as the paddle instead of a phone, a Mac needs the free Poddle Helper app.
What you need, and what you do not
You need
- A computer or an iPad with a current browser
- A phone with motion sensors, including a gyroscope (or, on a Mac, one AirPod with Poddle Helper)
- An internet connection on each device you use
You do not need
- An app, a plugin or a download for the phone paddle
- An account or an email address
- A webcam, a controller or the same Wi-Fi on both devices
The computer
Any computer that runs a current browser can be the screen: Windows, macOS, ChromeOS or Linux. An iPad works too. The browser needs JavaScript and WebGL turned on, because WebGL draws the 3D court.
The AirPod option needs a Mac on macOS 14 or later, Google Chrome, AirPods Pro, AirPods 3, AirPods 4 or AirPods Max, and Poddle Helper; its AirPod setup steps are in How to play.
The phone
An iPhone or an Android phone with motion sensors, including a gyroscope. The paddle reads how fast the phone turns, and a phone without a gyroscope cannot report that. Scanning the QR code on the computer opens the paddle page in the phone's own browser. On an iPhone, the page asks for permission to use motion. Choose Allow.
The paddle page asks the browser to keep the screen awake while you play. If the browser has no way to do that, the page shows a tip instead: set Auto-Lock to Never while you play.
What runs in the browser
The game, its fonts and its sounds are served from poddleball.com and run inside the tab. Each visit loads the current version, so there is no update to install and nothing left behind when you close the tab, apart from your settings and a random device identifier kept in the browser's own storage.
The phone and the computer never connect to each other directly, which is why they can be on different networks. Each one opens its own connection to the Poddle server.
A webcam is optional
The webcam is on the computer, not the phone. It lets you move your player by stepping. Without one, choose Play without camera, or set Move to Auto, and the game runs you to the ball while you swing. How Move works is in How to play.
The body tracking is Google's open-source MediaPipe software, served from poddleball.com. It loads into the tab only after you allow the camera, and it reads the video inside the browser on your computer. The video is never recorded, saved or sent. Only your approximate position goes to the game.
If the browser blocks a sensor
The phone says Motion is switched off
On an iPhone, motion access was refused with Don't Allow. Close the tab, scan the code again, and choose Allow. If the phone never asked, it may lack a gyroscope. Try another phone.
The phone says No motion sensors here
On a laptop, this is expected: open the paddle page on your phone. On an Android phone, Chrome may be blocking motion for this site. In Chrome's site settings for poddleball.com, set Motion sensors to Allow, then tap Try again.
The computer says the camera is blocked
Allow the camera in your browser's site settings. The game shows the steps for Chrome, Edge, Safari and Firefox. On a Mac, also turn on your browser in System Settings, Privacy & Security, Camera. On Windows, check Settings, Privacy & security, Camera. On an iPad, open the Settings app, then Apps, your browser, Camera, choose Allow and reload the page. Close any other app using the camera, or choose Play without camera.
Free, with no ads
Poddle is free to play. There are no ads, no analytics and no payments, and Poddle never sells your information. A cookie is set only if you choose to sign in. The display name you type is visible to other players, so use a nickname. The Privacy Policy lists every piece of information and how long it is kept.
Questions
Do I have to download an app to play Poddle?
No. The game runs in a browser tab on the computer, and the paddle runs in a web page on the phone. The only app is optional: Poddle Helper, for playing with an AirPod on a Mac.
Do my phone and computer need to be on the same Wi-Fi?
No. Each needs its own internet connection. The phone sends its motion to the Poddle server, which passes it to your game tab.
Can I play on my phone without a computer?
No. A phone can watch a match and show your stats and the leaderboard, but it cannot take a seat. To play, a computer or an iPad shows the court and the phone is the paddle.
Do I need to sign up or give an email address?
No. Type a display name and play as a guest. Poddle never asks for an email address. Signing in with Google is optional, and Poddle keeps only Google's account identifier, not your email, name or picture. After signing in, you pick a username as a separate step.
More about Poddle
Courts, Matt the bot and tournaments are on what you can play in Poddle. How motion becomes a swing is on your phone as a paddle controller. Every step to a first match is in How to play.